Defining Criterial Approaches at C1: an approach

This paper focuses on the question of where we are now with our understanding of the C1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). The CEFR has had a dramatic impact on the fields of English language teaching and testing. The project which is the topic of this paper hoped to bring clarity to our understanding of an under-specified and under-described level (Green, 2012). This new understanding could aid test developers when creating tests. The project was based on the British Council/EAQUALS Core Inventory of General English (henceforth Core Inventory). The Core Inventory was an attempt to match language points with CEFR levels. The current project aimed to provide data-based evidence conducted with learners to support an existing theoretical work. MA TESOL students with IELTS score of 6.5 or above were invited to take a test of written and spoken English. The scripts were analysed with ATLAS.ti software to identify which of the features described as core in the Core Inventory were found in the scripts and with what level of frequency. The software was used on both the written and audio data. The language points which could be considered criterial tended to be those relating to argumentation and expressing feelings and attitudes precisely. There is some evidence to suggest that giving advice could be considered to be criterial. Perhaps the significance of the project lies in the creation of an approach to identifying criterial features using the Core Inventory.