Institute for Language and Academic Preparation for Foreign Students the Integral Part
The project “System of Testing and Assessing Slovak Language Proficiency”
presented by
Comenius University in Bratislava,
Institute for Language and Academic Preparation for Foreign Students
was awarded
EUROPEAN LABEL 2003
(innovative initiatives in language teaching and learning)
in the Slovak Republic
Main educational sectors:university, adult education
Main theme:intercultural awareness
Additional theme: lifelong language learning
Language targeted: Slovak
Awarded institution: Comenius University in Bratislava,
Institute for Language and Academic Preparation for Foreign Students
Šoltésovej 4
811 08 Bratislava
Contact person: Alena Mikolajová
tel.: +421 2 55577333
fax: +421 2 55577255
e-mail:
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
The project “System of Testing and Assessing Slovak Language Proficiency” was created by the team of Slovak language teachers of Institute for Language and Academic Preparation for Foreign Students – the integral part of Comenius University in Bratislava. Institute isspecialized in teaching Slovak as aforeign language. It provides Slovak language courses for foreigners of various extent and level of proficiency; as the only school in Slovakia it provides full-time study of the Slovak language for foreigners.
The main aim:
The approaching access of Slovakia to the European Union causes the interest of foreigners in learning Slovak language as well as their request for receiving the relevant document confirming their language proficiency. This project sets the requirements for competences in reading, writing, listening and speaking in accordance with European standards set up in the Common European Framework of Reference. It includes the specification of the form and content of examinations; it elaborates on methods and ways of assessing the language levels – B1, B2, C1, C2.
Project implementation:
The project was created between January 2002 – March 2003 when the principles of methodology were tested in praxis, i.e. during Slovak language classes in study centres in Bratislava and Košice. The examinations of testing Slovak language proficiency were officially held for the first time in June 2003.
The project was designed after the careful study of various methods and systems of assessing and testing foreign languages, e.g. the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), Educational Testing Service (ETS) as well as the document of the Council of Europe “A Common European Framework of Reference” (CERF).
Assessment of the Slovak language proficiency consists of two parts – written and oral. Written part includes the grammatical test following the criteria set up for the appropriate level of proficiency and it is evaluated by the percentage scales. Oral part is held in the form of interview and it is the dominant part of the examination.
The objective assessment is provided by professionalism of the board of examiners as well as uniform testing methodology.
Contribution of the project:
Realization of the project aimed at testing and assessing Slovak language proficiency enables the foreigners to pass the examination at an appropriate language level and receive a certificate confirming his/her Slovak language proficiency that can be used in creating his/her language portfolio.