Mapping the SMEEA Gaokao tests to the CEFR

This paper reports on a project where the Shanghai Municipal Educational Examinations Authority (SMEEA) engaged Cambridge University Press and Assessment (Cambridge) to begin the alignment process of their six foreign language tests to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) (Council of Europe, 2001, 2020). These six language tests are developed by SMEEA and form part of China’s National College Entrance Examination system. They are referred to as China’s National College Entrance Examination (Shanghai Paper), or the Shanghai Gaokao. This project was undertaken to enable a comparison of the relative difficulty of each language version of the Shanghai Gaokao, in terms of the CEFR. Additional project aims were to carry out training in the CEFR and in CEFR mapping procedures, using a blend of online delivery and a cascaded training model. This project took place between September 2021 and January 2022, involving a series of linked training and mapping activities and workshops. In this paper the focus is on the practical aspects of a computer mediated CEFR mapping project, on our reflections and recommendations, and on the participant feedback. Some outcomes are included which are directly related to the CEFR, but not any outcomes which are confidential.