Issues on the initial impact of CEFR in Thailand and the region

Foley, Joseph

doi:10.17509/ijal.v9i2.20233

Cited by 14 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…China also developed a nine-level scale so that the standards of English language education could be aligned to international frameworks. Significantly, the descriptive framework of CSE has a more sociolinguistic orientation being subdivided into various genres and mediating activities, with interpretation and translation occupying an important place in the Chinese education system (Foley, 2019a: 365).…”

Section: Adapting Cefr In the Regionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The original goal of CEFR ( 2001) was to investigate the possibility of developing a pan-European unit-credit system that would allow language learners to document their foreign language (Foley, 2019a(Foley, , 2019b qualifications in a modular way. CEFR described users as Basic (A1, A2), Independent (B1, B2), Proficient (C1, C2) in such a way as to promote the mobility of people and lifelong learning that has impacted language teaching and assessment in Europe (Barni, 2015) and across the globe (Byram and Parmenter, 2012).…”

Section: Cefrmentioning

confidence: 99%

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CLT using CEFR and EIL in Southeast Asia and East Asia in the English language classroom

Foley

2021

RELC Journal

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This article discusses language teaching and the move from a predominantly psycholinguistic to a more sociolinguistic approach through Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), the Common European Framework of Reference Languages (CEFR) and English as an International Language (EIL). The context is four plurilingual and pluricultural societies in Southeast Asia and East Asia, (Thailand, Japan, Vietnam and China). These countries were chosen as they had similarities in the development of CEFR and consequently there were common factors that needed to be addressed in implementing CEFR. According to the English Proficiency Index (2020) a number of countries in the region have been described as being in the category of low or very low with regard to proficiency. To help improve such a situation, given the need for economic development, CEFR was introduced by various Ministries of Education in addition to the already existing official CLT syllabuses. English as an international language has also been widely proposed by a number of researchers, in terms of making teachers, students and educators aware of English as a world language as well as developing an attitudinal change with regard to ‘standard’ English. This article suggests that the basic principles of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) can be best applied through scaffolding using CEFR and EIL given the reality of teaching in relatively low English language proficiency contexts.

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Section: Adapting Cefr In the Regionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Cefrmentioning

confidence: 99%

CLT using CEFR and EIL in Southeast Asia and East Asia in the English language classroom

Foley

2021

RELC Journal

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“…Majority of the teachers fall under B1 and B2 categories. The Education Director-General issued a circular stating that English option teachers should have a minimum of CEFR, C1 level of qualification as 20,534 teachers had not yet taken any test to examine their level of English proficiency (Foley, 2019). This relatively poor performance of the teachers is a main concern as they are the main contributor to the successful implementation of any program.…”

Section: Teachers' Incompetencymentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors Influencing ESL Primary School Teacher’s Readiness in Implementing CEFR-aligned Curriculum

Yasin¹,

Yamat

2021

IJELS

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English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers in Malaysia, as in many other countries, are anxious to exploit the potential of Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) –aligned curriculum to enhance the teaching and learning process. Given the increasing pressure exerted by various stakeholders on language education, it is important to understand the underlying factors behind primary school teachers’ readiness regarding CEFR-aligned curriculum. Even though there are studies conducted in local contexts, it is still very limited. This study seeks to find out the level of ESL primary teachers’ readiness to implement CEFR-aligned curriculum. This study also investigates the factors that can influence teachers’ readiness towards the implementation of CEFR-aligned curriculum. Data was collected via questionnaire survey from ESL primary school teachers in Pasir Gudang, Johor. The questionnaire data was analysed using descriptive statistics. The findings revealed that most of the teachers have high level of readiness in implementing CEFR-aligned curriculum. Several factors are also highlighted in this study. Teachers’ training, competency, materials as well as school-based assessment are some of the main challenges identified in this study. In conclusion, the implementation of CEFR-aligned curriculum is seen as inevitable but more preparation and support should be provided by the ministry to ensure that teachers are fully prepared and familiar with the implementation of CEFR-aligned curriculum.

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“…According to Little (2006), it was initially issued in 2001 by the Council of Europe as a guide for documenting the achievements of foreign language learners, as well as to provide a framework for the development of language syllabuses, curricular standards, tests, textbooks, and other language learning tools throughout Europe. However, according to Foley (2019), the original edition of CEFR (2001) faced several criticisms either about its application or its scientific basis. In terms of application, CEFR has been criticized for allowing policymakers to use linguistic skill levels as gatekeepers without having a comprehensive needs assessment.…”

Section: Cefr Online Communication and Plurilingualismmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…They considered online communication to be important in language learning and teaching, especially when twenty-first century students are regularly exposed to a screen during their daily activities, for example, when they chat on Facebook Messenger and post pictures on Twitter at the same time. As a result, online communication was regarded as an important aspect of a student's language competence, and an aspect that language teachers should be aware of, alongside listening, writing, reading, and speaking (Cinganotto, 2019;Foley, 2019). As for plurilingualism, according to the Council of Europe (2018), this refers to an uneven and changing competence, in which the user/learner's resources in one language or variety may be very different in nature to those in another.…”

Section: Cefr Online Communication and Plurilingualismmentioning

confidence: 99%

“I Apology no no I Mean I Am Sorry … Please Let Me Explain That First”: Enhancing Communicative Language Competence of Thai University Students Through CEFR-Based Online Intercultural Communication

Huttayavilaiphan¹

2021

JEL

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During this COVID-19 pandemic, no one can deny the value of online communication. It has saved our lives by preventing us from going outdoors and becoming infected, while also facilitating achievement of various personal and professional goals. Online communication can also assist us with our academic goals, whether it is used to communicate with supervisors or with people from other lingua-cultural backgrounds to practice the language. This form of communication is emphasized in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) framework, which is one of the most significant guidelines for language teaching and learning throughout the world. The present research has two aims: first, to determine the extent to which CEFR-based online intercultural communication can improve Thai students’ communicative language competence, and second, to investigate Thai students’ attitudes toward CEFR-based online intercultural communication and international volunteers. The results received from 15 fifth-year dual B.A. (Chinese) and B.CM. (Traditional Chinese Medicine) students and international volunteers using various research instruments revealed that Thai students could increase their communicative language competence after participating in CEFR-based intercultural communication activities. This encompassed linguistic, sociolinguistic, and pragmatic abilities that correspond to the CEFR (2001) scales. In terms of attitudes, the study indicated that, because they were more confident in their communicative language ability, they had a positive attitude toward the CEFR-based online intercultural communication activities and their international volunteers. Finally, further research on this topic should include a proper design of online communication activities as well as methods for assessing students’ competency both before and after participation.

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Issues on the initial impact of CEFR in Thailand and the region

Cited by 14 publications

References 17 publications

CLT using CEFR and EIL in Southeast Asia and East Asia in the English language classroom

CLT using CEFR and EIL in Southeast Asia and East Asia in the English language classroom

Factors Influencing ESL Primary School Teacher’s Readiness in Implementing CEFR-aligned Curriculum

“I Apology no no I Mean I Am Sorry … Please Let Me Explain That First”: Enhancing Communicative Language Competence of Thai University Students Through CEFR-Based Online Intercultural Communication

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