Scale of Proficiency Levels

The scale used for the SLPT was developed on the basis of a comparison with three recognized scales in Québec: the Échelle québécoise des niveaux de compétence en français des personnes immigrantes adultes, the Quebec College ESL Benchmarks (provisional version), and the Échelle des niveaux de compétence en français langue seconde pour le collégial (provisional version). These benchmark scales include 12 levels.

For this project, only the first 10 levels were taken into account, since the proficiency level of the target audience generally ranges from 1 to 10. The SLPT scale development team selected indicators whose content was common to that of at least two scales. The team subsequently chose other indicators that were consistent with and complementary to the ones initially selected. It later added descriptions to the scale from the Canadian Language Benchmarks. Then 147 passages and 302 items were prepared to delimit the scale indicators and make up the proficiency test.

Importance of a Scale of Proficiency Levels

The interpretation of a proficiency level result based on a scale offers a number of advantages:

• The information obtained is standardized and can thus be compared with that derived from other tests and scales developed according to the same principles;
• The proficiency levels in the scale provide clear, practical information that can be used to analyze programs and develop their content with a view to standardizing second language services at the college level;
• These proficiency levels offer clear, practical information that can be used to formulate the learning objectives to be achieved, thus enabling students to prepare for tests and progress from one level to the next.