A comparative study of the impact of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages produced by the Council of Europe in 2001, this book asks writers in European countries and countries in the Americas and Asia to explain the influence of the CEFR. For each country there is a policy-maker and an academic perspective.
Michael Byram taught languages in secondary school and adult education. At Durham University since 1980, now emeritus, he has researched the education of linguistic minorities and foreign language education. His most recent book is From Foreign Language Education to Education for Intercultural Citizenship (Multilingual Matters) and he is the editor of the Routledge Encyclopedia of Language Teaching and Learning.
The book describes CEFR, its aims, history and application. It gives a review of CEFR application in differnet countries outside the UK: France, Germany, Bulgaria, Poland, Argentina, the USA, Colombia, China, Japan, Taiwan, New Zealand. It is interesting to know that China foreign language teaching is quite similar to the teaching in Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan has the same problems with students preparing only to the test instead of acquiring skills and knowledge.