Given that I’ve studied primary Indo-European languages, I’ve become well familiar with the Common European Framework of Reference (CERF). Japanese has its own equivalent (JLPT), but Arabic lacks a concrete exam, and I’ve often used CERF levels to monitor my progress.
Recently I have begun to delve into the ACTFL standards, which are far more complex. At first I had been hesitant to dig into the ACTFL, primarily because of my experience with US-based textbooks, most of which I find bulky, over-priced and sometimes confusing. My German textbooks, on the contrary, were sharp, precise, easy to read and flexible. And knowing how language learning, as a skill, is still viewed as unnecessary by many of the population, I was somewhat biased in believing that any US language institution that deals in standards must be lacking.
However, when I started reading the ACTFL can-do statements I was delighted. I have always been mildly irritated at the vagueness of the CERF general guidelines. I’m always wondering, Am I C1 yet? C2? How can I check without taking a 30+ minute test every time?
The ACTFL Can-Do statements are a smart solution for independent learners. The document is just over 40 pages and contains questions based on language level and five language skills: Listening, speaking, reading, writing, and presenting. While there are certainly some repetitions from skill to skill, each item checks a specific aspect.
For example, an interpersonal communication question for the Low Novice is “I can tell someone my name”. In the writing section, this becomes, “I can write my name”. While it seems redundant, the writing section question is also assessing whether the learner knows the alphabet and sound system of the language. And of course, as the higher the level, the more important these repetitions are.
What I love about these Can-Do statements is that they are essentially projects for self-learners. It would be very easy to print them out, organize them according to level, and then check off each completed task. Some items are not prompts you may think of right off the bat:
Recently I have begun to delve into the ACTFL standards, which are far more complex. At first I had been hesitant to dig into the ACTFL, primarily because of my experience with US-based textbooks, most of which I find bulky, over-priced and sometimes confusing. My German textbooks, on the contrary, were sharp, precise, easy to read and flexible. And knowing how language learning, as a skill, is still viewed as unnecessary by many of the population, I was somewhat biased in believing that any US language institution that deals in standards must be lacking.
However, when I started reading the ACTFL can-do statements I was delighted. I have always been mildly irritated at the vagueness of the CERF general guidelines. I’m always wondering, Am I C1 yet? C2? How can I check without taking a 30+ minute test every time?
The ACTFL Can-Do statements are a smart solution for independent learners. The document is just over 40 pages and contains questions based on language level and five language skills: Listening, speaking, reading, writing, and presenting. While there are certainly some repetitions from skill to skill, each item checks a specific aspect.
For example, an interpersonal communication question for the Low Novice is “I can tell someone my name”. In the writing section, this becomes, “I can write my name”. While it seems redundant, the writing section question is also assessing whether the learner knows the alphabet and sound system of the language. And of course, as the higher the level, the more important these repetitions are.
What I love about these Can-Do statements is that they are essentially projects for self-learners. It would be very easy to print them out, organize them according to level, and then check off each completed task. Some items are not prompts you may think of right off the bat:
- I can explain absentee and sick leave policies and answer questions about them. (Advanced Low, Interpersonal Communication)
- I can write brochures or other resources for community events or fundraising. (Advanced Mid, Presentational Writing)
- I can understand the services offered in an ad about a car repair service. (Intermediate High, Interpretive Listening)
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