- A1- May understand and use familiar and everyday expressions, as well as very simple sentences that aim to meet specific needs. I may introduce myself or introduce myself and ask questions to another person, e.g. about where he lives, the people he knows, the things he owns, etc., and I can answer similar questions. He can communicate in a simple way if his neighbor speaks slowly and clearly and helps him to communicate.
- A2 - May understand individual sentences and commonly used expressions related to immediate surroundings and everyday life (e.g. basic personal and family information, purchases, close surroundings, work). It can communicate during uncomplicated and usual activities that require the exchange of non-complex and direct information on familiar and everyday topics. He can describe his education, immediate surroundings and talk about topics according to his direct needs by uncomplicated language means.
- B1 - Can understand the main moments when using clear and standard language, from familiar topics related to work, school, leisure time, etc. He can cope with most situations during travel to a country where the language studied is spoken. It can be expressed simply and meaningfully on familiar topics and on subjects of its circle of interests. It can tell an event, an event or a dream, describe expectation or purpose and briefly explain reasons or explanations for a project or idea...
- B2 - May understand the main content of specific or abstract topics in complex text, as well as in a discussion on professional topics in its specialty. He can communicate to some extent spontaneously and casually when speaking with a language carrier, without tension for both sides. It can be expressed clearly and in detail in a wide range of topics, expressing opinions on current topics and expose the advantages and disadvantages of different possibilities.
- C1 - He can understand a wide range of long and complex texts, as well as detect implicit ideas. It can be expressed spontaneously and freely, without any obvious difficulty in finding the words needed. He can use the language efficiently and flexibly in his social, professional or academic life. We can express ourselves clearly and well structured on complex topics and master the means of organization, articulation and connectivity of speech.
- C2 - He can understand without effort practically everything he reads or hears. He can restore facts and arguments from various written and oral sources by expressing them in a coherent way. It can be expressed spontaneously, very freely and accurately. It can distinguish subtle sense nuances, even in more complex situations.
All who learn or teach foreign languages know how important it is to measure properly the level at which a person speaks the language. But this is also one of the hardest things because language is a system of different components. And the skills in each of them are often different. Right here, the European Language Framework comes to help, which is a world-class standard for dividing the levels of foreign language knowledge and describing them from the point of view of acquired skills in each component.
What is and why the European Language Framework is important
Of course, classifications that divide languages into levels have existed before. What the framework does is actually bring together the different national evaluation systems into a common standard. Thus, the acquired qualification of a language has a single indicative system understandable throughout the European Union and now in the world.
One of the main reasons for this is to facilitate mobility within the European Union, and its need is conditional on the huge differences between qualification systems in individual EU member states. It was established in 2008 and until 2010. institutions in EU Member States align their qualification systems with it. Since 2012 in all diplomas and certificates issued, there must be an official reference to its respective level.
Self-assessment matrix
The European Language Framework provides a very accurate system for evaluating and evaluating knowledge in foreign language on the four most important components - listening, reading, talking, writing. Within these four skills, the European Language Framework defines six levels of language competence - from A1 (initiated) to C2 (almost maternal language).
The abbreviations of a capital letter and a figure indicating levels are indicators reflecting language competence in the knowledge of a foreign language, according to the Common European Reference Framework (COMMON European Framework Of Reference For Languages). They are defined on the basis of a report with the results of a survey in 16 countries of the European Union. It provides these criteria which should help national authorities develop language learning policies and raise national standards
Different levels of language knowledge
Here is a short description of what knowledge and language skills you need to have in order to meet the relevant levels: