Applying CEFR linking procedures to inform the reform of a university teaching programme

Research that seeks to align teaching programmes and teaching resources with the Common European Framework of References for Languages (CEFR) is of pressing importance, and there is a clear need for methodologies that can support and demonstrate such work. This paper reports on a joint project between international and local teams that set out to use the CEFR in evaluating and reforming the Tutorial English programme at Waseda University, Japan. The program focuses on speaking – particularly spoken interaction skills. Although around 4,400 students enter the program annually, each lesson pairs one tutor with four students. The course originally involved classes at six proficiency levels, each of which was intended to target a different CEFR level. To evaluate this claim, we drew upon established CEFR linking procedures designed for use with assessments, adapting them judiciously to ensure their suitability for the present context (Council of Europe 2009).

A CEFR linking panel was conducted with six UK-based, and eight Japan-based panellists. While the project followed the stages of familiarisation, specification, standardisation/benchmarking, standard setting, and empirical validation recommended by the Council of Europe Manual (2009) for relating language examinations to the framework, it also involved additional steps of an innovative nature to scrutinise teaching principles and content coverage.

Based on the evidence from the project on the levels and coverage of textbook materials and the levels of observed student performance, the teaching programme has been reformed to introduce more accurate level setting, realistic targets for achievement, changes in textbook design, and a more balanced approach to teaching and assessing aspects of the spoken language construct.

The paper concludes with a discussion of lessons from the project on using the CEFR and its linking procedures to facilitate synergies between curriculum, teaching delivery, and assessment, and to inform improvements to a teaching programme. This research offers a compelling example of how the CEFR can bridge local educational contexts and international standards in language programmes, demonstrating the value of collaboration between local and international teams in achieving meaningful and globally recognisable alignment.