Understanding your GSE score

Samantha Ball
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Reading time: 3 minutes

For many students, navigating the world of English language proficiency tests can be a daunting experience. Whether you're preparing for university, looking to enhance your career prospects, or simply aiming to improve your communication skills, understanding what your Global Scale of English (GSE) score means is crucial.

In this blog post, we'll break down the GSE, explain what your score represents and provide you with actionable steps to improve it.

Understanding your ɫèAV Global Scale of English (GSE) score
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What is the GSE?

The Global Scale of English (GSE) is a pioneering framework developed and validated by a team of experts in learning science and global research. It's not just another scoring system but a robust measure designed to give you unparalleled insights into your English language abilities.

The GSE serves as a central pillar in ɫèAV’s English Journey and is recognized globally as a significant advancement in language learning, teaching and assessment.

"The Global Scale of English represents the most significant advance in performance-based approaches to language learning, teaching and assessment since the development of the Common European Framework of Reference."

David Nunan, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Applied Linguistics at the University of Hong Kong.

How do I get my GSE score?

Your GSE score can be obtained by taking any standardized tests aligned with the GSE, such as the ɫèAV Test of English (PTE). These tests measure your proficiency across various aspects of English, providing a comprehensive score that reflects your abilities.

What does my GSE score mean?

Your GSE score will be a number from 10 (Starter-level proficiency) to 90 (Expert-level fluency). But the GSE score is more than just a number—it's a detailed insight into your English proficiency.

You might be familiar with other scales, such as the CEFR. The GSE is aligned to the CEFR, but it goes beyond it to help you understand your current language skill level and identify areas for improvement.

Here’s a quick guide to understanding your GSE score:

GSE score
GSE level
I can...
GSE
10-19
Starter Use and understand a small number of words and phrases. For example, you can say hello and introduce yourself.
GSE
20-29
Beginner Ask and answer simple questions, write short sentences and share personal information. For example, you can order food and drink in a simple way.
GSE
30-39
Pre-intermediate Talk about everyday topics and understand the main information in conversations. For example, you can make a hotel reservation over the phone.
GSE
40-49
Intermediate Share your opinions, explain your reasoning and write longer texts, such as short essays. For example, you can describe your weekend plans.
GSE
50-59
High intermediate Lead and participate in conversations on familiar and unfamiliar topics, and write documents expressing opinion or fact, such as reports and articles. For example, you can make a complaint.
GSE
60-69
Pre-advanced Speak more fluently about a broad range of topics and share your detailed ideas and explanations in writing too. For example, you can understand a wide range of TV shows and films.
GSE
70-79
Advanced Speak fluently in personal, professional and academic contexts and understand unfamiliar topics, even colloquialisms. For example, you can make and understand jokes using word-play.
GSE
80-90
Expert Talk spontaneously, fluently and precisely, read and write documents with ease and understand spoken English in all contexts. You can participate in fast-paced conversations on complex topics.

How can I improve my GSE score?

Improving your GSE score is about more than just studying harder; it's about studying smarter. Here are some practical steps you can take to fast-track your progress and build confidence:

  • Practice regularly: Consistent practice is key. Incorporate English into your daily routine, whether through reading, writing, or speaking.
  • Use Mondly by ɫèAV: ɫèAV language learning courses and apps, like Mondly by ɫèAV, help you improve your English skills and align with the GSE, so you can continually track your progress on one scale. Mondly by ɫèAV offers interactive language exercises that make learning enjoyable and effective.
  • Engage with the community: Follow ɫèAV Languages on social media platforms for fun and helpful language-learning tips and advice. Engaging with a community of other language learners can also help you stay motivated and provide support when you need it.

Boost your English skills with us

Understanding your GSE score is the first step towards unlocking your full potential in English. By getting detailed insights into your language skills, you can personalize your learning path, build your confidence and fast-track your progress. Remember, the key to improvement lies in regular practice and engaging with comprehensive learning tools.

Ready to take the next step? Download Mondly by ɫèAV today and fast-track your progress with the GSE.

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    Game-based learning vs. Gamification: Understanding the difference

    Let’s begin by first addressing the term "game-based learning" and how it compares to its doppelgänger, gamification. Gamification is the application of game mechanics and dynamics to non-game contexts to solve problems, engage users and promote desired behaviours. For example, rewarding acheivements with points, awards or badges for achievement, levelling up, using avatars, quests and collaboration are all gamification features, which elevate games above the mundane activities of normal life.

    The principles of gamification have been applied to the retail and services sectors for years: think of airlines' frequent flyers programs, pubs and bars running "happy hours" promotions, WeightWatchers' points-counting, Foursquare's badges for visiting new places. There are hundreds of examples of where game dynamics have been introduced into non-game contexts to influence behaviour and bring about a desired result.

    Game-based learning in action: More than just play

    Gamification does not refer to the straightforward use of games (whether digital or otherwise) as part of a teaching or learning interaction. A teacher using the board game Monopoly in the classroom to demonstrate the idea of rent is not gamifying the learning environment; they are involving learners in game-based learning. GBL refers to the use of games as tools: as devices for opening discussion, presenting concepts or promoting learner engagement within clearly defined learning objectives, in other words, learning through playing games. Gamification is the appropriation of those principles, mechanics and dynamics that make games work in order to promote engagement or engender a desired outcome.

    Teachers have long introduced games into the learning environment – such as Kim’s Game, Pelmanism and Guess Who? – and the uptake of GBL with digital games is particularly well demonstrated by the work being done by the Institute of Play, and the growing popularity of the likes of Minecraft and SimCity in schools. In terms of our immediate ELT context, pretty much any video game can be repurposed for language learning, in the same way a text, song or website can be. Take, for example, the indie game . Although there is no actual spoken language in the game, the platform puzzle format lends itself perfectly to practising language around predictions or conditionals ("If I pull that lever, the door will open"), recounting events ("I was chased by a giant spider!"), strategising and so on. In this post, we will be referring to existing digital games that have been appropriated into a learning context, as opposed to games that have been designed with a specific educational use in mind.

    Sharma and Barrett’s definition of blended learning provides a useful context for approaching the use of digital games in such modalities, notably the combination of “a face-to-face classroom component with an appropriate use of technology”. We’re making no assumptions about whether the games are being accessed in the classroom, on mobile or online at home. The blend isn’t defined by where a learner is, but by how their use of technology supports and enhances their contact with the teacher.

    The notion of appropriateness in Sharma and Barrett’s definition is critical as, in the case of a GBL project, it assumes a teacher has a familiarity with both the tech and content accessibility of a selected game. Acquiring that level of familiarity with a game requires a certain amount of time engaging with it to determine its fit for the needs of the learners, an activity which might easily be considered off task when compared to the other demands being made on an educator’s schedule.

    How GBL fuels engagement and deeper learning

    The benefits of GBL with digital games are potentially quite profound, however. First, studies indicate that playing video games in general can stimulate the generation of neurons and enhance connectivity between the regions of the brain responsible for memory formation, spatial orientation and strategic thinking. The right pairing of game and learning objectives could be argued to promote situated cognition, a theory that knowledge is constructed through – and inseparable from – social interactions and the context in which they take place. A learner immersed in SimCity stands a much greater chance of understanding the principles of taxation and the provision of public services through playing the role of a mayor, for example, than a learner being walked through the annual budget. As Lim et al. state: “games are effective because learning takes place within a meaningful context where what must be learned is directly related to the environment in which learning and demonstration take place”.

    Early-stage research on mirror neurons is adding a new aspect to the discussion around the immediacy of playing games. In short, mirror neurons suggest that when we observe someone performing an action, there is a brief moment in which our brain cells fire as if we are carrying out that action ourselves. The boundary between observer (player) and observed (in-game character) becomes blurred for a split second. A lot can happen in that split second.

    In addition to the benefits of an immersive, neuron-stroking experience, games demonstrably promote learner engagement by introducing the F-bomb into the mix (fun). They also have the capacity to provide an unrivalled social experience, as in the case of MMORPGs (massively multiplayer online role-playing games). As an example, consider how a leading MMORPG game, World of Warcraft, is applied in learning environments.

    Addressing concerns and embracing change

    However, there are often deep-seated cultural aversions to the use of games in an educational context that GBL initiatives are required to overcome. Critics have said that digital games are anti-social, that they rot your attention span, that they are not legitimate, validated learning resources. Although there is not yet a body of research that can empirically confirm or debunk the effectiveness of games used for learning, surely watching a learner plan, execute and evaluate a project in Minecraft with classmates suggests that those objections are based on dated assumptions. The language learning space in particular is still very much attached to a coursebook paradigm that is predicated on levels and a clearly defined syllabus. Perhaps GBL is too much at odds with an established business model that is the bedrock of too many large education organisations.

    So is GBL a waste of time? We’d argue that it is when its potential is not properly recognised and it is treated as light relief. Games are dynamic, engaging resources capable of delivering experiences and drawing connections that can really ignite a student’s learning experience. Furthermore, they bring a playful and unpredictable aspect to the learning process.

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    Then, both students and teachers will be able to use their language, collaborative, leadership and empathethic skills in English-speaking environments – and these skills are crucial for thriving in the fast-paced world of technological progress.

    The power of soft skills and confidence

    There’s one experience that changed my mindset years ago – and it’s directly connected to the title of this text. The moment my English fluency truly improved was the moment I began to believe in myself. It was when I projected the version of myself I wanted to become. It was when I realized I wanted to speak to the world, and my confidence extended far beyond the classroom.

    Long story short, my perspective as a student shifted dramatically when I got my first job. That’s when I realized the value of understanding the world, being able to communicate effectively, and developing essential soft skills – skills I didn’t even realize I was learning at the time, but which have been crucial to my personal and professional growth. Today, I’m glad that education is starting to include these elements in the classroom.

    ɫèAV’s support for educators and students

    I’m excited about ɫèAV's latest research into GSE Soft Skills (report coming soon). The GSE provides a methodological framework and resources to enhance my teaching. It also offers answers to my long-standing questions, including tools to prepare my classes more effectively and support my colleagues in helping students master both language and professional skills.

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    The world is moving fast – and sometimes faster than we can keep up with. By integrating creativity, communication and leadership into our lessons, we give our students the skills that employers value most and that technology can’t replace. These are the same skills that, without a doubt, helped me reach my goals.

    In my case, I didn’t learn these soft skills at a very young age – but the sooner our students do, the better. The earlier they connect with their purpose, the deeper the impact.

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