Levels of knowledge of foreign languages ​​in a resume: an example. Levels of foreign language proficiency

A modern specialist cannot do without knowledge of foreign languages, especially if he works in the field of online marketing, information technology or economics, and his position involves maintaining documentation and reading foreign literature, as well as correspondence and communication with foreign business partners.

But how not to miss the assessment of your language competence when applying for a job? How to avoid overestimation or underestimation of its level? And what exactly does the employer mean when, for example, he indicates in the ad: "The vacancy requires fluency in English"? Answers to such questions and useful practical advice can be found on the website of the German online job exchange for students and graduates Absolventa. We present some of them.

As is customary in Germany

Noting their own language competence, applicants for a vacancy often overestimate its level and thereby make a big mistake, because everything can be cleared up at an interview in a jiffy. However, underestimating your level is fraught: in this case, you may not be invited to an interview at all. It is also not recommended to describe your knowledge as "good" or "average" - it looks too vague, Absolventa experts warn.

It is customary to evaluate one’s knowledge of a foreign language in a resume addressed to a German employer according to a system of four levels - “basic knowledge” (Grundkenntnisse), “fluency in spoken and written speech” (fließend in Wort und Schrift), “fluency, negotiation skills” ( verhandlungssicher), "I am a native speaker" (Muttersprache).

The first level assumes the presence of basic knowledge of grammar and vocabulary, the ability to explain themselves on the topics of everyday life. Typically, this level of foreign language proficiency is achieved by those who studied it in short intensive courses for travel enthusiasts.

Context

The second level means that you can easily explain and write even on fairly complex topics, you have a large vocabulary, and you know grammar well. As a rule, such skills appear after many years of in-depth study of the language at school or university.

"Fluency, negotiation skills" is the highest category. A person who knows a foreign language at this level has an active vocabulary sufficient for use in most situations. He is able to read texts of increased complexity without a dictionary and take part in serious business negotiations. This level is usually achieved by someone who comprehended the language not only at school and at the university, but also lived for a long time in the country of the language being studied.

The rating "I am a native speaker" speaks for itself. It means that you grew up in this language environment and know the language perfectly.

Not only in words

A resume will look more solid if, along with a description of your language competence, you indicate where exactly you happened to learn a particular foreign language. For example: "Eight years at school, two years in parallel with a tutor." Or: "As part of a student exchange program, I studied in Spain for six months." Or: "I studied for two years at the University of London." Or: "Completed a three-month intensive evening English course for business people."

In order not to be unfounded, attach relevant certificates, certificates or diplomas to your resume, indicating both the real level of knowledge of a foreign language and the area in which this knowledge can be applied most productively.

According to the European system

As an alternative, the European Language Portfolio system can be used to assess language proficiency, which includes three main levels: A1 / A2 (elementary language proficiency), B1 / B2 (independent language proficiency) and C1 / C2 (fluency). Explanations on what exactly this or that level implies can be found, for example, on the website of the Goethe-Institut.

You can quickly and correctly assess your knowledge using online tests compiled by experienced linguists. Such testing is offered on their websites by many language courses and schools.

Information about the level of language knowledge is recommended in the summary block "Additional information" (paragraph "Foreign languages"). At the same time, it is usually not necessary to report knowledge of dead languages ​​​​(for example, Latin or ancient Greek). The exception is when a vacant position requires it.

Invest in knowledge!

In the context of globalization, knowing at least one foreign language is a very important advantage when applying for a job. Indeed, through the prism of language, a person learns a new culture, traditions and national mentality, becomes more competent, tolerant and sociable.

Specialists with such qualities are in special demand among recruiters. So expand your opportunities by learning languages, invest in knowledge, it will pay off in full, experts of the Absolventa online exchange recommend.

It will be different for different people. So, native speakers are fluent in it, foreigners who study the language for a sufficient amount of time can freely explain themselves in it on everyday topics, and those who have just started learning or have been learning English for a very long time know the language at an elementary level. Understanding at what level a person speaks a language is not so simple. For this, there are numerous tests on the Internet, they really help to determine language proficiency. But they check mainly the vocabulary and grammar of the student, but knowledge of the language is not only vocabulary and the ability to understand the rules. Therefore, in a foreign language course, you will be offered not only a written test, but also a little talk with each potential student in a foreign language, they will ask him various questions and invite him to speak. Only after the student has shown his knowledge in oral and written speech, in grammar and vocabulary, it is possible to declare his level of language proficiency.

Once you rate your level of language proficiency, how should you indicate it on your resume? The first thing you need to find out is how important it is to have language skills in the workplace? If it ranks high among candidates' priorities, you should highlight a specific section on your resume called "Languages". Companies that regularly do business with multinational companies will definitely return languages ​​to the top of their list of qualifications.

However, if the language requirement is more than a plus, you should simply include it as a bullet point in the Skills section of your resume. The Skills section should remain behind the workplace and educational experience. To support your assertion of language proficiency, indicate on your CV if you have completed any additional seminars, classes, and forms of study. You may indicate this in the Skills section and attach a copy of your certificate or diploma as proof.

What levels of language proficiency are there?

Intermediate is an intermediate level of English proficiency. There are 6 or 7 such levels in total, depending on different approaches to determining the level of language competence: Beginner, Elementary, Pre-Intermediate, Intermediate, Upper-Intermediate, Advanced, Proficiency. Sometimes in foreign language courses, some of these levels are divided into sublevels in order to more accurately determine which group to enroll the student in.

The standard rule of thumb for writing skills and experience is to back up your claims with facts, figures, and other forms of measurable evidence. The same rule applies to languages. Otherwise, what you specify will only be treated as a simple statement.

It is not enough to simply state "Speaks Japanese". You need to structure your application in such a way that the recruiter sees how the skill benefits the company. Therefore, you must relate to real experience at work. Handled customer service in the company's Japanese market in Tokyo and Osaka, which required mastery of the Kansai and Shikoku dialects. Acted as an interpreter during annual meetings, international conferences and visits by Japanese dignitaries. Translation of Japanese documents for the purpose of creating marketing collateral. . As a word of caution, don't overestimate your level of language proficiency.

What do you need to know at the Intermediate level?

At the Intermediate level, the student is expected to have a good knowledge of the basic tenses of the English language and be able to use them in writing and speaking. The volume of his vocabulary is about 3-5 thousand words, which allows the student to speak quite well on everyday topics, understand English speech, compose written texts of normal complexity. At the same time, such a student may make mistakes in speech, speak not too fluently, stutter a little, or choose words for a long time. He understands quite complex texts well - stories, novels written in literary language, popular science articles, he can read the news, but does not always perceive them well by ear. A person with an Intermediate level is unlikely to be able to correctly maintain a conversation on specific and complex topics; he does not speak business vocabulary if he has not been specially trained in words and expressions with a certain specificity.

How to indicate the level of language proficiency in the resume

The real test will be during the interview. The recruiter may hire native speakers to assess your level of proficiency, as it suits the needs of the company. A simple question and answer forum Translation of documents Reading sections from a book Panel interviews with native speakers Audio translation. When evaluating your level of language proficiency, you should be satisfied with the assessment without overselling your abilities.

Most companies that require language skills prefer to hire native speakers. However, they can be quite expensive. A candidate who has studied a foreign language as an additional skill may be a more viable alternative if the level of proficiency is close to or at the level of native speakers.

In general, the Intermediate level is a fairly good level of knowledge of the English language. It can also include those who are not fluent in oral speech, but read books in English well, and those who speak well, but are not very well versed in the written features of the language. This level is sufficient for employment with the requirement of compulsory knowledge of the English language. This level of proficiency is shown by good graduates of ordinary schools or students of grades 8-9 of specialized schools and gymnasiums with in-depth study of the English language.

Being able to speak multiple foreign languages ​​will always be considered a strength, regardless of the specific needs of the job. This is becoming more important in this day and age of globalization as linguistic skills provide a company with an essential ingredient for business agility.

How is knowledge of foreign languages ​​determined?

You should include it on your resume because it will put you ahead of others who do not have language proficiency as a competency. You can follow your posts. Every year the global marketplace becomes a smaller, more interconnected community. As the frequency of job postings increases, foreign language skills are listed as desirable or required in a candidate. Because of this shift in focus from pan-American to international, language skills must be demonstrated.

Quite often on the forums dedicated to the study of foreign languages, there are questions about the levels of English proficiency - “How to understand if I have Beginner or Elementary?”, “What do I need to know to start with Pre-Intermediate?”, “How to correctly indicate the level of language proficiency on a resume? or “I once studied English at school, do I have an Intermediate?”. In order to avoid problems with your English, you need not only to choose the right school, but also to understand well at what level you should start learning the language. Let's try to figure it out together. Shall we?

Language levels for resume

This can be done using the following methods. Please provide additional information about special education in English and any certificates issued that indicate professionalism.

• List language skills on the Qualifications Summary at the beginning of your resume.
• Include language skills in a separate dedicated section.

Never include resume data that indicates "familiarity with" or "knowledge" of the language. If you are not or fluent in the language, then your skill level in this regard has little bearing on your candidacy.

English levels

If you have at least once been interested in the levels of knowledge of English, you may get the impression that there is complete confusion here. But actually it is not. The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages ​​(CEFR) was specifically designed to describe levels of English proficiency and is an international standard. Consists of the following levels: A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2.

You can't do without the help of a pivot table. We suggest that you carefully consider which widely known levels of English proficiency correspond to those on the CEFR scale.

English levels

LEVEL	Description	CEFR level
beginner	You don't speak English	;)
Elementary	You can say and understand some words and phrases in English	A1
Pre-Intermediate	You can communicate in "plain" English and understand the interlocutor in a familiar situation, but with difficulty	A2
intermediate	You can speak and understand speech quite well. Express your thoughts in simple sentences but have difficulty with more complex grammar and vocabulary	B1
Upper Intermediate	You speak and understand English well by ear, but still make mistakes	B2
Advanced	You speak English fluently and have a complete listening comprehension	C1
Proficiency	You speak English at the level of a native speaker	C2

Two words about False, Low, Very and other prefixes to standard level names. Sometimes you can find such formulations as False Beginner, Low Intermediate or Very Advanced, etc. This can be called division into sublevels. For example, the False Beginner level corresponds to a person who previously studied English, but for a very short time, who remembers practically nothing. Such a person will take less time to complete the beginner's course and move to the next level, so he cannot be called a complete Beginner. A similar story with Low Intermediate and Very Advanced. In the first case, a person has already completed the full Pre-Intermediate course and began to study Intermediate, while mastering and using only a few grammatical structures and vocabulary of this level in speech. An English speaker with a Very Advanced level is already halfway to the coveted Proficiency. Well, you get the gist.

Language skills: Absolutely indicate the level

It is not possible to specify a language name, i.e. only English or Spanish. The recipient also wants to know how well you speak that language. There is no mandatory, universally valid norm for the level of language proficiency. Core Skills This means you have a basic vocabulary, know the most important grammar rules and can follow simple conversation. Good This means that you can participate in a conversation and understand foreign texts, such as reading a newspaper. Or also fluent in that you can speak mostly without errors, understand complex texts, and also speak fluently about complex topics. This is almost equivalent to the level of native speakers: they speak flawlessly, have an exhaustive vocabulary, manage idiomatic phrases, and can also easily hold themselves in controversial conversations. Very well. . If you are applying abroad, you are better off following the Common European Standard.

Now let's look at the specific skills and abilities of English learners at different levels.

Beginner, aka Starter

Initial, zero level. This course begins with a phonetic course and mastering the rules of reading. Vocabulary is studied, which makes it possible to communicate on everyday topics (“Acquaintance”, “Family”, “Work”, “Leisure”, “In the store”), and also understands basic grammar.

Language skills: Please indicate as many as possible

It's also helpful for staff if you support stating the level of speech with specific facts, eg. English is good. English fluent. In addition, a mention of a recently completed refresher course, as well as a well-known language certificate, may be helpful.

If you can read and understand a foreign language well, but do not speak or write for a long time, you can indicate this in another way. English: passive very good, active good. On the other hand, you can also emphasize that you are an active and passive language.

After completing the Beginner course:

• Vocabulary is about 500-600 words.
• Listening comprehension: phrases and sentences spoken slowly, with pauses, very clearly (for example, simple questions and instructions).
• Conversational speech: you can talk about yourself, your family, friends.
• Reading: simple texts with familiar words and previously encountered phrases, as well as studied grammar, simple instructions (for example, an assignment for an exercise).
• Writing: single words, simple sentences, fill out a questionnaire, write short descriptions.

Elementary

A basic level of. A student of this level has all the basic skills of the English language. We study such everyday topics as: "Family", "Rest", "Travel", "Transport", "Health".

Spanish is fluent in. The more accurately you describe your level of speech, the better a person can judge whether your knowledge is sufficient for the work you are writing. Thus, both sides keep unpleasant surprises in the discussion. In the case of applicants who have a German surname and given name, such as Heinz Müller, who have always lived and worked in Germany and who applied in Germany, the word "German" is usually redundant in language skills. The intelligent reader assumes that German, born and raised in Germany, has mastered his mother tongue.

After completing the Elementary course:

• Vocabulary is about 1000-1300 words.
• Listening comprehension: sentences that relate to the most common topics. When listening to the news, watching movies, there is an understanding of a common theme or plot, especially with visual support.
• Colloquial speech: expression of opinion, requests provided that the context is familiar. When greeting and parting, talking on the phone, etc. "blanks" are used.
• Reading: short texts with a small amount of unfamiliar vocabulary, announcements and signs.
• Writing: Describing people and events, writing simple letters using familiar clichés.

Pre-Intermediate

Speaking level. A listener who is confident in everyday vocabulary and basic grammar is able to express opinions on everyday topics.

Rather stop a little higher

And you don't need to mention anything for granted. If you are not quite sure at what level your language skills are being described, you will most likely choose a higher one. Because others do the same. And you don't want to be tested with basic knowledge and another candidate with a good preference, even though he doesn't speak the language better than you.

However, a compelling conviction about the content sometimes remains on the line. After all, you don't want to sell yourself at undesirable cost and prematurely because you've chosen an unfavorable presentation mode. Now we will explain your foreign language skills.

After completing the Pre-Intermediate course:

• Vocabulary has 1400-1800 words.
• Listening comprehension: a dialogue or monologue on everyday topics, when viewing, for example, the news, you can catch all the key points. When watching movies, a listener of this level may not understand certain phrases and sentences, but follows the plot. Understands movies with subtitles well.
• Conversation: you can evaluate and express your opinion on an event, maintain a fairly long conversation on familiar topics ("Art", "Appearance", "Personality", "Movies", "Entertainment", etc.).
• Reading: complex texts, including journalistic articles.
• Writing: a written expression of one's opinion or assessment of the situation, compiling one's biography, describing events.

intermediate

Middle level. The listener is fluent in the language and can use it in a variety of situations. Usually the Intermediate level is enough to work in a foreign company. A person who speaks English at the Intermediate level can conduct negotiations and business correspondence in English, arrange presentations.

How it is customary to indicate the language level in a resume in Russia

How can you evaluate them reliably? What makes a character stand out? What grades are common? And which ones are “fresh” and, above all, useful? In order to provide you with concrete examples, we have listed for you numerous examples of wording for the most common foreign language in the profession, namely clearly.

English proficiency in biography: The correct level and general gradations

You can also use the ratings above to rate your Spanish, French, Italian or possibly Russian language skills. Checked, but nevertheless quite colored and revised, data that can be read in many applications. In addition, the following differentiated classifications are also used to represent foreign language skills.

European reference system and foreign language skills

For greater clarity, the common European framework can also be used to classify language skills. In this short form, without further explanation, however, the data sounds somewhat bloodthirsty. Moreover, not all employees of all companies, agencies or organizations know exactly what is meant by letter number combinations. Enthusiasm for international project work or dealing with clients on a daily basis in English thus does not translate into a resume. Our examples are from. . For more information on the Common European Reference System for Languages, please click here.

After completing the Intermediate course:

• Vocabulary of a listener of this level is about 2000-2500 words.
• Listening comprehension: captures not only the general meaning, but also specific details, understands films, interviews, videos without translation and subtitles.
• Colloquial speech: expresses a point of view, one’s agreement / disagreement on almost any non-isolated topic. Can take an active part in discussions or discussions on non-specific topics without preparation.
• Reading: understands complex texts that are not related to familiar topics and areas of life, non-adapted literature. Can understand the meaning of unfamiliar words from the context (fiction, information sites, dictionary entries).
• Writing: Can compose a letter in a formal and informal style, is proficient in written English, can write lengthy descriptions of events and history, and can provide personal commentary.

Upper Intermediate

The level is above average. An Upper-Intermediate level listener knows and skillfully uses complex grammatical structures and a variety of vocabulary.

After completing the Upper-Intermediate course:

• Vocabulary has 3000-4000 words.
• Listening comprehension: well understands even linguistically complex speech on unfamiliar topics, almost completely understands videos without translation and subtitles.
• Spoken language: can freely evaluate any situations, make comparisons or contrasts, uses different speech styles.
• The conversation is both formal and informal. Speaks competently with a small number of errors, can catch and correct his mistakes.
• Reading: possesses a large vocabulary for understanding non-adapted English texts.
• Writing: can independently write an article, formal and informal letters. Can know and use different styles when creating written text.

Advanced

Advanced level. Advanced students are very confident in English and make only minor mistakes in speech, which in no way affect the effectiveness of communication. Students of this level can study special disciplines in English.

After completing the Advanced course:

• Vocabulary is about 4000-6000 words.
• Listening comprehension: understands indistinct speech (for example, announcements at the station or at the airport), perceives complex information in detail (for example, reports or lectures). Understands up to 95% of the information on the video without translation.
• Spoken language: uses English very effectively for spontaneous communication, uses colloquial and formal communication style depending on the speech situation. Uses phraseological units and idioms in speech.
• Reading: easily understands non-adapted fiction and non-fiction, complex articles on specific topics (physics, geography, etc.)
• Writing: can write formal and informal letters, narratives, articles, essays, scientific papers.

Proficiency

Fluency in English. The last level of the CEFR C2 classification describes a person who speaks English at the level of an educated native speaker. The only problems that such a person can face are problems of a cultural nature. A person may, for example, not understand a quote if it refers to some popular program or book that is known to almost all native speakers, but may be unknown to a person who did not grow up in the environment.

Conclusion

It should be remembered that the level of language proficiency is assessed by the totality of skills and there is no universal recipe for achieving one or another level. You can't say, "You should learn 500 more words or 2 grammar topics and voila - you're already at the next level." By the way, you can check your level of English proficiency on our website: a comprehensive test in English.

There are a great many ways to achieve this or that level - these are all kinds of courses and language schools, tutors, tutorials, mailing lists, online lessons, and of course English via Skype. Which one to go - you choose. The main thing is that it should be useful.

There are also many additional services to improve the language. These are social networks created specifically for learning foreign languages, and various discussion clubs, and resources that provide films with and without subtitles in the original language, audio recordings, adapted and non-adapted literature. About all these aids and how exactly and at what levels to use them you can find in the blog on our blog site. Stay tuned for new articles.

By the way, while you are reading this article, 700 million people around the world are learning English. Join now!

Big and friendly family EnglishDom

Content Topics

The process of globalization on a global scale means not only the unification of currencies, language, information and trade space, but also a common labor market. Due to the fact that corporations have long and successfully mastered the international space, opening production facilities and offices in different countries, there is a need for specialists who speak foreign languages.

Russia is no exception in this regard and also strives to enter the common space. On the territory of our country there are many large and not very international companies. A number of them settled in the country for a long time.

Applying for a vacancy in an international company, the applicant must reflect in his portfolio the knowledge of a foreign language, the level of training. This information is located in the additional skills section and must be true and correct. Before indicating the degree of language proficiency, it is necessary to objectively assess your skills. If there is any doubt about the level of knowledge, you must contact the tutor. The specialist after the conversation will tell you what level of knowledge can be stated in the resume and whether it will meet the stated requirements of the employer.

When knowledge of a foreign language is desirable for a job, but not mandatory, you can use generally accepted, standard phrases (basic, colloquial, and so on). If proficiency in a language, or even two, is mandatory, then in the summary, an international system for assessing the level of foreign language proficiency is used to indicate one's language literacy.

Levels of foreign language proficiency

1. Reading simple texts, communication at the elementary level “with a dictionary” is the basic level. In the international classification, this is Elementary. Employers consider this level as skills acquired in a general education school (not even a language one). It is possible that an employee with a basic level will be able to greet a foreign delegation at an enterprise, but it is unlikely that he will be able to attract the attention of a recruiter of a large international company when considering a candidate for a vacancy higher than a working specialty.
2. The ability to express one’s thoughts in writing, understand simple speech and explain everyday topics - in the Russian version it is indicated by the wording “good / confident knowledge” or “conversational” English (French, Spanish, any other language) - in the summary it is indicated Pre-Intermediate. The applicant can quite tolerably read fiction or non-fiction literature in the required language, using a dictionary if necessary, but due to the lack of language practice, he speaks poorly. If the vacancy involves studying literature and conducting business correspondence with foreign partners, then this is the level of “confident knowledge”.
3. The ability to communicate freely on any topic (to conduct a dialogue with one or more interlocutors), the ability to formulate one’s opinion on various issues, as well as express one’s thoughts in writing without using a dictionary - in the Russian sense, this is formulated as “fluency in the language”. In the international classification - Intermediate. Knowledge of a foreign language at this level significantly increases the chances of taking a vacant position, especially if knowledge of a foreign language is indicated as one of the prerequisites. When applying for a position in an international company, whose activities are usually related to the foreign economy, it is necessary to indicate in the resume your fluency in the language, negotiation skills and business correspondence.
4. Free communication with native speakers, monologues on various topics using complex grammatical structures, reading specialized / technical literature and complex texts is indicated as an advanced level - Upper-Intermediate. This level is sufficient for employment in a vacancy that requires knowledge of a foreign language (with the exception of a teacher, translator and several other highly specialized specialties). Indicating this level of knowledge, the applicant applies not only for work in a foreign company located in Russia, but also in foreign offices.
5. The level of professional proficiency or Advanced indicated in the resume implies that the person:
   • is a graduate of the Faculty of Philology;
   • can speak fluently and competently on any topic, even if he does not understand the subject of the conversation;
   • able to use spoken and written foreign language in everyday life;
   • understands the nuances and constructions of the language;
   • ready to change the style of communication depending on the circumstances.

1. And finally, fluency in a foreign language is indicated in a resume or Proficiency - an understanding of everything heard and read, the ability to analyze and summarize information from various oral and written sources, expressing one's opinion on any issue. With all these skills, you can apply for a higher paying position in the company.

Correspondence of the level of knowledge of a foreign language to a vacant position

The base level, as an indicator, is considered extremely rarely. With such knowledge, it is not possible to apply for a highly paid position. Most Russian and foreign companies need specialists from the Pre-Intermediate level. Such language knowledge is sufficient for employment in the positions of mid-level specialists: managers, lawyers.

This fact will give advantages in the interview. The work of an employee who speaks a foreign language even at this level is estimated somewhat higher. Ideally, representatives of such professions as a scientist, journalist, pilot, flight attendant should have knowledge of the Pre-Intermediate level.

To participate in the competition for the vacant position of personal assistant, secretary, brand manager in large international holdings, the level of knowledge must be at least Upper-Intermediate, that is, advanced. Knowledge of none but several languages ​​at this level is often required. Some specialties, such as a programmer, web designer, SMM manager, Internet marketer, are directly related to knowledge, for example, of the English language, since everything in the world of computers is based on it.

Applicant for senior positions (directors, top managers), translators, diplomats must know the language perfectly.

The resume is not a standardized document. More often, the employer enters into the questionnaire items that meet his own requirements for a specialist (specialty, work experience, additional skills and abilities). However, the basis of the resume has long been developed, so the applicant should build on the generally accepted standards for presenting information.

When compiling a resume, it is first necessary to clarify what level of knowledge of a foreign language the employer needs. The level of language proficiency is indicated in accordance with the international classification. An overestimated level of language proficiency turns out to be quite simple - during an interview, an experienced recruiter, after asking a few questions, will form his opinion. At a personal interview, language proficiency tests may be offered. It is advisable to indicate in the portfolio whether there are technical skills in business correspondence or negotiation, residence in the country of a native speaker. Attach to your resume information about the availability of certificates and other documents confirming your knowledge of the language (the name of the document, by whom and when it was issued, the level of language proficiency).

The labor market is annually replenished with thousands of specialists. Knowledge of foreign languages ​​will give a competitive advantage over other applicants. Given the fact that through the language a person is able to learn the culture, traditions, national mentality of another state, which makes him more communicative, tolerant and competent. Such specialists are in great demand in the international labor market.

Starting to learn any foreign language, you always want to be able to track how the process is progressing and how quickly the accumulation of knowledge and the acquisition of communication skills are progressing. In other words, what level are you? An entire system has been developed for this purpose. It will be discussed in this article.

How is knowledge of foreign languages ​​determined?

Many mistakenly believe that reaching a certain level of knowledge of a language means learning some predetermined amount of words. For example, for the entry level you need to know 100 of any words, for the average 1000 ... and so on. This is fundamentally wrong. In fact, each level consists of a set of skills: vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, speech, listening, as well as writing and reading skills. All of them should be mastered by a student of a foreign language, and the difference between different levels lies in the breadth of knowledge and the variety of skills.

There is an officially accepted classification created by the European organization ALTE, which tests the levels of foreign language proficiency. This classification includes 6 levels, arranged in ascending order: from almost zero to close to native speakers.

Levels of knowledge on ALTE

Consider this generally accepted classification. This system of levels of foreign language proficiency consists of the following steps.

A1 (Breakthrough) means the ability to answer the simplest questions in a foreign language, to tell in simple sentences about yourself and other people, to know the basic vocabulary, to understand the main meaning of what was said, to respond to the point.

A2 (Level 1) implies a clearer and closer pronunciation to native speakers, slightly more complicated grammatical constructions, knowledge of vocabulary for reasoning on abstract topics, and not just about yourself or the current situation.

B1 (Level 2) means the free expression of one's thoughts and ideas, the ability to write different types of texts, an almost complete understanding of someone else's foreign speech, the minimum number of grammatical and lexical errors. Upon completion of this level, you can begin to take international exams to confirm your knowledge of the language and receive a certificate.

B2 (Level 3) assumes that the student not only speaks almost without errors, but also uses all the richness of the language (proverbs, sayings, idioms, jokes, etc.), understands almost all the information he hears from the first time, can reasonably and in detail express his opinion on a wide circle of questions.

Levels C1 and C2 (respectively 4 and 5) means mastering a foreign language at the most advanced levels necessary for living or working abroad, communicating freely with foreign business partners and friends, working in the field of translation services, writing and journalism in a foreign language and other professional application of such skills. A foreigner who owns the highest levels of knowledge is not much different from educated native speakers of this language.

Beginner to Advanced

There is another classification, which partially coincides with the above. These level names are more common, since they are used by the authors of European textbooks, in particular, in English.

If you decide to learn this language from scratch and go to foreign language courses, then the first textbook that falls into your hands will be a book labeled Beginner or Starter. 6 more levels follow. Some of them coincide with the ALTE classification. Full and exact correspondence is shown in the table.

Steps ALTE	Names of English textbooks
	Beginner, Starter, Basic
	Pre-Intermediate
	Upper Intermediate

Now let's look at each level in detail. We will be able to compare the proposed description with our own skills and knowledge.

Beginner, zero (Beginner, Starter)

All levels of foreign language proficiency begin with it. In this case - English, but the principle of knowledge assessment in any case will be similar.

To define yourself as a beginner, you need to have some skills. This implies the following:

• give your name, age and other simple data;
• answer relevant questions (“What is your name?”, etc.);
• count up to 100;
• know the alphabet, be able to name letters in any word;
• understand simple sentences.

Initial, basic (Elementary)

Let's move on to the next level, which is part of the levels of foreign language proficiency. Here, oral skills are greatly expanded, and written skills are added to them.

Self speaking:

• with a simple and understandable pronunciation;
• expressing one's feelings and thoughts in a form understandable to other people;
• talking briefly about yourself, another person, your family, etc.;
• communication of simple information on abstract topics (weather, impression of what was read, explanation of the situation, answer to a question in the text, etc.)

Understanding someone else's speech:

• capturing basic information from educational listening;
• conscious reading of short texts, understanding the main idea.

Basic Intermediate (Pre-Intermediate)

We continue to analyze the levels of foreign language proficiency. If you have reached this stage in your study, then you will definitely not be lost when you travel abroad.

What does the basic intermediate level include?

Self speaking:

• with a clear, good pronunciation;
• with orientation in basic situations (the ability to answer a question, keep up a conversation or report what you do not understand);
• with the ability to clearly express their thoughts and feelings on various occasions.

Understanding someone else's speech:

• distinguishing sounds, intonation and stress;
• full understanding of the meaning and ideas of texts more complex than at the previous stage.

Writing skills:

• about yourself, another person, situation, impressions;
• write a postcard, personal and official letter of various types;
• grammatically correct construction and coordination of sentences.

Intermediate

This level is characterized by the totality of everything that was mastered at the previous steps, only now it has been brought almost to perfection. The grammatical constructions and vocabulary that a person owns are already quite complex. The skill of compiling various types of texts is consolidated (an answer to a personal and official letter, congratulations, a request, a claim, an apology, etc.) and reasoning on various social topics.

Final middle (Upper Intermediate)

This stage closes the levels of foreign language proficiency, which together are sufficient for full and hassle-free communication on any topic. It is no coincidence that the first exams for obtaining certificates of knowledge of the language begin to pass, just having mastered this stage.

If you have mastered the final intermediate level, then you can:

• clearly convey thoughts to the interlocutor;
• maintain a dialogue or discussion with two or three partners;
• correctly use the official or informal style according to the situation;
• make relatively few mistakes, be able to immediately notice them and correct yourself;
• from the first time to understand the main theses of someone else's speech and the speaker's attitude towards them;
• conduct a telephone conversation;
• understand 95% of the information from the text and draw conclusions about what they read;
• use simple and complex syntactic constructions;
• write letters, reviews, reviews, summaries, etc.;
• use elementary artistic techniques when writing stories, essays.

Basic Advanced (Advanced)

From this level begins an in-depth study of foreign languages. This stage is characterized by everything the same as for the previous one, and a number of new skills are also added. Advanced level means:

• errors should be kept to a minimum;
• rich speech, free use and understanding of idioms, proverbs;
• knowledge of the realities of the language, recognition of many quotes and allusions that are well known to native speakers;
• free reading and listening to foreign media, watching films with a maximum understanding of speech and situations;
• the ability to express one's thoughts not only with the help of vocabulary and grammar, but also with intonation and logical stress;
• free conduct of discussions on well-known topics;
• writing various types of texts, using stylistic devices.

Professional foreign language

This level of proficiency in a language that is not native to a person is also an interesting phenomenon, but it is somewhat less common than the ability to talk on general topics. The very name of this direction implies that speaking (writing) in a foreign language for a person is necessary for the implementation of professional activities. To carry it out successfully, it is necessary to know the language at the highest level, as well as to possess specific knowledge and skills related to the use of this language. What areas of professional activity can be involved?

Where are languages ​​taught?

Teaching foreign languages ​​is carried out by various methods.

Foreign languages ​​for children

School study is not particularly effective, although it sometimes continues for 8-10 years. A foreign language begins to be studied in elementary school, usually from the 2nd grade. Typically, this is English.

At present, the inclusion of a foreign language in the program of preschool development of a child (from 3-5 years old) is popular. Therefore, it happens that by the time they start learning English at school, some children already have a Starter or even Elementary level.