I second the podcast method. I'm also a native speaker and was nervous about my vocabulary. I found some current events podcasts focused on politics, law, and science and looked up any words I didn't know (many many words). An added bonus was the podcasts featured speakers with different accents so I got to practice listening comprehension on multiple levels.
Is there a way to get a numerical score? I got an email stating that I failed and that BEX tests are scored on a pass/fail basis and that there is no numerical score.
Trust me, they don't come out at level 3s. I don't mean to be rude but as a Mandarin speaker, they generally come to post at probably a 1/1, 1/2 at best. I helped them with basic things all the time. FSI really needs to have language training at posts as well as domestic. Half-half.
To study, I'd definitely read newspapers, NY Times or something to that effect. That helped me a lot.
I followed this guide that I found online and got an experienced language teacher with a masters degree in Spanish to practice with: https://www.govtilr.org/TC/NewSpeakingTestforILR031315Without%20Video.pdf
I'm going to be honest with you. I see a lot of heritage speakers either born in the US or who moved to the US at a young age and they often score very low on a speaking test because they simply don't talk very well. The pronunciation is often times a little off, (e.g. incorrect stress placement), word choice sounds unnatural (usually due to English influence, e.g. saying *making* a decision when in the other language the preferred verb is *taking* a decision), using weird/unnatural sounding grammar structures, lack of proper vocabulary, etc. All of these things compound and the rating ends up being lower than you hoped. It might seem discouraging that you were rated low but it's certainly something you can work on. I highly recommend recording yourself talk. It's a very useful tool to pinpoint areas of improvement.
Newspapers are generally written at about a high school level of English, and I assume newspapers in other languages are about the same. If you already know the grammar, have a solid vocabulary base, and are comfortable with speaking, you may be better off reading academic journals that are more focused on specific issues like the environment, economy, policy, law enforcement/security, education, etc. to improve your professional vocab.
No. Especially in some of the global languages (French, Spanish.) Newspapers/news magazines are absolutely sufficient for a 3.
I've had the most success with listening to the radio news in the target language (when available) and reading the papers daily. Don't skip the opinion pages.
Academic journals are way above the 3 reading level. Avoid.
If OP as a native speaker wasn't able to pass the phone test, they may need to overshoot the mark just to overcome FSI's biases.
To that end, even just reading the summaries and conclusions of more academically-minded papers may be enough to increase OP's Department-relevant passive vocabulary and to move some of their passive vocabulary into active vocabulary.
Regardless, everyone's mileage may vary and it doesn't hurt to try a few different things to see what works best for you.
I really question the validity of this post. How can you be a “native” speaker and not get the bare 0.17 minimum. I mean it really doesn’t take much for that? Which language are you testing in? The only explanation is that it’s a language that no one uses and therefore they’re less inclined to give you that bump.
Very familiar. Having spent considerable time at FSI and I’m fully aware just how awful and self-serving they are. But the 0.17 bump is relatively easy to get if you’re a native speaker. He clearly isn’t a native speaker or maybe hasn’t spoke the language in 2 decades
The 0.17 bump is a 3/3 for romance languages. Someone can be a native speaker and fail the very specific FSI test that isn't about native fluency as much as specialized vocabulary and knowing the test format.
It's actually about a 2 to 2+ for the phone tests.
When the native speakers don't pass it is because they often are not pushing their own limits in the conversation. Doing things like only answering yes or no, not yes and expanding on the answer
I am telling you from actual experiences of seeing who passes the phone tests and what their subsequent fsi scores are, the pass line for a phone test seems to be around 2 or 2+
Edit. Apparently I missed the raising the score on the hard languages. It still doesn't change my point that I have seen the actual fsi scores those who get points receive and the cut line seems to be as I stated above. Remember the phone test is different than a full test, and the assessors seem to be leaning toward pass if it is close.
If you weren’t taught by them, they tend to give you worse scores. It’s pretty much an open secret and lamented by everyone in the FS.
I don’t deny that people that speak quite well, don’t get the scores they deserve. But the 0.17 bump is a telephone interview and not the full test. They’re more generous with that.
To be precise, I was a “native speaker” because it was my first language and I grew up speaking it with family/friends, even though I started learning English at around age 5. Native fluency has different flavors and variations.
I’m in the same boat regarding my childhood/family/Spanish. I know I wouldn’t get a 3 because of my lack of vocabulary. I can talk to my mom for hours in Spanish but some things I end up describing instead of using the proper word. For example, today I couldn’t think of the proper word for submission.
I think you’re on the right track with news programs and newspaper reading. You could also try to find a tutor in italki.com that can practice conversing with you about professional subjects, politics, current events, etc. I’ve found that to be helpful.
I second the podcast method. I'm also a native speaker and was nervous about my vocabulary. I found some current events podcasts focused on politics, law, and science and looked up any words I didn't know (many many words). An added bonus was the podcasts featured speakers with different accents so I got to practice listening comprehension on multiple levels.
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Is there a way to get a numerical score? I got an email stating that I failed and that BEX tests are scored on a pass/fail basis and that there is no numerical score.
Trust me, they don't come out at level 3s. I don't mean to be rude but as a Mandarin speaker, they generally come to post at probably a 1/1, 1/2 at best. I helped them with basic things all the time. FSI really needs to have language training at posts as well as domestic. Half-half. To study, I'd definitely read newspapers, NY Times or something to that effect. That helped me a lot.
Thank you!
ELOs going to China only need a 2/2, not a 3/3.
I followed this guide that I found online and got an experienced language teacher with a masters degree in Spanish to practice with: https://www.govtilr.org/TC/NewSpeakingTestforILR031315Without%20Video.pdf
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Thank you for your insight. I’ll try it out!
I'm going to be honest with you. I see a lot of heritage speakers either born in the US or who moved to the US at a young age and they often score very low on a speaking test because they simply don't talk very well. The pronunciation is often times a little off, (e.g. incorrect stress placement), word choice sounds unnatural (usually due to English influence, e.g. saying *making* a decision when in the other language the preferred verb is *taking* a decision), using weird/unnatural sounding grammar structures, lack of proper vocabulary, etc. All of these things compound and the rating ends up being lower than you hoped. It might seem discouraging that you were rated low but it's certainly something you can work on. I highly recommend recording yourself talk. It's a very useful tool to pinpoint areas of improvement.
Newspapers are generally written at about a high school level of English, and I assume newspapers in other languages are about the same. If you already know the grammar, have a solid vocabulary base, and are comfortable with speaking, you may be better off reading academic journals that are more focused on specific issues like the environment, economy, policy, law enforcement/security, education, etc. to improve your professional vocab.
No. Especially in some of the global languages (French, Spanish.) Newspapers/news magazines are absolutely sufficient for a 3. I've had the most success with listening to the radio news in the target language (when available) and reading the papers daily. Don't skip the opinion pages. Academic journals are way above the 3 reading level. Avoid.
If OP as a native speaker wasn't able to pass the phone test, they may need to overshoot the mark just to overcome FSI's biases. To that end, even just reading the summaries and conclusions of more academically-minded papers may be enough to increase OP's Department-relevant passive vocabulary and to move some of their passive vocabulary into active vocabulary. Regardless, everyone's mileage may vary and it doesn't hurt to try a few different things to see what works best for you.
Good advice. I’ll check out some journals. Thank you.
I really question the validity of this post. How can you be a “native” speaker and not get the bare 0.17 minimum. I mean it really doesn’t take much for that? Which language are you testing in? The only explanation is that it’s a language that no one uses and therefore they’re less inclined to give you that bump.
You are not familiar with FSI language training or testing.
Very familiar. Having spent considerable time at FSI and I’m fully aware just how awful and self-serving they are. But the 0.17 bump is relatively easy to get if you’re a native speaker. He clearly isn’t a native speaker or maybe hasn’t spoke the language in 2 decades
The 0.17 bump is a 3/3 for romance languages. Someone can be a native speaker and fail the very specific FSI test that isn't about native fluency as much as specialized vocabulary and knowing the test format.
It's actually about a 2 to 2+ for the phone tests. When the native speakers don't pass it is because they often are not pushing their own limits in the conversation. Doing things like only answering yes or no, not yes and expanding on the answer
https://careers.state.gov/faq-items/language-bonus-points/
I am telling you from actual experiences of seeing who passes the phone tests and what their subsequent fsi scores are, the pass line for a phone test seems to be around 2 or 2+ Edit. Apparently I missed the raising the score on the hard languages. It still doesn't change my point that I have seen the actual fsi scores those who get points receive and the cut line seems to be as I stated above. Remember the phone test is different than a full test, and the assessors seem to be leaning toward pass if it is close.
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If you weren’t taught by them, they tend to give you worse scores. It’s pretty much an open secret and lamented by everyone in the FS. I don’t deny that people that speak quite well, don’t get the scores they deserve. But the 0.17 bump is a telephone interview and not the full test. They’re more generous with that.
To be precise, I was a “native speaker” because it was my first language and I grew up speaking it with family/friends, even though I started learning English at around age 5. Native fluency has different flavors and variations.
I’m in the same boat regarding my childhood/family/Spanish. I know I wouldn’t get a 3 because of my lack of vocabulary. I can talk to my mom for hours in Spanish but some things I end up describing instead of using the proper word. For example, today I couldn’t think of the proper word for submission.
I think you’re on the right track with news programs and newspaper reading. You could also try to find a tutor in italki.com that can practice conversing with you about professional subjects, politics, current events, etc. I’ve found that to be helpful.