Dutch course - level descriptions

How to indicate your level?

When you sign up for the classes, you need to indicate your level* at the start of the Summer course. To help you determine the right level for you, we have:

– a level determination test
– level descriptions (below)
– if you doubt: personal advice

* What if you choose the wrong level? In most situations, it is possible to switch groups: if the other level is given on the same date / location, and if there is availability in the other group.

Our block system

Our group lessons are given from level “zero” till “advanced” (C1). The range from “zero” till intermediate (B2) we divided into 2-week blocks.

Each block corresponds to a level, and 2 weeks of intensive tuition. These blocks are successive.

That means: 2 weeks to get from zero to A1, 2 weeks to get from A1 to A2 etc. If you visit us for 2 blocks (4 weeks) or more: you enroll at your indicated starting level, and then after 2 weeks you go to the next level.

Example: 8 weeks, starting at zero level:

If you plan to study before Summer

If you do the level determination test, you measure your level at this moment.

You plan to study a lot before visiting us in Summer? Then you might consider higher level to enroll.

Some recommendations:
– if you have zero level, or you have a level between zero and A1, subscribe for level A1 in case you plan to complete our e-learning course #dutchgrammar
– if you have level A1 or somewhere between A1 and A2, subscribe for level A2 in case you plan to complete our e-learning course #dutchgrammar-2
– for each 60-100 hours you plan to spend on studying the language – add 1 block; but be careful, it will depend on the quality of your method, whether it address all the needed subjects, and your talent; consult the course coordinator if you doubt
– it is not advised to book 2 blocks higher than your current level, consult the course coordinator if you consider this option
– make sure you commit to your plans; for example: if you are zero level and you sign up for A1 with the plan to do #dutchgrammar; if you quit #dutchgrammar half way – no group will fit: the zero group will be too easy, and the A1 group will be too difficult. If you start it, then make sure you complete it.

Enrollment level descriptions

Right level to start:	Enrollment level (description of your level at the start of the course)	What we will cover on this level:
LEVEL 1 – Total beginner (from 0 tot A1)	You have never studied Dutch. Or you have studied just a little bit (not enough to enroll on level A1).	At this level we do lessons 1-9 from ‘Het Lesboek’.
LEVEL 2 (from A1 to A2)	You have completed an introduction course up to A1 level, where you spent at least 60-100 hours on studying (including self-study). You can do this level too, if you completed Bart de Pau’s online course #dutchgrammar (part 1) in combination with ‘1000 most common words in Dutch’ (both available on learndutch.org). Good to know: if your introduction course was a self study program like Rosetta Stone, Pimsleur or Duolingo; that’s in itself not enough to enroll at this level successfully, because these programs do not cover the required grammar. This can be compensated by doing #dutchgrammar part 1. Good to know 2: is it some time ago you did the introduction course? Then make sure you review all the materials in advance! Required prior knowledge: you need to know at least 750-1000 words and the basic elements of grammar, such as: conjugation of verbs, main clause word order, inversion word order, structure of questions, plural nouns, possessive adjectives, modal verbs, comparative, diminutive, behaviour of adjectives with de/het words, (present) perfect tense. Skills: you can understand very basic phrases. You can introduce yourself. You can ask and answer questions about personal details. You can can interact in a simple way (saying what you want, need) provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help. Is it a problem if you have no real experience speaking Dutch? It’s OK if your knowledge is still ‘passive’. In short: you’ll need to choose the right answer from a multiple choice question, but we understand that applying all elements of the basic grammar correctly in a split-second is still a challenge. At this level we do lessons 10-18 from ‘Het Lesboek’.	At this level we’ll cover lessons 10-18 from ‘Het Lesboek’.
LEVEL 3 (from A2 to A2+)	You have completed a course up to level A2, where you spent at least 100-200 hours on studying (including self-study). Preferably, you have some speaking experience in a Dutch environment. Knowledge: you know at least 1000-1500 words. Apart from the required basic grammar as specified for the previous level, you know: separable verbs, reflexive verbs, combinations of verbs and prepositions, the imperative, special verb constructions (‘te’ + infinitive, ‘aan het’ + infinitive), simple past tense, future tense, subclause word order. Skills: apart from the extra required prior knowledge (vocabulary and grammar), the difference with the previous level is that you should be able to apply the basic grammar in speech. So, the knowledge that is specified as required knowledge for level 2, you need to be able to apply actively. Please note the difference between ‘active’ and ‘passive’ knowledge: ‘passive’ knowledge = you’re able to choose the right answer from multiple choice questions; active knowledge = you’re able to use it). Generally, this means that speaking experience in a Dutch environments is required OR the A2 course that you did before included a lot of speaking exercises. Good to know 1: For most people it will be difficult to reach the required entry level with only self-study as prior learning. Starting from scratch and only studying online (without interaction with a teacher or Dutch people) will not bring everyone to level A2. Doing Bart de Pau’s online courses #dutchgrammar-1 + #dutchgrammar-2 + 1000 most common words in Dutch will provide you with the required passive knowledge. However, you’ll need to find a way to practise (speaking with Dutch people). Exception: if you’re a talent or native speaker of German or a Scandinavian language, you might reach A2 level with only online learning. Good to know 2: If you finished the following frequently used books ‘Nederlands in Gang’, ‘De Opmaat’, ‘Contact’ in a group course (not self study!), you should subscribe for this level. Good to know 3: Do you know German or a Scandinavian language fluently? Do you want to do a 6 or 8-week course starting at zero level? In that case you can do extra homework on levels 1 and 2 in order to ‘skip’ this level.	At this level we’ll cover lessons 1-9 from ‘Het Lesboek – deel 2’.
LEVEL 4 (A2+/B1.1)	Prior study: you have completed one or more courses with a total study load of at least 180-250 hours (including self study), and preferably a significant amount of speaking experience. Knowledge: you know at least 1500-2000 words. Apart from the required basic grammar as specified for the previous 2 levels, you know 5 uses of the word ‘er’, the modal verb ‘hoeven’ and more detailed some earlier discussed subjects: (in)separable verbs, reflexive verbs (by accident), exceptions of: adjectives and plural nouns, more detailed us of imperative, modal verbs, demonstrative pronouns, special verb constructions. The main difference between this level and the previous level is that here you should be able to apply all basic grammar (as specified for the previous levels) actively in speech. A person on this level is able to quickly construct sentences (without thinking) and can say things in different ways (though: there still will be a lot of mistakes in speaking). Typically, the student on this level has reviewed the vocabulary and grammar of the previous levels several times. The knowledge has reached the ‘long term’ memory. Good to know 1: Have you previously done a course up to level A2? It might be tempting to choose this level, because ‘A2’ is in our level description. What is important to know is that there is a gap between finishing frequently used books as ‘Nederlands in Gang’, ‘De Opmaat’ and ‘Contact’ and this level. For most students it will be better to subscribe to our level 3, unless you’re very talented or have a lot of speaking experience. Good to know 2: Are you planning an 8-week course, starting from zero, all the way up to level 4? Please note, this will be a hard journey! It’s easy to get behind at some point, but then it will be difficult to catch up. If you study well and you are able to follow all the lessons and you can keep the motivation of studying 3-4 hours/day extra to the hours in class, then it’s possible to acquire all the required knowledge. Yet, it will be difficult to build enough speaking experience in such a short time.	At this level we’ll cover lessons 10-18 from ‘Het Lesboek – deel 2’.
LEVEL R (for returning students, comparable to B1/B2)	Prior study: this level is essentially for our ‘returning’ students; people who completed the previous levels at our program. However, other students who reached B1 level elsewhere, can also participate. To get the B1 level you have completed one or more courses with a total study load of at least 250-400 hours (including self study) and you have a significant amount of speaking experience, preferably an equal amount as the amount of study. Knowledge: you know at least 3000-4000 words. You can apply the grammar as specified in levels 1-4. You know more complicated grammar constructions, like the conditional ‘zouden’, passive mood, and you can apply all functions of “er” without thinking. You know common expressions. The journey from B1 to B2 is NOT something you can do in 1 session; it requires more time and practical experience. A lot of students who have gone through our 4 levels, want to return at a later stage… to refresh, review and further improve their knowledge of Dutch. To make it interesting for our students to return, we guarantee unique materials (a different book) every session. So our loyal students can continue to return, not being affraid that they will study the same materials as before.
LEVEL ADVANCED (C1)	WE WILL NOT PROVIDE THIS LEVEL IN 2019 Do you know thousands of words? Do you make our level tests with just a few mistakes? Have you passed B2 level in ‘het Staatsexamen NT2 – programma II’? Are you able to understand 95% of Dutch television? Most likely, your level of Dutch is too good for our courses. Unfortunately we don’t offer courses anymore on the C1 level. We previously tried, but it’s too difficult to get enough students on this level. Typically, most students who applied for this level overestimated their levels and belong to a lower level as previously described. Typically just 2-3 students per season really have a C1 level. For this reason, we (just like most language schools) don’t offer this level anymore. This is typically a level where you might want a private tutor to improve and fix some typical mistakes.

End levels

The descriptions above help you to determine the right STARTING level.

But what to expect from the level you have AFTER a course?

After completing each level successfully, you may expect to have the right knowledge and skills to do the next level.

However, there are some factors to take into account:

Positive factors:
– you know the German language (or a Scandinavian language)
– you are talented in learning foreign languages
– you speak a lot of Dutch outside the classes
– you spend time on reviewing a lot (learning a language is not only about learning new things, you also need to review the things you leearned before)

Negative factors:
– you don’t attend the classes / you don’t do the homework
– if you don’t have the right entrance level at the start of the course: the course is too intensive to close the gap
– it’s a significant time ago since you studied Dutch (you might have previously acquired the right entrance level, but forgotten a lot since then)
– you never studied another foreign language before
– you’ve never had grammar instruction at school (in your own language)
– you have a bad command of English (instruction language)
– you continue your job during the course (or other things that consume much time/energy)

To take into account:
If you book multiple sessions in a row, it’s very important to reach the next level each time. That’s not always easy. And sometimes that is a step too far. It’s important to understand that re-doing a level is NOT failure. It’s a part of language learning that you sometimes take a pause, take the time to let things ‘land’. In other words: it doesn’t make sense to learn the exceptions to a rule, if you don’t know the rule well.