Learning Arabic at the right level is the first condition for following a path that neither overwhelms nor bores you. We plan our levels around the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), the scale used worldwide to describe language proficiency.
What is the CEFR?
The CEFR is a framework developed to describe, measure and compare language proficiency to international standards. Instead of subjective labels such as “beginner, intermediate, advanced”, it looks not at how much of the language you know but at what you can do with it. This is expressed in “can-do” statements, for example: “I can describe a past event in chronological order.”
The six steps
The scale has three groups and six steps:
A1 – Beginner: You can introduce yourself, use simple everyday expressions and state basic needs when people speak slowly and clearly.
A2 – Elementary: You can exchange simple, direct information on familiar topics such as family, shopping and your surroundings.
B1 – Intermediate (threshold): You can handle situations that arise while travelling, produce connected text on familiar topics and explain your opinions and plans.
B2 – Upper intermediate: You can understand the main ideas of complex texts, interact fluently and spontaneously, and take part in technical or abstract discussions.
C1 – Advanced: You can understand long and demanding texts and use the language flexibly and effectively for professional, academic and social purposes.
C2 – Proficient: You can understand virtually everything you hear or read and summarise information from different sources, expressing yourself spontaneously and with nuance.
Four skills, assessed separately
A learner’s performance is not always equal across areas, so the CEFR treats four skills separately:
Reading: from simple notices and menus to academic articles
Listening: from clear, standard speech to fast, accented, live conversation
Speaking: interaction in conversation, and speaking alone (presentations, telling a story)
Writing: from short notes to reports and formal correspondence
How this works in our lessons
Instead of drilling grammar rules, we aim for useful results. With a task-based approach we practise the language in real-life situations, such as booking a hotel, writing a complaint or taking part in an interview. By the end of each step you can see clearly what you are able to do.
Find your level
If you are not sure of your level, start with a level assessment, and you will be placed in a suitable group. You can browse our courses on the Arabic Programmes page.