Introduction

The English Curriculum 2020 is considered an evolution resulting from the revision and revamping of the Revised English Curriculum 2018. This major undertaking aims to align the curriculum with international standards and contribute to students’ ability to experience a smooth transition from high school graduation to higher education and the global workplace. The acquisition of English is essential for functioning successfully in a dynamic, fast-changing world marked by globalization, technologization, mobility, and migration. High school graduates are expected to possess knowledge and demonstrate an expansive set of skills, including literacy and oral communication, alongside technological and intercultural skills in various modalities. English functions globally as a lingua franca in numerous work-related, social, and cultural contexts, both locally and globally, thus rendering its mastery essential for mastering 21st-century competences. As English is recognized as the language of commerce, academia, and diplomacy, used extensively in many professions and sectors (e.g., aviation, media, science, and technology), the curriculum must address these growing needs. To fulfill this, the framework adopts an action-oriented approach to prepare students to communicate effectively in English, providing a comprehensive, transparent, and coherent frame of reference that opens doors to higher education, promising workplaces, and social opportunities.

The English Curriculum 2020 was designed in alignment with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). The CEFR, introduced by the Council of Europe in 2001, provides a set of clear and common standards for the teaching and assessment of foreign languages. It has been translated into over 40 languages, including Hebrew and Arabic, and is widely adopted globally. In Israel, the adoption of the CEFR is advantageous because it facilitates the design of a single continuum of English studies, bridging school instruction to the academic context, and creating a "common language" across all levels of education. The localization of the CEFR ensures the curriculum addresses the unique context of Israel, including its ethnically and linguistically heterogeneous population, and provides a high level of specificity regarding requirements at each level. By adopting the CEFR’s terminology, the curriculum promotes international recognition, enhances intercultural understanding, and supports the development of valid, reliable, and fair tests. Furthermore, it allows teachers to foster cooperation in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) around mutual understandings of learner capabilities. The CEFR-aligned curriculum adopts an action-oriented approach, recognizing students as active participants who learn through performing meaningful tasks in real-life social contexts. Language use is defined through can-do statements, which form the core of the curriculum and are formulated in positive terms, defining what learners can actually achieve in various situations and for different purposes.

The English Curriculum 2020 provides a general frame of reference with explicit, clear, and transparent can-do statements that specify how language proficiency develops, conforming to global standards and the CEFR Global Scale. The curriculum delineates five levels of progression. These stages begin with Pre-Basic User (aligned with Pre-A1 and Pre-foundation in the Revised Curriculum 2018), followed by Basic User I (A1, Foundation). The next stage is Basic User II (A2, Intermediate), which describes the exit level for junior high school students and those taking the 3-point Bagrut exam. The higher levels are Independent User I (B1), targeted for 4-point Bagrut learners, and Independent User II (B2), targeted for 5-point Bagrut learners, both of which align with the Proficiency level in the previous curriculum.