Language proficiency is the ability of an individual to use language with a level of accuracy that transfers meaning in production and comprehension. There is no singular definition of language proficiency: while certain groups limit its scope to speaking ability, others extend it to cover both productive and receptive language skills and their effective application in varying practical contexts. However, this diversity has implications for its application in other language domains such as literacy, testing, endangered languages, language impairment, etc. There is little consistency as to how different organizations classify it. Native-level fluency is estimated to require a lexicon between 20,000 and 40,000 words, but basic conversational fluency might require as few as 3,000 words.

Developing language proficiency

Developing proficiency in any language begins with word learning. By the time they are 12 months old, children learn their first words and by the time they are 36 months old, they may know well over 900 words with their utterances intelligible to the people who interact with them the most. Developing language proficiency improves an individual’s capacity to communicate. Over time through interaction and through exposure to new forms of language in use, an individual learns new words, sentence structures, and meanings, thereby increasing their command of using accurate forms of the target language.

Issues in defining language proficiency

Languages that are considered endangered are undergoing efforts to revitalize them. Some of these languages have few speakers, while some have none. The learners of these languages are engaged in using documented resources (i.e. word lists, hymnals, bibles) to relearn their languages. Language proficiency in these cases of endangerment is being determined by how much language is learned in these communities through these efforts; proficient speakers are being determined by these communities.

Organizations

ACTFL

The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) distinguishes between proficiency and performance. In part, ACTFL's definition of proficiency is derived from mandates issued by the U.S. government, declaring that a

limited English proficient English as a second or foreign language is the use of English by speakers with different native languages. Language education for people learning English may be known as English as a second language (ESL), English as a foreign language (EF ...

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 (

Foreign Service Institute The Foreign Service Institute (FSI) is the United States federal government's primary training institution for employees of the U.S. foreign affairs community, preparing American diplomats as well as other professionals to advance U.S. foreign ...

) Scores range from 0 to 5. ''(deprecated)'' * Interagency Language Roundtable Scores range from 0 to 5. ''(evolved from FSI)'' *

Language Proficiency Index The Language Proficiency Index or LPI is a Canadian standardized test for English proficiency administered by Paragon Testing Enterprises, a subsidiary of the University of British Columbia. The results of the test are used primarily by postsecond ...

ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) is an organization aiming to improve and expand the teaching and learning of all languages at all levels of instruction. ACTFL is an individual membership organization of more than 13 ...

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 The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment, abbreviated in English as CEFR or CEF or CEFRL, is a guideline used to describe achievements of learners of foreign languages across Europe and, increasing ...

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

Proficiency tests

Online language proficiency test ( Level4, Level5, Level6 ) for pilots in english or germanAvant STAMP (STAndards-based Measurement of Proficiency)
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Cambridge English Language Assessment Cambridge Assessment English or Cambridge English develops and produces Cambridge English Qualifications and the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). The organisation contributed to the development of the Common European Fram ...

tests * CaMLA (Cambridge Michigan Language Assessments) *

CELI The ''Certificato di Conoscenza della Lingua Italiana'' (Certificate of Knowledge of Italian Language), or CELI, is an internationally recognized qualification of the Italian language destined for foreigners wanting to validate their relative Ita ...

(Certificato di Conoscenza della Lingua Italiana) *

CELPE-Bras CELPE-Bras ( pt, Certificado de Proficiência em Língua Portuguesa para Estrangeiros, "Certificate of Proficiency in Portuguese for Foreigners") is the only certificate of proficiency in Brazilian Portuguese as a second language officially recogn ...

(Certificate of Proficiency in Portuguese for Foreigners) * CILS (Certificazione di Italiano come Lingua Straniera) * DALF *

Defense Language Proficiency Tests The Defense Language Proficiency Test (DLPT) is a battery of foreign language tests produced by the Defense Language Institute and used by the United States Department of Defense (DoD). They are intended to assess the general language proficiency ...

* DELF (Diplôme d'études en langue française) * DELE (Diplomas of Spanish as Foreign Language) * Examination for Japanese University Admission *

General English Proficiency Test The General English Proficiency Test (GEPT; , or for short) is a test of English language proficiency that was commissioned by Taiwan's Ministry of Education in 1999. The GEPT was developed by the Language Training and Testing Center in Taipei, ...

GOETHE Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a German poet, playwright, novelist, scientist, statesman, theatre director, and critic. His works include plays, poetry, literature, and aesthetic criticism, as well as tr ...

* HSK (汉语水平考试 Hànyǔ Shuǐpíng Kǎoshì) * IELTS (International English Language Testing System) * iTEP (International Test of English Proficiency) * Japanese Language Proficiency Test (日本語能力試験 Nihongo Nōryoku Shiken) * Language Proficiency Assessment for Teachers * Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE-A)
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Fluency Exam CEFR oral and writing * PLIDA (Progetto Lingua Italiana Dante Alighieri) * The European Language Certificates (telc - language tests) * TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) * TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication) *

TOPIK The Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK) is a Korean language test for non-native speakers of Korean. The test is offered six times annually (Jan, Apr, May, Jul, Oct, Nov) within Korea and less often to people studying Korean in other countrie ...

(한국어능력시험 Test of Proficiency in Korean) * TEPS (Test of English Proficiency developed by Seoul National University) * Test of Russian as a Foreign Language * Test de français international * Test de connaissance du français * TOCFL (華語文能力測驗 Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language) *UBELT ( University of Bath English Language Test)

Language-related organizations

* Alliance Française * AIL (Accademia Italiana di Lingua) * American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages * Association of Language Testers in Europe * Confucius Institute *

* Goethe-Institut * Instituto Cervantes *

Japan Foundation The was established in 1972 by an Act of the National Diet as a special legal entity to undertake international dissemination of Japanese culture, and became an Independent Administrative Institution under the jurisdiction of the Ministr ...

* Società Dante Alighieri * UCLES * UNIcert * UONEDU

Notes and references

{{Authority control Language acquisition Language education Pedagogy