As someone self-studying Japanese, I started to wonder how I would know if I’ve reached an intermediate or advanced level in terms of output ability (speaking/writing) since most of my study-time is focused on input (reading, listening, watching Japanese shows). I compiled a list of topics that I think someone that’s mastered a certain level of fluency should be able to talk about with ease in the context of daily life. This is based on the topics in Genki 1&2, WaniKani vocab, and my experience learning other languages in school. Looking for your opinion if I should add or remove topics?
I am way out of practice at speaking, but one axis I think is missing here is the level of sophistication and precision you can bring to bear on talking about something. So although at a beginner level you might be able to talk about your hobbies, for instance, a conversation on the same subject at an intermediate and higher level is going to be different, because you have a wider vocabulary to talk about what you like doing and why, and more grammatical structures that you can confidently use when they’re the best way to say exactly what you mean. “Beginner” level grammar gives you enough tools to get your point across, assuming a willing and cooperative listener, but as you get better you get more ways to say things.
You might also be interested in the Speaking part of the JLPT Can-do Self-Evaluation List (pdf). Basically the JLPT organizers surveyed a bunch of test takers to ask them how confident they felt about being able to do various tasks (eg “I can give a brief description of the story line of a movie I have seen or a book I have read recently” or “I can ask when is convenient for the other person and decide a day and time to meet”) and then produced some graphs of what percentage of people at each JLPT pass level felt they could do those tasks.
Thanks for sharing the self-evaluation list! Looks like my standards for proficiency are in line with the JLPT organizers’, if not a little higher.
I was thinking in terms of the complexity of ideas you should be able to convey at each level. I would expect someone at the intermediate level to be able to describe actions/things in more detail or express abstract ideas. At an advanced level, vocabulary may become more domain specific to your job or genre of interests.