Developing CEFR-aligned tasks for assessing receptive skills

Authors

Keywords:

foreign language instruction, language skills, listening, reading, language test, skills assessment

Abstract

Objective: This paper focuses on the process of developing receptive skills tasks aligned with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) for the English proficiency certification in Cuban Higher Education.

Methods: Qualitative methods were chosen to gain insights into theoretical and practical aspects of certification tests. A collaborative-responsive approach, alongside the expertise of participants, allowed developing basic documents for task development. Further, regional group collaboration and online working to develop tasks and feedback rounds were used as an iterative process.  

Results: The results provide useful insights into practical aspects of the task development process of the receptive skills for the Cuban certification test.

Conclusions: The assessment materials produced for task development using the CEFR as reference were crucial to ensure the development of listening and reading tasks in line with international standards to certify students’ English proficiency in Cuban universities. The challenges faced allow task developers not only to recognize which aspects must be paid special attention to when developing receptive skills tasks but also to adapt to the changes resulting from the new assessment practices.

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Author Biographies

  • Odalys de las Mercedes Morales Chacón, Universidad Tecnológica de La Habana

    has a degree in English language and Literature from the University of Havana, and holds a master’s degree in applied linguistics. She is currently an associate professor at the Technological University of Havana “José Antonio Echeverría” (CUJAE), and a researcher with the Cuban Language Assessment Network (CLAN).

  • Norma Melitina Nodarse González , Universidad Central “Marta Abreu” de las Villas

    is a full professor at the Central University Marta Abreu of Las Villas and possesses a PhD in pedagogical sciences. At present, she is a researcher with the Cuban Language Assessment Network (CLAN).

References

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Published

2024-02-20

Issue

Vol. 18 No. 2 (2022): |MAYO - AGOSTO|

Section

Artículos

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Copyright (c) 2024 Transformación

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How to Cite

Developing CEFR-aligned tasks for assessing receptive skills. (2024). Transformación, 18(2), 180-192. https://transformacion.reduc.edu.cu/index.php/transformacion/article/view/113