The Common European Framework in its political and educational context What is the Common European Framework?

Independence: There are two further advantages of short descriptors. Firstly they are
more likely to describe a behaviour about which one can say ‘Yes, this person can
do this’. Consequently shorter, concrete descriptors can be used as independent
criteria statements in checklists or questionnaires for teacher continuous
assessment and/or self-assessment. This kind of independent integrity is a signal
that the descriptor could serve as an objective rather than having meaning only
relative to the formulation of other descriptors on the scale. This opens up a range
of opportunities for exploitation in different forms of assessment (see Chapter 9).
Scale development methodologies
The existence of a series of levels presupposes that certain things can be placed at one
level rather than another and that descriptions of a particular degree of skill belong to
one level rather than another. This implies a form of scaling, consistently applied.
There are a number of possible ways in which descriptions of language proficiency can
be assigned to different levels. The available methods can be categorised in three
groups: intuitive methods, qualitative methods and quantitative methods. Most
existing scales of language proficiency and other sets of levels have been developed
through one of the three intuitive methods in the first group. The best approaches
combine all three approaches in a complementary and cumulative process. Qualitative
methods require the intuitive preparation and selection of material and intuitive
interpretation of results. Quantitative methods should quantify qualitatively pre-tested
material, and will require intuitive interpretation of results. Therefore in developing
the Common Reference Levels, a combination of intuitive, qualitative and quantitative
approaches was used.
If qualitative and quantitative methods are used then there are two possible starting
points: descriptors or performance samples. 
Users of the Framework may wish to consider and where appropriate state:
•
Which of the criteria listed are most relevant, and what other criteria are used explicitly
or implicitly in their context;
•
To what extent it is desirable and feasible that formations in their system meet criteria
such as those listed.
Appendix A: developing proficiency descriptors
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