My aims

My aims

I aim to undertake a partial replication of the calibration process implemented by Brian North and Günther Schneider in 1994-5. The main differences are indicated below:

North & Schneider	My study
Informants (teachers and learners) based in Switzerland	Informants may be based anywhere in the world.
Judgments collected with paper questionnaires	Judgments collected with online surveys
Four skills	Productive skills only (Speaking and Writing)
Recorded speaking samples used to provide common judges link	Writing samples used to provide common judges link
Emphasis on spoken interaction	Emphasis on writing

In addition, I am including some of the extended set of CEFR descriptors that are currently under review.

For a detailed account of my process please see "What's involved?"

News, views, announcements

This is the blog for my project. This is where I'll post occasional updates. I'm also happy to post announcements on behalf om participants, and I'll be very glad to receive comments and questions (in reply to blog posts of via my contact page).

Doctor sum

Fri 22 Sep 2023

Yesterday I successfully defended my PhD thesis in Lancaster, subject to minor typographical corrections. Thank you to all who have helped and encouraged me on the way.

Submissa est!

Mon 10 Jul 2023

A week ago today, nearly ten years after I started, I submitted my thesis. It is now out of my hands (such a relief!) until my viva, provisionally scheduled for 21st September. A big thank you to all who contributed by completing my surveys.

Sill onward, still upward!

Tue 14 Mar 2023

Now busy writing with the aim of submitting my thesis this summer. Keep right on to the end of the road!

Onwards and upwards in 2022

Tue 04 Jan 2022

With the New Year I have finally closed the data collection phase of my study. It has taken a long time, but now, at last, I have enough data to be able to move on to the next phase: analysis. A Happy New Year to one and all, and a huge Thankyou to all you gallant teachers who have participated in my study.

I shall continue to post news here, and I am always glad to receive comments and questions via my contact page.

One last push!

Fri 19 Nov 2021

Thanks to Trinity College London I am now close to having enough responses for my study (at last!). But I would like to make one final push, to get as many responses as possible before the end of this year. So if you are teaching English (anywhere in the world, at any level except to children under 12) please consider participating in my study. A reward of an Amazon gift voucher worth £15 will be yours once you have submitted valid responses to all my online surveys. And do pass on the link to this site to any colleagues who may be interested.