Real-world English: How GSE Job Profiles bridge learning and work

Sara Davila
Sara Davila
Students sat at a desk looking at a textbook together, with a teacher pointing to it
Reading time: 5 minutes

Did you know that improving your English proficiency can increase earning potential by up to 50% and safeguard your career against AI? Recent research by app highlights that English is not just a skill but a career-defining advantage in today’s globalized workplace. For millions of adult learners, the journey from the classroom to the workplace requires more than general conversational abilities—it’s about gaining targeted, job-ready skills as quickly as possible. For English language educators, understanding what “jDz-𲹻” English is and how to identify “jDz-𲹻” skills can provide a significant advantage in ensuring learners are prepared to communicate effectively and collaborate with their future coworkers.

That’s where the Global Scale of English (GSE) Job Profiles comes in. For educators and program developers, it offers a bridge between real-world job skills and the English learners need to perform them. Whether you’re creating programs for nursing assistants, hospitality workers, or IT professionals, this tool ensures that learners build the precise English skills they need to thrive in their roles.

Let’s walk through how to create a GSE Job Profile and explore its practical use for building programs that align with today’s professional realities.

Using GSE Job Profiles for modern program development
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Creating a GSE Job Profile in the GSE Teacher Toolkit

The GSE Job Profiles integrates real-world job requirements with GSE learning objectives. It maps skills to proficiency ranges on the GSE scale (10-90), giving you a snapshot of what learners need to do and at what level.

Here’s how to create a job profile:

  1. Access the
    • Navigate to the Professional Learners section to find the GSE Job Profiles information.
  2. Select ‘Choose Job Role’ to filter by Industry and Job Role
    • Use the intuitive menu to select your target industry (e.g., Healthcare support, Legal, or Construction and Extraction).
    • Choose the specific role you’re targeting, such as Registered Nurse.
  3. Generate the profile
    • Keep the GSE slider open to see all skill levels, from Starter (10 / <A1) to Expert (90 / C2).
    • Click Search to generate results.
  4. Download the profile
    • Export the list of skills as a PDF. This gives you a ready-made framework to guide curriculum design and stakeholder discussions.

Using GSE Job Profiles for modern program development

Creating a profile is just the first step—how do you use it? The real power of the GSE Job Profiles lies in its ability to transform curriculum design, ensuring that your program delivers the most relevant skills efficiently.

Case study: Designing an accelerated language program for licensed practical nurses

Let’s say you’re tasked with developing a short program to support licensed practical or vocational nurses. Use the GSE Teacher Toolkit to generate a learner profile.

After generating the GSE Job Profile, you see 32 key skills ranging from GSE 46 to GSE 63. You decide to build a four-module program with clearly defined milestones. Here is an example of the program outline based on the GSE Job Profile.

Program plan: Accelerated licensed practical nurses

Module

Focus Skills

GSE Range

CEFR Level

Module 1: Understanding instructions

Reading, Listening

46-55

B1-B1+

Module 2: Technical communication

Speaking, Writing

51-57

B1+

Module 3: Collaborative problem-solving

Speaking, Listening

54-60

B1+-B2

Module 4: Advanced workplace communication

Speaking, Reading

59-63

B2

Step 1: Prioritize targeted skills

The job profile shows which skills are essential at each GSE level. For Module 1, there may only be four foundational skills, such as working with straightforward instructions or recognizing speaker attitude. While this might seem limited, focusing on these critical objectives ensures learners master essential communication within their role.

For example:

  • Skill: "Can recognize a speaker's feelings or attitudes.”
  • GSE Level: 50 (B1).

In a six-week module, lessons would combine reading, listening and speaking tasks related to this skill, ensuring learners gain confidence in using the language in relevant ways. A nuanced understanding of feelings and attitudes in the healthcare industry can help prevent numerous potential misunderstandings.

By developing these skills, the course improves language ability in relevant ways, improving daily communication with patients, making learning more meaningful and ensuring that each lesson moves learners forward in their communication and career goals.

Step 2: Build scaffolding and stretch goals

With GSE ranges, you can strategically challenge learners by introducing skills slightly above their current level. For instance, Module 3 learners working to make additional progress in English by increasing the GSE level, for example: Can suggest solutions to problems and explain why they would work (GSE 60). This “stretching” builds confidence and helps the learner progress.

Step 3: Align content and assessment

Once the curriculum is outlined, use the job profile as a benchmark to review your:

  • Materials: Choose textbooks, digital resources and practice activities that target the identified skills.
  • Assessments: Build quizzes or role-play activities to evaluate learners’ mastery of job-specific tasks.

Example: For Module 2 learners (GSE 51-57), assessments might involve clearly instructing a patient in a role-play conversation. This might include instructions on how to take specific medications or explaining how to use specific medical equipment the patient may need to use daily.

Why it works: Focus, precision and measurable outcomes

GSE Job Profiles enables educators to:

  1. Save time: Focus on relevant skills without guessing what learners need.
  2. Target proficiency: Design programs that match learners’ current abilities while pushing them forward.
  3. Measure success: Use GSE levels to set realistic goals, monitor progress and demonstrate impact to stakeholders.

The future of English for employability

The GSE Job Profiles is more than just a tool—it’s a roadmap for educators looking to equip learners with job-ready English in a fast-changing workplace. Whether you’re addressing skills gaps, revising existing curricula, or developing new programs, this tool ensures every hour spent in the classroom delivers measurable progress toward future success.

Find out more about how app’s Global Scale of English helps fast-track learner progress with our free resources for educators.

Explore our GSE resources

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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.