Workshop on the 'Armenian for Non-Armenian Speakers' Program

A workshop was held to present and discuss the "Armenian for Non-Armenian Speakers: Language Teaching, Testing, and Assessment" Program

The "Armenian for Non-Armenian Speakers: Teaching, Testing, and Assessment of Armenian" program was presented during a workshop organized by the Language Committee of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports of the Republic of Armenia with the participation of the professional community and stakeholders.

The working meeting was attended by Artur Martirosyan, Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports of the Republic of Armenia; Siranush Dvoyan, Chairwoman of the Language Committee of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports; and Armen Chobanyan, Director of the Izmirlian Charitable Foundation. The participants were introduced to the key principles of the Armenian language teaching standards.

In his opening remarks, Deputy Minister Artur Martirosyan emphasized that the program is a significant initiative aimed at making the Armenian language measurable. It will offer non-Armenian speakers the opportunity to learn, test, and assess their proficiency in Armenian in a transparent and structured manner.

"The Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports has initiated the 'Armenian for Non-Armenian Speakers: Armenian Language Learning, Testing, and Assessment System' program. This initiative will make our language measurable, enabling non-Armenian speakers to learn Armenian, assess their language proficiency, and receive a certificate indicating their proficiency level. The program will feature an electronic platform where test results will be transparent. It will allow both Armenians whose first language is not Armenian and foreigners to assess their language proficiency, which is essential for facilitating their access to education, labor market, and other aspects of public life. This initiative is crucial in the context of migration policy and university admissions, as the absence of such a tool has been a major obstacle," the Deputy Minister noted.

Siranush Dvoyan, Chairwoman of the Language Committee, highlighted that the program goes beyond developing the system alone. It is part of a broader initiative aimed at enhancing the visibility and viability of the Armenian language in the digital world, set to launch in 2025. "This program will ultimately provide an advanced testing system, incorporating cutting-edge technologies," she added.

The Committee Chairwoman also mentioned that the program is developing a text readability scale, which will be tested for the first time in 2025. This technical tool evaluates the readability of texts based on factors such as word length, sentence complexity, and vocabulary clarity. Widely used in various fields globally, it will be incorporated into the testing phase of the “Armenian for Non-Armenian Speakers: Teaching, Testing, and Assessment of Armenian” program. Subsequently, mechanisms will be developed to apply this tool to school textbooks and other areas.

Armen Chobanyan, Director of the Izmirlian Charitable Foundation, emphasized that the Foundation’s programs align with the RA state programs and are designed to enhance the impact of their investments in the country.

“If we fail to meet the challenges of the modern world, Armenian could become a symbolic language rather than one that governs technologies. Therefore, we will co-finance this program to strengthen the viability of Armenian in the technological world, contributing to its development and expanding its applicability,” he said.

Davit Gyurjinyan, linguist and rector of V. Brusov State University, who led the professional group that developed the standards, presented the main principles of the Armenian language proficiency standards.

Based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and previous Armenian language experiences, proficiency standards for Armenian (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2) have been developed. These standards define the framework for reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills in Armenian.

The standards include lists of thematic minimum vocabulary for A1-A2, B1, and B2 sub-levels, based on key areas and sub-areas of language use. The vocabulary lists encompass both commonly used terms and popular, colloquial expressions encountered in everyday communication, including those heard in media such as television, radio, and spoken discourse. For the academic C1 and C2 sub-levels, only general characteristics are provided, as these levels are meant for proficient users—fluent speakers of the language.

A scale for assessing skills in teaching, testing, and evaluation tasks in Armenian has also been created. The weighting assigned to each skill in the general test and assessment is determined according to the standards for proficiency levels.

During discussions with representatives from RA universities and private organizations offering Armenian language training, issues were raised regarding the separation of language proficiency levels and sublevels, lexical differences, and the further development and implementation of the program, along with opportunities for cooperation with relevant structures.

It is important to note that the “Armenian for Non-Armenian Speakers: Teaching, Testing, and Evaluation of Armenian” program is being implemented by the RA Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports, along with the Language Committee, with co-financing from the Izmirlian Foundation.