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Multilingual education or How to learn to teach multilingual learning
Edited by Eva Vetter and Nikolay Slavkov
[AILA Review 35:1] 2022
► pp. 38–59

Plurilingual and pluricultural competence

The EVAL-IC model of intercomprehension competence

| Paris Lodron University of Salzburg
| Saarland University

Since the late 1990s the notion of a plurilingual and pluricultural competence as elaborated by Coste, Moore and Zarate (1997) has had a strong impact on the didactics of languages. Several plural approaches have been developed which aim at developing competences in several languages and/or cultures (Melo-Pfeifer & Reimann, 2018; Reissner, 2010; Tost Planet, 2010), with intercomprehension didactics being one of them. However, existing frameworks (e.g. the Cadre de référence pour les approches plurielles des langues et des cultures (CARAP)/Framework of reference for pluralistic approaches to languages and cultures (FREPA) (Candelier et al., 2007, 2010), or the Companion volume of the Common European framework of reference for languages (Council of Europe, 2018)) do not adequately describe the specific competences that underly intercomprehensive activities. In our contribution, we will present the framework of reference for intercomprehension (= IC) developed within the European project EVAL-IC (Evaluation des compétences en intercompréhension, Erasmus+). The framework is based on a dynamic and complex competence model, comprising of six levels of competence which can be regrouped into three larger levels (basic, advanced, expert). It provides descriptors for the following intercomprehensive activities: written and oral receptive IC; written and oral interproduction; and written and oral interactive IC as well as a global description of each level. The work carried out might also help to apply or further develop plurilingual and pluricultural approaches in higher education.

Keywords: intercomprehension competence, plurilingual and pluricultural competence, multilingual communication
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Intercomprehension and plurilingual/pluricultural competence
  • 3.A holistic model of IC competence
  • 4.Dimensions of intercomprehension competence
  • 5.The development of a framework of reference for IC competence
    • 5.1The Common European framework of reference (CEFR) and the Companion volume of the CEFR
    • 5.2The Framework of reference for pluralistic approaches to languages and cultures (CARAP/FREPA)
    • 5.3MAGICC (Modularising multilingual and multicultural academic communication competence)
    • 5.4MIRIADI – REFIC
  • 6.Six levels of IC competence
  • 7.A framework of reference for IC competence
  • 8.Conclusion: Application of the framework, an evaluation model, and future orientations
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 27 September 2022
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/aila.22008.str
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