Designing “conceptual knowledge” descriptors for CEFR-based proficiency levels

Description

Training seminar at the NSW Federation of Community Language Schools title: Designing “conceptual knowledge” descriptors for CEFR-based proficiency levels.
This lecture proposes a framework for the integration of “conceptual knowledge” descriptors’
into CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for languages)-based proficiency
levels. Research on the difficulties faced by L2 learners when learning an additional language
has shown that conceptual errors hinder communication in the target language. Conceptual
errors are a manifestation of ill-developed conceptual knowledge, that is the ability to express
oneself in an L2 while using the L2 conceptual system. Although there exists a number of
studies linking conceptual knowledge and its constituent parts to native-like fluency, relatively
little is present in the CEFR. Given the above, the goal of this lecture is twofold, first to
introduce and clarify “conceptual knowledge” and second to develop conceptual knowledge
descriptors’ and sample activities for each CEFR level ranging from A2 to C2.

Period	16 Oct 2024
Held at	NSW Federation of Community Language Schools Inc., Australia, New South Wales
Degree of Recognition	Regional