A2 (ALTE Level One)

Examinations provided by ALTE members at Level A2 are influenced by the Council of Europe's Waystage 90 specification. At this level, users are acquiring a general basic ability to communicate in a limited number of the most familiar situations in which language is used in everyday life. Users at this level need to be able to understand the main points of simple texts, many of which are of the kind needed for survival when travelling or going about in public in a foreign country. At this level, they are using language for survival and to gain basic points of information.

Productive Skills

Speaking
In social and travel contexts, users at this level can ask for goods in shops where goods are on display, and order a meal in a restaurant if dishes are either displayed or illustrated on the menu. They can book a hotel room (face to face) and ask simple questions of a host family. In a post office or bank, they can ask for basic services, and they can indicate the nature of a medical problem to a doctor, although they would probably need to supplement their explanation with gestures. On a guided tour they can understand simple information given in a predictable situation, but their ability to follow up with questions and requests for further information is very limited.

In the workplace they can state simple requirements within their own job area and pass on simple messages.

If studying, they can ask simple questions, for example to check instructions or ask for information, but cannot understand more than a very brief answer.

Writing
In social and travel contexts, users at this level can write a simple fax or letter, for example to book a hotel room, and can fill in a form to register at a hotel or join a bank. They can write a brief factual note or a simple thank-you letter. In the workplace, also, they can write a message or request to a colleague of a simple routine type. They can note down instructions and requests such as clients orders and delivery dates.

If studying, they can note down times, dates and places from classroom boards or notice boards.

Receptive Skills

Reading
In social and travel contexts, Waystage users can read such things as road signs, store guides and simple written directions, price labels, names on product labels, common names of food on a standard sort of menu, bills, hotel signs, basic information from adverts for accommodation, signs in banks and post offices and on cash machines and notices related to use of the emergency services.

In the workplace, they can identify standard letters such as orders and enquiries, and derive basic information from factual texts within their own area of expertise. They can understand short, standard notices (e.g. No Smoking).

If studying, they can get basic information such as class times from notices, and make some limited use of sources of information such as computers and bilingual dictionaries. At this level users are unlikely to be able to study an academic subject through the medium of a foreign language, and are most likely to be studying the language itself.

Listening
In social and travel contexts, users at this level can understand such things as simple house rules such as meal-times and location of rooms, prices in shops, simple questions and instructions from a doctor, the cost and terms of renting a flat, simple directions on how to get to places and routine questions asked at Immigration.

In the workplace, they can understand simple instructions and receive a simple phone message in a familiar and predictable context.

If studying, they can follow a very simple presentation or demonstration, as long as it is illustrated with diagrams and examples, and in a familiar field of study. They can understand basic instructions about class times and dates and details about when assignments are to be carried out.