Language levels

In an attempt to make it easier for students reading and using this blog, I attach labels to every post categorising the level as one of GCSE, AS or A2, or one of the Asset Ladder levels, which are the main language qualifications taken in British schools. If you're from outside the UK, you won't be familiar with these, so I've outlined below what they refer to. I hope the blog will be of use to students, regardless of what country you're in, or whether you're learning Arabic in a course, in school or university, or by yourself.

I use this labelling system to give an idea of what language experience is a prerequisite for understanding/getting the most out of a particular post. My main reason for being so thorough about it, is that I've noticed how difficult it is to find online materials for the intermediate student - who is too advanced for the many beginners' lessons that exist online, but not comfortable enough to make use of genuine native media and literature. Also, I tend to find the labels "intermediate", "pre-intermediate", "advanced" etc. fairly meaningless and vague, so prefer to refer to a specific syllabus such as GCSE or AS/A2. Of course, everyone is interesting in learning different vocabulary and approaches language-learning in a different way, so I hope there is something for everyone here on this blog...

Asset Languages Ladder - you can take tests in any of the four skills separately. It breaks down into the following broader levels, which then have graduated tests and certificates within them:

Breakthrough - mainly communicative situations such as shopping, restaurant, hotel, but also introducing yourself, giving personal information. This will be an appropriate level for you if you are a total beginner, or been learning for less than a year.
Preliminary
Intermediate
Advanced
Proficiency
Mastery

GCSE
Very roughly, this covers the range from total beginners to lower intermediate. The topics covered include communicative tourist (role play) situations such as shopping, restaurant, hotel, etc, but the main focus is on introducing yourself, giving personal information, describing your hobbies and weekly routine, and expressing fairly simple opinions on matters of interest to young people - music, cinema, internet, smoking etc. More details on the Edexcel website
This is likely to be an appropriate level for you to aim at have been learning for less than 2 years, or have got some basic experience of speaking Arabic in an Arabic country.

AS Level
This is the first part of the A-Level course, and might be described as intermediate level. The syllabus builds on topics of GCSE to discuss issues interest to young adults in a more complex manner. Start to explore culture and literature. More arguing and debating, less role play. This is likely to be an appropriate level if you have been studying for about 2 years, or have spent a considerable amount of time in an Arabic country speaking the language. This is also roughly equivalent to type of material you might encounter on a first year university ab-initio Arabic course.

A2 Level
This is the second part of the A-Level course, which you'd go on to, having first taken the AS Level. It takes the students to an upper intermediate or advanced language level. It requires students to develop more in-depth, analytical, complex arguments; and to be able to discuss a greater range of topics to include culture, religion, history and politics. This is the level you could reach after perhaps 3 years of intensive study of Arabic, or a lot longer at a gradual pace.