Rate Yourself
Define Language Needs
Your Foreign Language Standards

Most of us have always left these important steps to someone else – we expect The Teacher to define language needs, usually based on some foreign language standards, then test our second language acquisition so he'll know how we're doing. When we try learning on our own, we skip these tasks entirely because we’re too busy figuring out how we’re going to learn a language from the resources at hand – TV, newspaper, books, friends, tapes or CDs.

This section offers four handy guides--a user friendly set of foreign language standards--that will help you both define language needs and evaluate your progress. If you are ready to test your second language acquisition, go directly to the page you think approximates your ability – beginner, intermediate, advanced, or distinguished. But at some point, we encourage everyone to take a look at the tips below so you get the most out of your efforts.

How to Set Goals: Tips and Tricks

Setting goals is Language Learning Strategy 1. It is an important first step in your self guided language study. The following tips will help you focus your study.

Decide what skills are most important to you. Is it speaking and listening? Reading and writing? All four? This will help you define language needs so that you can focus your time and energy on the skills most important to you.

Decide what content is most important. Do you need to get around when you travel? Get you through your daily work? Do you have to understand or convey complex instructions in another language? Or do you simply want to communicate with new family members? Focus on what is important to you.

Rate yourself now – and as you learn. As you set goals--well-defined ones--you build a roadmap to rate your progress toward second language acquisition. We have made this self-testing easier by including a few typical tasks at each level. Figure out where you are now: this helps you start at the right point. Then regularly measure your progress against your goals. Be sure to revise your goals as you become more proficient and add specific capabilities you want to learn. You'll return to this step over and over to help you define language needs that are most meaningful for you. You'll build your own set of foreign language standards as you go.

Think in terms of skill clusters. For example, just knowing how to say “hello” and “goodbye” is not enough to show mastery of greetings and leave-takings (See Beginner, Level 1). In English, we would expect a variation or two, such as “hi,” “howdy,” or “what’s up,” plus “so long,” “see ya later,” or “bye-bye.” Strive to master the broad concepts of your personalized foreign language standards. Don’t be satisfied memorizing narrow definitions.

Be specific when you define language needs. Set goals and objectives for yourself. Go beyond a goal such as, “I want to be able to talk to my grandchildren.” Go for something tangible as well, such as “I want to be able to tell my grandson at least three hilarious family stories about his mother.”

Set timelines for meeting each objective. We all need a kick in the rear now and then. Realistic timelines keep you moving toward second language acquisition.

Reward yourself when you meet each objective. Take a five minute break. Or two hours. Brag – a little bit. Eat a chocolate éclair or sip a cappuccino – whatever keeps you motivated.

Feeling bold? Measure your second language acquisition!

We’ve put together four simple checklists that will help you define your language needs, set goals, and rate your progress.

Click if you are a Beginning Language Learner,

Are you an Intermediate Language Learner? You’re on a roll!

An Advanced Language Learner? Congratulations!

Have you risen to the Distinguished Level? Don’t stop now!

Wondering where these foreign language standards came from? We didn’t dream them up out of thin air. To check the rating scale’s pedagogy, click here.

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