CEFR-aligned curriculum

cascade workshops
What is CEFR?

• Common European Framework of

Reference for Languages

D1.S1.2
 CEFR: international standards

‘What [the CEFR] can do is to stand as a

central point of reference, itself always
open to amendment and further
development, in an interactive international
system of co-operating institutions [...]
whose cumulative experience and expertise
produces a solid structure of knowledge,
understanding and practice shared by all.’
John Trim, Using the CEFR (2011)

D1.S1.6
 Key CEFR ideas

activity strategies contexts

approach tasks reception texts

language competences

conditions and constraints

communicative acts

Handout D1.S1.1 D1.S1.7

 CEFR: how can we use it?

• evaluating language learning needs

• designing courses
• developing syllabuses
• developing learning materials
• informing test development
• guiding assessment criteria development
• informing continuous/self-assessment
• teacher training programmes
• describing language policies
D1.S1.10
CEFR: what is the framework?

6-level framework

4 skills
D1.S1.11
CEFR: what is the framework?

D1.S1.12
CEFR: how does it support learning
and teaching?

D1.S1.13
CEFR: how does it support learning
and teaching?

D1.S1.14
CEFR: how does it support learning
and teaching?

D1.S1.15
 CEFR: how does it support learning
and teaching?

Pupils do better if teachers and pupils:

• understand goals and outcomes (learning
standards)
• understand how they are doing in relation to
those learning standards
• use this information to make decisions about
the best way to achieve them

D1.S1.16
 CEFR: how does it support learning
and teaching?

pre-A1 A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2

D1.S1.17
 CEFR

• How does it fit into day to day teaching?

• Why is it important?

D1.S1.18
CEFR: how does it fit into day to day
teaching?
SUBJECT :
YEAR/FORM :
DURATION

THEME :
TOPIC :
FOCUS SKILLS : L/S/R/W/LA/LiA :
CONTENT STANDARD :
LEARNING STANDARD :
LEARNING OBJECTIVES :
CROSS-CURRICULAR ELEMENTS :
*ACTIVITIES : i. PRE-LESSON :
ii. LESSON DEVELOPMENT :

iii. POST-LESSON :
TEACHER’S REFLECTION

Handout D1.S1.2 D1.S1.19

CEFR: how does it fit into day to day
teaching?

Content &
Learning standards
Framework
CEFR

Syllabuses

Schemes of Work

D1.S1.20
 CEFR in the Malaysian Primary
classroom context
The CEFR scales and descriptors identify performance areas and
describe them in ‘can do’ statements, which appear in the Curriculum
Framework as content standards and learning standards.
• They inform the Syllabuses and Schemes of Work.
• From this we can identify learning standards delivered via the
textbook or supplementary lessons.

This allows both teacher and pupil to:

• identify all the relevant skills, including those that are problematic,
which pupils need to develop
• prompt a focus on these skills in realistic contexts
• allow teachers and pupils to measure how well they are progressing.
D1.S1.21
Curriculum Content and Learning Standards
and the CEFR

• What are Content Standards?

• What are Learning Standards?
• Where do they come from?
• How are they arranged?

D1.S2.2
Curriculum Content and Learning Standards
and the CEFR

What are Content Standards?

- Area of learning/skill
What are Learning Standards?
- Detailed, observable skill
- Within Content Standard area
- Target for end of each school year
How are they organised?
- By skill + Language Arts (LA)
- CS + Focus + LS Years 1–6
- Numbered
Note: Common Content Standard + Graded Learning
Standards

D1.S2.3
Curriculum Content and Learning Standards
and the CEFR

Numbering of Content and Learning Standards

– By Skill:
1= Listening 2= Speaking
3= Reading 4= Writing 5= LA
– By Content Standard (e.g. 4.1, 4.2 …)
– By Learning Standard (e.g. 4.1.1, 4.1.2 … )
– Example:
R3.3.1
=

Reading.CS3.LS1
D1.S2.4
Curriculum Content and Learning Standards
and the CEFR

• Linked to four skills addressed in the CEFR

(Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing)
• Content and Learning Standards directly related
to CEFR descriptors
• Focus on developing language for
communication in four skills
• No grammar specified
• Plus Language Arts (CEFR-related skills)

D1.S2.5
Curriculum Content and Learning Standards
and the CEFR

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6

Working
A1 A1 A1 A2 A2
Target*: towards
Low Mid High Low Mid
A1
Starting No or Working
A1 A1 A1 A2
at: limited towards
Low Mid High Low
English A1

Note:
- *By the end of the school year, most pupils will have
reached the target CEFR level shown in the table.

D1.S2.6
Curriculum Content and Learning Standards
and the CEFR

1. Listening
• Content Standards:
– focus on:
• pupils’ ability to recognise individual sounds
• to understand meaning
• to use strategies to help their listening.

• Learning Standards:
– move from pupils being able to understand
globally to being able to understand details.
D1.S2.7
 Curriculum Content and Learning Standards
and the CEFR
Listening example:
Content Learning Learning Learning Learning Learning Learning
Focus
Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6
1.1.1 1.1.1 1.1.1 1.1.1 1.1.1 1.1.1
1.1 Recognise Recognise Recognise Recognise Recognise Recognise
Recognise Recognise and and and and and and
and and reproduce reproduce reproduce reproduce reproduce reproduce
reproduce reproduce with with with with with little or independen
target target support a support a support a support a no support tly a wide
language language limited range of range of wide range a wide range of
sounds phonemes range of high target of target range of target
intelligibly high frequency language language target language
frequency target phonemes phonemes language phonemes
target language phonemes
language phonemes
phonemes

D1.S2.8
Curriculum Content and Learning Standards
and the CEFR

2. Speaking
• Focus on:
‒ the pupil’s ability to communicate to others
‒ their ability to use strategies when interacting with others
‒ their ability to communicate alone to a group.
• Interacting with others = Spoken Interaction.
• Speaking alone to a group = Spoken Production.
• Most Learning Standards focus on spoken interaction, as we
think that this is a pupil’s main need in Primary School.

D1.S2.9
 Curriculum Content and Learning Standards
and the CEFR

Speaking example:
Content Learning Learning Learning Learning Learning Learning
Focus
Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6

2.1 2.1.1 2.1.1 2.1.1 2.1.1 2.1.1 2.1.1

Communicate Communicate Give very Give simple Ask about Explain and Give Give
simple simple basic personal and give reasons detailed detailed
information information personal information express for basic information information
intelligibly about information using basic basic opinions about about
themselves using fixed statements opinions themselves themselves
clearly phrases and others

D1.S2.10
Curriculum Content and Learning Standards
and the CEFR

3. Reading
• Focus on:
– pupils’ ability to learn to read
– ability to understand meaning
– ability to read independently for enjoyment .
• Include LS for pre-literate pupils (Year 1).
• Learning Standards for understanding meaning
move from pupils being able to understand
globally to being able to understand details.
• Note that text types are identified in the syllabus.
D1.S2.11
 Curriculum Content and Learning Standards
and the CEFR

Reading example:
Content Learning Learning Learning Learning Learning Learning
Focus
Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6

3.2
Understand 3.2.1 3.2.1 3.2.1 3.2.1 3.2.1 3.2.1
a variety of Understand Understand Understand Understand Understand Understand Understand
linear and the main the main the main the main the main the main the main
non-linear idea in a idea of very idea of idea of idea of idea of idea of
print and variety of simple simple short simple texts simple texts simple
digital texts text types phrases and sentences simple texts of one or of two longer texts
by using on familiar sentences two paragraphs
appropriate topics paragraphs or more
reading
strategies

D1.S2.12
Curriculum Content and Learning Standards
and the CEFR

4. Writing
• Focus on:
– pupils’ ability to learn to write
– ability to communicate meaning
– ability to use appropriate mechanical features of writing.
• Separate ‘learning to write’ Learning Standards for pupils
learning to write.
• Learning Standards for communicating meaning move from
pupils being able to communicate information, to describing
people and things, to being able to organise what they write.

D1.S2.13
 Curriculum Content and Learning Standards
and the CEFR
Writing example:
Content Learning Learning Learning Learning Learning
Focus Learning Standard
Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6

4.1.2
4.1 i) Form upper and lower 4.1.2 4.1.2 4.1.2 4.1.2 4.1.2
Form letters Develop case letters of regular size No learning Begin to use Use cursive No learning No learning
and words in early and shape** standard cursive writing in standard standard
**preliterate children only handwriting in written work*
neat legible writing
a limited range
print using skills* ii) write letters and words of written *all children
cursive writing in a straight line from left work*
*all to right with regular
children spaces between words *all children
and spaces*

iii) copy letters and

familiar high frequency
words and phrases
correctly*

*all children

D1.S2.14
Curriculum Content and Learning Standards
and the CEFR

5. Language Arts
• Focus on:
– pupils’ ability to enjoy and appreciate different text
types
– ability to express a personal response to texts
– ability to respond imaginatively to texts.

D1.S2.15
 Curriculum Content and Learning Standards
and the CEFR

Language Arts example:

Content Learning Learning Learning Learning Learning Learning
Focus
Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6

5.2.1 5.2.1 5.2.1 5.2.1 5.2.1 5.2.1

5.2 Name Name Ask and Say in Explain in Describe in
Express Identify, people, people, answer simple simple simple
personal analyse and things or things, simple words and language language a
responses respond to places of actions, or questions phrases why they character’s
to literary elements in interest in places of about how a text like or actions or
texts texts illustrations interest in characters, makes them dislike an feelings and
accompanyi texts actions and feel event, explain the
ng texts events of description reasons for
interest in a or character them
text in a text

D1.S2.16
 Development of skills

How do pupils’ skills develop across the 6

years of Primary?

D1.S2.18
 Development of skills

• Range : Limited ⇒ Wide

• Frequency : High ⇒ Low
• Support : With ⇒ None
• Complexity : Simple ⇒ Complex
• Cognitive challenge : Age appropriate
• Length : Shorter ⇒ Longer

D1.S2.18
 Development of skills

Example:
Content Learning Learning Learning Learning Learning Learning
Focus
Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6

1.2.2 1.2.2 1.2.2 1.2.2 1.2.2 1.2.2

1.2 Understand Understand Understand Understand Understand Understand
Understand Understand with with with with with with little or
meaning in specific support support support support support no support
a variety of details when specific specific specific specific specific specific
familiar listening to information information information information information information
contexts texts on and details and details and details and details and details and details
familiar of very of simple of short of longer of longer of longer
topics simple sentences simple texts simple texts simple texts simple texts
phrases and on a range on a range
sentences of familiar of familiar
topics topics

D1.S2.20
 Language Arts Content and Learning
Standards
Content Standard Focus Learning Standard Learning Standard

Year 1 Year 2

A1
Working towards A1
Low

5.2.1 5.2.1
5.2
Identify, analyse and Name people, things or Name people, things, actions,
Express personal places of interest in or places of interest in texts
respond to elements in
responses to literary texts
illustrations accompanying
texts texts

5.3.1 5.3.1
5.3
Plan, prepare and produce Respond imaginatively and Respond imaginatively and
Express an imaginative intelligibly through creating intelligibly through creating
creative work with a focus
response to literary on language use
simple art and craft products simple short chants or raps
texts
Other imaginative responses Other imaginative responses
as appropriate as appropriate

D2.S2.6
 Documentation

Three main documents:

• CEFR-Aligned curriculum framework
• Syllabus, Scope and Sequence
• Scheme of Work

D1.S2.23
 Tasks to build confidence (more
controlled)

• Dialogue builds with prompts

• Responding to prompts
• Guessing games
• Putting pictures in order to tell stories
• Explaining if something is true or false
• Describing pictures (in pairs)
• Board games with speaking elements
D1.S3.6
Tasks to focus on Speaking fluency

• Role plays
• Group discussions and debates
• Telling stories and experiences
• Making suppositions about photos and
pictures
• Creating quizzes or questionnaires and
asking/answering questions
• Problem solving
• Interviewing

D1.S3.7
 Tasks to focus on Listening

For understanding:
• True/False comprehension
• identifying pictures
• sequencing a story
• prediction tasks
For acquisition of language:
• use repetition and voice tone (and chants)
• integrate drills to improve confidence

D1.S3.8
 Key points for successful speaking and
listening activities

a) Is it purposeful? b) Is it adaptable?
e.g. a real communicative more/less challenging, content,
purpose? age appropriate, etc.

c) time, class size, noise,

etc.

d) Is it productive?
e.g. language? skills? e) Is it enjoyable?
motivating, fun,
interesting?
D1.S3.9
 An example Speaking activity

Can you describe the picture? Who do you

think they are?

Who do you imagine took the photograph?

How does the photograph make you feel?
Handouts D1.S3.4-5 D1.S3.10
 An example Listening activity

Back to back:
• get into pairs
• sit back to back
• now take turns describing your picture
• how many differences can you remember?

D1.S3.11
Which skills can Primary pupils
deal with?
Skills involved in reading include:
• perceptual skills
• memory
• decoding skills
• inference
• predicting
• imagination
• rapid scanning
• anaphoric and cataphoric referencing (referring back
and forwards)
• interpreting and drawing conclusions

D1.S4.3
 pupils at Primary level

• emotional needs
• engaging with environment
• emergent literacies and languages
(different literacies)
• cognitive abilities
• emergent cultural identity and
understanding

D1.S4.4
To maintain motivation in reading and
writing…

…we can integrate the following into our

classroom:
• give lots of encouragement and praise
• use the classroom walls as a place to display
pupils’ written work
• promote cooperation among pupils
• have a reading corner with books and comics
• talk to pupils about things you have read.

D1.S4.5
 Tips for working with text

• Work with the vocabulary and the theme before you give
the pupils the text to read.
• Keep the text short, with vocabulary the pupils have
encountered before.
• Remember to use comprehension questions that are also
short and check the pupils’ understanding of the
questions before you give them the text.
• Use the text to exploit the language you want them to use
in their writing.
• Create a communicative and real purpose for writing.
(e.g. Can it be about themselves or their family?)
• Focus on the communicative message pupils convey in
the writing rather than accuracy.

D1.S4.12
 Lesson planning

• To provide a clear purpose for a lesson

(objectives)
• To develop pupils’ understanding across a
lesson (procedure)
• To anticipate problems and plan solutions
• To ensure everything needed is prepared
(materials and resources)
• For classroom management (timing and pace)
• To ensure progression over time (longer-term
planning)

D2.S1.3
Schemes of work and lesson planning

• Content and Learning Standards:

– come from curriculum
– main and complementary standards
• Lesson outline:
– lesson procedure
– three main parts of the lesson
• Materials / resources:
– Superminds 1

D2.S1.5
Schemes of work and lesson planning

• Cross-curricular element:
– from Ministry of Education
• Differentiation strategies:
– thinking about individual pupils’ needs
• Teacher’s notes/Remarks:
– for use during lesson
– longer-term planning
– feedback

D2.S1.6
Schemes of Work and lesson planning

Taken from Scheme of Work: Teachers write:

Theme Subject (English)
Topic Year/Form
Focus skills Duration (1 hour)
Content Standard(s) Learning Objectives
Learning Standard(s) Activities*

Cross-curricular elements Teacher’s Reflection

Handout D2.S1.1-2
D1.S1.8
 Learning objectives

What is a Learning objective?

A clear statement of:

• what the pupils will be able to do at the
end of the lesson
• an outcome that is observable (you can
‘see’ it)
• and is assessable (you can ‘measure’).

D2.S1.9
 Learning objectives

Look at this Learning objective:

By the end of the lesson, pupils will be able to

use a sentence to say what their and others’
favourite toys are.

• Is it clear?
• Is it achievable for Lower Primary pupils?
• Does it describe something observable?
• Does it describe something measurable?

D2.S1.10
 Learning objectives

Learning Standard:
Speaking 2.1.5
Name or describe objects using suitable
words from word sets

Learning objective:
By the end of the lesson, pupils will be able
to use a sentence to say what their and
others’ favourite toys are.
Handout D2.S1.3
D2.S1.13
 Age-appropriate activity types

Task:
In year groups, brainstorm some activities to fit these descriptions:

• Respond non-verbally
• Say the words
• Sing
• Name interesting things in illustrations (Year 1)
• Name interesting things in texts (Year 2)
• Respond imaginatively
• Creating Arts & Craft products (Year 1)
• Creating simple short chants or raps (Year 2)
• Other imaginative responses Handout D2.S2.2

D2.S.8
Planning a Language Arts lesson: principles

Staging a Language Arts lesson

• Engage pupils
Pre • Introduce topic
• Pre-teach/review key vocabulary

• Ask questions and involve pupils to:

• Check understanding
While • Engage pupils
• Keep pupils focused and interested

• Enrich learning
• Stimulate thinking skills
Post • Review and reinforce
language and vocabulary

D2.S2.9
Tracking Learning Process
Principles of tracking progress

Identify
a need
Note: The
Learning Cycle
Plan
Reflect
teaching
is a continuous
Learning
process. There
is no beginning
or end point.
Monitor
Teach
& record

D2.3.15
 Techniques for monitoring progress

Three types of tracking progress:

• 1. On-the-run…
is monitoring that teachers do as they teach and observe
learners in the classroom.
• 2. Diagnostic…
identifies learners strengths and weaknesses at the beginning
of a period of learning.
• 3. Planned…
is when the teacher designs activities which aim to check
progress.
D2.S3.16
Using the information about pupils’
progress
Change what to teach:
- Give more practice with a skill, language point or vocabulary

- Change materials to offer more support or challenge

- Change the type of feedback to give to pupils (e.g. focus)

- Change materials to make them more accessible or

challenging

- Add something to the Scheme of Work

D2.S3.26
Using the information about pupils’
progress
Change how to teach:

- Change teaching style or strategies (e.g. interaction patterns:

individual/pair/groups)

- Change the way to give feedback

(e.g. oral/written/individual, monitoring strategies)

- Change the way to differentiate

- Change behaviour management strategies

D2.S3.27
Using the information about pupils’
progress
Change when to teach:

- Change the order of activities or topics in a

lesson or unit

- Identify problem areas they need to work on

with individual or groups of pupils before
continuing

- Delay progress through syllabus in order to

review or re-teach a class

D2.S3.28
Using the information about pupils’
progress

Monitoring progress

• Short term : Sequence of lessons; a Unit

• Medium term : A semester
• Long term : A school year

D2.S3.29
Non- textbook lesson
 Planning non-textbook lessons:
requirements and challenges

Provided in the Scheme of Work:

• Main skill focus
• Language focus
• Learning Standards
• Cross-curricular element
• Suggestions and ideas

Not provided in the Scheme of Work. Teachers need

to work on:
• Learning Objectives
• Learning Outline

D2.S4.4
Planning non-textbook lessons: Learning
Objectives

A good Learning Objective is…

• Clear
• Achievable
• Observable
• Measurable

D2.S4.6
Supporting pupils with different learning
rates and needs

Task

Preference Support

Differentiation
strategies

Success
Outcome
criteria

D3.S1.7
Non-textbook lessons: materials

• If there are no materials for the

lesson (or for a pupil need), it may
be necessary to source alternative
materials.

D3.S3.14
 Published materials

You can use:

• Supplementary books
• Online lessons
‒ often designed by materials writers
‒ already level tested
‒ economic

D3.S3.15
 How can we adapt?

ADDING MODIFYING

DELETING SIMPLIFYING

RE-ORDERING

D3.S4.11
 Storing and re-using materials

• Durability
• Use
• Storage
• Sharing
• Re-using

D4.S1.11
 Summary

Changes in:
Content Standard and Learning Standard

2 Learning Objective : Main and Complementary

Textbook: Supermind 1
1 non textbook lesson per week
Teaching of phonics
Year 1 – first 4 weeks
Year 2 – first 2 weeks
Success Criteria: most, all, some