Action-oriented Approach (AoA)
The action-oriented approach (AoA), outlined in the first edition of the CEFR (2001), was developed from the bottom up through classroom practice. It was recently theorized (Piccardo & North, 2019) and foregrounded in the new CEFR edition (2020). The AoA, which is a pillar of the AALE project, develops students’ language proficiency through meaningful collaborative action and strengthens their plurilingual and pluricultural competence. It emphasizes learners’ agency and lived experiences by viewing them as social agents, engaging them in real-life oriented scenarios. The AALE project provides both professional development resources on the AoA as well as sample action-oriented scenarios and classroom guidance materials.
AALE Infosheets
If you want to learn more about the AoA, these links will take you to infosheets designed by the AALE team. The infosheets come in three different lengths and include guidance, reflection questions, multimedia content, and written descriptions with additional links to resources in and out of this toolkit:
Guidance Sheets
In this section, you’ll find written and multimedia guidance on how to create and adapt AoA resources and materials, such as scenarios, for your and your students’ needs.
External Resources
These external resources have been curated based on the suggestions and experience of teachers and academics across Canada, and they include more detailed information on AoA concepts, tools to create activities, and adaptable materials.