Listening Skill Level -- the assessed proficiency of the individual in understanding a given spoken language
Listening 0 (No Proficiency)
No practical understanding of the spoken language. Understanding is limited to occasional isolated words with essentially no ability to comprehend communication. (Has been coded L-0 in some nonautomated applications.) (Data Code 00)
Listening 0 + (Memorized Proficiency)
Sufficient comprehension to understand a number of memorized utterances in areas of immediate needs. Can understand slightly longer utterances than at Level 0, but requires frequent long pauses between understood phrases and repeated requests on the listener’s part for repetition. Understands with reasonable accuracy only when short memorized utterances or formulae are involved. Misunderstandings arise due to ignoring or inaccurately hearing sounds or word endings (both inflectional and non-inflectional), thus distorting the original meaning. Can understand only with difficulty even persons (such as teachers) who are used to speaking with nonnative speakers. Can best understand those statements in which context strongly supports the utterance meaning. Gets some main ideas. (Has been coded L-0+ in some nonautomated applications.) (Data Code 06)
Listening 1 (Elementary Proficiency)
Sufficient comprehension to understand utterances about basic survival needs and minimum courtesy and travel requirements. In areas of immediate need or on very familiar topics, can understand simple questions and answers, simple statements, and very simple face-to-face conversations in a standard dialect. These must often be delivered more clearly than normal and at a rate slower than normal, with frequent repetitions or paraphrases (that is, by a native used to dealing with foreigners). Once learned, these sentences can be varied for similar level vocabulary and grammar and still be understood. In the majority of utterances, misunderstandings arise due to overlooked or misunderstood syntax and other grammatical clues. Comprehension vocabulary is inadequate to understand anything but the most elementary needs. Strong interference from the candidate’s native language occurs. The tentative state of passive grammar and the lack of vocabulary prevent precise understanding of information.
Comprehension areas include basic needs such as meals, lodging, transportation, time, and simple directions (including both route instructions and orders from officials such as customs agents and police). Understands main ideas. (Has been coded L-1 in some nonautomated applications.) (Data Code 10)
Listening 1 + (Elementary Proficiency, Plus)
Sufficient comprehension to understand short conversations about all survival needs and limited social demands. Developing flexibility evident in understanding expanded to a range of circumstances beyond immediate survival needs. Shows spontaneity by speed of understanding, although consistency of understanding is uneven. Limited vocabulary range necessitates repetition for understanding. Understands more common time forms and most question forms, as well as some word order patterns, but miscommunication still occurs with more complex patterns. Cannot sustain understanding of coherent structures in longer utterances or in unfamiliar situations. Understanding of descriptions and the giving of precise information are limited. Aware of basic cohesive features such as pronouns and verb inflections, but many are unreliably understood, especially if less immediate in reference. Understanding is largely limited to a series of short, discrete utterances. Still has to ask for utterances to be repeated. Some ability to understand facts. (Has been coded L-1+ in some nonautomated applications.) (Data Code 16)
Listening 2 (Limited Working Proficiency)
Sufficient comprehension to understand conversations on routine social demands and limited job requirements. Able to understand face-to-face speech in a standard dialect, delivered at a normal speaking rate with some repetition and rewording, by a native speaker not used to dealing with foreigners, about everyday topics, common personal and family news, well-known current events, and routine office matters through descriptions and narration about current, past, and future events; can follow essential points of discussion or speech at an elementary level on topics in his special professional field. Only understands occasional words and phrases of statements made in unfavorable conditions, for example through loudspeakers outdoors. Understands factual content. Native language causes less interference in listening comprehension. Able to understand facts, i.e., the lines, but not between or beyond the lines. (Has been coded L-2 in some nonautomated applications.) (Data Code 20)
Listening 2 + (Limited Working Proficiency, Plus)
Sufficient comprehension to understand most routine social demands and most conversations on work requirements, as well as some discussions on concrete topics related to particular interest and special fields of competence. Often shows remarkable ability and ease of understanding but may break down under tension or pressure. Candidate may display weakness or deficiency due to inadequate vocabulary base or less than secure knowledge of grammar and syntax. Normally understands general vocabulary, but some hesitant understanding of everyday vocabulary is still evident. Can sometimes detect emotional overtones. Some ability to understand implications. (Has been coded L-2+ in some nonautomated applications.) (Data Code 26)
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 asking for paraphrasing or explanation is rarely necessary. Can follow accurately the essentials in 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 nontechnical 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 slang or dialect. Can often detect emotional overtones. Can understand implications. (Has been coded L-3 in some nonautomated applications.) (Data Code 30)
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 as 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, for example, in informal and formal speeches covering editorial, conjectural, and literary materials in subject matter areas directed to the general listener. (Has been coded L-3+ in some nonautomated applications.) (Data Code 36)
Listening 4 (Advanced Professional Proficiency)
Able to understand all forms and styles of speech pertinent to professional needs. Able to understand fully all of 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 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 nonstandard 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, for example, in informal and formal speeches covering editorial, conjectural, and literary materials in any subject matter directed to the general listener. (Has been coded L-4 in some nonautomated applications.) (Data Code 40)
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. (Has been coded L-4+ in some nonautomated applications.) (Data Code 46)
Listening 5 (Functionally Native Proficiency)
Comprehension equivalent to that of the well-educated native listener. Able to understand fully all forms and styles of speech intelligible to the well-educated native listener, including a number of regional and illiterate dialects, highly colloquial speech and conversations, and discourse distorted by marked interference from other noise. Able to understand how natives think as they create discourse. Able to understand extremely difficult and abstract speech. (Has been coded L-5 in some nonautomated applications.) (Data Code 50)