What is the JF Standard? The Japanese language courses at the Japan Foundation, Sydney are designed based on the” JF Standard for Japanese-language education” (hereinafter referred to as the “JF Standard”). The JF standard is a tool to help think about teaching, learning, and assessment in Japanese-language education. It was developed based on the concepts of the CEFR*. The JF Standard assesses one’s level of proficiency by using statements called “Cando”, which indicate what and how well the learner can do things in Japanese. These “Can-do” are divided into six levels (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2), in a way that is based on the CEFR. For instance, the figure below uses “Can-do” statements to describe the language activities “Addressing audiences “and how it changes according to the proficiency level. *CEFR The JF Standard was developed based on the concepts supporting the CEFR, which serve as the basis of language education in Europe. The CEFR stands for Common European Framework of Reference for Language: Learning, Teaching, Assessment, and presents a framework shared by language education and learning institutions in Europe. Since its promulgation in 2001, CEFR has attracted attention not only in Europe, but also on a globe scale, and has come to be utilized in various languages. By using the JF Standard, it is possible to see Japanese-language proficiency levels in a way that is based on the CEFR.