Learn about Czech proficiency tests
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Intro |
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| Antoni: What are some common Czech proficiency tests? |
| Veronika: And how do I choose the right one for me? |
| Antoni: At CzechClass101.com, we hear these questions often. Imagine the following situation: Emma Erbenová is speaking with Jack Jones about her plans to take a Czech proficiency test. She says, |
| "I'm taking a Czech language proficiency test soon." |
| Emma Erbenová: Brzy skládám zkoušku z českého jazyka. |
| Dialogue |
| Emma Erbenová: Brzy skládám zkoušku z českého jazyka. |
| Jack Jones: Státní zkoušku? |
| Antoni: Once more with the English translation. |
| Emma Erbenová: Brzy skládám zkoušku z českého jazyka. |
| Antoni: "I'm taking a Czech language proficiency test soon." |
| Jack Jones: Státní zkoušku? |
| Antoni: "A state exam?" |
Lesson focus |
| Antoni: There are various reasons people learn the Czech language, and each person definitely has their own. Perhaps, you want to live and work in Czechia, or maybe study there for a few years. Regardless of what your reasons may be, obtaining a certificate is one of the best measurements of your attainment so far. And what better measurement of your fluency in the Czech language than taking a Czech language proficiency test? |
| [Recall 1] |
| Antoni: Let’s take a closer look at the dialogue. |
| Do you remember how Emma says "I'm taking a Czech language proficiency test soon." |
| (pause 4 seconds) |
| Veronika as Emma: Brzy skládám zkoušku z českého jazyka. |
| [Recall 2] |
| Antoni: Now let’s take a look at our second sentence. |
| Do you remember how Jack says "A state exam?" |
| (pause 4 seconds) |
| Veronika as Jack: Státní zkoušku? |
| Antoni: The official Czech Language State Exam is a language proficiency test done according to the methods of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages or CEFR. The test can only be administered by schools that have been certified by the Ministry of Education of the Czech Republic. So, what does the test look like? The exam consists of a written part and an oral part. The written part evaluates the following: |
| Veronika: Čtení s porozuměním |
| Antoni: Reading Comprehension |
| Veronika: Poslech s porozuměním |
| Antoni: Listening Comprehension |
| Veronika: Psací dovednosti |
| Antoni: and Writing Skills. The written part is followed by the oral part, which evaluates a student’s speaking abilities, or |
| Veronika: Schopnost mluvit |
| Antoni: The written part of the exam should be completed within 145 minutes or two hours and 25 minutes. That’s 50 minutes for Reading Comprehension, 35 minutes for Listening Comprehension, and 60 minutes for Writing. As for the oral part of the exam, the student is given 15–18 minutes to complete the test. The state exam focuses on the B1 to the C2 levels. Depending on your reasons for taking the exam, though, you may choose between the A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, and C2 levels. At the A1 level, the student can understand basic sentences and keywords, or |
| Veronika: Základní věty a klíčová slova |
| Antoni: They are able to identify the topic in a conversation and can read short expressions in Czech. The A1 level is required for basic communication. Passing this level means you are able to introduce yourself, ask for directions, and read basic signs. At the A2 level, the student is able to engage in basic conversations, or |
| Veronika: Základní konverzace, |
| Antoni: and can understand frequently used expressions related to self, family, shopping, and the like. At this level, the student can communicate in tasks requiring direct exchange of information. The B1 level is where the student moves from simply being able to engage in basic conversation to being able to express their opinion and comprehend verbal conversations. At B2, they are also able to write long paragraphs at this level, as well as watch movies in Czech and communicate about a variety of topics. At the C1 level, the student is already close to perfection in terms of language comprehension, or |
| Veronika: Porozumění jazyku |
| Antoni: At this level, the student already knows how to engage in spontaneous dialogues and write more complex essays. The final level is C2. At this level, the student’s language comprehension is equal to that of a native speaker, or |
| Veronika: Rodilý mluvčí |
| Antoni: Foreigners who wish to apply for long-term residency should pass at least the A1 level. If you’d like to study in the Czech Republic, you should at least pass the B2 level. Finally, those who wish to work in the medical field are required to pass the C1 level. To receive a passing mark, or |
| Veronika: uspěl, |
| Antoni: the test taker must acquire a score of at least 60% on each part of the test. If the candidate does not pass any part of the exam, they will have to retake the entire exam. The good news is that there is no limit to the number of times the exam can be retaken. Test takers will be able to get their results 30 days after they have taken the exam. After passing the exam, the candidates will then be provided with certificates. A similar language proficiency test based on the CEFR is the ECL Language Test, which is administered by the |
| Veronika: Evropské konsorcium pro osvědčení o dosaženém vzdělání v moderních jazycích |
| Antoni: or “European Consortium for the Certificate of Attainment in Modern Languages.” The ECL is a general language exam that is open to any individual 14 years old and above. Unlike the CEFR, however, the ECL is focused on four levels only, which are the A2, B1, B2, and C1 levels. There may be differences in the test formats of the ECL, but passing the four levels is equivalent to passing the corresponding levels in CEFR. That being said, an ECL certificate should be enough to grant you admission to certain universities in Czechia. |
| [Summary] |
| Antoni: In this lesson, we had a look at the official language proficiency test for Czech, which is the |
| Veronika: Státní zkouška z českého jazyka |
| Antoni: or the Czech Language State Exam. This exam is administered based on the method of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages or CEFR. Depending on your goals, you will have to choose between the six language levels, which are the A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, and C2 levels. We’ve also taken a quick look at a similar test, which is the ECL Language Test. You can find further information on their websites which will be linked in the lesson notes. However, remember that there are many other Czech certificates and, if you plan to move to Czechia, your future university or workplace might ask you to take one of these. |
| Cultural Insight/Expansion (Optional) |
| Antoni: The Czech Republic has a highly diverse economy, making it one of the top destinations for expatriates, or |
| Veronika: vystěhovalec |
| Antoni: As a matter of fact, the country ranked 7th in the 2018 Economic Complexity Index, making it one of the freest in the world in terms of economy. It’s also renowned for having high-quality education and exceptional academic opportunities, which is one of the main reasons many foreigners study the Czech language. |
Outro |
| Antoni: Do you have any more questions? We’re here to answer them! |
| Veronika: Na shledanou! |
| Antoni: See you soon! |
| Credits: Veronika Ageiwa (Czech, Prague), Antoni (English, synthetic voice) |
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