So you’re interested in learning French, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese? That’s good, and we’re delighted you are thinking of learning with us!
Learning new languages is fun, exciting and fulfilling, but at the same time, it is also a serious endeavor - much like learning how to draw, dance or act. It takes time, practice, patience, and most of all, dedication to reach your desired level of competence.
In this article, we will discuss the levels of learning European languages, from basic to proficiency, so you know what to expect as you enjoy this incredible journey of discovering and learning new languages.
Fluency vs Proficiency
When we ask our students what they want to get out of taking our classes, most of the time they would say that they’d want to be “fluent”. While that is perfectly fine, in Verb Hive, we aspire for you to reach proficiency. Now, what is the difference between fluency and proficiency?
In simple terms, fluency describes the capability to communicate the exact message flawlessly. On the other hand, proficiency is the capacity to comprehend and speak in the language. This means that when one is proficient in a language, he or she does not only know how to speak, but also to write, listen and understand what is being told him or her.
One can be fluent in a language and yet not reach complete proficiency. However, proficiency and fluency can overlap to some extent – as the more proficient you are in a language or any topic, the more likely you have the same fluency level.
Since our priority is to develop our students into proficient users of the foreign language they are studying, our teachers have designed their modules and courses to hone a wide range of skills, through grammar lectures, reading and writing exercises, listening to songs and dialogues, speaking drills and simulated conversations.
Now, having said this, how are teachers and students able to “measure” proficiency? European languages follow a common framework, which we will discuss below.
A Common European Framework for Languages
In 2001, the Council of Europe released the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages or more conveniently known as the CEFR, was officially published. This has been the bible of all European language teaching, learning and assessment for more than two decades.
The back story
In an effort to facilitate mobility across the members of the European Union and its neighboring European countries, the leaders of the Council of Europe have decided to design a common framework applicable to the diverse European languages. In 1992, a group of linguists and leaders in language education from all over Europe gathered and worked on this document for an entire decade before its official release in 2001. Since then, additional, supportive documents have been released for each language to clarify and contextualize the different points covered in the framework. To this day, languages users, learners, teachers and administrators speak of the levels A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2 to determine the level of proficiency.
This 300-page document is available for free consultation on the website of the Council of Europe. Fortunately, you don’t have to go through the entire document yourself. Your partners here in Verb Hive, like Teacher Léni, explain what you need to know in your language learning journey.
The ABCs of European Languages
The CEFR is a guide for language users, learners, teachers, administrators and evaluators, detailing the skills and communication situations for a particular language level in specific contexts.
“It describes in a comprehensive way what language learners have to learn to do in order to use a language for communication and what knowledge and skills they have to develop so as to be able to act effectively. The description also covers the cultural context in which language is set. The Framework also defines levels of proficiency which allow learners’ progress to be measured at each stage of learning and on a life-long basis. (CEFR, page 1)”
Most language schools offering a European language adhere to the CEFR. This ensures the continuity of your language learning if you decide to enroll from one institution to another.
Our European language instructors in Verb Hive, myself and Jerome, have undergone years of training both in the Philippines and Europe and are knowledgeable with the use and implementation of the CEFR in their courses.
There are three major language levels, further subdivided into two sub-levels:
A (basic user)
A1 (Breakthrough or Introductory)
A2 (Waystage)
B (independent user)
B1 (Threshold)
B2 (Vantage)
C (proficient user)
C1 (Effective Operational Proficiency)
C2 (Mastery)
Below is a more detailed description of each level for each language skill (listening, speaking, reading and writing). Language learners (and users) can use this table as a way to evaluate themselves (“auto-evaluation”).
In simple terms, I put the six language levels this way:
A1 users are those who can survive simple interactions that meet their personal and everyday needs.
A2 users are those who are able to follow basic interactions that involve themselves and their immediate environment.
B1 users are those who are able to use the language by themselves in most daily interactions concerning themselves, their immediate environment and topics touching their interests. This is the level where users feel more “comfortable” and start speaking “fluently”, where errors and influence from the mother/previously acquired language(s) are still present.
B2 users are those who are able to use the language in a more serious situation such as those involving debates or complaints. The best way to picture this is to imagine yourself as a high school student able to submit lengthy papers or reporting in class. This is usually the minimum level required in school/job applications where the foreign language is spoken.
C1 users are those who are able to comfortably use the language in a variety of contexts, follow more complex topics, including understanding and expressing humor. This is the ideal level required for advanced studies in the foreign language (Master’s or Doctorate degree).
Contrary to popular belief, C2 is not necessarily the “native speaker’s” level. A native speaker can be in the C1, B2, even B1 level. An easier way of picturing this level are those users who aspire to run for a position in the office or government, the language used in campaigns, of a more advanced and sometimes archaic register.
Will I become fluent after the first 30 hours?
The answer to the most commonly asked questions “will I become fluent in 30 hours?” is yes… and no.
After 30 hours of your first beginner module (French 1, Spanish 1, Italian 1, Portuguese 1…), you will indeed become more knowledgeable than you were before, and therefore fluent… in the A1 level.
As we said in the beginning, proficiency is achieved with time, practice, patience and dedication. And you will start achieving this as soon as you attend the first hour of your language course.
About Me
I started learning French in 2009. I earned my degree in European Languages (French) from the University of the Philippines in 2014, with a B2 level. In 2015, I took the certification exam called the Diplôme approfondi de langue française (DALF) and became a certified C1 level language user. I obtained my Master’s Degree in Linguistics (Diffusion du français) from the University of Rouen in 2017.
Since 2018, I have been a certified examiner and evaluator for the certification exam called Diplôme d'études en langue française (DELF) for levels A1, A2, B1. In 2020, I earned my certification as examiner and evaluator for the certification exam called Test d'évaluation de français (TEF).
Want to learn more about the French language? Get in touch with me in Hive!
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