Language Proficiency Self-Assessment

The following chart reflects proficiency standards which are generally accepted throughout the United States government community.

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Level

Speaking

Listening

Reading

Writing
0 No Proficiency: Unable to function in the spoken language No Proficiency: No practical understanding of the spoken language. No Proficiency: No practical ability to read the language. No Proficiency: No functional writing ability.
0+ Memorized Proficiency: Able to satisfy immediate needs using rehearsed utterances. Memorized Proficiency: Sufficient comprehension to understand a number of memorized utterances in areas of immediate needs. Memorized Proficiency: Can recognize all the letters in the printed version of an alphabetic system and high- frequency elements of a syllabary or a character system. Memorized Proficiency: Writes using memorized material and set expressions.
1 Elementary Proficiency: Able to satisfy minimum courtesy requirements and maintain very simple face-to-face conversations on familiar topics. Elementary Proficiency: Sufficient comprehension to understand utterances about basic survival needs and minimum courtesy and travel requirements. Elementary Proficiency: Sufficient comprehension to read very simple connected written material in a form equivalent to usual printing or typescript. Elementary Proficiency: Sufficient control of the writing system to meet limited practical needs.
1+ Elementary Proficiency, Plus: Can initiate and maintain predictable face-to-face conversations and satisfy limited social demands Elementary Proficiency, Plus: Sufficient comprehension to understand short conversations about all survival needs and limited social demands Elementary Proficiency, Plus: Sufficient comprehension to understand simple discourse in printed form for informative social purposes. Elementary Proficiency, Plus: Sufficient control of the writing system to meet most survival needs and limited social demands.
2 Limited Working Proficiency: Able to satisfy routine social demands and limited work requirements. Limited Working Proficiency: Sufficient comprehension to understand conversations on routine social demands and limited job requirements. Limited Working Proficiency: Sufficient comprehension to read simple, authentic written material in a form equivalent to usual printing or typescript on subjects within a familiar context. Limited Working Proficiency: Able to write routine social correspondence and prepare documentary materials required for most limited work requirements.
2+ Limited Working Proficiency, Plus: Able to satisfy most work requirements with language usage that is often, but not always, acceptable and effective. Limited Working Proficiency, Plus: Sufficient comprehension to understand most routine social demands and most conversations on work requirements as well as some discussions on concrete topics related to particular interests and special fields of competence. Limited Working Proficiency, Plus: Sufficient comprehension to understand most factual material in non-technical prose as well as some discussions on concrete topics related to special professional interests. Limited Working Proficiency, Plus: Shows ability to write with some precision and in some detail about most common topics.
3 General Professional Proficiency: Able to speak the language with sufficient structural accuracy and vocabulary to participate effectively in most formal and informal conversations on practical, social, and professional topics. General Professional Proficiency: Able to understand the essentials of all speech in a standard dialect including technical discussions within a special field. General Professional Proficiency: Able to read within a normal range of speed and with almost complete comprehension a variety of authentic prose material on unfamiliar subjects. General Professional Proficiency: Able to use the language effectively in most formal and informal written exchanges on practical, social, and professional topics.
3+ General Professional Proficiency, Plus: Is often able to use the language to satisfy professional needs in a wide range of sophisticated and demanding tasks. General Professional Proficiency, Plus: Comprehends most of the content and intent of a variety of forms and styles of speech pertinent to professional needs, as well as general topics and social conversations. General Professional Proficiency, Plus: Can comprehend a variety of styles and forms pertinent to professional needs. General Professional Proficiency, Plus: Able to write the language in a few prose styles pertinent to professional/educational needs.
4 Advanced Professional Proficiency: Able to use to the language fluently and accurately on all levels normally pertinent to professional needs. Advanced Professional Proficiency: Able to understand all forms and styles of speech pertinent to professional needs. Advanced Professional Proficiency: Able to read fluently and accurately all styles and forms of the language pertinent to professional needs. Advanced Professional Proficiency: Able to write the language precisely and accurately in a variety of prose styles pertinent to professional/ educational needs.
4+ Advanced Professional Proficiency, Plus: Speaking proficiency is regularly superior in all respects, usually equivalent to that of a well-educated, highly articulate native speaker. Advanced Professional Proficiency, Plus: Increased ability to understand extremely difficult and abstract speech as well as ability to understand all forms of speech pertinent to professional needs, including social conversations. Advanced Professional Proficiency, Plus: Nearly native ability to read and understand extremely difficult or abstract prose, a very wide variety of vocabulary, idioms, colloquialisms, and slang. Advanced Professional Proficiency, Plus: Able to write the language precisely and accurately in a wide variety of prose styles pertinent to professional/ educational needs.
5 Functionally Native Proficiency: Speaking proficiency is functionally equivalent to that of a highly articulate, well-educated native speaker and reflects the cultural standards of the country where the language is natively spoken. Functionally Native Proficiency: Comprehension equivalent to that of a the educated native listener. Functionally Native Proficiency: Reading proficiency is functionally equivalent to that of the well-educated native reader. Functionally Native Proficiency: Has writing proficiency equal to that of a well-educated native.

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