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Bringing together research on the CEFR/CV and LCR: a focus on descriptors

(International online conference, 29-31 January, 2026)


Plenary speakers:
Neus Figueras (EALTA CEFR SIG chair)
Brian North (CEFR co-author)
Enrica Piccardo (University of Toronto)
Yukio Tono (Tokyo University of Foreign Studies)

Description

This international online conference (29–31 January 2026) aims to provide a forum for researchers working on the implementation of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and its Companion Volume (CV) (Council of Europe, 2001, 2020) as well as for scholars employing Learner Corpus Research (LCR) to describe learner language at different CEFR levels. Colleagues working on the CEFR/CV and LCR are welcome to share their findings at this international online conference and explore opportunities for future collaboration.

The conference will be organized into five thematic panels:

  1. Empirical research on the implementation of the CEFR/CV in the learning, teaching and/or assessment of languages, with a special focus on descriptor use, if possible.
  2. The description of learner language by means of Learner Corpus Research in CEFR/CV-aligned learner corpora at different CEFR/CV levels.
  3. The possibility of supplementing the CEFR/CV descriptors with linguistic information, i.e., fine-tuned descriptors (Díez-Bedmar, 2018), based on LCR results.
  4. The design of learning/teaching/assessment materials for different communicative language activities and CEFR/CV levels based on LCR results
  5. The knowledge gained and/or challenges encountered in the use of descriptors in the learning/teaching or assessment of languages.

We invite contributions (either in English or Spanish) on the topics above in the following formats.

  1. Papers: 20 minutes followed by 10 minutes for Q&A
  2. Work in Progress (WiP): 10 minutes followed by 5 minutes for Q&A
  3. Projects in Progress (PiP): 10 minutes followed by 5 minutes for Q&A
  4. Round tables: maximum three participants, 40 minutes followed by 15 minutes for Q&A
  5. Presentations of associations, journals, fora, etc. related to the CEFR/CV or LCR: 10 minutes (followed by 5 minutes for Q&A).

Instructions for authors

Contributions may be submitted either in English or Spanish.

  • Paper abstracts should be 400 words maximum (excluding references) and are expected to include a brief literature review, the methodology of the study, and the main results obtained.
  • WiP should be 300 words maximum (excluding references) and include a brief literature review, the methodology employed, and the main results expected.
  • PiP should be 300 words maximum (excluding references) and should include the objectives of the project, the participants, the methodology employed, and the main results expected.
  • Round-tables should be 500 words maximum (excluding references) and focus on the knowledge gained and/or challenges encountered in the use of descriptors in the learning/teaching or assessment of languages. The proposals should include the name of the three participants, the contextualization of the research conducted/the institutional context and the structure of the round table proposed.
  • Presentations of associations, journals, fora, etc. related to the CEFR/CV or LCR should be 200 words maximum.

Conference format

The conference will be online. The platform employed will be announced in the second CFPs.

Submissions

Proposals should be anonymized before submission. Submission instructions will be provided in the second CFPs and will also be available at the conference webpage, hosted at https://web.ujaen.es/investiga/finedesc/index.php The deadline for submission will be December, 8th, 2025

Registration

There is no registration fee for attendants and presenters, but registration is required both for the International Online Conference and the pre-conference workshop. Further information about the registration platform will be provided in the second CFPs and the conference webpage, hosted at https://web.ujaen.es/investiga/finedesc/index.php

Important dates

Deadline for submission: December 8, 2025

Notifications of acceptance: January 9, 2026

Conference: 29-31 January 2026

Pre-conference workshop

Dr. Yukio Tono (Tokyo University of Foreign Studies) will offer a pre-conference workshop entitled ‘Introducing CEFR-based text analysis tools’ on January, 29, 2026. This workshop is free of charge, but registration is required.

Publication of a special issue

A special issue in Research in Corpus Linguistics (https://ricl.aelinco.es/index.php/ricl) will be edited by Dr. Díez-Bedmar on the topic “LCR meets the CEFR/CV” and published in 2027. We encourage researchers analyzing learner language -including linguistic, sociolinguistic, or pragmatic competences- at or across CEFR/CV levels in CEFR/CV-aligned learner corpora to submit their research to the CFPs for the special issue. Further information about the CFPs will be provided in due course.

Conference organization

This international online conference is organized by the research project 'Making the CEFR/CV more user-friendly: fine-tuning descriptors with Learner Corpus Research (LCR) results' (Project PID2020-117041GA-I00 funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033), ((https://web.ujaen.es/investiga/finedesc/index.php). The project has focused on analysing the needs of CEFR/CV end-users and fine-tuning CEFR/CV descriptors using the FineDesc Learner Corpus compiled during the project.

Organizing committee

  • Gloria Luque Agulló (Universidad de Jaén)
  • Marisa Carrió Pastor (Universitat Politècnica de València)
  • María Belén Díez Bedmar (Universidad de Jaén)
  • Natalia Judith Laso Martín (Universitat de Barcelona)
  • Carmen Maíz Arévalo (Universidad Complutense de Madrid)
  • María del Carmen Méndez García (Universidad de Jaén)
  • Arturo Montejo Ráez (Universidad de Jaén)

Scientific committee

  • Isabel Alonso Belmonte (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid)
  • Marisa Carrió Pastor (Universitat Politècnica de València)
  • Paola Celentin (Università degli Studi di Verona, Italy)
  • Raquel Criado Sánchez (Universidad de Murcia)
  • María Belén Díez Bedmar (Universidad de Jaén)
  • Miguel Fernández Álvarez (Universidad Politécnica de Madrid)
  • Stefania Ferrari (Università del Piemonte Orientale, Italy)
  • Neus Figueras Casanovas (EALTA CEFR SIG Chair)
  • María del Carmen Fonseca Mora (Universidad de Huelva)
  • Dana Gablasova (Lancaster University, UK)
  • Jesús García Laborda (Universidad de Alcalá de Henares)
  • Natalia Judith Laso Martín (Universitat de Barcelona)
  • Gloria Luque Agulló (Universidad de Jaén)
  • Carmen Maíz Arévalo (Universidad Complutense de Madrid)
  • Geraldine Mark
  • María del Carmen Méndez García (Universidad de Jaén)
  • Akira Murakami (University of Birmingham, UK)
  • Brian North (CEFR co-author)
  • Ignacio Palacios Martínez (Universidade Santiago de Compostela)
  • Víctor Pavón Vázquez (Universidad de Córdoba)
  • Enrica Piccardo (University of Toronto, Canada)
  • Ariadna Sánchez Hernández (Universidad Complutense de Madrid)
  • Adolfo Sánchez Cuadrado (Universidad de Granada)
  • Juana R. Sanmartín Vélez (Presidenta de la Asociación de Centros de Lenguas en la Enseñanza Superior (ACLES))
  • Yukio Tono (Tokio University of Foreign Studies, Japan)
Project PID2020-117041GA-I00, funded MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033