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Read about why the “Lehrplan 21” is actually good news for Cambridge Exams and SEK I schools already offering Cambridge Exams preparation courses.
Those of you who are teaching at state schools in Switzerland are familiar with the Lehrplan 21. We would like to draw your attention to how the Cambridge English Exams align to this Lehrplan. Both the Lehrplan21 and the Cambridge English Exams are designed to teach and test the language skills required at the different levels of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for Languages.
This framework defines what learners in each language skill (Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking) at the European levels of A2 to C2 “can do”. The Cambridge English Exams are designed to test the various skills at these different levels and to assess the learner’s competence according to criteria determined by the exam board. This criteria is based on extensive research and careful analysis of the learner’s performance taking the exams. The data collected from many exams is used to feed the Cambridge English Learner Corpus which then in turn informs the test designers as to what a typical learner at each of the levels is capable of producing.
A careful look at the descriptors of the Lehrplan 21 shows that a teacher following these guidelines and teaching in a communicative way is well on the way to preparing the learners for success in the Cambridge English Exams. Some extra practice when it comes to familiarising the learners with the format of the exam and the time management needed in an exam situation is advisable. That can be built into the regular English lessons or it can be offered as an elective 1 hour course per week.
At the Annual Cambridge English Spring Seminar in Horgen in a few weeks a workshop will be given by Peach Richmond, a teacher experienced in working with the Lehrplan21. Come and hear what he has to say. www.MyCambridgeSeminar.ch