Putting a Framework to the Test: Comparability of Proficiency Classifications for English as a Foreign Language

• In Event: 16.030 - Impacting What Matters: Using Assessment to Examine Student Outcomes

Abstract

The Common European Framework of Reference for languages (CEFR) intends to enhance the comparability of language tests and qualifications. This study compares two assessment programs for students of English as a foreign language (EFL) that are mapped onto the CEFR: German National Assessment (NA) and the international Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Linking proficiency level classifications of the two tests enables us to investigate the suitability of the CEFR as a reliable frame of reference for assessment purposes. Moreover, we contribute to the validation of national EFL proficiency standards by examining their compliance with international university admission requirements. Results are discussed with respect to implications for CEFR-based test development and standard-setting procedures.

Authors

• Johanna Fleckenstein, IPN - Leibniz Institute for Science and Mathematics Education

• Michael Leucht, Leibniz Institute for Science and Mathematics Education (IPN)

• Olaf Koeller, Leibniz Institute for Science and Math Education