258 / 2018-08-31 15:59:41

Refining an Advanced English for Science and Technology Course with Reference to Language Proficiency Standards

language proficiency scales,English for science and technology,curriculum design

全体主题 > 语言能力标准在教学和测试中的应用

In addition to providing guidance for language test development, language proficiency standards also have the capacity to serve as framework of reference for language teaching. As stated explicitly in the CEFR, this reference framework is a descriptive scheme conceptualizing language learning and use instead of prescriptive rules, and therefore it needs to be adapted to fit the context of learning. This paper describes how language proficiency standards are used in refining an advanced English for Science and technology course underway at present, from setting objectives for the curriculum, to syllabus design, pedagogy and assessment, with the facilitation of language portfolios.

To begin with, refining objectives for the ESP course requires establishing descriptors and determining the realistic goals. This is achieved by combining analysis of the students’ real world needs, collation of existing descriptors in language proficiency standards, including CSE (Chinese), CEFR (European) and CLB (Canadian), and integration of the current practice on CLIL and ESP teaching projects informed by standards. Following this, the course level is determined at C1 in CEFR, 7 - 8 in CSE or 9 - 11 in CLB. Then the content-based syllabus is polished by specifying the outcome competences, vocabulary, language functions, grammar points, and other related factors, taking the authentic teaching materials into consideration. Accompanying this will be language profiles shared with the students, with which they can self-assess their competences and determine their individual objectives for each teaching unit. Tasks in and out of class are designed in accordance with the objectives. Both formative and summative assessment are fine-tuned with reference to the designated scales, which will emphasize links with real world performance and learner autonomy.

Future research will involve validation of the descriptors and the assessment tools as well as qualitative and quantitative research on the effectiveness of the language proficiency standards-informed curriculum.