Second Foreign Language Proficiency Test

The Second Foreign Language Proficiency Test-Basic (SFLPT-Basic), launched in May 2011, was developed in line with the Ministry of Education's policy on promotion of the teaching and learning of a second foreign language in senior high schools to meet the need to evaluate the proficiency of beginning-level foreign language learners in Taiwan. It is now available in four languages: Japanese, French, German, and Spanish.

The SFLPT-Basic was designed with reference to the national curricula of the second foreign languages and the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment (CEFR). The test corresponds to CEFR levels A1 and A2, and is suitable for learners at the beginner level.

The SFLPT-Basic is administered once or twice a year. Additional test administrations are available upon request. A certificate will be issued to those who pass level A1 and level A2. The test results can be used for evaluation of students' performance and learning, as criteria for college admission, and for advanced-standing credits.

The SFLPT-Basic consists of three sections: listening, vocabulary & usage, and reading. The score range of each section is 0 to 40, and the total score is 120. The level descriptions and the passing scores for each level are as follows.

Level	Descriptions	Passing scores for each level
A2	Can understand and use basic sentences and expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance in daily life situations (e.g. basic personal and family information, local geography, shopping, employment). Can communicate in simple and direct ways on familiar and routine matters.	96
A1	Can understand and use familiar and very basic words/phrases in daily life (e.g. very basic personal information, where he/she lives, family and everyday items.)	60 (Each section score must exceed 13.)

The SFLPT-Basic is a paper-and-pencil test in multiple-choice format. The entire test time is approximately 60 minutes with no breaks. The structure of the test is introduced below.

Section	Test Tasks	No. of Items	Time allocation
Listening	I. Answering Questions	10	About 20 mins.
	II. Conversations	10
	III. Short Talks	10
Vocabulary & Usage	I. Sentence Completion	30	20 mins.
	II. Cloze	10
Reading	Reading Comprehension	20	20 mins.