The Council of Europe has unveiled an updated edition of its widely used Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), nearly two decades after the original version was published. The new Companion Volume reflects the way language learning and communication have evolved since 2001.
Among the changes are fresh descriptors for skills such as listening, reading and phonological control, as well as a brand new Pre–A1 level designed for beginners. The update also places strong emphasis on inclusivity: descriptors are now gender-neutral and adapted to cover both spoken and signed languages.
Entirely new scales have been added too, covering areas that barely existed when the CEFR first appeared. These include online interaction, mediation, and competences in plurilingual and pluricultural communication. Sign language also receives dedicated treatment for the first time.
The Council of Europe says the update is the result of a four-year international effort, drawing on the expertise of teachers, researchers and institutions across Europe and beyond. The aim, it stresses, is not to replace the 2001 framework but to make it more relevant, practical and accessible.
First launched in 2001, the CEFR is one of the most influential tools in European education, used to shape curricula, assessment and policy across 50 countries. By reimagining the learner as a “social agent” who builds meaning through interaction, the CEFR seeks to promote both high-quality education and intercultural understanding.
With its Companion Volume, the Council of Europe hopes to keep that vision alive in a digital, multilingual world where communication has never been more central.
The article is based on the source: https://rm.coe.int/common-european-framework-of-reference-for-languages-learning-teaching/16809ea0d4
PH source: https://rm.coe.int/common-european-framework-of-reference-for-languages-learning-teaching/16809ea0d4
