The Impact of CEFR implementation on language education in Malaysia

• Main Author: Kartar Singh, Kulwant Kaur
• Format: Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: CELPAD RESEARCH UNIT, CELPAD, IIUM 2023
• Subjects: L Education (General)
• Online Access: http://irep.iium.edu.my/110965/3/110965_The%20Impact%20of%20CEFR%20implementation%20on%20language%20education%20in%20Malaysia.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/110965/; https://centre.iium.edu.my/celpad/?page_id=399

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) has been widely used as a global standard for language teaching and learning in Malaysia since its establishment. The CEFR framework strives to lay the foundation for language proficiency, encompassing language curriculum, reference materials and assessments. Despite gaining popularity in modern language education, its comprehensive impact on language classroom pedagogy at the university level remains largely unexplored. Thus, this research seeks to investigate the implementation of CEFR in universities and its effects on language education. Six university lecturers from two different universities participated in this study. Interview sessions were carried out to find out what their perceptions on the implementation of CEFR in their classrooms are and to identify the challenges they faced in incorporating CEFR framework when teaching the English language. The analysis showed that even though there were challenges such as effects on instructors’ autonomy and insufficient local CEFR-aligned textbooks in the journey to implement CEFR, positive effects were identified where comprehending the framework as well as students’ learning processes were concerned. The participants admitted to be familiar with the six levels of CEFR global scale due to comprehensive training and exposure to the framework. The participants also displayed a strong dedication to acquiring new knowledge and showcased their ability to quickly grasp concepts. They asserted a significant familiarity with the CEFR global scale.