For years the European Union is working on possible solutions to the problem that linguistic variety means to the mobility of professionals within the U.E. Lately the main challenge of linguistic politics has been to achieve a better unity among its members, encouraging a mutual interest and study of the different languages and cultures that conform it. Two initiatives have to be emphasized: Rüschlikon Congress, Switzerland, 1991, and The European Year of Languages, 2001. The documents of reference are The European Framework of Reference, edited in 2001, and the European Portfolio. All these documents try, in fact, to overcome cultural barriers.
The European Framework of Reference is a common base for all the European languages, it establishes some specific levels that allow the evaluation of the linguistic competence of different people that speak different languages. This European Framework of Reference offers the possibility of sharing a common view in the making of manuals to study foreign languages and also to put on the same level the certificates of language ability. It is very helpful for: courses designers, educational authorities, examiners, teachers, manuals' authors, etc. In addition to make easier the self-learning. Levels: A (A1. Beginners; A2. Platform) B (B1. Threshold; B2. Advanced) C ( C1 Command; C2 Mastery). Each level needs double the time of study than the former one. The A1 student can understand everyday structures used very frequently, and simple sentences. The student can introduce him/herself and others, ask and give basic personal information. He/she can have a basic conversation if the speaker is helpful and the rhythm of speech slow. The A2 student can understand and communicate on areas that are familiar to him/her. He/she can tell, in a straight forward way, past information. The B1 student can manage in different situations at work, studies or free time, that are familiar. And also he/she can describe experiences, desires or wishes, and justified briefly opinions or plans. The B2 student can use complex texts if they are about familiar topics, and mix with native speakers without any effort from any of the speakers. C1 student can understand a wide variety of texts with a certain degree of difficulty. He/she is able to use the language in an effective and fluent way and talk about complex topics with some spontaneity. The C2 student can easily understand almost everything that he/she listen or read. He/she can speak with fluency and spontaneity and with a high degree of precision that allows him/her to understand nuances of meaning.
The use and learning of a language, comprises human actions, developing a series of competences. People use these competences; that can be found in different contexts and under different conditions and restrictions, to develop language activities that entail processes to produce and receive texts related with specific topics, using the adequate strategies for each task. The control that the participants have of these actions will produce the reinforcement or modification of its competences.
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