What is the CEFR? A Teacher’s Guide to French Reading Levels

For many teachers, it’s helpful to map CEFR against ACTFL proficiency guidelines:

• A1–A2 ≈ ACTFL Novice (Low–High)

• B1–B2 ≈ ACTFL Intermediate (Low–High)

• C1–C2 ≈ ACTFL Advanced

State and provincial standards often mirror the same descriptors: reading familiar texts, demonstrating comprehension strategies, recognizing cultural references, and moving toward more independent communication.

This alignment means you can confidently use CEFR as a bridge between global benchmarks and local expectations.

So what does this mean for reading instruction? Here’s how reading typically looks at each CEFR stage:

A1 (Beginner): Students can recognize familiar words, names, numbers, and short phrases in highly supported texts. Comprehension relies on visuals, repetition, and predictable contexts.

A2 (Elementary): Students can understand short paragraphs about everyday life, identify key ideas, and follow simple descriptions. Texts may include expanded vocabulary but remain concrete and familiar.

B1 (Intermediate): Students can read connected sentences across longer passages, follow main ideas, and begin to handle past and future tenses. They can interpret explanations, reasons, and comparisons.

B2 (Upper Intermediate): Students can read with greater independence, interpret detail, and recognize opinion or argument. They can understand cultural references and follow more abstract ideas.

C1/C2 (Advanced): Students can read long, nuanced texts with complex structures, idiomatic language, shifts in style, and multiple perspectives. They move beyond comprehension to analysis, inference, and critical reflection.

If you majored in Language Learning, you may be familiar with Stephen Krashen’s theory of Comprehensible Input. He argued that students progress best when the material they're presented with is just beyond their current level, what he called i+1.

That’s exactly what CEFR helps us do:

If students are securely at A1, they need texts that stretch them into A2.
If they’re reading at B1, we can challenge them with elements of B2.

This framework reassures us that we’re not “watering down” content. Instead, we’re meeting students where they are and nudging them forward.

Not sure where to start? One simple classroom strategy is the Five Finger Rule:

Select a passage (about one page).

As the student reads, raise a finger for each unknown word or breakdown in comprehension.

At the end of the page:

• 0–1 fingers: Too easy - move up a level.

• 2–3 fingers: Just right - challenging but manageable.

• 4–5 fingers: Too hard - step back for now.

This simple test pairs beautifully with Stephen Krashen’s Input Hypothesis, one of the most influential theories in second-language acquisition. Krashen argued that learners progress best when they receive comprehensible input, language they mostly understand, with just enough new material to stretch them. He called this the i+1 principle:

i = what the learner already knows

+1 = the next step that pushes their ability forward

If input is too easy (i only), students don’t grow. If it’s too difficult (+10, not +1), they shut down. The sweet spot is right in between - challenging, but still accessible.

That’s exactly what the CEFR levels are designed to provide: a clear roadmap of what the “+1” looks like at each stage. Using CEFR descriptors gives teachers a simple, evidence-based way to make sure students are always in that productive learning zone.

The CEFR’s greatest strength is its clarity. Instead of guessing whether a passage is “too hard” or “too easy,” we can anchor our choices in well-defined levels that have been tested internationally. For teachers, this means:

Differentiation with ease: Offer the same theme (e.g., travel, food, or seasons) at different levels, so every learner can participate.

Confidence in planning: Know that your resources connect not only to your local standards but also to global benchmarks.

A growth pathway: CEFR shows students what comes next, making progress visible and motivating.