DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DELE LEVELS
In the following scheme you can find detailed information about the duration, description of each level and its division into courses:
Course levels:
Level |
Course |
DELE certificate |
Total hours |
A1 Access |
A1.1 |
DELE A1 certificate |
60 |
A2 Platform |
A2.1 |
DELE A2 certificate |
90 |
B1 Tresshold |
B1.1 |
DELE B1 certificate |
120 |
B2 Advanced |
B2.1 |
DELE B2 certificate |
150 |
C1 Proficient user |
C1.1 |
DELE C1 certificate |
180 |
In addition to these courses, there will be a DELE Exam Preparation course of 30 hours, at the end of levels A2, B1, B2 and C1, with the objective of passing the exams that ‘Instituto Cervantes’ required for each level.
A1 Access (60h.)
● Courses: A1.1 and A1.2
● Official DELE certificate: Diploma DELE A1
At A1 level no knowledge of Spanish is required. From the first day you start speaking Spanish and throughout both modules you learn to express needs, understand and use everyday expression and simple phrases aimed at satisfying immediate needs.
A2 Platform (90h.)
● Courses: A2.1, A2.2 and A2.3
● Official DELE certificate: Diploma DELE A2
At A2 level you learn how to describe in simple terms aspects of the past and the environment, as well as questions related to immediate needs. You can engage in short conversations and, using simple sentences, describe everyday life and write postcards.
B1 Threshold (120h.)
● Courses: B1.1, B1.2, B1.3 and B1.4
● Official DELE certificate: Diploma DELE B1
At B1 level you acquire conversational skills on familiar matters and learn how to use communicative strategies to hold conversations related to the past and the future. You can read general texts and simple literary texts, as well as write letters and essays about everyday life.
B2 Advanced (150h.)
● Courses: B2.1, B2.2, B2.3, B2.4 and B2.5.
● Official DELE certificate: Diploma DELE B2
At level B2 you learn to provide detailed information on general topics, express yourself fluently and write long texts. You can use communicative strategies to maintain a conversation in different contexts and situations.
C1 Proficiency (180h.)
Courses: C1.1, C1.2, C1.3, C1.4, C1.5 and C1.6.
● Official DELE certificate: Diploma DELE C1
At level C1 you can discuss points of view, put forward arguments and learn to use idiomatic expressions and other types of stylistic devices that allow a creative use of the language. There is no difficulty in reading contemporary Spanish and Latin American texts.
The material we use in the classes is based on the manuals of ‘Editorial Difusión’, which are perfectly adapted to the Curricular Plan of the Instituto Cervantes (PCIC) https://cvc.cervantes.es/ensenanza/biblioteca_ele/plan_curricular/default.htm and the Common European Framework of Reference for the Teaching of Spanish as a Foreign Language. The manuals are referenced below to the DELE levels.
Level |
Courses |
DELE |
Total hours |
Material |
A1 Access |
A1.1 |
Diploma DELE A1 |
60 |
Aula Internacional Plus A1 (Difusión) |
A2 Platform |
A2.1 |
Diploma DELE A2 |
90 |
Aula Internacional Plus A2 (Difusión) |
B1 Tresshold |
B1.1 |
Diploma DELE B1 |
120 |
Aula Internacional Plus B1 (Difusión) |
B2 Advanced |
B2.1 |
Diploma DELE B2 |
150 |
Aula Internacional Plus B2.1 (Difusión) Aula Internacional Plus B2.2 (Difusión) |
C1 Proficient user |
C1.1 |
Diploma DELE C1 |
180 |
C de C1 (Difusión) |
The program of general Spanish courses (DELE) is developed over five levels of different lengths (A1 to C1). Every course is comprised of 30 hours, and every course can be completed. It is included 5 break minutes at the end of each lesson hour. If the session is longer than 1 hour, accumulated break time can be distributed throughout the session as it better suits the lesson (5 break minutes for every hour).
Each level is divided into 30-hour courses to complete the preparation for the Instituto Cervantes DELE exam. In addition to these courses, there will be a 30-hour DELE Exam Preparation course at the end of levels A2, B1, B2 and C1, with the objective of passing the ‘Instituto Cervantes ‘ exams required for each level.
The teaching units for each level are detailed in the DELE Teaching Plan of Centro de Estudios Plaza las Flores.