Learning a second language is no easy task – and neither is teaching it.

Laura Hermans-Nymark, a Toronto-based language education consultant, is in Whitehorse this week.

She is hoping that by introducing local teachers and parents to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for languages, learning and teaching might just become a little more relevant for students and teachers alike.

Hermans-Nymark has been meeting with teachers this week.

She will also give a presentation for parents tonight, focusing on the framework that's used in Europe and a number of other countries.

"It's karate for languages,” she explained in an interview Tuesday.

As with the martial arts, participants are assessed at a level in their abilities with a second language and move up subsequent levels.

A framework which includes six levels, it was was developed in Europe as a way of promoting peace and dealing with increased mobility between the countries.

"Everybody is speaking the same language with language,” Hermans-Nymark said.

While there are very good teachers out there who do their best to make learning a second language relevant, she pointed out, curriculum are often focused on grammar rather than learning how to use the language.

So often, English-speaking students spend their school years taking mandatory French courses only to come out of high school unable to order coffee in Quebec.

"This system encourages the use of language,” Hermans-Nymark said.

She pointed out that used in a school setting, it assesses where each student is at in learning a second language.

It then gives them specific things to work on and that helps provide the students with more motivation to learn.

"It really demands a different type of teaching,” she said.

There has yet to be a province or territory which has implemented the CEFR into their education systems, but B.C. is planning a "soft” implementation in 2014/2015.

"They have a beautiful draft curriculum,” she said.

Though other provinces are also moving in that direction, B.C. is the closest to adopting the framework into the system.

The framework, she noted, doesn't throw away what teachers are already doing, but rather can help.

In fact, many teachers already incorporate pieces of the framework focused on using the language in every day settings, thus making it more relevant for students.

It's her hope that her work with teachers this week will help them think about how they're teaching language and that parents will get a good understanding of the CEFR.

If the CEFR was adopted into the curriculum, she said, she'd be "thrilled” if students graduating from immersion programs would finish with a B2 level.

That would mean they could understand the main ideas of complex text and interact with fluency and spontaneity.

That makes talking to native speakers possible without a major effort by either party, and produce clear, detailed text on a range of topics.

Ideally, those graduating from core programs, where French is part of the program, would come out at a B1 level.

That would enable them to understand major points of matters regularly encountered in day-to-day life. They'd be able to deal with most situations which can arise while travelling, produce simple connected text and describe experiences, plans, opinions and the like.

The two levels above B2 are C1 and C2 and apply to native speakers and masters.

Below B1 and B2 are the A1 and A2 levels for those who are new or have a beginner's or elementary understanding of the second language.

Hermans-Nymark's presentation will begin at 7:30 this evening at the Whitehorse Public Library.