The Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) proficiency scale is an American system used by various government agencies to assess the language proficiency of federal employees. It was developed in the 1950s and 1960s during the Cold War era for the U.S. government's diplomatic and intelligence needs. Over time, the scale has evolved and been refined, and today it is widely used within the U.S. government.

The ILR scale is divided into five main levels, from 0 to 5, with some levels having additional "+" designations and "minus" sublevels to indicate a proficiency level that falls between two of the main levels. Here's a general breakdown:

• Level 0 – No Proficiency

  • 0: No practical ability whatsoever in the language.

  • 0+: Memorized proficiency. Essentially, a person might know a few isolated words or memorized phrases, but cannot function in the language.

• Level 1 – Elementary Proficiency

  • 1-: Can satisfy some survival needs and understand a few set phrases, but has very limited vocabulary.

  • 1: Able to handle predictable everyday conversational situations, though with some difficulty.

  • 1+: Can maintain simple face-to-face conversations on familiar topics.

• Level 2 – Limited Working Proficiency

  • 2-: Can handle most basic social demands and limited job requirements.

  • 2: Can handle with confidence, though not necessarily with precision, most routine social demands and limited work requirements.

  • 2+: Able to speak the language with sufficient structural accuracy and vocabulary to participate effectively in most formal and informal conversations on practical, social, and professional topics.

• Level 3 – General Professional Proficiency

  • 3: Able to speak the language with sufficient structural accuracy and vocabulary to participate effectively in most conversations on practical, social, and professional topics.

  • 3+: Can discuss complex issues in detail and understand almost all forms and styles of speech pertinent to professional needs.

• Level 4 – Advanced Professional Proficiency

  • 4: Able to use the language fluently and accurately on all levels normally pertinent to professional needs.

  • 4+: Near-native proficiency, but may not be able to handle slang, regional dialects, or cultural references as seamlessly as a native speaker.

• Level 5 – Functionally Native Proficiency

  • 5: Speaking proficiency is functionally equivalent to that of a highly articulate native speaker.

To learn more about the ILR scale visit their website at www.govtilr.org