AN ANALYTICAL REVIEW OF THE INTEGRATION OF THE COMMON EUROPEAN FRAMEWORK OF REFERENCE FOR LANGUAGES (CEFR) IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION IN AN ASIAN CONTEXT: BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES

Abstract

This analytical review explores the benefits and challenges associated with integrating the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) into English language education systems across six Asian countries, namely Japan, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, based on existing research. The study employs a systematic review of the data collected from 37 available relevant studies. The findings reveal eight key benefits, including: adaptability to local contexts, comprehensive language assessment, promotion of language proficiency improvement, enhanced consistency in assessment, improved teaching and curriculum design, enhancement of educational quality, encouragement of professional development, and alignment with international standards. The study identifies nine prominent challenges: the need for more specific adaptations, significant gaps between current proficiency levels and expected learning outcomes, misconceptions about assessment, disparities in teachers’ English proficiency, lack of understanding and awareness of CEFR, insufficient training and support for teachers, limited stakeholder support, difficulties in designing classroom activities, and shortages of teaching resources. Consequently, the research results emphasize the optimization of the benefits of CEFR integration for Asian learners and propose recommendations for the identified challenges.