Buondì.
I’m late today because I’ve been busy scrolling through the 230-page ‘COMMON EUROPEAN FRAMEWORKOF REFERENCE FOR LANGUAGES: LEARNING, TEACHING, ASSESSMENT – COMPANION VOLUME WITH NEW DESCRIPTORS‘.
If you’ve got a couple of days to spare, do take a look.
Or…
You could just look at Appendix 2, the Self-Assessment Grid, which is only a single page.
It’s not hard to understand – along the top you have the six levels, from the lowest (A1) to the highest (C2).
Bet you’d like to know what yours is, right?
And down the left-hand side there are five skill areas, set out like this:
UNDERSTANDING – Listening / Reading
SPEAKING – Spoken interaction / Spoken production
WRITING – Writing
For each of the five skill areas, you read the evaluation criteria, working along from the left to the right.
Each of the ‘descriptors’ begins with the words ‘I can…’
So you have a simple task: read the sentence and decide whether you can do that in Italian, or not.
If your answer is “You betcha!”, then go rightwards and read the next box.
When honestly compels you to answer “Nah, not in a million years!”, look up to the top of the column.
That’s the next level, what you need to aim at.
Look back to the left, and up.
That’s what you’ve already achieved.
It could be an effective description of where you are right now, or you could be already nearer to the next level up (the box on the right…)
You probably have a good idea which.
See how this works? Six levels, five skills areas, and simple descriptors beginning with ‘I can…’
So, let’s have a go.
Click here and follow along with me.
Starting with ‘Listening’, I’d say almost a B1 (certainly an A2) in Swedish.
And for Italian? C2, though I still don’t understand what my kids say when they talk with their mouths full…
‘Reading’ next.
That’ll be a “You betcha!” to the A2 descriptor for Swedish, but not yet to the B1 descriptor.
So, I still have some work to do there.
And for Italian, it’ll have to be C1.
I put my hand on my heart and confess, not C2.
But only because Italian texts can be so abstruse that even educated native speakers find excuses not to read them.
Speaking next, and ‘Spoken interaction’, which according to my wife, who was eavesdropping on my online Swedish lesson this morning, is one of my strengths.
She reported that I took charge and started chatting away immediately (though she pointedly didn’t enthuse over my accuracy and intelligibility…)
I’ll award myself an A2 for ‘spoken interaction’ in Swedish, with the secret hope that I’m sneaking up on a B1.
Italian would be a C2.
‘Spoken production’ is next. So ‘ditto’ for Swedish, A2 closing on B1.
And ‘ditto’ for Italian, too. My spoken Italian is C2, though with a big hole where the grammar should be.
So finally to ‘Writing’, where I’ll admit to some uncertainty, as I don’t write that much in either language.
I suppose, then, an A2 for Swedish and a C1 for Italian, though I’m not sure I’d like to put that to the test in either language!
Conclusion?
I’m A2, working towards B1 in Swedish. C1 or C2 in Italian, depending on the skill area.
Now, what about you?
Try it yourself – it takes just a minute or two.
Oh, and Lisa wrote in wondering why more people don’t comment on the articles I write for the club.
She thinks people read them, but then don’t click through to the site where it’s possible to leave a comment.
Guess we could test her hypothesis…
If you’d like to share the results of your own ‘self-assessment’, or argue that grammar is really, really, really important, blah, blah, blah, then this is what you should do:
1. Click this link to view this article on the club website.
2. Scroll down to the bottom of the the article and fill in the comments form (your email won’t be published.)
3. If you’ve not commented before, wait a while for me to moderate your comment – this is an anti-spam measure.
(If you have commented on the club site before, you should see your comment published immediately.)
4. Come back later to read what others think!
And lo, we have a conversation, which might keep us amused for the rest of the day.
Or you could read the other 229 pages of ‘COMMON EUROPEAN FRAMEWORKOF REFERENCE FOR LANGUAGES: LEARNING, TEACHING, ASSESSMENT – COMPANION VOLUME WITH NEW DESCRIPTORS‘…
A venerdì.
Julie Kibby says
So, answering honestly, I think I’m a clear B1 in every category. (Although the interacting with live people is kind of a guess, since there just aren’t that many Italian speakers here in my little Virginia burg.) What shook me though was that the B2 level “I cans” seemed so far beyond my reach … ever. There seems to be a huge leap between B1 and B2. As for the C levels, Posso sognare!
Daniel says
Yes, it’s often said that B2 is a ‘big’ level. Years ago at the British Council school I worked at (now just a memory), both B2 and C1 were covered (part-time) over two years rather than just one, as for the lower levels, A1, A2 and B1.
But in the end, it’s just a question of putting in the hours. Most ‘full-time’ language courses will get you there in a matter of months.
Barry Edwards says
Hi Daniel
Rather than read all 230 pages I just did the assessment grid which I think confirms me as A2 level (Long way for me to go yet) However i do find this site very useful and I often recommend it to people studying Italian, as there is some great content on here which has helped me a lot
Many Thanks
Barry
Daniel says
Thanks for the feedback, Barry!
As regards your level, you could say that you have a long way to go, or think of it as not being much more until B1, which is pretty good by most people’s standards.
B1 is the minimum level that a student at our local Italian university must reach in English in order to graduate. And those kids will have done ten years or more of lessons.
By that standard, you and I are doing pretty damn well!
Andrew says
Many thanks I love this site. If you are really just into reading and conversational aspects, I wonder if you can ignore the written aspect? Also it sounds like B1 is quite a good standard to aim for? Andrew
Daniel says
I’d say a lot of people learning a language, or knowing a language, don’t have any significant written ability, Andrew. If it doesn’t seem relevant, people just don’t bother with it.
B1 is ‘automomous’, but obviously less impressive than B2, C1 or C2. Certainly that makes it a practical and realistic target to aim for. I’ll be more than happy if/when I get there with my Swedish, but would be distinctly unhappy if that was the best I could do in Italian… So I guess it depends a lot on the situation.
Robert says
You have performed a valuable service by linking interested students of a foreign language to the E.U. assessment grid which, despite a criticism here and there, is an important measuring stick.
Terry Gahagan says
Decided not to read the whole document and opted to just do the simple assessment, shows I am A@ (which I will not argue with), I have a free lesson with Michela on Monday to hopefully help my listening skills, who knows I may even sign up for a course
Keep up the great work
Daniel says
Thanks, Terry. Good luck with your lesson!
June Farrel says
You asked for comments so here are mine. Thank you for your interesting and very useful pages. I read them all and do most of the exercises for fun I lived in Italy for five years way back in the 50s and as a result did further study in Italian when I returned to the GB. For nearly 20 years I have led a U3A Italian mixed ability group of Italophiles who are very enthusiastic and I incorporate many of your ideas in our twice monthly sessions. I do not teach them. I gave up teaching over 30 years ago. They are laid back and enjoy their regular contact, but are rather casual in their attitude to study. However they often ask me what standard I think they are at so I will give them the Council of Europe chart and they can assess themselves. I think some of them will be quite surprised at the standard they have reached. Thank you once again. By the way I sometimes buy a book and have done one of your free lessons
Daniel says
Yes, I think people tend to underestimate their level, especially third-age students. Confidence is a big factor.
Thanks for recommending us to your students!
Agnieszka says
Hi, I Think A1 level:)
Daniel says
Everyone was A1 at some point, Agnieszka!
Lynne says
Thanks again Daniel for the interesting, useful and amusing article. No I didn’t read the full Framework , (far too busy leaning Italian) just the self-assessment grid. It showed that I am working in the B1 level having achieved some aspects but not all. From time to time I do the level test and this is also showing that I am working in that level so progress has been made.
Daniel says
Satisfying, isn’t it?
Lisa says
Daniel,
Thanks for all the great information and the assessment grid. I am still a solid A2, however, aside from the 30 minutes a week I spend with Manuela (bless her patient heart) I work at this and study alone. My husband gave up way back at verb conjugations and, after he asked for the 10th time what an infinitive was, time he returned to his wood shop. So being an A2 is ok for now. L:ike Julie in Virginia, there are not many Italian speakers in Wisconsin!
Daniel says
But lots in Italy, Lisa. I’m sure you’ll be over here visiting at some point!
So, lots of listening and reading practice. It’ll pull your level up quite quickly, you’ll see.
Ina says
Hi, I am B1 on everything except spoken, my brain just closes up when faced with a chance to speak! Then after the event I think of all the different ways I could have answered, it’s so frustrating, been learning Italian for 18months now!
Love your blogs Daniel, always with humour, thanks,
Ina ( Australia)
Daniel says
Ciao Ina,
Try thinking of speaking as not just the skill of putting together an ‘answer’ but as working collaboratively with other people to make things ‘flow’. Think of a chat show host, someone like Oprah Winfrey, for example – a lot of what she got paid for on that famous show was asking the right questions, then smiling, nodding and generally empathising, while her famous guests talked.
If in doubt? Smile and nod! The other person will speak some more, and you’ll get time to figure out what to say.
It’s also useful to keep your parts short – Really? You’re right! I agree. That’s true. Do you really think so? Why’s that?
Figure this out and people will be convinced your Italian is perfect, though in fact it will have been mostly them speaking!!
Ina says
Ha ha, you are so right 🙂
Jean Padmore says
Hi, well thank you for all your emails which are always interesting and which i enjoy thoroughly. Honestly I had no idea we could leave feedback! I don’t know how I could have missed it….(senility creeping/galloping in). It seems I am really a B1 all round although that surprised me as I really think my spoken Italian is pretty poor. However, it improves dramatically when I take a holiday in Italy and am surrounded by Italian speech. The holidays are never long enough!
Daniel says
Bet a glass of two of wine on your holiday would help, too, Jean! I’m always more fluent when I’ve had a few…
Jean Padmore says
Ha! It probably would do, if I drank. My husband would agree with you though; he says he only speaks “fluid” German!
Anita says
Hi Daniel,
I have just done the assessment and reckon that I am B1 but lower end! I have just started to study Italian again after a 3 year gap and discovered your website. I find it very useful and interesting and yes, I do read all your articles. I read with interest your article on a certain server in Australia blocking all emails – I noticed this when I joined as I sent numerous emails but never got a reply. I almost gave up but then decided to send one on another email and lo and behold it worked!
I gave up Italian lessons as I was constantly criticised about my accent and not pronouncing words correctly – so much for friends! So now I am studying alone (for now) and am really enjoying working my way through all the exercises and listening and reading. I also enjoy listening to the Al dente (italiano ) PodClub and although I don’t understand it all the first (and second) time it is very useful having the transcript. I love the Italian language and loved spending time in Italy (Tuscany).
I didn’t sign up for a free lesson as I don’t think I am quite ready – perhaps the next time! Once again many thanks!
Daniel says
Next time, Anita! And thanks for commenting.
Danny Buckley says
Thanks Daniel,
After a couple of years of regular studying I’d say that I’m maybe upper A2. Grammar pretty good but speaking and listening weaker..
Regards,
Danny
Daniel says
That sounds about right, Danny. We usually figure a year of part-time study = a level. Focusing on the speaking and listening (as I am doing) can speed things up.
Julie Jane says
Love your emails, and your site. This was particularly helpful. So, looks like I am a B1, probably declining a bit as not getting enough practice in at the moment! You’ve given me a kick up the bum, time to get back into the study.
Thanks again!
Julie
Daniel says
Brava, Julie!
Angela says
Great article on Wednesday. The self assessment was very useful. I am at B1 for some things but not quite for others – so I am now concentrating on writing and will carry on with listening and reading. I am gearing up for on line lessons – but I’m not quite there yet ….
Daniel says
I’m curious to know why you think you’re not ready to use your Italian in spoken interaction in an online lesson, Angela?
I put off taking Swedish lessons for a year… Reckon that was a year wasted!
Edward says
Danial re your Swedish course, are they once a week? And I’m with Angela speaking is tricky. You’ve only got to ask me to say something in Italian and I become some sort of mute.
Daniel says
I do individual lessons online with two different teacehers. Based on their availability and my work commitments, I usually do lessons on Monday and Wednesday mornings with one teacher, and Friday morning with the other. Always an hour at a time.
At our school I often placement test people who are ‘blocked’ when it comes to speaking. I tell them that the problem tends to go away in a month or two, which it does. Speaking is basically a habit. Once you done something a few times, it gets routine and familiar.
Edward. says
Grazie Edward
Stephanie Syring says
I just discovered your website a couple of months ago, and I really love it! It’s great! Now if I can only train myself to spend an hour a day listening and reading I’m sure I would improve dramatically….. Thank you so much.
Daniel says
Start with something much shorter, that interests you, and build up. If it’s boring, find something that isn’t. Aim to build the habit of reading/listening, and let the rest follow.
Hope that helps!!
Marcia Bailey says
Thanks for the assessment, very helpful. My weekly three hour Italian class helps a great deal. Our instructor is Italian and the class is conducted in Italian with emphasis on reading, listening to songs, movies or TV news in Italian with discussion following, I think B1 would best describe my level Thanks to four weeks in Bologna at Madrelingua my level got a big boost, hence I graduated to my current class. Been watching Italian TV series Montalbano just for fun. Anything that allows me to work on listening skills is important. Love reading your emails, Daniel. Grazie, Marcia Bailey
Daniel says
Grazie a te, Marcia! You’re right about the listening, too. ANYTHING that helps with listening skills is worth spending time on.
Siamka says
A1 it is 🙂
I’ve been “studying” for 1-3 years now, always forgetting what I learnt as I didn’t study regularly. But I am changing it slowly!
I started listening to Italian radio for a couple if hours every day and it helps a lot. I don’t understand much but I keep looking up the words and surprisingly I remember them better that when memorising from the book.
You are so inspiring. Please keep writing.
Daniel says
Grazie mille, Siamka!!
It doesn’t suprise me that you remember words better when they are in a meaningful context. That’s what happens in real life, after all!
The more reading and listening you do, the easier learning Italian will be for you. Promise!
john whiting says
Definitely B1 and definitely not B2. There seems quite a jump there especially in listening comprehension. Find the language difficult at my age. Can’t stand the stressing element which is a whole extra skill to learn that doesn’t exist in French (around B2-C1) or English. Haven’t been to any classes or have an online tutor. This course is good although listening tests are made more difficult by the use of an echoing room. Either that or they put buckets over their heads!
Daniel says
Ciao John,
Not sure what you mean by ‘the stressing element’. Word and sentence stress in Italian are not unlike English. French is much harder!
You’re right that the audio quality of a lot of our material is poor. Once, we were beginners, putting together a website in our spare time, with not equipment or experience.
That said, in real life, the quality of the audio input you’ll get (in a bar, at a station…) is not likely to be ideal, either.
Daniel
Jadwiga says
According to the Assessment Grid, I am probably B2 on reading and listening and B1+ (yes, I know there is no such level) in writing. I can’t begin to assess my spoken interaction or spoken production as I don’t have any opportunities to put them to the test. The only native Italian speaker I know in my small town 100 km west of Sydney is Tony the greengrocer ─ but there is a limit on how much progress one can make when the weekly exchange is limited to the subject of fruit and veg. Being a vegetarian, non è troppo male, but to be honest I’d rather discuss the films of Fellini.
I’ve been studying Italian for about 12 months and I love every minute of it. I also love your site; it is engaging, wide-ranging and best of all, it doesn’t suffer from the “learning by rote” syndrome which afflicts many internet courses. Repetition has its place ─ indeed it is essential when learning a new language ─ but it can leave one with a mere collection of memorised phrases and a false sense of achievement. So three cheers and gratitude to Online Italian Club! And extra cheers for Daniel’s humorous articles and for helping us undisciplined ramblers to focus.
If I ever master Italian, it will be my fourth language. I compensate for/supplement my enforced learning-in-isolation by reading books in Italian; mostly stories written for children and adolescents (although I’ve just dived head-first into Moravia’s “La disubbedienza” and surprisingly I find that I am, more or less, able to cope). The book has been on my shelves for decades (in Italian ─ I really don’t know why) so I recently bought an English translation to help me along.
I would sign up for a course like a shot, but, alas, I am too much of an introvert to consider fronting up to a Skype screen. I am even too much of a chicken to click on the “lesson with an online teacher” link in case it turns out to be a close encounter… and anyway, my computer is so old it doesn’t even have a camera or a microphone.
N.B. The ‘Chi sei’ conversation was a brilliant challenge. It took me quite a while, I struggled a little and dipped into the dictionary many times, but managed to answer/respond to the questions on all levels. The ideal thing now would be to have my scribbles assessed and corrected by a pen pal teacher. Prepositions are my biggest bugbear ─ di, da, in, a… I invariably get them wrong
Which brings me to a question: Is there a possibility of doing an email correspondence course with a teacher?
Ciao,
Jadwiga