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

4.3
Communicative tasks and purposes
4.3.1
Acts of communication with one or more interlocutors are generally undertaken
by a language user in pursuance of his or her needs in a given situation. In the personal
domain, the intention may be to entertain a visitor by exchanging information on fa-
milies, friends, likes and dislikes, to compare experiences and attitudes, etc. In the public
domain, it will usually be to transact business, say to buy clothes of good quality at a rea-
sonable price. In the occupational domain, it may be to understand new regulations and
their implications for a client. In the educational domain it may be to contribute to a
roleplay or a seminar, or write a paper on a specialised topic for a conference or for pub-
lication, etc.
4.3.2
Over the years, needs analyses and language audits have produced an extensive
literature on the language-using tasks a learner may be equipped or required to tackle
in order to deal with the exigencies of the situations which arise in the various domains.
As examples among many others, the following tasks in the vocational domain from
Threshold Level 1990 (Chapter 2, section 1.12) may be helpful.
Communicating at work:
As temporary residents learners should be able to:
•
seek work permits etc. as required;
•
enquire (e.g. from employment agencies) about the nature, availability and
conditions of employment (e.g. job description, pay, laws of work, free time
and holidays, length of notice);
Users of the Framework may wish to consider and where appropriate state:
•
which themes learners will need/be equipped/be required to handle in the selected
domains;
•
which sub-themes they will handle with respect to each theme;
•
which specific notions relating to locations, institutions/organisations, persons, objects,
events and operations they will need/be equipped/be required to handle in order to deal
with each (sub)theme.
Language use and the language user/learner 
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•
read employment advertisements;
•
write letters of application and attend interviews giving written or spoken
information about own personal data, qualifications and experience and
answer questions about them;
•
understand and follow joining procedures;
•
understand and ask questions concerning the tasks to be performed on start-
ing work;
•
understand safety and security regulations and instructions;
•
report an accident and make an insurance claim;
•
make use of welfare facilities;
•
communicate appropriately with superiors, colleagues and subordinates;
•