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.
