What is Proficiency?
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PROFICIENCY, or communicative competence, is the ability to use the foreign language as a vehicle of communication and the ability to function effectively in the language in real-life contexts (ACTFL guidelines). Persons who know the grammar of a language, (rules of phonetics, morphology and syntax) may be unable to write, hear, speak or read this language; they may have a certain linguistic knowledge of this language but would not be proficient in it.

Proficiency is not an absolute value; there are degrees or levels in Proficiency. In the scales used by the Russian program in the RC as well as the ones used by the ACTFL, there are 9 levels; the highest level represents the complete proficiency of an educated native speaker. A student who passes the Proficiency exam at the Residential College has reached Intermediate-High level on our scales (level 6).

The level of Proficiency at the RC evaluates in a broad but complete manner the way students behave or function in the target language. A practical way of describing this behavior is following the four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. These skills are practiced together and are interrelated. A student who has reached a Proficiency level should have achieved the following:

Listening comprehension
The student is able to understand a class entirely in the Foreign Language. He/she has no problem with a moderate speed foreign language spoken by the teacher but may have some difficulty with a more "technical", specialized vocabulary. An occasional word may need to be repeated or explained. No difficulty in simple face-to-face conversation. A twenty minute lecture on any topic of general interest should be well understood for content, main points and conclusion; some minor errors in details may still occur.

Reading comprehension
The students should be able to read a text in the foreign language and not look up every unknown word but guess meaning within the context; in skim-type reading, the student gets the main ideas accurately and uses the dictionary only occasionally for a closer and more analytic reading; when reading a newspaper or magazine article, the student has a good comprehension of the text, even without the help of a dictionary. S/he can report general direction and conclusion of the text accurately; still some minor misunderstandings may occur.

Writing
Able to meet most practical writing needs and limited social demands. Can take notes in some detail on familiar topics and respond in writing to personal questions. Can write simple letters, brief synopses and paraphrases, summaries and biographical data, work and school experience. Can express present time or at least one other time frame or aspect consistently, e.g., nonpast, habitual, imperfective. Evidence of control of the syntax of noncomplex sentences and basic inflectional morphology, such as declensions and conjugation. Can be understood by natives not used to the writing of non-natives.

Speaking
Able to handle successfully most uncomplicated communicative tasks and social situations. Can initiate, sustain, and close a general conversation with a number of strategies appropriate to a range of circumstances and topics, but errors are still present. There is emerging evidence of connected discourse, particularly for simple narration and/or description. The student can generally be understood by interlocutors not accustomed to dealing with speakers at this level, but repetition may still be required.

What happens during the Proficiency Exam?

The Proficiency Exam is also the 293/203 final exam for both RC and LSA students:

The five parts of the Proficiency Exam are:
1. Listening, Information retention (a 10-15 min text)
2. Reading ability (newspaper prose)
3. Writing (2 page composition)
4. Speaking (conversation with your instructor + a role play situation)
5. Grammar exam (2 hrs)

If you are not currently enrolled in 293/203 course but would like to schedule your proficiency exam, please contact Alina Makin to sign up.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR EACH SECTION OF THE PROFICIENCY EXAM

Listening comprehension (1 hour)
You will listen to a 15-20 minute lecture in Russian. You may take notes in Russian as you listen, but do not lose your concentration. It is advisable to listen to the lecture the first time. You are to summarize the salient points expressed. Take notes the second time you listen to it. Write in Russian what you can recall. Do not give all the details, but be careful to give all the main points, the general orientation, and conclusion in such a way that someone who was not present would have a good idea of the content by reading your summary.

Reading comprehension (1 hour 30 minutes)
You will read two short (half a page each) articles. The objective is to grasp a global understanding of the material presented without having to know the meaning of every unfamiliar word. You are to answer a series of questions pertaining to the content of the articles in Russian.

Writing:  Composition Themes (1 hour)
You will be given a topic (or 3 topics to choose 1 from) upon which to demonstrate your ability to express yourself in writing. The composition should be 1.5-2 pages words in length. Please proof-read your essay. Check for tense, person, number and case agreement. Write clearly and neatly. If your are prone to many errors the first time through, you are advised to use a pencil.

Speaking (15 minutes)
Prepare a topic you want to discuss. Research the terminology peculiar to this topic. Do not write down any text for reading or glancing at during the interview. Come to the interview at the appointed time; do not be late. You will converse with your instructor for 10 minutes. You will have no control over the questions you will be asked about your prepared topic. At the end of the interview you will be asked to participate in a short role-play situation. Read the assigned situation outloud; stick to the assignment closely.

Grammar (2 hrs)
You will be asked to complete a series of assignments that test your accuracy on certain core topics of Russian grammar (cases, conjugations, verbal aspects, verbs of motion, prepositions, time expressions, comparative/superlative degrees, reflexives, etc.).

NOTE: All five parts of the proficiency exam will take place during the examination period.

IMPORTANT: Plan to take a readings course as soon as possible after passing Proficiency. Students who pass Proficiency at the end of Winter term will have a four-month gap before taking 323. They will have to read Russian during the summer to keep it in shape (we can help with suggestions). STUDENTS WHO LET MORE THAN 4 MONTHS PASS BETWEEN PROFICIENCY AND ENROLLMENT IN RUSSIAN 323 AND TAKE NO OTHER RUSSIAN COURSE IN THE INTERVAL WILL HAVE TO TAKE THE PROFICIENCY EXAM AGAIN.  The Proficiency Exam in Russian is given in August (for incoming students only), and again in April, at the end of the Winter term, while Readings courses are taught only in the Fall.

WHAT DOES "PASSING PROFICIENCY" MEAN?

"Passing Proficiency" is based on:

1) regular attendance and active participation in class. You are allowed only 4 hours of absences (explained or unexplained). Constant exposure to the language is necessary to ensure the depth and solidity of your linguistic acquisition.

2) a passing score in each part of the four parts of the Proficiency examination.

3) If one part is "borderline" a student may pass Proficiency anyway as long as his/her attendance and participation during the term have been satisfactory.

HOW IS THE PROFICIENCY EXAM RELATED TO CREDITS?

The proficiency exam is the final exam for 293/203. Students must take it if they want to receive credits.
All 293/203 students who pass proficiency receive 8 credits for the course. RC Students who fail proficiency but who have showed a good-faith effort during the semester may receive 4 credits. LSA students cannot receive "split-credits"; they will have 8 credits or nothing. Proficiency results for RC students will be reflected in the final evaluation. Proficiency results for LSA students will be incorporated in the calculation of the final grade (25 %). If a student does not pass the proficiency exam, s/he will have to retake the failed parts at the end of Russian 323.  Provisional pass is given when a student has had borderline performances in 2 of the skills.  In that case, the student is allowed to enroll in the readings course but must elect an independent study to work on the problem areas the following term.  In December the student retakes the 2 parts that were borderline.  If he passes, s/he passes proficiency.