External links
- CILS page at University of Siena - in Italian
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The Certification of Italian as a Foreign Language (Certificazione di Italiano come Lingua Straniera or CILS) is a qualification offered by the Foreigners University of Siena for foreign speakers of the Italian language, recognizing various levels of language proficiency. The qualification is recognized by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and is often used to grant acceptance in any Italian university or higher education institution in Italy.
The origins of the modern CILS qualification are said to date back to 1588 when the Grand Duke of Tuscany Ferdinand I created a school for learning of the then Tuscan Italian language for German students. Subsequent movements for the dissemination of the Italian language and Italian culture have also been established and promoted throughout history. The Foreigners University of Siena embodies the role nowadays for the official creation, distribution, and awarding of the CILS qualification.
The qualification is officially issued on successful completion of a particular level, conforming with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages of the European Council. Therefore six levels of increasing difficulty are represented by the examinations involved to obtain the certificate. The beginner level examination starts at level A1 whilst the most advanced level is C2. As such the qualification resembles the DELF/DALF used for recognizing French language ability. This said, however, the qualification is often seen as comprising four levels (from CILS Uno to CILS Quattro, B1 to C2 according to the European Framework) as the Italian required becomes more advanced. All examinations cover what are viewed as the most important elements in language acquisition: speaking, reading, written composition, analysis of structures of communication, and listening.
CILS Uno The first (B1) of the more advanced levels requires the passing of a three-hour-long examination, testing an applicant's knowledge of basic Italian.
CILS Due The second level (B2) features a four-hour-long examination with an advancement of difficulty. This level is considered as recognizing an applicant's sustained ability to adequately converse in Italian and is the level from which one may apply for entrance to an Italian university without sitting the normally obligatory language assessment.
CILS Tre The third level (C1) is again another advancement in difficulty and represents a high competence in speaking Italian. An applicant must pass a five-hour-long examination to receive this level of qualification.
CILS Quattro The fourth level (C2) is the highest level of the CILS qualifications. Upon successful completion of the five-and-a-half-hour-long examination of this level an applicant is regarded as having reached a point of language mastery, almost akin to that of a native.
CILS qualification is open to all Italian residents abroad and non-Italian speakers wishing to validate their skills in Italian. Applicants of any age are eligible to apply. Preparation for the examination is highly encouraged.
To sit the examination, applicants must pay for registration (prices varying between countries) and then sit it at any certified examination centre. When an exam has been completed, the University for Foreigners of Siena evaluates the result, following the guidelines of the European Union, awarding the appropriate level of qualification when an applicant scores the required minimum pass mark or above. The examinations traditionally take place in June and December of every year.
Many centres around the world, including the University for Foreigners of Siena, organize preparatory lessons and guides to best prepare students for the rigours of the exams.
The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment, abbreviated in English as CEFR, CEF, or CEFRL, is a guideline used to describe achievements of learners of foreign languages across Europe and, increasingly, in other countries. The CEFR is also intended to make it easier for educational institutions and employers to evaluate the language qualifications of candidates for education admission or employment. Its main aim is to provide a method of learning, teaching, and assessing that applies to all languages in Europe.
Cambridge Assessment English or Cambridge English develops and produces Cambridge English Qualifications and the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). The organisation contributed to the development of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), the standard used around the world to benchmark language skills, and its qualifications and tests are aligned with CEFR levels.
B1 Preliminary, previously known as Cambridge English: Preliminary and the Preliminary English Test (PET), is an English language examination provided by Cambridge Assessment English.
The TestDaF, formally Test Deutsch als Fremdsprache, is a standardised language test of German proficiency for non-native German speakers. It aims at people who would like to study at, or academics and scientists who want to work in, German universities. The test is run by the TestDaF-Institut.
Language proficiency is the ability of an individual to use language with a level of accuracy which transfers meaning in production and comprehension.
The Test de connaissance du français (TCF) is a language placement test for non-native speakers of French. It is administered by the Centre international d'études pédagogiques (CIEP) for the French Ministry of Education. It fulfils French language entry requirements, can be used to demonstrate language ability for job applications or for personal use, and is used by Canada or Québec for immigration procedures.
C2 Proficiency, previously known as Cambridge English: Proficiency and the Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE), is an English language examination provided by Cambridge Assessment English (previously known as Cambridge English Language Assessment and University of Cambridge ESOL examination).
C1 Advanced, previously known as Cambridge English: Advanced and the Certificate in Advanced English (CAE), is an English language examination provided by Cambridge Assessment English (previously known as Cambridge English Language Assessment and the University of Cambridge ESOL examination).
B2 First, previously known as Cambridge English: First and the First Certificate in English (FCE), is an English language examination provided by Cambridge Assessment English (previously known as Cambridge English Language Assessment and the University of Cambridge ESOL examinations).
The Diplomas de Español como Lengua Extranjera, or DELE, are official diplomas issued by the Spanish Instituto Cervantes on behalf of the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science to participants who have passed a standardised test indicating their European Spanish language proficiency. The diplomas do not expire. Every year, more than 60,000 examinations are taken by candidates in more than 800 examination centres from more than 100 countries. In many countries, the DELE Diplomas have been adopted by schools and universities as a complement to their own evaluation systems, such that it is used as an entry requirement for non-native Spanish speakers.
The Certificato di Conoscenza della Lingua Italiana, or CELI, is an internationally recognized qualification of the Italian language destined for foreigners wanting to validate their relative Italian fluency, offered by the Università per Stranieri di Perugia. It is accepted as an official qualification notably by the Italian Ministry of Education and Research and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is one of the qualifications used by foreigners to get entrance into any Italian university or higher education institution.
Trinity College London, established in 1872, is a leading international exam board, publisher and independent education charity. Since 1938 Trinity has been offering English language assessments taken by over 850,000 candidates in over 60 countries each year.
The Accademia Italiana di Lingua (AIL) is a professional association of schools, institutions and experts in the field of teaching Italian as a foreign language. They organise instruction and testing of students interested in having a diploma for Italian language studies. The AIL initiated the first diploma exams for the study of modern Italian.
The European Language Certificates are international standardised tests of ten languages.
The term Spanish as a second or foreign language is the learning or teaching of the Spanish language for those whose first language is not Spanish.
A2 Key, previously known as Cambridge English: Key and the Key English Test (KET), is an English language examination provided by Cambridge Assessment English.
PLIDA, or Progetto Lingua Italiana Dante Alighieri, are language diplomas issued by Dante Alighieri Society certifying the holder's proficiency in Italian language as a foreign language. The diplomas could only be obtained after passing a standardised language test. The Rome Branch of the Dante Alighieri Society is the official centre of examination for the issuing of PLIDA Certification.
The Certificate Examinations in Polish as a Foreign Language, also referred as State Certificate Examinations in Polish as a Foreign Language, are standardized tests of Polish language proficiency for non-native Polish speakers. The examinations are held by the State Commission for the Certification of Proficiency in Polish as a Foreign Language starting from 2004 in Poland as well as in foreign countries. Candidates passing the examinations would obtain a certificate indicating the level of their proficiency in Polish. There are currently three levels of examinations set according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, namely, B1, B2 and C2. The State Certification Commission is at the meantime working on the introduction of examinations for the remaining levels.
The Examination for the Certificate in Proficiency in English (ECPE) is an advanced level English language qualification that focuses on Level C2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
