This webinar described a recent Council of Europe initiative to collate a representative sample of validated illustrative descriptors for Young Learners, drawn principally from existing validated European Language Portfolios. Tim discusses  the rationale for mapping them to corresponding descriptors contained in the CEFR illustrative scales, according to two broad age groups. He also explains the inclusion of new descriptors published in the CEFR Companion Volume (CEFR/CV) and the provision of expert moderated judgements of relevance to the two age groups covered. 

Participants were invited to consider how the documents for each age group might be exploited for plurilingual / pluricultural education, and how they might inform further development of instruments for Young Learner-oriented language curriculum. Tim also highlighted key implications for lifelong language learning, including considerations of cognitive challenge, learner experience and educational context, along with recommended next steps.