Interagency Language Roundtable Skill Level Description
Reading

Preface

The following proficiency level descriptions characterize comprehension of the written language. Each of the six "base levels" implies control of any previous "base level's" functions and accuracy. The "plus level" designation will be assigned when proficiency substantially exceeds one base skill level and does not fully meet the criteria for the next "base level." The "plus level" descriptions are therefore supplementary to the "base level" descriptions.

A skill level is assigned to a person through an authorized language examination. Examiners assign a level on a variety of performance criteria exemplified in the descriptive statements. Therefore, the examples given here illustrate, but do not exhaustively describe, either the skills a person may possess or situations in which he/she may function effectively.

Statements describing accuracy refer to typical stages in the development of competence in the most commonly taught languages in formal training programs. In other languages, emerging competence parallels these characterizations, but often with different details.
Unless otherwise specified, the term "native reader" refers to native readers of a standard dialect.
"Well-educated," in the context of these proficiency descriptions, does not necessarily imply formal higher education. However, in cultures where formal higher education is common, the language-use abilities of persons who have had such education is considered the standard. That is, such a person meets contemporary expectations for the formal, careful style of the language, as well as a range of less formal varieties of the language.

In the following descriptions a standard set of text-types is associated with each level. The text-type is generally characterized in each descriptive statement.
The word "read," in the context of these proficiency descriptions, means that the person at a given skill level can thoroughly understand the communicative intent in the text-types described. In the usual case the reader could be expected to make a full representation, thorough summary, or translation of the text into English.

Other useful operations can be performed on written texts that do not require the ability to "read" as defined above. Examples of such tasks which people of a given skill level may reasonably be expected to perform are provided, when appropriate, in the descriptions.

Reading 0 (No Proficiency)
No practical ability to read the language. Consistently misunderstands or cannot comprehend at all.

Reading 0+ (Memorized Proficiency)
Can recognize all the letters in the printed version of an alphabetic system and high-frequency elements of a syllabary or a character system. Able to read some or all of the following: numbers, isolated words and phrases, personal and place names, street signs, office and shop designations. The above often interpreted inaccurately. Unable to read connected prose.

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