Communicative competence in the Degree in Early Childhood Education and the Degree in Primary Education Teacher. A proposal of achievement criteria as a tool for its analysis and assessment

Abstract

The aim of this work is to propose a structure of communicative competence, adapted to the Degrees in Early Childhood Education and Primary Education Teaching. After revising the recent research studies on communicative competence in higher education, the ones considered most relevant are highlighted. The point of departure is the distinction amongst three basic functions of communicative competence, following the guidelines of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL): linguistic, socio-linguistic and pragmatic competence. With an analytical-deductive and functional methodology, the communicative competence has been analysed, from its more general definition to the establishment of a set of actions easy to identify. Thus, four levels have been established: basic functions, competence units, descriptors and achievement criteria. These have been collected in three charts that make possible to draw up training and learning actions, intended to facilitate communicative competence development, analysis and assessment.