If you’re wondering which Greek language fluency certification would be the best for your child to get, in all likelihood that would be “Ellinomatheia.”
That’s because Ellinomatheia is recognized worldwide as the official certification of Greek language proficiency. The exams and their required specifications are dictated by the Center for the Greek Language of the University of Thessaloniki and are the only exams recognized by the Ministry of Education in Greece.
Why is Ellinomatheia important?
Apart from being the only Greek fluency certification recognized by the Greek state, Ellinomatheia is recognized by institutions in the U.S., the E.U., Greece, and other countries for education, residency, employment, and residency purposes. In the U.S., it is connected to the Seal of Biliteracy, which certifies students’ fluency in a foreign language which may help students apply for entry at public colleges and universities as some give credits to students who have passed the B1 level of Ellinomatheia certification. Also, for the State of New York, kids that have passed the Ellinomatheia B1 level certification are at the level where there can take the Regent’s Exam in Greek.
Which level for my child?
There are several levels of certification available:
- Level A1 for young students (ages 8–12)
- Level A1 for Teens and Adults (older than 12) – This Certification is much more demanding than the equivalent for younger students.
- Level A2 for Teens and Adults
- Levels B1, B2, and Γ1 for Teens and Adults.
As seen above, for young students, only A1 certification is available. After A1, all the others are for teens and adults. Many confuse the levels above with Greek school levels and classes; note that A1 Certification is NOT the same as Grade 1A or 1st or A in Greek schools; it is the first level of language proficiency. The exams are very challenging since they have four sections students need to take: reading comprehension, writing, listening, and oral examination including a conversation with an examiner about a specific subject.
Ellinomatheia and Ellinopoula
Last fall Ellinopoula started our first class for the A1 certification for young students and all our students passed the exams with a grade of “EXCELLENT” (ΑΡΙΣΤΑ). We achieved this because our courses are complete and follow the Center for the Greek Language specifications.
We also have a team of excellent teachers for our Ellinomatheia classes (very few teachers are qualified to prepare students for Ellinomatheia exams), who give individual and tailored assistance to each student.
Ellinopoula offers courses and classes for the following levels:
A1 for young students – part A
A1 for young students – part B
A1 for Teens and Adults
A2 for Teens and Adults
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