Language Bio
What is the Language Bio?
When you are at the beginning of your language learning journey you are likely to ask yourself some key questions:
What destination am I trying to reach?
How am I going to get there? How will I know when I am there?
In fact when you are learning a language it can be quite difficult to understand how well you are progressing on your journey, unless you can go to the country of interest to road test your skills first hand.
In recognising this, ten years ago the Modern Languages Division of the Council of Europe set about providing a helpful framework of clear levels to be attained at successive stages of learning and for evaluating outcomes in an internationally comparable manner.
The result of this is the Common European Framework of Reference for Language Learning (CEFR).
In tandem, a European Language Portfolio was developed to allow language learners to keep track of their language learning and cultural experiences.
We use the Language Bio section as a practical tool to work out the starting point of your journey, and to understand where you want to arrive.
In fact the Bio contains a questionnaire that allows you self-assess the key language learning skills: reading, writing, listening, speaking (interaction), spoken production.
For example if you want to learn Spanish to get-by on holiday, book rooms, eat out , meet and greet, you may just want to develop speaking and listening skills.
On the other hand, if you are renovating a property in France, you may need to give instructions to the builders, write short messages to the cleaning team, read and search websites for suppliers, so you will need to speak,listen,read and write.
If you are attending an event, giving a wedding speech, addressing a peer group, you may need to improve your spoken presentation skills.
The Language Bio uses simple 'can do' statements to help you work out what you can do now, and what you would like to be able to do. Above all, it helps you plan, reflect on and assess your progress.
Find out about the Common European Framework
Download the language Bio here (Word doc) Download the Language Bio here (pdf)