Speaking placement test for Young Learners – teacher copy -

2021
Instructions
IMPORTANT: The placement test should be done by a teacher who has had teaching experience with most YL levels.

Talk to the client for roughly 5 minutes by following the instructions below, and decide on their entry level with the placement criteria. Then, pass

the level onto the center manager as discreetly as possible. Do not verbally announce scores, stages or levels in front of clients because this may

cause disagreement or embarrassment.

Step 1: Begin by saying hello, saying your name, and asking for their name.

Step 2: Show one picture and ask the questions provided (or your own ideas) to get them to warm up their spoken English.

Step 3: While the client is talking, use the placement criteria to decide which level they should join. If you think the client’s level is higher or if you

have any doubts, consult a Senior Teacher or the Test Manager.

Scoring
There are up to 35 questions in general which refer to the levels from YL starter to Yl6. The pupil earns 1 point for each correct answer.
Suggested Questions
Picture Questions scores
YLstarter What letter is this (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, 2
I month S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z)
What colour is it? (It’s blue, it’s red, etc.) 3

II month What animal is this? (It is a cat, it is a dog, it is an elephant) 4

III month What’s this? What are they? (ask about clothes or school things) 5

YL1 I Is she a teacher? (Yes, she is / No she isn’t) 7

month What is it? (school things: it’s a pen, it’s a notebook etc.)
8
IImonth Where are the toys? (pic. 5)

III month What colour eyes/hair has your friend got? (elicit to describe a 9
friend)
IV month 10
What food do you like? (pic. 6)
YL2 I month What has she/he got? (pic. 6) 11
12
II month What do you do after school?
13
What time is it now? What’s the weather like?
III monh
15
What are they doing?
IV month

YL3 I month What do you like doing at the beach/ in your free time? 16
17
II month We are in a shop. What would you like?

Tell me about some rules in your school or at home? 18

III month
20
What was your mum like when she was a child?
IV month
YL4 I month Tell me about an excursion or day trip that you enjoyed. 21
II month Compare the objects you see in the pictures
22
III month Tell me about your future job. What will you do when you finish 23
school?
IV month
Have you ever climbed a mountain/ been in foreign counrties? 24
V month
What were you doing this morning at 7 o’clock? 25

YL5 I month Have you ever made anything on your own? (mask, decoration, cards 26
etc.) what did you use?
II month 27
What rules do you have to save water/electricity?

What do you think about recycling? Have ever made anything from 28
III month
your old things?

V month 29
 Talk about your favourite film? (is it a comedy/action…) what happens
in the film? Why do you like it?

 What historical places would you like to visit? Why? 30

YL6 I month Talk about your future plans. 31

II month What will you do if you fail your exam/test? 32

III month
What famous inventions do you know and whom were they invented 33
by?
IV month What do you think, which transport will be more popular in the future 34

V month What would you do if you were a president? 35

Tell about a film you watched recently

Placement criteria

Speaking ability To join

Cannot (or can barely) communicate; communication is only possible in the L1 or via gestures and pictures. YL
Grammar: Is unable or finds it difficult to communicate with foundational grammatical structures such as: Starter
HOW ARE YOU? I’M FINE. WHAT IS YOUR NAME? MY NAME IS..

Vocabulary: Is unable or finds it difficult to communicate with foundational lexical items such as:
HELLO, YES/NO, NAME, GOODBYE, GOOD, FINE, OK

Can minimally interact; communication is only possible with a lot of translation, gestures and pictures. YL1
Grammar: Despite errors, is able communicate with grammatical structures taught at starter stage, such as:
WHAT’S YOUR NAME? MY NAME IS…, WHAT IS IT?, IT IS A BALL, I LIKE/DON’T LIKE…, ONE BALL, TWO BALLS (SINGLUAR/PLURAL), ARE
THEY CATS?, YES THEY ARE/NO THEY AREN’T, IS IT A NOTEBOOK?, YES IT IS/NO IT ISN’T

Vocabulary: Despite errors, is able to communicate with lexical items taught at starter stage, such as:
APPLE, GREEN, BLACK, WHITE, CAT, EGG, TEDDY, NUMBERS 1-20, DAD, GRANDPA, BOY, GIRL, THIRSTY, HOT, PRONOUNS (HE, THEY, SHE, I), BIRD,
RIVER, TEACHER, VET, SOFA, CAKE, YO-YO
Can interact with words and short phrases, provided that support from gestures, pictures and translation is provided. YL2
Grammar: Despite errors, is able communicate with grammatical structures taught at pre-beginner stage, such as:
WHAT’S THIS? IT IS A PEN, IS THIS YOUR TEDDY? YES, IT IS/NO IT ISN’T, THIS IS/THESE ARE MY LEGS, SHE’S/HE’S A TEACHER, WHERE’S THE BALL?
IT’S UNDER/ON/IN THE…, DAD’S VAN/MUM’S UMBRELLA (POSESSIVE), THIS IS HER/HIS T-SHIRT, HE’S/SHE’S GOT, I HAVE/HAVEN’T GOT MY…, HE/SHE
HAS/HASN’T GOT HIS/HER…, I LIKE/DON’T LIKE CATS, THERE IS/ARE A/SOME…, HE/SHE/KIT CAN/CANT’ FLY, LET’S GO!

Vocabulary: Despite errors, is able to communicate with lexical items taught at pre-beginner stage, such as:
HANDS, EYES, FIREMAN, PUPIL, SLIDE, TREE, QUEEN, BROTHER, GRANDMA, WINDOW, TROUSERS, DRESS, HAT. BATHROOM, KITCHEN, DOWNSTAIRS,
SHEEP, BISCUIT, LUNCH BOX, CHAIR, LONG, STRAIGHT, RECTANGLE, TALL, LITTLE, FAN, YOGHURT, MEAT, JUICE, SHELF, BLANKET, TIN, WALK, SWIM,
FLY, FOX, THE SEA, SUN CREAM, RUG, NUMBERS 1-20
Can interact with short sentences provided the other person speaks slowly in simplified language . YL3
Grammar: Despite errors, is able communicate with grammatical structures taught at beginner stage, such as:
THIS/THAT/THESE/THOSE, PRESENT SIMPLE + BE, HAS/HAVE GOT, WHAT/WHERE HAVE WE GOT ENGLISH/P.E.? CAN/CAN’T FOR ABILITY, PRESENT
SIMPLE WITH MAIN VERBS, WHAT’S THE TIME? IT’S …O’CLOCK, WHERE DOES HE WORK? HE WORKS IN A BANK, WHAT’S THE WEATHER LIKE? IT’S
SUNNY/RAINY…, PRESENT CONTINUOUS, COMPARATIVES, PAST SIMPLE (BE)

Vocabulary: Despite errors, is able to communicate with lexical items taught at beginner stage, such as:
COMPUTER, PENCIL CASE, POSTER, COLD, HUNGRY, SHOES, PLAY TENNIS, RIDE A HORSE, BETWEEN, CHICKEN, FRIES, NUMBERS 1-100, SCIENCE,
ART, SPORTS FIELD, HAVE A MUSIC LESSON, DO MY HOMEWORK, PLAY WITH FRIENDS, CARD, SWEETS, TIE, HAVE DINNER, GO TO BED, IN THE
EVENING, AIRPORT, HOSPITAL, STATION, SNOWING, WINDY, GO OUTSIDE, BOOTS, SCARF, A QUARTERTO/PAST.., BRIDE, GUESTS, TAKE PHOTOS,
DONKEY, COW, QUIET, FRIDGE, NAUGHTY, WOMEN/WOMAN, MEN/MAN, FOURTH

Can hold a simple conversation, although it is often necessary for the other person to paraphrase or repeat. YL4

Grammar: Despite errors, is able communicate with grammatical structures taught at pre-elementary stage, such as:
PRESENT SIMPLE (BE), LIKE + VERB + ING, POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS, CAN FOR PERMISSION AND REQUESTS, PRESENT CONTINUOUS AND SIMPLE
(AFFRIMATIVE, NEGATIVE, QUESTIONS & SHORT ANSWERS), ADVERBS OF FREQUENCY, PRESPOSITIONS OF TIME, COUNTABLE AND UNCOUNTABLE
NOUNS, COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE ADJECTIVES, MUST/MUSTN’T FOR RULES AND OBLIGATIONS, PAST SIMPLE (BE, HAVE & REGULAR VERBS),
QUANTIFIERS (LOTS, SOME OF, MANY), TIME EXPRESSIONS (FIFTY YEARS AGO, LAST WEEK), BE GOING TO + VERB (PLANS)

Vocabulary: Despite errors, is able to communicate with lexical items taught at pre-elementary stage, such as:
AUSTRALIA, WINTER, DO GYMNASTICS, SKATEBOARD, SPACE, PLAY THE PIANO, TURN ON/OFF, BADGE, DIVE, KAYAK, DANGEROUS, FLAMINGO,
LIZARD, KIND, FREE, GET DRESSED, CATCH THE BUS, FINALLY, NEXT, LIBRARY, SINGER, ONION, MELON, FIELD, PEPPER, WIDE, DEEP, BUILDING,
FOUNTAIN, LITTER, CROSS, CHASE, FERRY, DREAM, AT THE TOP OF, INSIDE, PRETTY, FRIENDLY, RELAXED, CHEERFUL, USE, LAUGH, STONE, HEAVY,
PAINTBRUSH, APRON, MATCHES, SUITCASE, TOOTHPASTE, NEXT WEEK
Can independently interact in a simple way but more complex or abstract discussion is problematic. YL5

Grammar: Despite errors, is able communicate with grammatical structures taught at elementary stage, such as:
PRESENT SIMPLE & CONTINUOUS WITH TIME MARKERS (USUALLY, RIGHT NOW..), PAST SIMPLE REGULAR AND IRREGULAR WITH TIME MARKERS (TWO
DAYS AGO, LAST YEAR..), POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS, ADVERBS OF MANNER, HAVE/HAD TO, WHY & BECAUSE, IRREGULAR COMPARATIVES AND
SUPERLATIVES, WILL (PREDICTIONS) WITH TIME MARKERS (SOON, THIS EVENING..), SOME/ANY, MUCH/MANY, HOW OFTEN…?, PRESENT PERFECT
(QUESTIONS, AFFIRMATIVE AND NEGATIVE) WITH ‘EVER’ AND’NEVER’, SHOULD/SHOULDN’T, COULD/COULDN’T, OBJECT PRONOUNS, RELATIVE

PRONOUNS, PAST CONTINUOUS AND SIMPLE COMBINED, PASSIVE (I WAS BORN…) Vocabulary: Despite errors, is able to communicate with
lexical items taught at elementary stage, such as:
MENU, BOTTLE OF WATER, TRAY, VIOLIN, STAGE, TWO WEEKS AGO, SKELETON, DEAD, BOUGHT, KICK, OURS, HAPPILY, TRAFFIC LIGHT, GO BACK,
BECAUSE, WOODEN , BREAK, THE WORST, THE SUN, ASTRONAUT, LATER, PASSENGER, CARTOON, SAVE A DOCUMENT, CLICK ON, HURTS, VERB,
CAPITAL CITY, A COUGH, FEEL DIZZY, CANDLE, POUR, PEEL, MOTHER-IN-LAW, NIECE, JOURNALIST, SECRETARY, LESS, COMFORTABLE, REPAIR,
CLAPPED, IN THREE DAYS’ TIME, TRAVEL BY TRAIN, TWICE A YEAR, LOGGED OFF
Can interact relatively fluently in both simple and complex discussion, although regular interaction in an English -only YL6

environment would be challenging.

Grammar: Despite errors, is able communicate with grammatical structures taught at pre-intermediate stage, such as:
PRESENT PERFECT WITH EVER/NEVER/FOR/SINCE/ALREADY/YET, PAST SIMPLE AND RPESENT PERFECT COMBINED, COMPARATIVES (NOT AS…AS..),
TOO/ENOUGH, PAST SIMPLE AND CONTINUOUS, USED TO, WILL/WON’T, PRESENT CONTINUOUS FOR FUTURE PLANS, GOING TO FOR FUTURE PLANS
AND PREDICTIONS, REPORTED SPEECH WITH SAY/TELL AND TIME MARKERS (TOMORROW → THE NEXT DAY…), FIRST CONDITIONAL, MODAL VERBS
(MAY/MIGHT/COULD/HAVE TO), PRESENT SIMPLE PASSIVE, PAST SIMPLE PASSIVE, INDEFINITE PRONOUNS, QUESTION TAGS

Vocabulary: Despite errors, is able to communicate with lexical items taught at pre-intermediate stage, such as:
HAMMER, TOOL BOX, WRITTEN, TREE HOUSE, LADDER, LIGHTS, CHARACTER, ALREADY, TIDY UP, ROBBERY, SPONGE, CLOTH, BRIGHT, WASHING
LINE, THE ENVIRONMENT, CLEAN UP, ELECTRICITY, FOSSIL FUELS, CHEMICALS, GREETINGS CARDS, PICNIC AREA, ENDANGERED SPECIES, FIRST AID
KIT, PUT DOWN, PUT AWAY, ACCIDENT, READY-MADE, DAIRY PRODUCTS, SNACKS, TROPHY, BREATHE, OXYGEN, STATUE, TIME CAPSULE,
EARTHQUAKE, INTERVIEW, CELEBRITY