Assessing writing at B2 level in selected European language proficiency tests

Moderation: Dr. Milica Sabo (Jena)

A B2-level language user, as described by the CEFR, ‘can produce clear, detailed texts on a variety of subjects related to their field of interest, synthesising and evaluating information and arguments from a number of sources’. Whilst the CEFR serves as shared point of reference in the field of language teaching, learning and assessment in Europe, and aims, among others, to facilitate the comparability of language certifications, it does not claim to provide practitioners with ready-made solutions. Language testers have considerable freedom to design and develop their examinations and, as a consequence, different exams may vary significantly in format. During the lecture we will look briefly at the CEFR descriptors for written production and interaction at B2 level as well as the characteristics of a useful language test in the context of assessing writing. Next, we will consider the writing components of four European language proficiency tests: Goethe-Zertifikat B2 (German), B2 First (English), CELI 3 (Italian) and the B2 State Certificate Exam in Polish as a foreign language. The comparison of the writing papers: their structure, writing tasks and assessment criteria will be accompanied by the discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of various solutions adopted by the test providers.   

Eine Veranstaltung des Aleksander-Brückner-Zentrums für Polenstudien Jena in in Kooperation mit dem Institut für DaF/Z und Interkulturelle Studien.

Małgorzata Banach, PhD in Linguistics based on the dissertation ‘Understanding of written text by candidates of the B2-level Polish as a foreign language certificate exam in 2005-2008’ (Jagiellonian University, 2015). Teacher of Polish as foreign language at the Universita’ degli Studi di Udine (2008-2010) and at the Jagiellonian University (since 2010). Member of the Team of Authors of Tasks and Examiners and the External Team of Authors of Tasks, operating within the framework of certification of knowledge of Polish as a foreign language (since 2012); examiner during state certification exams in Poland and abroad (since 2013). In 2016-2020, she coordinated the work of the examination centre at the Jagiellonian University, where state certificate exams in Polish are conducted. Her research interests include testing foreign language skills, foreign language comprehension skills, language teaching methodology and comparative language teaching.