Stockholms universitet,

Sfi-provet: Institutionen för språkdidaktik<

Tisus: Institutionen för nordiska språk

Stockholm University, founded in 1878, is the largest University in Sweden with more than 50 000 registered students and 6 000 employees. Swedish as a Foreign/Second Language has been taught at the university since 1947. These courses are given at the Dpt of Scandinavian Languages.

The National Test of Swedish for Adult Immigrants, Sfi-provet, is produced at the Department of Language Education, Stockholm University at the request of the Swedish National Agency for Education. The test has been produced at Stockholm University since 1996. In 2008 the test moved from the Centre for Research on Bilingualism to its present affiliation, and at about the same time the commission was extended from testing one level to three: course B (a level roughly equivalent to CEF A1/2), course C (late A2), and course D (late B1). Normally, three versions of the three tests are produced annually and offered to public and private providers of instruction in Swedish for Adult Immigrants (Sfi). The main purpose of the test is “to support teachers in their grading of students” – like all national tests produced at the request of the National Agency for Education. Thus the test is not a decisive “pass or fail examination”. Rather it provides teachers with a sample of texts and tasks appropriate for the proficiency level outlined for the levels in the curricula, which are the bases for the final assessment.

Samples of old versions of the test can be downloaded from the National Agency for Education: http://www.skolverket.se/prov_och_bedomning/2.1100/2.1190/2.1247

The Department of Scandinavian Languages (Institutionen för nordiska språk) at Stockholm University is responsible for producing, analysing and developing Tisus (Test in Swedish for university studies). The examination is carried out and assessed twice a year at seven test centers in Sweden (Universities of Gothenburg, Linköping, Lund, Malmö, Umeå and Uppsala). Representatives from each university meets twice a year to discuss important issues regarding the test itself and the forthcoming test occasion. It is in the region of CEF level C1. This level gives eligibility to university studies in Sweden. A version of Tisus (Tisus utland) is given abroad twice a year at approximately 80 locations. Examples of materials can be found at: www.nordiska.su.se

For further information about the availability of Sfi-provet and Tisus, registration procedures, fees and dates, contact:

Sfi-provet
Institutionen för språkdidaktik
Stockholms universitet
SE-106 91 Stockholm
Sweden
Tel +46 8 1207 6683
Fax +46 8 1207 6950
Internet http://www.isd.su.se/pub/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=6422&a=58603 (currently in Swedish only)

Tisus
Institutionen för nordiska språk
Stockholms universitet
SE -106 91 Stockholm
Sweden
Tel +46 8 163468
Fax +46 8 158533
E-mail Tisus@nordiska.su.se
Internet http://www.nordiska.su.se/