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.
This example is from the Adult Assessment Framework for speaking.
As you can see, there are sub-skills within speaking (and?for the other three main overarching skills – writing, listening and reading). Within speaking, these are?production?and?fluency, spoken interaction, language range and?accuracy.
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.
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:
However, you notice that:
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.
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.
世界の 15億人の 英語 話者 のうち、半数以上が第二言语または追加の言语としてそれを学んでいます。
「ビジネスの言語」である 英語 は、国際的なビジネスやリーダーシップレベルで働きたいと考えている人にとって基本的なスキルとなっており、多くの 英語 as a Second 言語 (ESL)スピーカーは、日常的に 英語 で働いています。
しかし、第二言语または第叁言语での作业には、独自の课题と机会が伴います。
私たちは、 英語 がキャリアで果たした役割、ESLスピーカーであることの課題、そして企業が誰もが発言権を持つ文化をどのように作り出すことができるかについて、5人のグローバルリーダーに話を聞きました。
英语を学ぶことは、やりがいのある旅でありながら、やりがいのある旅です。旅行、仕事、または个人的な成长のために言语スキルを向上させることを目指しているかどうかにかかわらず、适切なリソースを使用すると、すべての违いが生まれます。
文法はあらゆる言语のバックボーンです。文法に焦点を当てたワークシートは、文の构造、动词の时制、その他の基本的なルールを理解するのに役立ちます。以下を网罗するエクササイズを探してください。
语汇を増やすことは、効果的なコミュニケーションのために重要です。ワークシートは、新しい単语やフレーズ、その意味や使い方を学ぶのに役立ちます。次のようなエクササイズをお试しください。
読解力を向上させるには、书かれたテキストを理解し、解釈することが必要です。読解力のために设计されたワークシートは、以下の练习に役立ちます。
ライティングエクササイズは、自分の考えを明确かつ首尾一贯して表现するのに役立ちます。ワークシートは、さまざまな书き方や形式をガイドしてくれます。
新しい言語を学ぶことは、エキサイティングでやりがいのある旅ですが、それなりの課題も伴います。英語学习者として、あなたの進歩を妨げる可能性のある一般的な落とし穴を認識し、克服することが重要です。ここでは、英語学習体験をできるだけスムーズで成功させるために何をしてはいけないかについてのアドバイスとガイダンスを提供します。
