Overview

The Australian Defence Force English Language Profiling System (ADFELPS) is used to:

• assess the English language proficiency of Defence Cooperation Program (DCP) candidates
• determine English language profiles for all Australian Defence Force (ADF) courses available to DCP personnel
• identify suitable candidates for Australian Defence Force (ADF) courses
• match DCP personnel to appropriate courses based on their English language proficiency.

ADFELPS has been designed to satisfy the need for an effective and relatively simple English language proficiency profiling process.

The ADFELPS consists of two main parts: the Language Profile Descriptors and the Language Proficiency Tests. It rates courses and students in the four macro-skills:

• speaking
• writing
• reading
• listening.

ADFELPS has been designed to satisfy the need for an effective and relatively simple English language proficiency profiling process.

Test formats

Reading

Test candidates are given 60 minutes to complete the reading test.

The reading test consists of five tasks. Typical question types include multiple choice, matching vocabulary and short answer questions. The following is a suggestion on how test takers can manage their time when completing a reading test:

• task 1 - approximately 3-5 mins
• task 2 - approximately 5-10 mins
• task 3 - approximately 10 mins
• task 4 - approximately 10-15 mins
• task 5 - approximately 20 mins

Listening

The listening test averages approximately 40 minutes in duration. It varies slightly between versions. It consists of multiple-choice and short-answer tasks. The audio for each task is played twice.

Writing

The writing test is 60 minutes long. It consists of two essay-style tasks.

Task 1 is a short descriptive essay of about 120 words, and Task 2 is a longer essay, often asking the candidate to write an opinion essay of about 200 words.

For both Task 1 and Task 2 candidates are given a choice of two topics.

The following is a suggestion on how test takers can manage their time when completing a writing test:

• task 1 - 20 minutes
• task 2 - 40 minutes.

Speaking

The speaking test consists of an interview lasting 15-20 minutes. The interview is broken up into five phases.

• Phase 1 (1-2 minutes) - Greeting and familiarisation.
• Phase 2 (2 minutes) - Providing basic personal information and responding to simple questions.
• Phase 3 (4 minutes) - Describing, explaining and comparing familiar topics with reference to both present and past.
• Phase 4 (4 minutes) - Role play for information gathering, explication, using social and vocational registers.
• Phase 5 (5 minutes) - Stating an opinion, discussing, speculating, hypothesising.

Administration

Within Australia, testing is done at the Defence International Training Centre (DITC). In other countries testing is carried out by Defence Cooperation Education Officers (DCEOs), Technical Advisers (TAs), Australian embassy personnel and trained personnel from regional defence forces.

An ADFELPS test result remains valid for twelve months from the date of issue. Test candidates cannot be retested within three months of the date of issue.

Resources

ADFELPS versus other proficiency scales (PDF, 505.48 KB)

Summary of ADFELPS level descriptors (PDF, 534.82 KB)

Audience

International military

International military personnel involved in Defence Cooperation Program