Self-Assessment, Can-Do Statements and Portfolios

Self-assessment with can-do statements helps learners see what they can already do in a language and decide what to work on next. A learner who ticks “I can describe my daily routine” and hesitates at “I can tell a story about something that happened to me” has found their next goal. Used as a short, regular routine, self-assessment builds learner autonomy and gives you useful information for planning.

Why self-assessment matters

The CEFR describes language ability in terms of what learners can do, which makes it naturally suited to self-assessment. More on the levels in CEFR levels explained. When learners assess themselves regularly, they:

• understand the aims of a unit better,
• notice progress that marks alone do not show,
• learn to set realistic goals,
• take more responsibility for their learning.

This fits the action-oriented view of the CEFR, in which learners are active users of the language, explained in the action-oriented approach.

Writing good can-do statements

Good statements are concrete, refer to a situation and are written from the learner’s perspective. Compare:

• Vague: “I can speak about food.”
• Better: “I can order a meal in a café and ask about ingredients.”

For each unit, five to eight statements are usually enough. Link them to the unit aims so that learners see the connection between lessons and their own progress.

Example checklist for a unit (A2, topic: travel)

I can …	Not yet	With help	Yes, confidently
… buy a ticket at a station and ask about the platform
… understand simple announcements about delays
… ask for directions and understand the answer
… book a room by email in a few sentences
… tell someone about a trip I made in the past
… read a simple timetable and plan a journey

Learners complete the checklist at the start of the unit and again at the end. Seeing the change from “not yet” to “with help” or “yes” is often motivating in itself.

Routines for class

• Start of unit (5 minutes): learners read the statements and mark where they stand. They choose one statement as their personal goal.
• Mid-unit check (3 minutes): learners look at their goal and note one thing that has helped so far.
• End of unit (10 minutes): learners complete the checklist again, add an example as evidence (a text, a recording) and write one goal for the next unit.

Keep it short. Self-assessment that takes a whole lesson quickly becomes a chore.

The language portfolio

The European Language Portfolio (ELP), developed by the Council of Europe, is the best-known model for documenting language learning. It has three parts:

Part	Content	Use in class
Language passport	Overview of languages and levels, often with the CEFR self-assessment grid	Updated once or twice a year
Language biography	Can-do checklists, learning goals, reflections, intercultural experiences	Regular self-assessment and goal-setting
Dossier	Selected work samples: texts, recordings, projects	Learners choose their best or most important pieces

Information and materials on the ELP are available on the Council of Europe’s portfolio pages. Many schools do not use an official ELP model but adapt the idea: a folder or digital space with checklists, goals and selected work.

Digital portfolios

A digital portfolio can include audio and video recordings, which makes speaking progress visible in a way paper cannot. Learning platforms often have portfolio or journal functions. Points to check: the platform is approved by your school, learners can control what is shared, and they can export their work.

Common pitfalls

• Too many statements: a list of twenty items is filled in mechanically. Five to eight per unit is enough.
• Abstract wording: statements copied from a framework without adapting them to the unit are hard for learners to judge.
• No follow-up: if nobody ever looks at the checklists again, learners stop taking them seriously. Refer to their goals in lessons.
• No evidence: a tick without an example is a feeling. Ask learners to add one piece of evidence for at least one statement.

Self-assessment and teacher assessment

Self-assessment does not replace teacher assessment, and it should usually not count towards marks. Its value lies elsewhere: when a learner’s view differs strongly from yours, a short conversation often reveals useful information. A learner who rates their speaking low but performs well may need confidence; one who rates themselves high but struggles may need clearer criteria. Sharing the rubrics for speaking and writing helps learners judge their own work more accurately.

Self-assessment also helps at the start of a course, alongside placement tests, and supports differentiation: learners who know their own goals can choose tasks more purposefully.