The Deutsches Sprachdiplom der Kultusministerkonferenz (engl.: German Language Diploma of the Education Ministers Conference), or short DSD of KMK, can be obtained by high school students abroad as a certificate proving German language proficiency in two levels. The exams are designed to test the language proficiency level ranging from A2 – B1 and from B2 – C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages

Common European Framework of Reference for Languages

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment, abbreviated as CEFR, is a guideline used to describe achievements of learners of foreign languages across Europe and, increasingly, in other countries...

and test the listening comprehension, reading comprehension, writing skills, and oral communication of the candidate.
The DSD-Level I (DSD-A2/B1) is considered to prove that the student has the level of ability in German that is required for entry to a college to study. The DSD-Level II (DSD-B2/C1) is taken by students in the top classes in secondary school and is considered to prove that the students have the level of ability in German that is required to be able to study at a university in Germany.
The exams are prepared by the Zentralstelle für Auslandsschulwesen (ZfA) in Cologne.

DSD-A2/B1

Part one: Reading

This section tests the candidates’ reading comprehension by presenting several short (25-80 words) and long (100 – 300 words) pieces of writing, followed by comprehension questions with simple filling (multiple choice, true/false, ticking, cloze texts). The reading part consists of five individual parts and lasts for 70 min (60 min working time + 10 min transfer time).

Part two: Listening

In this section the candidate is presented with several recordings, and asked to fill out some comprehension questions regarding the selections played (multiple choice, true/false, ticking). The five individual parts of the listening section include short and simple dialogues of ca. 60 words, as well as descriptive monologues of ca. 450 words, and lasts for 50 min (40 min working time + 10 min transfer time).

Part three: Writing

In this section the candidate is asked to prove his writing skills by tackling three central questions and a sample text. The working time for this section is 75 min.

Part four: Speaking

This section is divided in two parts and lasts for 15 min. The first part consists of a guided conversation where the candidate is prompted by the examiner and the second part consists of a short monologue on a defined subject followed by answering questions on the presented subject.

DSD-B2/C1

Part one: Reading

This section tests the candidates’ reading comprehension by presenting five short (70-80 words) and three long (400 – 750 words) pieces of writing, followed by comprehension questions with simple filling (multiple choice, true/false, ticking, cloze texts). The reading part consists of five individual parts and lasts for 85 min (75 min working time + 10 min transfer time).

Part two: Listening

In this section the candidate is presented with several recordings to test the listening comprehension and lasts for 50 min (40 min working time + 10 min transfer time). The three individual parts of the listening section include a dialogue of ca. 700 words, a monologue of ca. 700 words, and four audio sequences á ca. 100 words. The candidate is asked to fill out comprehension questions regarding the selections played (multiple choice, mapping).

Part three: Writing

The candidate is asked to write texts tackling central questions and sample texts. The working time for this section is 120 min. Before the writing exam recieve the candidate one page with questions and one page with a text and a graph. The candidate should write introduction (ca 2 sentences),reproduce the text, describe the graph, write positives and negatives of the topic (for example top level sport) and write his own opinion about the topic.

Part four: Speaking

This section is divided in two parts and lasts for 40 min (20 min preparation time + 20 min exam time). In the first part the candidate is expected to deliver a monologue on given keywords, and to answer relevant questions in a free and spontaneous fashion. The second part consists of a monologue delivered on a chosen subject, followed by discussion of the presented subject.

Scoring

Each of the four test sections (reading, listening, writing, and speaking), account for 25% of the exam. Per tested section it is possible to acquire a maximum of 24 points, and depending on the acquired points in each section the language proficiency level of said section is decided. On the diploma the individual language proficiency levels scored in listening comprehension, reading comprehension, writing skills, and oral communication, are listed.

The DSD-Level II is presented to the candidate if he/she reached in all tested sections B2-level or higher of language proficiency in German.

The DSD-Level I is presented to the candidate if he/she reached in all tested sections B1-level or higher of language proficiency in German.

The DSD-A2 is presented to the candidate if he/she reached in all tested sections at least or higher A2-level of language proficiency in German.

External links

• Deutsches Sprachdiplom der Kulturministerkonferenz (German)