ACTFL PROFICIENCY LEVELS 

Novice

NOVICE LOW

 not able to communicate using the language.

Their attempts at communication are mostly unintelligible.

With time and much prompting, they may be able to understand and communicate information relating to greetings, name exchange, and very familiar objects in their immediate environment.

Mid

Those in the Novice Mid level of proficiency have a minimum level of communication using memorized words and phrases that they have learned in their language classes.

 Responses to direct questions are usually two or three words that are likely memorized phrases.

Pauses are normal and make it difficult for even speakers who are very experienced with interacting with language learners.

High

Learners at the Novice High level of proficiency are able to communicate in predictable social situations. Conversation is limited to a few topics necessary for survival in the target language.

Topics are basic information about oneself, basic objects, basic activities, a person's preferences, and basic needs.

Using and recombining learned phrases with phrases heard being used by their language partner,

Novice High learners can frequently convey their meaning although misunderstandings may be normal but can be explained after repetition or rephrasing.

\ Intermediate

Low

At the Intermediate Low level, learners will start to be able to create with words and phrases they have learned in or to successfully communicate in uncomplicated social situations.

They can talk about themselves and their family, their daily activities, preferences, and order food or make purchases at stores.

They can ask some basic questions and struggle to respond to direct questions requesting information.

They combine what they know with what they hear their language partner saying to hesitatingly express their meaning.

Mid Intermediate Mid learners are still at the same level as Intermediate Low, but they can use their skills in a few more contexts such as adding travel and lodging to their ability to order food and do shopping.

They are still reactive when it comes to being questioned, but they are able to ask a variety of questions regarding basic needs.

 For the first time, these learners are able to use sentences and strings of sentences that for the most part are not necessarily influenced by their native language's vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar, or syntax.

High

At an Intermediate High level, learners are able to easily and confidently communicate in routine tasks and straightforward social situations.

These learners at times can speak in paragraphs in all time frames (past, present, future) about things such as work, school, pastime activities, and interests.

Native speakers can generally understand them despite some interferences by use of false cognates, a random word in the learner's native language, and use of literal translation.

\ Advanced

 Learners at the Advanced Low level are able to communicate in most formal and informal situations they encounter on a daily basis.

They can narrate in all major time frames (past, present, future) in paragraph format, though paragraphs tend to be free-standing rather than connected to one another.

At this level, the native language still interferes with the use of false cognates, literal translations, and paragraph structure.

There is also a large amount of self-correction. Verb endings are still not always accurately used, and vocabulary is not very specific.

Despite these interferences, meaning is clearly conveyed without confusion, although they may be asked to repeat or restate things.

Mid

When learners have reached the Advanced Mid level of fluency, they are able to do daily communicative tasks even when being presented with a complication such as an unknown word or concept.

They use circumlocution and rephrasing to maneuver these unexpected situations. Their speech is no longer stilted and full of pauses.

 It is characterized by flowing speech. Vocabulary is generic but extensive. Their communication is clear and accurate and is not misunderstood or confusing.

High

An Advanced High learner has almost reached the Superior level of fluency.

They are very able to compensate for an incomplete ability to use the verb forms and vocabulary limitations by the use of paraphrasing, circumlocution, and illustration.

What separates this level from the Superior level is their inability to present a fully supported argument or hypothesis about a variety of concrete and abstract topics.

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