Staatsexamen Nederlands als Tweede Taal, Examen II (NT2-II)

This is an examination for candidates at an intermediate level and was first set by the Ministry of Education in 1992. It qualifies successful candidates for entrance to various forms of higher education and the professions. Compared with NT2-I, there is a greater theoretical emphasis, a wider range of vocabulary and a higher level of abstraction.

There are four components:

Reading

Candidates are expected to demonstrate the ability to deal with a large variety of text types which they may encounter in real life. They must be able to skim and scan the text, establish the main line of argument, define key points, etc. Texts are taken from a wide range of work-related material including manuals, notices, advertisements, forms, and magazine and newspaper articles.

The exam has about eight texts and approximately forty items. The exam has to be completed within a limited time span (hundred minutes). All the items are multiple choice. Candidates are allowed to use a dictionary

Writing

Candidates are expected to demonstrate various writing subskills as well as complete a variety of short writing tasks. They are also expected to write an essay.

There are tasks in three categories. The first requires candidates to complete short texts and to construct short texts from given sentences. In the second they must write statements, short letters, describe an activity, process or situation and produce explanatory comments (about 50 words). The third involves writing an essay of 150 – 300 words.

Listening

Candidates must be able to understand a variety of texts. They are expected to understand the gist of a text, retrieve specific information, follow a line of argument and distinguish main points from secondary ones. Texts are taken from a wide range of sources including interviews, conversations, speeches, public announcements, advertisements, instruction and lectures.

There are three sections.

Each section has one or two texts with questions. After a introduction the candidates listen to a passage of text. Every passage has one item. All items are multiple choice. There are approximately forty items in each exam.

Speaking

Candidates are expected to perform a number of different tasks in a variety of settings.

There are three sections. The six tasks in Section One require responses of one or two sentences. Section Two has seven tasks requiring responses of at least two sentences.
The task in Section Three require candidates to produce a monologue expressing their views on a given subject. For all the tasks the candidates refer to information supplied by means of pictures or short texts.

Results

The tests for the different skills are equated using a Rasch calibrated item bank. Marks for the tests are then put on to an interval scale. There is a pass mark for each of the four tests and a separate certificate is awarded to successful candidates for each test. Candidates who gain all four certificates are entitled to the Staatsexamen Nederlands als Tweede Taal II diploma.