Vergelijking Van De Zweedse Sfi-Toets Met De Nederlandse Nivor 3.4-Toets

The communicative movement in language instruction (from the seventies) pays special attention to language used in context. In connection to this, performance-based assessment became important. The communicative movement is seen in several models of language competence. The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (2001) is also aimed at functional language competence in context. It describes knowledge and skills that language learners have to develop. With the communicative movement and the CEF as background this article looks at two language-tests for L2-learners: the Swedish sfi-test and the Dutch NIVOR 3.4-test. Three areas of attention are looked at:1. The Swedish and Dutch language policies concerning immigrants.2. The theoretical backgrounds of the two tests and their connection to the CEF.3. The differences and similarities between the tests concerning test-assignments.It can be concluded that the Dutch language policy is stricter than the Swedish; that in both tests, functional language competence plays a big role, but that the Swedish test shows it more than the Dutch test.