ORAL PROFICIENCY LEVELS IN THE WORKPLACE

Examples of Who Is Likely

ACTFL Level ILR Language Functions Corresponding Professions/Positions*
to Function at This Level

5 Ability to tailor language to specific Highly articulate, professionally specialized native speakers
Foreign Service: Diplomat, Contract Negotiator, International
Distinguished audience, persuade, negotiate. Deal Language learners with extended (17 years) and current
Specialist, Intelligence Specialist
4 with nuance and subtlety. professional and/or educational experience in the target culture

Discuss topics extensively, support University Language Professor, Financial Services Marketing Well-educated native speakers
Superior 3 opinions, hypothesize. Deal with Consultant, Foreign Area Officer, Lawyer, Judge, Court Educated language learners with extended professional and/or
linguistically unfamiliar situations. Interpreter educational experience in the target language environment

Physician, Human Resources Communications Consultant,

Language learners with graduate degrees in language or a
Advanced Financial Services Senior Consultant, Quality Assurance
related area and extended educational experience in target
High Specialist, Marketing Manager, Financial Advisor, Broker,
environment
2+ Military Linguist, Translation Officer

Narrate and describe in past,
Advanced
present, and future. Deal effectively
Mid
with an unanticipated complication.
Banking and Investment Services Customer Service Representative, Heritage speakers, informal learners, non-academic learners
Fraud Specialist, Account Executive, Medical Interpreter, Patient who have significant contact with language
Advocate, Court Stenographer, Court Interpreter, Human
Undergraduate majors with year-long study in
Resources Benefits Specialist, Technical Service Agent, Collections
Representative, Estimating Coordinator the target language culture

2 K12 Language Teacher, Nurse, Social Worker, Claims Processor,

Advanced Police Officer, Maintenance Administrator, Billing Clerk, Legal
Undergraduate language majors
Low Secretary, Legal Receptionist, 911 Dispatcher, Consumer Products
Customer Services Representative, Retail Services Personnel

Intermediate Fire Fighter, Utilities Installer, Auto Inspector, Aviation Personnel,

High Missionary, Tour Guide
Language learners following 68 year sequences of study
1+ (e.g., AP) or 46 semester college sequences
Intermediate Create with language, initiate, Cashier, Sales Clerk (highly predictable contexts), Receptionist
Mid maintain, and bring to a close
simple conversations by asking and
responding to simple questions. Language learners following 4-year high school sequence or
Intermediate 1 2-semester college sequence
Low Language learners following an immersion language program
in Grades K 6

Language learners following content-based language program

Novice High 0+
Communicate minimally with in Grades K 6
formulaic and rote utterances, lists,
Novice Mid and phrases. Language learners following 2 years of high school language
0 study
Novice Low
*The levels of proficiency associated with each of the positions above are minimal levels of oral proficiency based on task analyses. The minimal levels were determined by subject matter experts from companies and agencies who use ACTFL proficiency tests.

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