How do you measure your progress in your TL?

[german2k01]

Hello Guys,

I have a question. How do you measure your progress in your target language? I mean, let's assume, you are reading novels after novels and usually, each novel has so many unknown words, therefore, you can not detect whether if you are progressing or not. In that case, which litmus test do you use to be sure that you have made some sort of progress. And you are no longer a newbie in your target language. Do you go back to reading some sort of different difficulty-level language content? Similarly, goes for Listening. How do you measure your progress for it? For instance, did you notice your transition from Beginner to Intermediate to Advanced levels in your listening skills? And, what sort of materials were you using at each stage of the learning if you could remember? Any insight into this measurement process of your language progress will be hugely appreciated. Thanks.

[tractor]

My simple answer is that I don’t measure my progress.

[BeaP]

My observation is that progress is not even, there can be leaps in it. I don't measure my progress on purpose, but I find CEFR aligned exams very good nowadays. In my opinion they are also good for skill development and self-analysis (not just measuring the amount of progress, but also finding your weak points). You can ask yourself the question after each error: Why did I make this mistake? In what field do I need to improve to avoid this? I have exam books and do mock tests in them from time to time. The results clearly show how much I've improved in each skill. In German I work with the Goethe mock exam books from Klett and Hueber on two levels.

[german2k01]

My simple answer is that I don’t measure my progress.

So how do you decide to select content which is more appropriate for your current level?

[jmar257]

My simple answer is that I don’t measure my progress.

This, I occasionally take some online test if I feel like it but generally I don't. For me it's more simple--is the stuff I want to do easier than in the past? Are books easier to read? Can I speak a bit easier? Are TV shows a bit easier to understand? There's some obvious pitfalls with this (reading the same genre by the same author is nice but then when you switch genre and/or author you can be thrown for a loop not understanding as much as expected; understanding a Mexican show well but then getting thrown for a loop with Andalusian or Rioplatense Spanish in a show) but overall I think my time is better spent focusing on more input and practicing speaking than working towards a test* personally. If I do notice an area lacking I can find that unit in FSI (or another course) and drill it if need be, but my main goals lately have been Super Challenge focused for 2 of my languages so I've been focusing on input.


*I would like to take one eventually, but it's not necessary for me and not an immediate goal

[lusan]

Hello Guys,

I have a question. How do you measure your progress in your target language? I mean, let's assume, you are reading novels after novels and usually, each novel has so many unknown words, therefore, you can not detect whether if you are progressing or not. In that case, which litmus test do you use to be sure that you have made some sort of progress. And you are no longer a newbie in your target language. Do you go back to reading some sort of different difficulty-level language content? Similarly, goes for Listening. How do you measure your progress for it? For instance, did you notice your transition from Beginner to Intermediate to Advanced levels in your listening skills? And, what sort of materials were you using at each stage of the learning if you could remember? Any insight into this measurement process of your language progress will be hugely appreciated. Thanks.

Very easy:

Reading - Average number of unknown word/page. Progression: Intensive (70 %) > Extensive (98 %)
Listening - Progression: Basic Book ->Dubbed serials > Podcasts > News. Advance progression as material becomes too easy/boring.
Writing - Average number of wrong sentences. (native tutor corrected)
Speaking - Physical tiredness after 1 hour/tutoring. Beginners think before speaking. Intermediates just talk whatever, even with mistakes to be corrected.

[german2k01]

My observation is that progress is not even, there can be leaps in it. I don't measure my progress on purpose, but I find CEFR aligned exams very good nowadays. In my opinion they are also good for skill development and self-analysis (not just measuring the amount of progress, but also finding your weak points). You can ask yourself the question after each error: Why did I make this mistake? In what field do I need to improve to avoid this? I have exam books and do mock tests in them from time to time. The results clearly show how much I've improved in each skill. In German I work with the Goethe mock exam books from Klett and Hueber on two levels.

Yeah, Ok. If that is the assessment you are using to evaluate your language skills. If you fall short of your expected language level, then, how do you address it in terms of choosing appropriate content? Let's say if you achieved B1 level in reading, but your expected level was B2; what will you do to reach your expected level?

[jeff_lindqvist]

For reading, I usually select something before I know if it's "appropriate for my current level". I'm not obsessed by how many words I understand on a given page. If I can read in a language, I don't need Anki. And if I need to look something up, I do that.

[BeaP]

Yeah, Ok. If that is the assessment you are using to evaluate your language skills. If you fall short of your expected language level, then, how do you address it in terms of choosing appropriate content? Let's say if you achieved B1 level in reading, but your expected level was B2; what will you do to reach your expected level?

Now that I've thought a bit more about it, I honestly can't think of another way to measure the development of a skill. If you really want to measure it, and you are not satisfied with a subjective opinion (your own), you need an external test with a key. (A teacher is an option of course.) If we simplify the question to reading comprehension for example: a lot of times we only think that we've understood something well, but in reality we haven't. If you do a test, these things will come to light. There are some people who based on experience or I don't know what assess their skills very well. Good for them, but I'm afraid the majority is not that lucky. If you write a Goethe test, and you're able to tell without checking the answer key that your comprehension was weak, you are way below that level, because you didn't even understand the vocabulary. People a bit under the level usually think their achievement is OK. These types of tests give you an exact number as your result. In my opinion they are very reliable. Say the maximum number of good answers is 50. If you do several tests, you will score for example between 29-35. But you won't score 15 or 45. There will be a small scale your results will move in. If you're really interested in your level, and have some free time, I suggest you to look at the sample tests on the Goethe Institute's website.

I'm not aiming at passing these tests as a priority goal, but I really believe they give me a lot of information. What type of texts do I understand? What is the comfort zone I have to leave? What do I have problems with: vocabulary, grammar, connectors, register, fluency (and so on)? If I fall short of my expected level, I try to pinpoint the exact problem.

In reading I always choose material I like / interested in and I think I can understand. But for example a test can show me that although I understand TV series, I can't make head or tails of scientific presentations. Then I try to find presentations I'm interested in. I think development is almost always outside the comfort zone. And most people need an external test to see that clearly. It's something personal, I wouldn't advice it to everyone, but I'm not afraid of very difficult texts, that are way above my level (except literature), as long as they are interesting and motivating. So a test result doesn't define the level I choose texts from, bit it changes what kind of things I'm focusing on.

[Le Baron]

I agree with BeaP, testing is useful for all the reasons outlined and yet still doesn't tell you all you need to know. You have to do some tests alongside trusting your own sense of progress (that books are getting easier, that listening is getting a little easier etc). There's no checklist for this.

Speaking of German though, here's a useful 'placement test' they do at Deutsche Welle.

https://learngerman.dw.com/en/placementDashboard

It seems they also have a few courses, and the placement tests direct you to the right one. I haven't sampled these courses so I can't say what they're like. I did the B1 test though (couldn't find anything higher) and it seemed comprehensive to me. However they do have higher level courses - B2 and C. The B2/C course is called Video Thema.

https://www.dw.com/en/learn-german/s-2469