Research and Development
Examinations
Resources for the Goethe certificates
This section contains materials produced during the development of the Goethe certificates which prove the validity of the assessments and serve as quality assurance.
Handbooks: "Prüfungsziele, Testbeschreibung"
The handbooks are intended for specialists in German as a foreign language (GFL), including examiners, teachers and course providers who wish to gain a deeper understanding of how our assessments are developed and structured.
Online publications
Published by a publisher
Goethe-Zertifikat A2 – Prüfungsziele, Testbeschreibung (ISBN 978-3-19-051868-5)
Goethe-Zertifikat B1 – Prüfungsziele, Testbeschreibung (ISBN 978-3-19-031868-1)
Goethe-Zertifikat B2 – Prüfungsziele, Testbeschreibung (ISBN 978-3-19-061868-2)
Standard-setting reports
Standard setting and benchmarking are important methodological components of test validation during the development process. Standard setting proves that assessment tasks are set at the appropriate level. As an example, the report on Goethe-Zertifikat C1 is available
here. If you would like more information about standard setting, please contact pruefungen@goethe.de.
Study on Goethe-Test PRO
The Goethe-Test PRO is an adaptive online test that assesses listening and reading skills in the workplace on a scale from A1 to C2. The study examines how reliably the Goethe-Test PRO measures language proficiency and produces test results that are comparable globally.
Framework curriculum for Goethe-Test PRO Pflege
The framework curriculum describes the learning and assessment objectives for Goethe-Test PRO Pflege.
About the CEFR
The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (2001) and its Companion Volume (2020) provide an important basis for consistently describing language proficiency for learning, teaching, and assessment. The CEFR is therefore a key point of reference for language examinations. Here is the CEFR Companion Volume and resources that illustrate how language assessments are linked to A1–C2 proficiency levels.
Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Companion Volume
The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) describes language proficiency across six levels, from A1 to C2. Based on descriptors, the CEFR illustrates what learners can do at the respective levels and in the different areas of language proficiency.
An online version of the CEFR Companion Volume is available here:
Publication: "Sprechen A1–C2"
The publication "Sprechen A1–C2: Illustrative Beispiele von Produktion und Interaktion für Deutsch als Fremdsprache" contains 21 videos of authentic spoken communication. It can be used for professional development and training, for instance to familiarise teachers and examiners with the proficiency levels in spoken production and interaction. Each example is accompanied by a commentary, suggested application scenarios (see Chapter 5) and tips for activities. Editable worksheets in Word format are also available for practical use:
Aligning Language Education with the CEFR
How can examinations and course content be linked to the CEFR? This handbook provides you with both theoretical background information and practical tips. In the word file you will find editable forms for implementation.Professional associations and conferences
The examinations department contributes actively to professional discourse on language testing and assessment. This includes participation at professional events such as conferences and workshops, as well as publishing articles and papers. The department regularly attends the annual international conferences of the following professional associations, with the aim of exchanging ideas on current trends in foreign language testing and assessment.
