1200.0.55.005 - Language Standards, 2012, Version 1.1  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 20/03/2014  First Issue
   Page tools: Print Print Page Print all pages in this productPrint All  
Contents >> Proficiency in Spoken English >> Collection Methods - PSE

Proficiency in Spoken English - Collection Methods




The question on Proficiency in Spoken English is asked after a question which identifies people whose first language spoken is a language other than English, or people who speak a language other than English at home. This sequencing is necessary because the Proficiency in Spoken English variable is used to measure the number of people who may potentially suffer a disadvantage as a result of a lack of competence in spoken English, rather than assess the spoken English capacity of the Australian population in general. It is considered unnecessary and inappropriate to ask people whose only language is English, how well they speak it.

The Proficiency in Spoken English question should be asked after a language question which filters out people who only speak English. There are four filter questions to choose from, derived from the following ABS statistical standards:


Filter question modules for standard question

Standard question modules

Short question modules




The standard and short question modules may be accompanied by a brief explanatory note about why language data is collected and detailed instructions about how to answer the question. The explanatory note can be included with the chosen question module or in supplementary documentation. The recommended text for the explanatory note is in Appendix A.




Standard input categories

The standard input categories for Proficiency in Spoken English are the same as the categories of the classification and also includes the two supplementary categories, 'Not stated/Inadequately described' and 'Not applicable':
  • Very well
  • Well
  • Not well
  • Not at all
  • Not stated/Inadequately described
  • Not applicable




This section contains the following subsection :
        Collection Methods (PSE) - Filter Questions Modules for Standard Question
        Collection Methods (PSE) - Standard Question Modules
        Collection Methods (PSE) - Short Question Modules

Previous PageNext Page