3L: Language, Linguistics, Literature ® The Southeast Asian Journal of English Language Studies Vol 28(2), June 2022 http://doi.org/10.17576/3L-2022-2802-03 33 Towards the CEFR Action-Oriented Approach: Factors Influencing its Achievement in Thai EFL Classrooms NUNTAPAT SUPUNYA Mahasarakham University, Thailand thebporn.kanchai@gmail.com ABSTRACT The Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) has been globally accepted as a framework for language teaching, learning, and assessment. Thailand also adopted the CEFR in 2014 to escalate its English education quality in all levels, placing an emphasis on an action-oriented approach nationwide. Few studies have explored the factors influencing the successful CEFR implementation. As such, the current study, framed in a social constructivist case study methodology, used an in-depth interview with four in-service English teachers from four different regions to investigate the factors contributing to the achievement of the action-oriented approach in a Thai EFL context. The thematic analysis revealed thirteen potential factors that teachers believed affected the implementation of the CEFR, categorised into three different levels – policy, administration, and instruction-oriented. The pedagogical and policy implications were further discussed and generalised to other similar contexts. Keywords: CEFR, Action-oriented approach; EFL Teachers; CEFR in Thailand; teaching practice INTRODUCTION The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, Learning, Teaching, Assessment (CEFR) is considered a reference guideline for language learning and teaching. After an extensive development process undertaken by the Council of Europe (CoE), the CEFR was officially published in 2001 (CoE, 2001). The development of the CEFR serves the purposes of “the promotion of the positive formulation of educational aims and outcomes at all levels”, the provision of “transparency and clear reference points for assessment purposes to inform curriculum reform and pedagogy”, and “assistance for learners, teachers, course designers, examining bodies and educational administrators to situate and co-ordinate their efforts” (CoE, 2018, p. 25). The CEFR has now been adopted in many countries, including those in Asia for example, in China (Jin, Wu, Anderson, & Song, 2014), Japan (Negishi & Tono, 2014), Malaysia (Uri & Aziz, 2018, 2020) and Vietnam (Hung, 2013). The widespread adoption of the CEFR brings about the transformation into language education, not only in instruction, but also in material utilisation, curriculum and course design, testing and assessment, and beyond. In 2014, the CEFR was introduced to the English language education system in Thailand with the goals pertaining to the escalation of the English language teaching quality at all levels (Ministry of Education, 2014). The framework was implemented to deal with the unsatisfactory language competency level of Thai students, as evident in English Proficiency index 2020, illustrating Thailand was ranked 89 out of 100 countries and 7 th in Southeast Asia (Education First Standard English, 2020). Furthermore, the CEFR was intended to assist Thai learners of English to build up their language competence to be able to work in English speaking environments (e.g.,