Embedding the CEFR in the academic domain:Assessment of language tasks

The CEFR is becoming established as the framework of choice for the description of the language proficiency of students at universities across Europe. To attain consistent assessment, familiarization and standardization are crucial prerequisites. In this paper we report a case study of embedding a standardization procedure in writing assessment activities at the University of Groningen. In spite of the difficulty to find consistently assessed 'flat' samples, which is inherent to the nature of language proficiency, the project shows the value and the feasibility of standardisation procedures within the CEFR. (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier Ltd.