How to assess your learners using the GSE Assessment Frameworks

Billie Jago
A teachet stood in front of a class in front of a board, smiling at his students.
Reading time: 4 minutes

With language learning, assessing both the quality and the quantity of language use is crucial for accurate proficiency evaluation. While evaluating quantity (for example the number of words written or the duration of spoken production) can provide insights into a learner's fluency and engagement in a task, it doesn’t show a full picture of a learner’s language competence. For this, they would also need to be evaluated on the quality of what they produce (such as the appropriateness, accuracy and complexity of language use). The quality also considers factors such as grammatical accuracy, lexical choice, coherence and the ability to convey meaning effectively.

In order to measure the quality of different language skills, you can use the Global Scale of English (GSE) assessment frameworks.

Developed in collaboration with assessment experts, the GSE Assessment Frameworks are intended to be used alongside the GSE Learning Objectives to help you assess the proficiency of your learners.

There are two GSE Assessment Frameworks: one for adults and one for young learners.

What are the GSE Assessment Frameworks?

  • The GSE Assessment Frameworks are intended to be used alongside the GSE Learning Objectives to help teachers assess their learners’ proficiency of all four skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing).
  • The GSE Learning Objectives focus on the things a learner can do, while the GSE Assessment Frameworks focus on how well a learner can do these things.
  • It can help provide you with examples of what proficiencies your learners should be demonstrating.
  • It can help teachers pinpoint students' specific areas of strength and weakness more accurately, facilitating targeted instruction and personalized learning plans.
  • It can also help to motivate your learners, as their progress is evidenced and they can see a clear path for improvement.

An example of the GSE Assessment Frameworks

This example is from the Adult Assessment Framework for speaking.

As you can see, there are sub-skills within speaking (andfor the other three main overarching skills – writing, listening and reading). Within speaking, these areproductionandfluency, spoken interaction, language range andaccuracy.

The GSE range (and corresponding CEFR level) is shown at the top of each column, and there are descriptors that students should ideally demonstrate at that level.

However, it is important to note that students may sit across different ranges, depending on the sub-skill. For example, your student may show evidence of GSE 43-50 production and fluency and spoken interaction, but they may need to improve their language range and accuracy, and therefore sit in a range of GSE 36-42 for these sub-skills.

The GSE assessment frameworks in practice– let’s try

So, how can you use these frameworks as a teacher in your lesson? Let’s look at an example.

Imagine you are teaching a class of adult learners at GSE 43-50 (B1). This week, your class has been working towards writing an essay about living in the city vs the countryside. Your class has just written their final essay and you want to assess what they have produced.

Look at the writing sub-skills in the GSE Assessment Framework for adults. Imagine these are the criteria you are using to assess your students’ writing.

You read one of your student's essays, and in their essay they demonstrate that they can:

  • Express their opinion on the advantages and disadvantages of living in the city vs the countryside
  • Make relevant points which are mostly on-topic
  • Use topic-related language
  • Connect their ideas logically and in a way that flows well
  • Write in clear paragraphs

However, you notice that:

  • They tend to repeat common words, such as city, town, countryside, nice, busy
  • They don’t use punctuation effectively, for example missing commas, long sentences, missing capitalization
  • They have some issues with grammatical structures

Compare the above notes to the GSE Assessment Frameworks. What level is your learner demonstrating in each sub-skill? How could you evidence this using the criteria?

Now, compare your answers to the ideas below.

The points marked in the GSE 43-50 column are evidence that the student is at the expected writing level for their class, based on what you observed in their essay. The points marked in the GSE 36-42 column could be shown to the student to tell them what they need to focus on to improve, based on their essay.

Customizing the GSE assessment frameworks

The GSE Assessment Frameworks are flexible and customizable, and you can use the descriptors for your specific purpose. You can choose the appropriate GSE Assessment Frameworks for your context, and build your own formative assessment based on these.

In the example above, you were only assessing an essay, so you could ignore any contexts that were not applicable to that scenario. For example, writes personal and semi-formal letters and emails relating to everyday matters, or incorporates some relevant details from external sources.

Another benefit of the frameworks is that you can personalize assessments and create tailored learning roadmaps for individual students. Of course, not all learners are the same, so the descriptors allow students to see which sub-skill they need to work on in order to bring their writing (or speaking, listening or reading) up to their expected level. It also helps you as the teacher to understand what sub-skills to focus on in lessons to improve these main skills.

Finally, don’t be afraid to introduce your students to these descriptors or translate them into the learner's first language for lower levels. It is a great way for them to pinpoint and reflect on their strengths and areas for improvement, rather than simply getting a score and not understanding how to get to the next level of confidence and ability.

By incorporating the GSE Assessment Frameworks into your course for formative assessment, you can build students’ confidence and help them better reflect on their learning.

Learn more about the GSE

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    Balancing work, life, and learning: How adult learners navigate English language learning

    By Dr. Le Dinh Bao Quoc
    Reading time: 4 minutes

    Dr. Quoc is an author, educational solutions provider and AIED expert with over 20 years of experience in ELT and education in Vietnam. He is the Founder and CEO of Pro.Ed Education Solutions and Chief Officer of EduVerse, a global network supporting lifelong learning for educators. Dr. Quoc is also the author of The Art and Science of ChatGPT in Education and was named a LinkedIn Top Educational Leadership Voice in 2024. His work focuses on integrating AI into education to support personalized and flexible learning for teachers and learners.

    For many adult learners, mastering English isn’t just about gaining a new skill—it’s about unlocking opportunities in work, family and social spheres. But juggling English lessons alongside work, family obligations and social commitments is a challenge that can feel overwhelming.

    This guide explores the unique challenges adult learners face and how educators can support them with empathy, flexibility and effective strategies.

    The challenges of learning English as an adult

    Meet Le, a 35-year-old Vietnamese project manager who dreams of working for an international company. With a demanding full-time job and two young children, finding time for English lessons feels impossible. Missing classes and struggling to complete assignments leads to frustration and self-doubt—an all-too-common experience among adult learners.

    Many adults face similar challenges:

    • Balancing work, family and personal commitments leaves little time and energy for study.
    • Fatigue after a long day makes it difficult to concentrate or retain information.
    • Progress feels slow, which can be demotivating.

    Without practical support, the goal of English proficiency can seem out of reach.

    Strategies for overcoming challenges

    1. Setting SMART Goals

    Educators can guide learners to set Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART) goals. Breaking down larger objectives into small, measurable milestones gives learners a sense of achievement. For example, app’s Global Scale of English (GSE) provides actionable “Can-do” statements, such as:

    • Reading (GSE 37/CEFR A2+): Can understand simple personal emails.
    • Speaking (GSE 44/CEFR B1): Can give a short talk with visual support.

    These manageable goals create motivation and help learners like Le stay focused without feeling overwhelmed.

    2. Offering flexible learning options

    Flexibility is key for adult learners. Teachers can adopt strategies such as:

    • Modular lessons that can be completed in short sessions.
    • Micro-learning, including 10-minute daily practices using apps or quick grammar exercises.

    For learners like Le, micro-learning can easily be integrated into a work commute or lunch break.

    3. Blending learning with real-world scenarios

    Teaching English through practical, real-life contexts makes lessons more relevant and efficient. Using authentic materials like emails, meeting notes, or presentations mirrors learners’ daily lives and creates immediate applications for their new skills. For instance:

    • Help learners role-play workplace conversations.
    • Develop speaking proficiency for social interactions or workplace scenarios.

    This approach saves time and reinforces the usefulness of learning English, keeping learners motivated.

    4. Encouraging weekly reflection

    Reflection allows learners to monitor their progress, stay motivated and adapt their strategies. Teachers can:

    • Encourage learners to set weekly goals (e.g., learning new business vocabulary or practicing pronunciation for 15 minutes daily).
    • Use reflection journals to track achievements, identify challenges and adjust learning plans.

    This habit reinforces a growth mindset, helping learners make consistent progress amidst their busy schedules.

    Implementing the strategies

    Here’s how educators can apply these strategies effectively:

    1. Assess and set goals

    Work with learners to set realistic, measurable goals based on their personal motivations and schedules.

    2. Create flexible study plans

    Develop personalized study schedules that incorporate modular lessons and micro-learning techniques.

    3. Use authentic materials

    Include sample emails, presentations, or conversations that align with the learner’s work or life situations, making lessons more practical.

    4. Encourage accountability

    Implement tools like reflective journals or digital reminders to help learners stay on track and see their progress.

    5. Leverage personalized AI tools

    Use AI-powered tools to recommend tailored exercises, provide instant feedback and enable targeted practice in learners’ focus areas.

    Why It matters

    English proficiency opens doors to better job opportunities, stronger social connections and enriched personal growth. By providing empathetic and flexible support, teachers empower learners to achieve their goals without compromising their work-life balance.
    For educators seeking further resources, app’s GSE framework offers valuable tools to help adult learners succeed. Teachers can use these aids to track progress and personalize lessons for maximum impact.

    Celebrate education

    To mark the incredible work of educators helping learners balance work, life and study, we encourage you to share your own experiences and tips to others. Together, we can continue to empower lifelong learning and celebrate the role of education in transforming lives.