Interpreting the results of
the
Platiquemos diagnostic quiz
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Many language learners who come to Platiquemos are not complete beginners in Spanish. Given the length of the Platiquemos program, these learners often want to know if they can start Platiquemos at a higher level than Level I. For those who have started with the FSI Spanish program sold by Barron's as "Mastering Spanish"; or with the "Habla" video program, the answer is easy. Barron's Volume I contains the first 15 units of the original program, and students should start with our "transition" Level III, which contains Units 16-24. The same applies to those who have used "Habla". Barron's Volume II goes through unit 30; and continuation begins with Platiquemos Level V.
For those who have begun their Spanish learning other ways, whether in school or college or through programs such as Pimsleur, the situation is more complicated. The Platiquemos program is structured, meaning that the elements of the Spanish language are presented in a sequence. Other programs or courses may have different structures, which means that things learned in the beginning of one may come later in another. Also, the Platiquemos program is focused on attaining primarily oral proficiency, necessitating an "in depth" approach.
In order to help you decide whether to start with Level I, and if not with which Level, we've produced a series of short quizzes (15-16 questions) covering the major issues in each of Platiquemos's Levels. Basically, if you do well on the quiz, and feel comfortable with the material, you might want to consider starting with the next higher Level. One of the most important issues in Level I is pronunciation; the quiz is written and doesn't evaluate your pronunciation. One way to evaluate your pronunciation might be to record yourself doing the exercises in the sample Unit 1, and have a friend or acquaintance who speaks Spanish evaluate you.
We hope you found the quiz you took useful, and wish you all success in learning Spanish.