Language Assessment Activities Package
&
Student Portfolio

In many parts of Canada (and especially in Ontario), second language educators are paying more attention to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), a tool developed by the Council of Europe to help identify a person's language competency, irrespective of his or her grade level or age. All indications are that the principles of the CEFR will be embodied in the forthcoming curriculum guidelines to be released by the Ontario Ministry of Education. The principles of the CEFR align extremely will with the philosophy of the AIM.

Consequently, AIM Language Learning has developed a wonderful, full-colour Language Assessment Activities Package and Student Portfolio, based on the principles of the CEFR. All four language skills are assessed. This package is also an excellent resource for the many European teachers who are aleady familiar with the CEFR.

Why and when to use this Package?

Assessment for learning and assessment for teaching are important considerations in the design of a well-rounded program that meets the needs of all students. Our Language Skill Assessment Package will help make it easy for you.

This simple–to–use package contains everything you need to:

1. conduct a pre-test before beginning the year when you have many new students and you need to determine the AIM kit level that is most appropriate for them

2. conduct a post-test at the end of the year to:

(a) demonstrate the potentially highly significant language skill progression over the course of the year;
(b) determine the areas of strength and weakness of individual students for future plannng;
(c) determine if there are any consistent gaps in language skill areas that will help you to improve your program delivery to ensure a balance among all four language skills.

The contents include:

Section 1: Overview of the CEFR

1. A brief introduction to the CEFR

(a) The Action-Oriented Approach
(b) Language Skills and Strategies Chart

2. Self-Assessment Grid for AIM teachers