perform in an acquired language. As theories among pedagogues as to what constitutes proficiency

go, there is little consistency as to how different organizations classify it. Additionally,

fluency and language competence are generally recognized as being related, but separate

controversial subjects. In predominant frameworks in the United States, proficient speakers

demonstrate both accuracy and fluency, and use a variety of discourse strategies. Thus,

native speakers of a language can be fluent without being considered proficient. Native-level

fluency is estimated to be between 20,000 - 40,000 words, but basic conversational fluency

might only require as little as 3,000 words.

Organizations ACTFL

The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages distinguishes between proficiency

and performance. In part, ACTFL's definition of proficiency is derived from mandates issued

by the US government, declaring that a limited English proficient student is one who comes

from a non-English background and "who has sufficient difficulty speaking, reading, writing,

or understanding the English language and whose difficulties may deny such an individual

the opportunity to learn successfully in classrooms where the language of instruction is English

or to participate fully in our society." ACTFL views "performance" as being the combined

effect of all three modes of communication: interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational.

Proficiency frameworks Note that test scores may not correlate reliably,

as different understandings of proficiency lead to different types of assessment:

FSI Test Scores range from 0 to 5. Interagency Language Roundtable Scores range

from 0 to 5. Language Proficiency Index

ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines ACTFL recognises ten different levels of proficiency: "novice",

"intermediate", "advanced", and "superior", of which the first three are each subdivided

into "low", "mid", and "high". Common European Framework of Reference for

Languages CEFR recognises six levels: A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2.

Proficiency tests Cambridge English Language Assessment tests

CELPE-Bras Defense Language Proficiency Tests

DELE Examination for Japanese University Admission

General English Proficiency Test Hànyǔ Shuǐpíng Kǎoshì

IELTS iTEP

Japanese Language Proficiency Test Language Proficiency Assessment for Teachers

Pearson Test of English Academic The European Language Certificates

TOEFL TOEIC

TEPS Test of Russian as a Foreign Language

Test de français international Test de connaissance du français

TOCFL UBELT

See also: Language tests category Professional organizations

Alliance française American Council on the Teaching of Foreign

Languages Association of Language Testers in Europe

Foreign service institute Goethe-Institut

UCLES UNIcert

Instituto Cervantes UBELT

References

See also EF English Proficiency Index

Fluency Vocabulary - The set of words in a given language

that a speaker is familiar with, which can be subdivided into: a) words which are recognized

upon hearing or reading; and b) words which a person feels comfortable using in speech.