MEI’s language guidelines are in accordance with both ACTFL (American Council on The Teaching of Foreign Languages) and ILR (Interagency Language Roundtable) guidelines for teaching foreign languages.

  • ACTFL and ILR proficiency guidelines are addressed through the implementation of innovative and effective teaching methods.
  • All in-class activities (assignments, assessments, level exams, etc.) are designed to assess and test the skills and tasks required for each level of proficiency.
  • To schedule a placement conversation please contact our office at languages@mei.edu or 202-770-0344.

MEI Language Courses Will:

  • Design and develop teaching materials that effectively meet the standards of the aforementioned proficiency guidelines.
  • Integrate dialect acquisition into the language curriculum
  • Assign significant self-study work to make up for limited teaching hours and the 3 day break between classes.
  • Offer workshops and training sessions for MEI instructors by ACTFL and IRL, Lingua-Folio-StarTalk experts.
  • Offer preparation courses for certifications and official language proficiency exams.
  • Offer OPI (Oral Proficiency Interview) assessments through MEI
  • Provide modernized classrooms that are conducive to learning environments

ARABIC LANGUAGE SCALE 

MEI SCALE ACTFL SCALE ILR SCALE
Intro to Arabic
  • Can read and write the alphabet.
  • Can understand and use common greetings and basic vocabulary
  • Can communicate with Arabic speakers at very basic level
 Novice Low 0

No practical proficiency
Beginner 1
  • Can provide biographical info about self & family
  • Can use cardinal and ordinal numbers
  • Master grammar concepts such of gender, interrogatives, noun plurals, dual form, and present tense conjugation
 Novice Mid

0

Very limited practical proficiency
(memorized proficiency)
Beginner 2
  • Master grammar concepts of past tense, negation, conditionals, and comparative tense
  • Can describe people and activities
  • Can understand and use vocab relating to Arab culture, religion, and government
 Novice High 0+

Very limited practical proficiency
Beginner 3
  • Can hold practical conversations on topics such as traveling, shopping, and weather
  • Can understand and use vocab relating to travel, entertainment & personal interactions
 Novice High II 0+

Limited practical proficiency
Beginner 4
  • Can hold conversations on situational topics
  • Can read and write effectively
  • Can comprehend and converse in Arabic on practical levels
 Novice High II Plus 0+

Practical proficiency
Intermediate 1
  • Can use various simple sentence structures and verb forms in conversation
  • Master vocabulary related to social situations
 Intermediate Low 1

Limited Survival Proficiency
Intermediate 2
  • Can comprehend and converse in Arabic in informal settings
  • Can write in paragraphs with ease
 Intermediate Mid 1

Survival Proficiency
Intermediate 3
  • Can provide long narratives
  • Can hold basic conversation for extended periods of time
  • Can ask and answer questions in uncomplicated terms
 Intermediate High 1+

Advanced Survival Proficiency
Advanced Arabic
  • Can vary sentence structure to create flow in written works and conversation
  • Can use and understand Arab cultural references
 Advanced Low 2
Very Limited Working Proficiency
Advanced Arabic Media I
  • Can speak at an advanced level
  • Can approach longer texts with unfamiliar vocabulary
 Advanced Mid 2
Limited Working Proficiency
Advanced Arabic Media II
  • Can use advanced sentence structure
  • Has a wide vocabulary range
  • Familiar with culture and language
 Advanced High 2+
Working Proficiency