The large-scale empirical research project LANGUAGES aims to compare language teaching policies, methodologies and outcomes for secondary school learners (aged 13-15) of English and French in three European countries: England, France and Norway. English and French have different statuses in these countries: depending on the context, they are first, second or foreign languages. In addition, students' language proficiency in second and foreign languages is known to vary extensively across contexts (European Commission, 2012).
In order to conduct meaningful cross-context comparisons, the LANGUAGES research team needed valid and reliable measures of language proficiency. Altogether, the selected tests needed to offer comparable data and be appropriate for adolescent learners of French and English in each country at different levels. In terms of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) levels, we expected proficiency to vary from the pre-A1 level (Norwegian and English learners of French), via A, B and possibly C-levels (Norwegian and French learners of English), to native speaker competence (secondary school students of English in England and secondary school students of French in France). For feasibility reasons, the tests also needed to be relatively quick and easy to conduct.
This paper discusses the challenges with selecting tests that are often developed for specific contexts and levels, and use them in a way that would allow for cross-context comparisons. We will present our decision to use a standardised reading comprehension test aligned with the CEFR levels for English (the Evalang test) in combination with a new vocabulary test for beginner learners of French that we developed specifically for the LANGUAGES project in order to cover the pre-A1 level, building on existing resources and tests (Cobb, n.d.; Meara & Milton, 2003).
In the paper, we present findings from the first year of the project, with data gathered from students (n=1000; aged 13-15) in eight English classes in each country and eight French classes in England and Norway (classes n=40). The contribution outlines key characteristics of each national context and presents a comparison of the estimated proficiency levels achieved in English by students in each country and in French by students in England and Norway. Implications for the refinement of language attainment comparisons across national contexts are discussed, alongside the potential for such tests to inform language teaching policy and practice.
References
Cobb, T. (n.d). Lextutor. Website, lextutor.ca.
European Commission. (2012). The first European survey on language competences. Final report.
Meara, P. & Milton, J. (2003). X_Lex, The Swansea Levels Test. Newbury: Express.
