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Select a level and/or a skill
| Listening | Level 3 | Level 3+ | Level 4 | Level 4+ |
| Speaking | Level 3 | Level 3+ | Level 4 | Level 4+ |
| Reading | Level 3 | Level 3+ | Level 4 | Level 4+ |
| Writing | Level 3 | Level 3+ | Level 4 | Level 4+ |
The following definitions about levels come from the Interagency Language Roundtable, which sets the language standards for the US government.
Note to students: Learning to the 4 Distinguished Level is a very different activity than learning at lower levels of Russian proficiency. You will need not only to learn new words (and make sure that your grammar, which you should already know well, is accurate), but you will have to learn other aspects of language, some of which you may not have thought about before. In general, you will have to develop at least seven aspects of language: linguistic, strategic, sociolinguistic, discourse, sociocultural, social, and emotional competence. Of these, the first five are included in the actual and planned activities at this site. For the others, interaction with native speakers is necessary.
Strategic competence at Level 4 means that language users are expected to adjust their approach to the nature of the text and task, compare texts to genre models, use endurance techniques in reading such long documents as full books, and apply mapping, networking, and integration strategies (the preponderance of weight being given to metacognitive strategies). At lower levels, the expectation is for language learners to use compensation strategies. (Ingold, 2002)
Sociolinguistic competence requires language learners to adjust their speech and written communication to the professional, socaial, dialectal, age, and gender attributes of their audiences. In addition, they must be able to differentiate between country and city registers, to recognize what subtle adjustments have been made by their interlocutors for them, and to respond appropriately to expressions of power, solidarity, and social rank shown in written and oral communication. (Ingold, 2002)
Discourse competence at Level 4 expects students to move beyond the sentence and paragraph levels to the managing of whole texts. In doing so, they are expected to understand and use a wide range of genres appropriately, as well as text organization and stylistics, e.g., "scientific style." (Ingold, 2002)
Sociocultural competence comes into sharper focus at Level 4. At this level, language users are expected to recognize and use a wide range of literary (including children's literature), popular ("culture with a little 'c'"), religious, historical, and folklore allusions, culturally loaded statements, and prolepsis. (Ingold, 2002)
Social competence at Level 4 means more than willingness to enter into communication. It also means endurance, using language comfortably under stress, and accessing the foreign language as readily as the native language regardless of environmental conditions.
Emotional competence at Level 4 means be able to express one's personality accurately but in culturally appropriate ways, as well as to interpret correctly the personality attributes of one's interlocutor.
Ingold, Catherine. 2002. "The Langnet Reading to the Four Project: Applied Technology at Higher Levels of Language Learning." In Leaver, Betty Lou and Shektman, Boris (eds), Developing Professional-level Language Proficiency. (pp. 141-155), Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Listening 3 (General Professional Proficiency)
Able to understand the essentials of all speech in a standard dialect including technical discussions within a special field. Has effective understanding of face-to-face speech, delivered with normal clarity and speed in a standard dialect on general topics and areas of special interest; understands hypothesizing and supported opinions. Has broad enough vocabulary that rarely has to ask for paraphrasing or explanation. Can follow accurately the essentials of conversations between educated native speakers, reasonably clear telephone calls, radio broadcasts, news stories similar to wire service reports, oral reports, some oral technical reports and public addresses on non-technical subjects; can understand without difficulty all forms of standard speech concerning a special professional field. Does not understand native speakers if they speak very quickly or use some slang or dialect. Can often detect emotional overtones. Can understand implications.
Listening 3+ (General Professional Proficiency, Plus)
Comprehends most of the content and intent of a variety of forms and styles of speech pertinent to professional needs as well a general topics and social conversation. Ability to comprehend many sociolinguistic and cultural references. However, may miss some subtleties and nuances. Increased ability to comprehend unusually complex structures in lengthy utterances and to comprehend many distinctions in language tailored for different audiences. Increased ability to understand native speakers talking quickly, using nonstandard dialect or slang; however, comprehension not complete. Can discern some relationships among sophisticated listening materials in the context of broad experience. Can follow some unpredictable turns of thought readily in, for example, informal and formal speeches covering editorial, conjectural and literary material in subject matter areas directed to the general listener.
Listening 4 (Advanced Professional Proficiency)
Able to understand all forms and styles of speech pertinent to professional needs. Able to understand fully all speech with extensive and precise vocabulary, subtleties and nuances in all standard dialects on any subject relevant to professional needs within the range of his/her experience, including social conversations; all intelligible broadcasts and telephone calls; and many kinds of technical discussions and discourse. Understands language specifically tailored (including persuasion, representation, counseling, and negotiating) to different audiences. Able to understand the essentials of speech in some non-standard dialects. Has difficulty in understanding extreme dialect and slang, also in understanding speech in unfavorable conditions, for example through bad loudspeakers outdoors. Can discern relationships among sophisticated listening materials in the context of broad experience. Can follow unpredictable turns of thought readily in, for example, informal and formal speeches covering editorial, conjectural, and literary material in any subject matter directed to the general listener.
Listening 4+ (Advanced Professional Proficiency, Plus)
Increased ability to understand extremely difficult and abstract speech as well as ability to understand all forms and styles of speech pertinent to professional needs, including social conversations. Increased ability to comprehend native speakers using extreme nonstandard dialects and slang, as well as to understand speech in unfavorable conditions. Strong sensitivity to sociolinguistic and cultural references. Accuracy is close to that of the well educated native listener but still not equivalent.
Speaking 3 (General Professional Proficiency)
Able to speak the language with sufficient structural accuracy and vocabulary to participate effectively in most formal and informal conversations on practical, social, and professional topics. Nevertheless, the individual's limitations generally restrict the professional contexts of language use to matters of shared knowledge and/or international convention. Discourse is cohesive. The individual uses the language acceptably, but with some noticeable imperfections; yet, errors virtually never interfere with understanding and rarely disturb the native speaker. The individual can effectively combine structure and vocabulary to convey his/her meaning accurately. The individual speaks readily and fills pauses suitably. In face-to-face conversation with natives speaking the standard dialect at a normal rate of speech, comprehension is quite complete. Although cultural references, proverbs, and the implications of nuances and idiom may not be fully understood, the individual can easily repair the conversation. Pronunciation may be obviously foreign. individual sounds are accurate; but stress, intonation, and pitch control may be faulty.
Examples: Can typically discuss particular interests and special fields of competence with reasonable ease. Can use the language as part of normal professional duties such as answering objections, clarifying points, justifying decisions, understanding the essence of challenges, stating and defending policy, conducting meetings, delivering briefings, or other extended and elaborate informative monologues. Can reliably elicit information and informed opinion from native speakers. Structural inaccuracy is rarely the major cause of misunderstanding. Use of structural devices is flexible and elaborate. Without searching for words or phrases, the individual uses the language clearly and relatively naturally to elaborate concepts freely and make ideas easily understandable to native speakers. Errors occur in low-frequency and highly complex structures.
Speaking 3+ (General Professional Proficiency, Plus)
Is often able to use the language to satisfy professional needs in a wide range of sophisticated and demanding tasks.
Examples: Despite obvious strengths, may exhibit some hesitancy, uncertainty, effort, or errors which limit the range of language-use tasks that can be reliably performed. Typically there is particular strength in fluency and one or more, but not all, of the following: breadth of lexicon, including low-and medium-frequency items, especially socio-linguistic/cultural references and nuances of close synonyms; structural precision, with sophisticated features that are readily, accurately, and appropriately controlled (such as complex modification and embedding in Indo-European languages); discourse competence in a wide range of contexts and tasks, often matching a native speaker's strategic and organizational abilities and expectations. Occasional patterned errors occur in low frequency and highly-complex structures.
Speaking 4 (Advanced Professional Proficiency)
Able to use the language fluently and accurately on all levels normally pertinent to professional needs. The individual's language usage and ability to function are fully successful. Organizes discourse well, using appropriate rhetorical speech devices, native cultural references, and understanding. Language ability only rarely hinders him/her in performing any task requiring language; yet, the individual would seldom be perceived as a native. Speaks effortlessly and smoothly and is able to use the language with a high degree of effectiveness, reliability, and precision for all representational purposes within the range of personal and professional experience and scope of responsibilities. Can serve as an informal interpreter in a range of unpredictable circumstances. Can perform extensive, sophisticated language tasks, encompassing most matters of interest to well-educated native speakers, including tasks which do not bear directly on a professional specialty.
Examples: Can discuss in detail concepts which are fundamentally different from those of the target culture and make those concepts clear and accessible to the native speaker. Similarly the individual can understand the details and ramifications of concepts that are culturally or conceptually different from his/her own. Can set the tone of interpersonal official, semi-official, and non-professional verbal exchanges with a representative range of native speakers (in a range of varied audiences, purposes, tasks, and settings). Can play an effective role among native speakers in such contexts as conferences, lectures, and debates on matters of disagreement. Can advocate a position at length, both formally and in chance encounters, using sophisticated verbal strategies. Understands and reliably produces shifts of both subject matter and tone. Can understand native speakers of the standard and other major dialects in essentially any face-to-face interaction.
Speaking 4+ (Advanced Professional Proficiency, Plus)
Speaking proficiency is regularly superior in all respects, usually equivalent to that of a well educated, highly articulate native speaker. Language ability does not impede the performance of any language-use task. However, the individual would not necessarily be perceived as culturally native.
Examples: The individual organizes discourse well, employing functional rhetorical speech devices, native cultural references and understanding. Effectively applies a native speaker's social and circumstantial knowledge. However, cannot sustain that performance under all circumstances. While the individual has a wide range and control of structure, an occasional nonnative slip may occur. The individual has a sophisticated control of vocabulary and phrasing that is rarely imprecise, yet there are occasional weaknesses in idioms, colloquialisms, pronunciation, cultural reference or there may be an occasional failure to interact in a totally native manner.
Reading 3 (General Professional Proficiency)
Able to read within a normal range of speed and with almost complete comprehension a variety of authentic prose material on unfamiliar subjects. Reading ability is not dependent on subject matter knowledge, although it is not expected that the individual can comprehend thoroughly subject matter which is highly dependent on cultural knowledge or which is outside his/her general experience and not accompanied by explanation. Text-types include news stories similar to wire service reports or international news items in major periodicals, routine correspondence, general reports, and technical material in his/her professional field; all of these may include hypothesis, argumentation, and supported opinions. Misreading rare. Almost always able to interpret material correctly, relate ideas, and "read between the lines," (that is, understand the writers' implicit intents in texts of the above types). Can get the gist of more sophisticated texts, but may be unable to detect or understand subtlety and nuance. Rarely has to pause over or reread general vocabulary. However, may experience some difficulty with unusually complex structure and low frequency idioms.
Reading 3+ (General Professional Proficiency, Plus)
Can comprehend a variety of styles and forms pertinent to professional needs. Rarely misinterprets such texts or rarely experiences difficulty relating ideas or making inferences. Able to comprehend many sociolinguistic and cultural references. However, may miss some nuances and subtleties. Able to comprehend a considerable range of intentionally complex structures, low frequency idioms, and uncommon connotative intentions; however, accuracy is not complete. The individual is typically able to read with facility, understand, and appreciate contemporary expository, technical, or literary texts which do not rely heavily on slang and unusual idioms.
Reading 4 (Advanced Professional Proficiency)
Able to read fluently and accurately all styles and forms of the language pertinent to professional needs. The individual's experience with the written language is extensive enough that he/she is able to relate inferences in the text to real-world knowledge and understand almost all sociolinguistic and cultural references. Able to "read beyond the lines" (that is, to understand the full ramifications of texts as they are situated in the wider cultural, political, or social environment). Able to read and understand the intent of writers' use of nuance and subtlety. The individual can discern relationships among sophisticated written materials in the context of broad experience. Can follow unpredictable turns of thought readily in, for example, editorial, conjectural, and literary texts in any subject matter area directed to the general reader. Can read essentially all materials in his/her special field, including official and professional documents and correspondence. Recognizes all professionally relevant vocabulary known to the educated non-professional native, although may have some difficulty with slang. Can read reasonably legible handwriting without difficulty. Accuracy is often nearly that of a well-educated native reader.
Reading 4+ (Advanced Professional Proficiency, Plus)
Nearly native ability to read and understand extremely difficult or abstract prose, a very wide variety of vocabulary, idioms, colloquialisms, and slang. Strong sensitivity to and understanding of sociolinguistic and cultural references. Little difficulty in reading less than fully legible handwriting. Broad ability to "read beyond the lines" (that is, to understand the full ramifications of texts as they are situated in the wider cultural, political, or social environment) is nearly that of a well-read or well-educated native reader. Accuracy is close to that of the well-educated native reader, but not equivalent.
Writing 3 (General Professional Proficiency)
Able to use the language effectively in most formal and informal written exchanges on practical social and professional topics. Can write reports, summaries, short library research papers on current events on particular areas of interest or on special fields with reasonable ease. Control of structure, spelling and general vocabulary is adequate to convey his/her message accurately but style may be obviously foreign. Errors virtually never interfere with comprehension and rarely disturb the native reader. Punctuation generally controlled.
Employs a full range of structures. Control of grammar good with only sporadic errors in basic structures, occasional errors in the most complex frequent structures and somewhat more frequent errors in low frequency complex structures. Consistent control of compound and complex sentences. Relationship of ideas is consistently clear.
Writing 3+ (General Professional Proficiency, Plus)
Able to write the language in a few prose styles pertinent to professional/educational needs. Not always able to tailor language to suit audience. Weaknesses may lie in poor control of low frequency complex structures, vocabulary, or the ability to express subtleties and nuances. May be able to write on some topics pertinent to professional/educational needs. Organization may suffer due to lack of variety in organizational patterns or in variety of cohesive devices.
Writing 4 (Advanced Professional Proficiency)
Able to write the language precisely and accurately in a variety of prose styles pertinent to professional/educational needs. Errors of grammar are rare including those in low frequency complex structures. Consistently able to tailor language to suit audience and able to express subtleties and nuances. Expository prose is clearly, consistently and explicitly organized. The writer employs a variety of organizational patterns, uses a wide variety of cohesive devices such as ellipsis and parallelisms, and subordinates in a variety of ways. Able to write on all topics normally pertinent to professional/educational needs and on social issues of a general nature. Writing adequate to express all his/her experiences.
Writing 4+ (Advanced Professional Proficiency, Plus)
Able to write the language precisely and accurately in a wide variety of prose styles pertinent to professional/educational needs. May have some ability to edit but not in the full range of styles. Has some flexibility within a style and shows some evidence of a use of stylistic devices.