Your level will determine the value of your skill with the company. Using your own wording might confuse recruiters. When faced with questions like these, I’ll often downplay my abilities (lest I’m suddenly put to a test!) One of the most awkward things about being a language learner must be others’ well-meaning enquiries about your level of proficiency in your target language. Use this guide to decide which scale and which corresponding exam is right for you. The three levels of language learning are generally considered to be Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. (Used in Taiwan), Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). You’ll want to use this scale if you’re planning to get a job in Europe or to enroll in a European school that requires foreign language skills. There are a number of tests available that give results based on the various scales, so the best move is probably to select an exam based on the scale you’d like to use (and, of course, the language you’re learning). You could pick a scale and rely on self-assessment to define your skill level in a second language, but a more empirical way to determine where you fit would be to take a language proficiency exam. American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages scale, ACTFL Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages. The CEFR – available in 40 languages – divides proficiency into six “can do” levels – A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, and C2. As a foreign applicant, you’ll want the hiring manager to know as soon as possible that you won’t have any language barriers. If you are planning to work or study in Europe, you’ll likely have to rely on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) to define your language skills. Canadian Language Benchmarks serves the same purpose as ACTFL and ILR, but it relies on a 12-point scale of task-based language proficiency descriptors, covering all four skills that determine one’s linguistic competency: speaking, reading, listening, and writing. There are a few reasons to consider registering for a formal language proficiency exam. You will receive an email shortly with a link to your workbook. This list is not exhaustive; please treat it … The Interagency Language Roundtable scale (ILR) is one of the most common frameworks for defining foreign language competence for Americans. As the name suggests, the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages scale (ACTFL) is another common grading scale for language competence in the United States. The Cambridge Proficiency exam is the best and probably the most regarded exam there is, and it does not expire after 2 years like IELTS and TOEFL. Thanks for your comment. There are a couple of reasons this wouldn’t really be sufficient. Probably not. Don’t overestimate your levels of fluency. It’s a six-point scale, divided into three main groups: basic user (A), independent user (B) and proficient user (C). Deutsches Sprachdiplom Stufe I and II (DSD) – German as a foreign language, DSH – Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang, The European Language Certificates (TELC), Progetto Lingua Italiana Dante Alighieri (PLIDA), Certificato di Conoscenza della Lingua Italiana (Certificate of Knowledge of Italian Language), or CELI, The Certification of Italian as a Foreign Language (Certificazione di Italiano come Lingua Straniera or CILS), Test of Russian as a Foreign Language (TORFL), Diplomas de Español como Lengua Extranjera (DELE) – European Spanish language proficiency, Certificado de Español : Lengua y Uso (CELU) – Spanish America, Diplôme d’études en langue française (DELF), Diplôme approfondi de langue française (DALF). I was looking at the Rosetta Stone student curriculum which I do not think offers the proficiency. Some institutions, like universities, will have specific entry requirements for language proficiency. While you’re under no obligation to satisfy the curiosity of casual enquirers, there are situations when you may need to define exactly how well you know a language. The ILR, which was developed by the United States Foreign Service Institute, is a fairly simple five-level scale: elementary proficiency (S-1), limited working proficiency (S-2), professional working proficiency (S-3), full professional proficiency (S-4) and native or bilingual proficiency (S-5).