External Frameworks for Curriculum Design
Diploma Courses in Arabic, Chinese and Japanese are non-degree courses with the aim of acquisition of communicative competence in these languages. We have, therefore, matched the attainment levels of our students at the end of these courses against the most widely accepted external framework in languages, namely the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. The three Diplomas and Certificates share common attainment levels.
Common Reference Levels: global scale
- Certificates: B1 Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. Can deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken. Can produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest. Can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes and ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.
- Diplomas: B2 Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialisation. Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party. Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.
Common Reference Levels: self-assessment grid
Certificates: B1
- Listening: I can understand the main points of clear standard speech on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. I can understand the main points of many radio or TV programmes on current affairs or topics of personal or professional interest when the delivery is relatively slow and clear.
- Reading: I can understand texts that consist mainly of high frequency everyday or job-related language. I can understand the descriptions of events, feelings and wishes in personal letters.
- Spoken Interaction: I can deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken. I can enter unprepared into conversation on topics that are familiar, of personal interest or pertinent to everyday life (e.g. family, hobbies, work, travel and current events).
- Spoken Production: I can connect phrases in a simple way in order to describe experiences and events, my dreams, hopes and ambitions. I can briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans. I can narrate a story or relate the plot of a book or film and describe my reactions.
- Writing: I can write simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest. I can write personal letters describing experiences and impressions.
Diplomas: B2
- Listening: (please note Diploma falls between B1 and B2 for this particular skill. Please see above for B1) I can understand extended speech and lectures and follow even complex lines of argument provided the topic is reasonably familiar. I can understand most TV news and current affairs programmes. I can understand the majority of films in standard dialect.
- Reading: I can read articles and reports concerned with contemporary problems in which the writers adopt particular attitudes or viewpoints. I can understand contemporary literary prose.
- Spoken Interaction: I can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible. I can take an active part in discussion in familiar contexts, accounting for and sustaining my views.
- Spoken Production: I can present clear, detailed descriptions on a wide range of subjects related to my field of interest. I can explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.
- Writing: I can write clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects related to my interests. I can write an essay or report, passing on information or giving reasons in support of or against a particular point of view. I can write letters highlighting the personal significance of events and experiences.
Overall Oral Production
- Certificates: B1 Can reasonably fluently sustain a straightforward description of one of a variety of subjects within his/her field of interest, presenting it a linear sequence of events.
- Diplomas: lower B2 Can give clear, detailed descriptions and presentations on a wide range of subjects related to his/her field of interest, expanding and supporting ideas with subsidiary points and relevant examples.
Overall Written Production
- Certificates: B1 Can write straightforward connected texts on a range of familiar subjects within his field of interest, by linking a series of shorter discrete elements into a linear sequence.
- Diplomas: B2 Can write clear, detailed texts on a variety of subjects related to his/her field of interest, synthesising and evaluating information and arguments from a number of sources.
Overall Listening Comprehension
- Certificates: upper B1 Can understand straightforward factual information about common everyday or job-related topics, identifying both general messages and specific details, provided speech is clearly articulated in a generally familiar accent.
- Diplomas: lower B2 Can understand the main ideas of propositionally and linguistically complex speech on both concrete and abstract topics delivered in a standard dialect, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialisation. Can follow extended speech and complex lines of argument provided the topic is reasonably familiar, and the direction of the talk is sign-posted by explicit markers.
Overall Reading Comprehension
- Certificates: B1 Can read straightforward factual texts on subjects related to his/her field and interest with a satisfactory level of comprehension.
- Diplomas: B2 Can read with a large degree of independence, adapting style and spend of reading to different texts and purposes, and using appropriate reference sources selectively. Has a broad active reading vocabulary, but may experience some difficulty with low frequency idioms.
Overall Spoken Interaction
- Certificates: upper B1 Can communicate with some confidence on familiar routine and non-routine matters related to his/her interests and professional field. Can exchange, check and confirm information, deal with less routine situations and explain why something is a problem. Can express thoughts on more abstract, cultural topics such as films, books, music etc.
- Diplomas: lower B2 Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction, and sustained relationships with native speakers quite possible without imposing strain on either party. Can highlight the personal significance of events and experiences, account for and sustain views clearly by providing relevant explanations and arguments.
Vocabulary Range
- Certificates: B1 Has a sufficient vocabulary to express himself/herself with some circumlocutions on most topics pertinent to his/her everyday life such as family, hobbies and interests, work, travel, and current events.
- Diplomas: B2 Has a good range of vocabulary for matters connected to his/her field and most general topics. Can vary formulation to avoid frequent repetition, but lexical gaps can still cause hesitation and circumlocution.
Vocabulary Control
- Certificates: B1 Shows good control of elementary vocabulary but major errors still occur when expressing more complex thoughts or handling unfamiliar topics or situations.
- Diplomas: B2 Lexical accuracy is generally high, though some confusion and incorrect work choice does occur without hindering communication.
Grammatical Accuracy
- Certificates: upper B1 Communicates with reasonable accuracy in familiar contexts; generally good control though with noticeable mother tongue influence. Errors occur, but it is clear what he/she it trying to express.
- Diplomas: upper B2 Good grammatical control; occasional ‘slips’ or non-systematic errors and minor flaws in sentence structure may still occur, but they are rare and can often be corrected in retrospect.
Phonological Control
- Certificates: B1 Pronunciation is clearly intelligible even if a foreign accent is sometimes evident and occasional mispronunciation occur.
- Diplomas: B2 (except for Chinese which is between B1 and B2) Has acquired a clear, natural pronunciation and intonation.
Orthographic Control
- We do not feel the categories/ criteria are appropriate for the three languages, all of which have non-Roman script. We have indicated the target number of characters and words in the course descriptions.
