In today’s interconnected world, effective communication in English is more crucial than ever. As educators and language learners seek to measure and improve English proficiency, a resource like the Global Scale of English (GSE) offers a valuable framework for assessment. This blog post will explore how the GSE can be used to assess listening skills, providing insights into how it also helps tailor instruction and support language development.
For listening skills, the GSE focuses on how well learners can understand spoken English in different contexts. It assesses comprehension at varying levels of complexity:
Understanding simple information: At lower levels, learners are expected to understand basic information, such as simple instructions or everyday topics. The GSE provides learning objectives for how well learners can grasp essential details.
Understanding main ideas: As proficiency grows, learners should be able to identify main ideas and key points in more complex spoken texts, such as conversations and broadcasts. The GSE outlines how well learners can extract important information from various sources.
Understanding detailed information: At advanced levels, learners are expected to comprehend detailed and nuanced information, including implicit meaning and speaker intent. The GSE describes the level of detail and depth of understanding required at these stages.
The GSE also shows how students engage in different operations of listening, from global comprehension, recognizing information and identifying specific information to extracting information. By taking this into account, teachers can monitor students’ progress and assess their listening skills. An example will show this in action.
Let’s consider a level, say GSE 30-35 (equivalent to low A2 on the CEFR) and focus on how students process information. When checking a listening activity, rather than simply focusing on whether the answers are correct or incorrect, we can analyze our learners using the GSE and see what progress they are making and what we need to do as teachers to help them move on. Heres how:
Learning objectives |
GSE |
Date 1 |
Date 2 |
Date 3 |
Date 4 |
Can understand basic information about someone when introduced to them using simple language. |
28 |
Ìý |
Ìý |
Ìý |
Ìý |
Can recognize phrases and content words related to basic personal and family information. |
30 |
Ìý |
Ìý |
Ìý |
Ìý |
Can identify simple information in a short video, provided that the visual supports this information and the delivery is slow and clear. |
30 |
Ìý |
Ìý |
Ìý |
Ìý |
Can extract key factual information - prices, times and dates - from short clear, simple announcements. |
30 |
Ìý |
Ìý |
Ìý |
Ìý |
Can identify basic factual information in short, simple dialogues or narratives on familiar everyday topics, if spoken slowly and clearly. |
32 |
Ìý |
Ìý |
Ìý |
Ìý |
Can understand key information about arrangements in simple dialogues spoken slowly and clearly. |
32 |
Ìý |
Ìý |
Ìý |
Ìý |
Can understand information related to people's daily routines. |
32 |
Ìý |
Ìý |
Ìý |
Ìý |
Can understand the main information in short, simple dialogues about familiar activities, if spoken slowly and clearly. |
33 |
Ìý |
Ìý |
Ìý |
Ìý |
Can identify key information from short audio recordings, if spoken slowly and clearly. |
33 |
Ìý |
Ìý |
Ìý |
Ìý |
Can understand the main information in simple conversations about hobbies and interests. |
34 |
Ìý |
Ìý |
Ìý |
Ìý |
Can extract key factual information such as prices, times and dates from a recorded phone message. |
35 |
Ìý |
Ìý |
Ìý |
Ìý |
Can recognize some fixed expressions used to confirm information. |
35 |
Ìý |
Ìý |
Ìý |
Ìý |
Can identify specific information in short, simple dialogues in which speakers make arrangements to do something, if spoken slowly and clearly. |
35 |
Ìý |
Ìý |
Ìý |
Ìý |
Every class will include a range of different abilities: some students get all of the questions right, whereas others may not. In this case, the GSE provides teachers with an extremely valuable tool to assess learners’ performance.
We may see that students are performing well at the understanding and recognition level but still find it hard to identify and extract specific information. Will we solve this by simply giving them more listening activities? Well, no. To support them in identifying and extracting specific information, we need to help them understand and identify clues in a text. Analyzing the written audioscripts is the best way to help learners understand what they are listening to.
We can also use the same table, above, to record information each time we do a listening activity.
Students write the date and compare results to the ones they fill out in the future. This way, they can truly see progress and if they’ve mastered a particular learning objective, something hard for them to see, even if we tell them so.
The Global Scale of English provides a structured and detailed approach to assessing speaking and listening skills. By using theÌýGSE framework, teachers can offer precise, level-appropriate feedback and tailor their instruction to meet learners' needs. This not only enhances the learning experience but also ensures that learners effectively develop their English communication skills. Whether you're a teacher or a learner, embracing the GSE can lead to more targeted, effective, and meaningful language assessment.
Explore the teaching resources available at GSE to support learning, including tools like our .Ìý
Read our other posts 'How the GSE can help teachers personalize activities' and 'The Global Scale of English and planning'.
As demographic shifts and technological advancements reshape the global workforce, the gap between the skills people have and the skills they need continues to widen. This "skills chasm" is particularly evident in language learning, where traditional education systems often fail to keep pace with the demands of the modern economy.
With the continuous evolution of AI tools, it has become more critical to incorporate AI into our teaching practices. AI has the transformative power to improve our teaching methods, tailor learning experiences, and increase student engagement.
To give you a taste of our webinar 'Teaching in the age of AI: 7 tips for preparing for an educational evolution'. We'll cover seven tips designed to prepare you for an educational evolution with AI.
The first step in integrating AI into your teaching practice is deciding your approach. Are you an AI methodologist who practices based on theory or an AI experimentalist who develops theory based on practice? Both paths are valid, but it's crucial to choose one to avoid inertia. Understanding AI's basics and experimenting with different tools will help you find your footing.
AI should be seen as a thought partner and assistant, not a replacement. Use AI to enhance your creativity and efficiency. For example, if you're stuck on creating a warm-up activity, ask AI for ideas. Treat AI as a helpful assistant to handle tasks you find time-consuming or less enjoyable, allowing you to focus on what you love about teaching.
Understanding AI's capabilities and limitations is essential. AI learns from the data we provide, so it's crucial to feed it accurate and relevant information. Developing empathy for AI means understanding how it processes information and how to give clear instructions to get the best results.
AI can help cover all aspects of language learning, including:
Move beyond simple substitution and augmentation of tasks with AI. Aim for modification and redefinition of your teaching methods. For instance, use AI to create interactive and personalized learning experiences that were previously unimaginable.
AI offers new teaching possibilities that break away from traditional constraints. Embrace these opportunities to redefine your pedagogy. Think about what is now possible with AI that wasn't before and how you can leverage these capabilities to enhance learning.
Use AI to develop formative assessments that provide continuous feedback. These assessments should help students understand their progress and guide you in improving your teaching strategies. AI can generate rubrics, provide instant feedback, and help track student performance over time.
To help you integrate AI into your teaching practice, here are some practical tips and challenges:
1. Experiment with AI tools: Find tools for creating text, audio, images, and video. Create activities using these tools to see how they can enhance your lessons.
2. Develop custom AI applications: Create custom GPTs for specific tasks, such as generating rubrics or formative assessments.
3. Engage students with AI: Design activities where students use AI to generate content, evaluate AI-generated work, and reflect on their learning process.
4. Focus on formative feedback: Use AI to provide continuous, formative feedback to students, helping them understand their strengths and areas for improvement.
Integrating AI into your teaching practice is not just about using new tools; it's about transforming your approach to education. By embracing AI, you can create more engaging, personalized, and effective learning experiences for your students. As you embark on this journey, remember that the goal is to enhance your teaching, not replace it. Embrace the challenges, experiment with new ideas, and let AI help you become the best educator you can be.
Ready to dive deeper into the world of AI in education? Watch our webinar, 'Teaching in the Age of AI: 7 Tips for Preparing for an Educational Evolution'. Discover how AI can augment teaching, personalize learning, and boost engagement. Delve into the AI-first pedagogy, ethical considerations and practical strategies to make your classroom more effective, engaging, and innovative.
Engaging in conversations, especially in a language that isn't your first, can sometimes be daunting. Whether English isn’t your first language or you’re just looking to improve your conversational skills, having a few handy phrases up your sleeve can make a world of difference. Here are seven essential phrases that can help you navigate conversations in English with greater ease and confidence.
