6 Fundamental differences between the DELE and SIELE exams How long have you been studying Spanish? Have you ever thought about certifying your level of Spanish as a foreign language? It is clear that speaking a language is much more than a degree or a certificate. Talking about a language is talking about travel
How long have you been studying Spanish? Have you ever thought about certifying your level of Spanish as a foreign language?
It is clear that speaking a language is much more than a title or a certificate.
Talking about a language is talking about travel, discovering new cultures, new work challenges, new friends.
However, there are times when demonstrate your certification It will open many doors for you.
Study at university in Spain, do your residency in a Spanish hospital, look for a good international job, do a master's degree in Spain or simply increase your CV.
These are all reasons why opt for an official Spanish diploma can help you.
The DELE and the SIELE They are the two official exams that will help you make the level of your new language official.
In Hispania, Spanish school you will be able to do so much preparation courses for official face-to-face exams spanish like online preparation courses for official Spanish exams to prepare them successfully and also, introduce yourself to these two types of exams in our own school.
Do you want to discover which is the perfect exam for you?
Keep reading to choose well the one that best suits your needs.
What does it mean DELE? These four letters are the acronym for Diploma of Spanish as a Foreign Language. This is a official exam which has been carried out since 1989.
Accredits mastery and competence of the Spanish language and until a few years ago, it was the only official international Spanish exam.
It is designed following the guidelines of the Common European Framework reference (CEFR) and the Manual to relate exams to CEFR.
Maybe you are thinking that you do not have enough level to take an exam as serious and formal as this...
Don't worry! This wonderful diploma covers the 6 levels of the CEFR (A1,A2,B1,B2,C1,C2)
So, whatever level you have, DELE can be yours!
A few years later, in 2016, the DELE lost its exclusivity: it started to work SIELE. Another official modality of accreditation and recognition of Spanish proficiency more connected to the current digital age.
On this occasion it was Telephone which developed the project created by the Cervantes Institute in collaboration with the University of Salamanca, the University of Buenos Aires and the UNAM.
The International Spanish Language Evaluation Service (SIELE) is a electronic exam which allows you to evaluate your Spanish as a foreign language from anywhere in the world sitting in front of a computer.
Like DELE, SIELE has also been created following the CEFR and evaluate the 4 learning competencies of a language, but it does not evaluate them based on a chosen level as DELE does.
The SIELE is a multilevel exam. You do not present yourself at a specific level, but rather evaluate your general knowledge of Spanish.
If you are one of those who prefers to work through a computer and do not like to wait to achieve your goals, this could be your ideal exam. Don't you think?
Perhaps it is now that we have explained to you the differences between the two types of exams when doubts begin to arise about which one will be best for you, right?
Both exams are official and have international recognition.
They are recognized by the Ministry of Education and Training of Spain.
The SIELE and DELE follow the CEFR criteria.
So, What differences exist between them?
The DELE exam is a Diploma of Spanish proficiency at one level of languages CEFR (A1-C2). The DELE It is a type of written and oral exam that is carried out several times a year in person at different exam centers.
Evaluate candidates by levels. There are 6 exam levels (A1-C2), with linguistic varieties and varieties of Spanish included at the highest levels.
The exam structure is divided into 2 blocks and each block has two parts.
From level A1 to B2, block 1 evaluates Reading Comprehension (CL) and Written Expression and Interaction (EIE). Block 2 evaluates Auditory Compression (AC) and Oral Expression and Interaction (EIO).
To pass the exam it is necessary to obtain aminimum of 30 points in each block.
The maximum score what can be achieved in each block it is 50 points. Surely reaching 30 is a piece of cake for you, right? 😉
The C levels change the structure of the exam and the different tests a little, but the evaluation is also out of 100 points.
If you want to know more about the structure and content of the tests, you can enter the section DELE exams corresponding to the Cervantes Institute website.
The SIELE It's a little different.
It is a certificate of knowledge of Spanish on a point scale with equivalences to levels A1-C1 of the languages CEFR. It is also a written and oral exam, but this time the exam is carried out through a computer.
In the accredited centers granted by the Cervantes Institute Computers are enabled on which this type of exam can be carried out.
For example, in Hispania, Spanish school we have a private room where you can take the exam in total peace of mind, isolated from noise and with a computer prepared exclusively for SIELE.
This Spanish exam is, as we have said, multilevel, therefore, is structured differently than DELE.
Something very special is that the candidate can take the full exam or take only the exam test he needs.
So, if you decide to apply to SIELE Global(the complete exam), you would have an exam with a fixed and pre-established order with a duration of 3 hours and an extra break from 15 minutes.
Since it is an electronic exam, you cannot vary the order of the tasks you perform.
The exam has a fixed structure and timing that must be followed.
It is divided into four tests which correspond, just as in DELE, with the main competencies of learning a language:
Reading comprehension, listening comprehension, oral expression and interaction, written expression and interaction.
However, on this occasion the maximum score of the four tests is 1000 points and every test has a maximum score of 250 points.
Depending on the points you get in each test, the evaluation will show you what level you are at in each skill.
You will not have a joint level to achieve, so it is likely that in the Reading Comprehension part you will have a level B2 and in the Written Expression and Interaction part you will obtain a B1, but you will never get a Not Suitable. 😉
It's interesting, right?
Another innovative option regarding DELE that SIELE offers is the possibility of taking the exam only for the part in which you are interested in improving your level.
This way, you can test yourself little by little to reach a complete global level or you can improve only the skill that interests you most.
If you want to know more information about the structure of this exam, you can go to cHow is the SIELE test? from the Instituto Cervantes website.
Let's talk now about ownership in the SIELE and DELE exams.
In both exams you will receive official titles of international recognition.
The exam DELE issues his title from Ministry of Education and Vocational Training of Spain. The Cervantes Institute is the academic, economic and administrative director of this exam since 2002.
As for the SIELE, its ownership is linked to the Cervantes Institute, the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), the University of Salamanca and the University of Buenos Aires.
Thus, the DELE is of exclusively Spanish origin, while the SIELE has been done through collaboration between Spain, Mexico and Argentina.
The validity and validity of the certificate that we will obtain when taking the exam: here is one of the most interesting points to take into account between the SIELE and DELE.
with him DELE exam we obtain a diploma that will certify our current Spanish competence indefinite. That is, this diploma never expires.
However, the certificate that we obtain with the SIELE has a validity 5 years old.
Surely, this option is more realistic regarding the level of Spanish that a student maintains while the SIELE is valid. We all know that language is alive and that it can improve or worsen depending on the contact we have with it.
Therefore, it is likely that over 5 years, if you continue studying or speaking Spanish, your level of reading comprehension, listening comprehension or oral interaction will have grown.
On the contrary, if you have stopped practicing, sadly it will have gone down. Don't you think?
However, the DELE offers us a wonderful advantage: being able to reflect the level at which we decide to work when we begin to prepare to take the exam.
And why not take advantage of it? 😉
Another interesting topic that could make the difference between choosing to do a DELE or a SIELE would be the one related to the place and the moment in which we can take the exam.
Both are done in accredited centers for him Cervantes Institute. Since the DELE It has a much longer life history than SIELE, There are more than a thousand accredited centers in more than one hundred countries spread across the 5 continents.
Our beloved school Hispania, Spanish school is one of these exam centers. So, there is no excuse to come see us and take a step forward in your Spanish.
Our school has received dozens of awards in the field of educational systems. Our methodology has been recognized as one of the best in teaching Spanish. Take advantage of it!
The exam SIELE It has a network of almost a thousand accreditation centers, but it is becoming more and more popular and the number of centers that join this exam format is continually growing.
At Hispania, we did not hesitate for a second to join this network a few years ago and we are happy to be able to offer our students and future candidates this possibility 😉.
The most important difference lies in the exam dates.
The DELE has some fixed calls distributed throughout the year in the different exam centers. There are many and surely some can fit into your agenda.
If you want to know more you can confirm the annual calendar DELE published by the Cervantes Institute to start organizing yourself.
The great advantage of SIELE is that no need to wait, any time is good to take the test, there is no maximum period.
You just have to talk to your accredited center and agree on the day and time, since SIELE allows a permanent call through individual appointments.
If for you the most important thing is when You are going to receive the results of the exam and know if you have passed the four tests, you must read this carefully.
The exam DELE has a more expensive correction process and takes a maximum period of approximately three months in announcing the results.
The result will be Appropriate or Not Appropriate Depending on the mastery of the level you have applied for, no numerical grade will appear.
If you are eligible, you will have obtained your Spanish proficiency certification at the level presented.
However, the exam SIELE It is much faster and in justthree weeks the result is yours.
And the result will be score obtained about a scale of thousand points with equivalence to CEFR levels.
This way you will be able to see your level of competence in the Spanish language.
And after the results, you would get the desired certification that will be able to demonstrate your competence and command of the Spanish language.
This way you can proudly present yourself to that job interview or not hesitate when sending your application to that university that you like so much.
Let's see the particularities of the DELE certificate and the SIELE certificate.
with him DELE you will have an electronic certification of the qualifications with official validity: the Official diploma for eligible candidates.
with him exam SIELE you will have a Certificate If you take the full exam, or a Report if you only take a few tests, in which the exam results will appear.
If you still haven't decided and don't know which exam would be best for you, get in touch with us. We will be happy to help you and look together for the best option.
Cheer up! Studying to certify your Spanish as a foreign language is a kind of “master in Spanish” that will give a huge boost to your level of competence in this language.
In addition, you will get your Spanish internationally recognized.
In Hispania we have some specialization courses in the DELE and wonderful SIELE, where you can get your SIELE or DELE certificate.
Hispania, Spanish school It can be your study center and your exam center.
We will be happy to accompany you and help you on this adventure.
Article written by Maria Palanca Climente for Hispania, Spanish school
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