About WELARC
WELARC became Winnipeg's centralized language assessment office in 2007 as part of an overall immigration strategy initiated by the Government of Manitoba.
The centre believes that language is the foundation for making informed decisions about education, career, and life. You can watch a WELARC client's experience in the video below:
The Canadian Language Benchmark Placement Test
The Canadian Language Benchmark Placement Test is a standardized assessment given by trained and certified professionals across Canada.
There are 3 parts to the assessment. All parts of the test begin with simple tasks and build to more complex tasks. Learners are encouraged to do as much as possible.
This is a brief summary of each Canadian Language Benchmark level. See www.language.ca for full explanations.
The Different Levels of Language Assessment
Level 1 Learners can:
- greet people and give some information
- write the alphabet, numbers, name and address
- read a short sentence with the help of a picture
Level 2 Learners can:
- answer greetings
- ask for help
- understand more instructions
- write complete sentences about themselves and their families
- read very simple instructions
Level 3 Learners can:
- say a few simple sentences about familiar, everyday topics
- read words they know in a new context
- sound out words in English
- write a short note or message
Level 4 Learners can:
- introduce two people to each other
- use past tense with common verbs
- read a simple story of 2-3 paragraphs
- use a bilingual dictionary
- spell and punctuate whole sentences with few errors
Level 5 Learners can:
- join in conversations on familiar topics
- have longer sentences (but sometimes hesitate or pause)
- have a mostly concrete vocabulary
- understand main ideas, some details and some inferred meanings
- write sentences with good control of simple structures and choose language and content appropriate to the occasion
Level 6 Learners can:
- participate in small group discussions
- express an opinion
- ask for clarification
- explain a process or sequence of events
- write a detailed description or comparison of people, places, routines
- take a phone message with 5-7 details
- take notes from a short presentation
Level 7 Learners can:
- talk comfortably about almost any topic
- speak formally or informally on topics involving decision-making
- sound fluent when they speak
- read for information both concrete and abstract
- begin to read for pleasure
- write a report comparing two products or describing a process
- write routine business letters
- summarize longer text
Level 8 Learners can:
- speak on familiar topics at both concrete and abstract levels for 15-20 minutes
- provide descriptions, opinions, explanations
- use an expanded inventory of concrete, idiomatic and conceptual language
- read popular newspapers, magazine articles, popular easy fiction, as well as academic and business materials
- demonstrate good control over common sentence patterns
- write an effective resume and cover letter
Level 9 Learners can:
- participate in business meetings, discussions, debates, etc.
- understand a broad range of general interest topics and technical topics in my field
- write a coherent essay or report of 3-5 typed pages
- use paragraphs
Level 10 Learners can:
- understand 30-60 minute complex discussions, meetings, presentations
- actively participate in meetings, debates, discussions
- provide counsel, assess basic needs, evaluate detailed information
- write effectively for most academic and business tasks and for most audiences
