Why the Common European Framework Reference for Languages ?
All our courses follow the Common European Framework Reference for Languages (CEFR) so you can choose the best course for you and chart your progress.
The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, often referred to as CEFR, is an european standard for working out your ability in a language. It was established by the Council of Europe and aims to validate language skills.
The six CEFR levels are A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2. With these levels, you can easily work out your ability in about 50 different languages.
THE BASIC USER. The “A” levels
Understand and use very basic expressions to satisfy concrete needs.
Introduce themselves and ask others questions about personal details.
Interact simply as long as the other person speaks slowly and clearly.
Understand frequently used expressions in most intermediate areas such as shopping, family, etc.
Complete tasks that are routine and involve a direct exchange of information.
Describe matters of immediate need in simple terms.
THE INDEPENDENT USER. The “B” levels
Understand points regarding work, school, hobbies, or family-related topics.
Describe dreams, events, experiences, plans and opinions.
Deal with most travel situations in countries where the language is used.
Write short texts on topics of personal interest.
Understand the main ideas of a complex text (text related to the student’s field).
Produce a detailed text on a wide range of topics.
Spontaneously interact without too much strain for either the native speaker or the trainee.
THE PROFICIENT USER. The “C” levels
Understand a wide range of demanding, longer clauses, and recognize implicit meaning.
Use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes.
Express ideas fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions.
Produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organizational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices.
Understand with ease virtually everything heard or read.
Summarize information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation.
Express themselves spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in the most complex situations.
Why does the CEFR matter?
The CEFR is often used by employers to have a better idea of their (future) employees’ level in one language.
That said, many language learners use the CEFR for self-assessment so that they can more clearly define what they need to improve, and work out what they would like to achieve in their target language.
