Learning a foreign language is widely seen as an invaluable skill, whether having a conversational level to speak to the locals whilst on holiday or improving your proficiency so that you are near fluency to move abroad.
And when it comes to moving abroad, few languages open more doors than Spanish.
Four hundred forty million native speakers speak Spanish in 20 different countries. Several international organisations use Spanish as an official language, including the E.U., the W.T.O., and the U.N.
The widespread use of Spanish means that if you are looking for a change of job or a career shift, this could be the language for you. However, it is very likely that in doing so, you will need to take a Spanish language proficiency test to prove your level to any prospective employer.
After all, before offering you a job, they will need to know that your language skills, including your vocabulary and grammar, are up to the task of speaking Spanish every day in a professional environment, too, to be able to carry out your job duties.
So, which is the best test to prove your Spanish-speaking ability? There are several options, but in this article, we will focus on one of the new ones, which the Instituto de Cervantes administers. It is called the SIELE and could be precisely what you want!
What is the SIELE Spanish Certificate?
The Servicio Internacional de Evaluación de la Lengua Española (SIELE) is an electronic proficiency test which assesses how well you can communicate in Spanish as a second language. It is an exam aimed at students and professionals; thus, it is of excellent use in education and business.
This means you can use it as proof of your Spanish level to study abroad or as a certificate to show a prospective employer that your Spanish is up to the test of being used in a professional environment. This is possible because SIELE is recognised by several international organisations worldwide, such as the Conference of Spanish University Rectors, the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, and the National Directory of Professional Certifications, to name a few.
The SIELE guarantees high standards through its partnership between the Instituto Cervantes, the Universidad Autónoma de México, the Universidad de Salamanca, and the Universidad de Buenos Aires.
The geographic distribution of these organisations means that the different varieties of the language that are found across the Spanish-speaking world are taken into account, making the SIELE a very well-rounded certificate to have when looking at it from the perspective of there being some differences in the Spanish language that is spoken in different countries.
Like most Spanish language proficiency tests, the SIELE uses the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) as its baseline to award the certificate, meaning that the result is more applicable beyond the world of Spanish.
You can opt to take a complete exam that assesses all aspects of language learning, or you can take a partial test that focuses only on certain aspects, thus giving you more control and flexibility regarding your language certificate.
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The Importance of the Format of any Spanish Test
You must know the format no matter which Spanish proficiency test you take. If you want to take Argentina's CELU Spanish language proficiency test, it will differ from the SIELE in both style and how you prepare.
Don't think that just by studying Spanish in your Spanish course or your Spanish classes, you will be prepared to take the SIELE on the exam day.
Yes, your language courses will help any learner speak Spanish and will be invaluable to improving all aspects of language learning. Still, you will need to go beyond the classroom of your language school to excel when it comes to the SIELE.
If you take Spanish lessons in secondary school, sitting Spanish GCSEs will be an excellent springboard into this more official exam...
It is largely irrelevant if you are a beginner or intermediate level. Either way, you will need to practise the exam format so that you know how to tackle it, and you will need to know what they are trying to test to make sure you meet the criteria the exam is looking for.
The Format of the SIELE
The SIELE is unique as it is an electronic exam, allowing you to tailor your language certificate. Five different exams are adapted to each candidate's specific requirements.
The first option is to take the SIELE Global, which has a time limit of 3 hours with a 15-minute break. This works in the same way as if you were going to take a DELE test, another language proficiency test that the Instituto de Cervantes administers. Both options test the four core competencies of language learning: speaking, listening, reading and writing.
In the SIELE Global, the four components are framed as:
- Reading comprehension (5 tasks with a total of 38 questions and a time limit of 60 minutes)
- Listening Comprehension (6 tasks with a total of 38 questions and a time limit of 55 minutes)
- Written Expression and Interaction (2 tasks in 50 minutes)
- Spoken Expression and Interaction (5 tasks in 50 minutes)
This certificate will give you complete coverage to prove your linguistic ability to a prospective employer.
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The second option relates to selecting four modalities, which are based on a combination of the tests you have to take for the SIELE Global. Therefore, the number of tasks, questions, and time limit stays the same as the abovementioned information. The options are as follows:
- S1 - Reading Comprehension + Listening Comprehension
- S2 - Reading Comprehension + Written Expression and Interaction
- S3 - Listening Comprehension + Spoken Expression and Interaction
- S4 - Spoken Expression and Interaction
The opportunity to choose your modalities could make your language certificate even more applicable to the job or sector that you want to work or study. For example, a job in tourism might rely more on the spoken language; therefore, you will want to show how fluent you are and that your pronunciation is up to scratch.
In such a case, the S4 modality will be perfect for demonstrating this, as intensive parts of the grammar will be less valuable. Some grammar points will be required, such as your knowledge of the conjugation of verbs, but this will be assessed as part of your ability to communicate verbally and hold a conversation.
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How is it Scored?
Each of the four parts is worth 250 points. This means that the SIELE Global is out of 1000, and each of the four modalities is out of 500 (if they contain two SIELE Global tests) or 250 for S4, which only contains the Spoken Expression and Interaction.
Reading Comprehension and Listening Comprehension are all multiple-choice answers; therefore, the computer does the marking automatically. SIELE Linguistic Experts mark the other two parts.
As mentioned, the SIELE gives you an overall mark based on the CEFR. This is important because it makes the mark you receive usable worldwide, from Spain to Latin America. All Spanish-speaking countries and any Hispanic company will be able to understand the result given according to the CEFR due to its international use.
The SIELE offers results ranging from A1-C1 on the CEFR scale. However, each of the four modalities has a slightly different threshold regarding where the boundaries between each level are drawn. The SIELE website has all of the cut-off points for all of the different levels.
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Where and When Can You Take this Spanish Language Test?
You can take the SIELE at designated test centres in over 70 different countries worldwide, including:
- Argentina
- Australia
- Canada
- Colombia
- France
- Germany
- Ireland
- Spain
- United Kingdom
- U.S.A.
The number of options means you could opt for an immersion course in one of these countries before taking the test. While learning Spanish on the streets of Madrid, Buenos Aires, or Bogotá, you could also find some Spanish lessons or courses that could help you prepare specifically for the SIELE itself. If in the U.K., you could find Spanish courses in London or across the country.
There aren't any global test days as there are with the DELE, so each test centre offers slightly different dates when you can take the test. You should use the SIELE website to find your local test centre and determine the dates they offer.
Similarities and Differences between the SIELE and the DELE
The Diplomas de Español como Lengua Extranjera (DELE) is one of the world's most widely known and recognised Spanish proficiency tests. We can compare the similarities and differences between the SIELE and the DELE to see where the SIELE ranks as a global Spanish language proficiency test because the Instituto de Cervantes administers both tests.
Similarities
International recognition of these exams is ensured through high-level partnerships that the Instituto de Cervantes has with different institutions worldwide.
Both use the CEFR format for testing, meaning that the mark that you get is internationally recognised. They also examine the four critical components of language learning: speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
Differences
As you might expect, the differences between the DELE and the SIELE are more numerous than the similarities.
The DELE goes up to C2 level on the CEFR, whereas the SIELE stops at C1. This is the difference between being an advanced Spanish speaker and a proficient Spanish speaker.
The two also have differing periods of validity. The DELE has no expiration date, but the SIELE is only valid for five years from when you get your results.
In terms of the exam itself, there are some significant differences. There are 6 DELE exams, one for each level (A1-C2), and the candidate has to decide beforehand which level they want to sit. This also makes the outcome of each DELE exam a simple pass or fail.
On the other hand, there is only one SIELE exam. The result is not a simple pass or fail; your score will put you into one of the CEFR above levels (A1-C1). The SIELE is also electronic-based, offering more opportunities to take the exam as there aren't fixed dates throughout the year when the exam is taken worldwide, as with the DELE.
As such, each of the 700 test centres worldwide can decide their test dates, meaning that more options are available to the candidate.
The SIELE also allows its candidates to tailor their language certificate, as described above, with the SIELE Global and the four different modalities. This is not possible with the DELE, and there is one common exam that is taken in each exam period worldwide.
Crucially, just like you need to know what the SIELE entails before you take it, you'll need to know what the DELE Spanish test consists of before you take that, too.
Why Choose the SIELE Spanish Test
The SIELE Spanish exam is a proficiency exam is a test that is right out of the modern, technological era.
Whereas with other Spanish tests, you have to do with pen and paper, the SIELE is an electronic test; therefore, you do it while sitting at a computer. One of the advantages of this is the short turnaround time for you to get your results back.
With the DELE exam, you have to wait around three months for your results; with the SIELE, you only have to wait three weeks. This means that if you are on a tight time scale and need your results quickly, the SIELE could be your option.
Another advantage is that there are no exact dates and times. This flexibility allows more opportunities to sit the SIELE exam than other Spanish proficiency tests with 4 or 5 fixed global dates worldwide. Often, with other tests, you might have to wait several months to take them; with the SIELE, it is often a matter of days or weeks.
The SIELE can also boast being flexible and widely applicable. The ability to choose to do the SIELE Global or one of four different combinations means that you can find something that suits you and your needs. Additionally, the partnership between universities in Spain, Argentina, and Mexico and the Instituto de Cervantes ensures that the language and culture combine what you find in Europe and Latin America.
All these reasons coupled together provide a strong case for why you should take a SIELE exam. However, as is often the case when it comes to language proficiency tests, you should find one that suits you and your needs.
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