Sign In When it comes to describing a student’s English abilities, proficiency could fall anywhere between being able to say “hello” and “goodbye” to having native speaker-like fluency. So, how can you determine how well a student uses English? Let’s break down the different English language learner levels used to measure and describe a student’s command of English, including those outlined by a widely used standard called the CEFR.
What is an English language learner (ELL)?
In the English-teaching field, it’s not uncommon to run into abbreviated terms, TEFL buzzwords, or jargon related to the profession. One of these terms is English language learner (ELL), which refers to students whose first language isn’t English and who are, therefore, in the process of improving their English proficiency.
Under the umbrella term, ELL, are acronyms that describe two distinct types of English language learning: ESL and EFL. Although you’ll often see these two terms used interchangeably, it’s important to know how they differ from each other:
- English as a Second Language (ESL) An English language learner studying ESL means that he or she is learning in a country where English is the primary language. An example of this is a Chinese teenager who moves to Canada for university studies. As an ESL learner, he needs to speak and understand English not just for acing his classes but also for interacting with his new peers.
- English as a Foreign Language (EFL) On the contrary, an EFL student is learning the language in a country where English is not the mother tongue. For instance, a young Chilean child takes English lessons with a local tutor after school hours because he doesn’t have a chance to practice the language at his school nor his home.
What is an ELL level of proficiency?
In order to gauge an English language learner’s capability and place them in the appropriate class level, language schools or other institutions usually identify a student’s level of proficiency, which is based on a scale that ranges from beginner to advanced (or native-speaker level).
Whether it’s for assessing young learners or adults, each proficiency level gives a general picture of an ELL’s skills in speaking, reading, writing, and comprehension of the language. For instance, each description gives a teacher or the students themselves an idea of the vocabulary range they have, the situations they can proficiently use English in, and the topics they can talk about.
What is the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages)?
While many standards exist to measure and describe a language learner’s proficiency level, the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), used all over the world, provides the most widely accepted descriptions. Created by the Council of Europe, the CEFR is not English-specific but uses neutral language that can be applied to learners of any language.
CEFR language levels provide universally understood descriptions that are not only recognized in academics, by language schools and textbook publishers, but are also used professionally, such as on resumes, during job recruitment, or by companies promoting their employees.
What are the CEFR levels of English proficiency?
The CEFR scale is organized into six different levels of proficiency, from A1 to C2, which are divided into three broader levels: English Basic User, English Independent User, and Proficient English user. Here’s a closer look at each English level of the CEFR standard to see what they refer to.
Basic User
A1 (Beginner)
If students are at the A1 level, they have a basic grasp of the English language. They can give a self-introduction and respond to simple questions such as, “Where are you from?” or, “How old are you?” As long as the other person talks slowly and clearly, they will be able to interact using isolated words or short phrases.
A2 (Elementary)
Learners in the A2 level are those who can communicate using full sentences, a wider array of vocabulary words, and common expressions related to topics that are simple and relevant to them. For instance, they can speak and answer questions about their family or places in their neighborhood, although they may still require others to speak slowly during a conversation.
Independent User
B1 (Intermediate)
At the B1 level, students can already talk more about familiar topics like their hobbies, personal interests, or education. Moreover, they can use the language in more situations such as traveling, dining out, or socializing. At this point, they’re also able to describe their experiences, dreams, and plans, as well as express their opinions in uncomplicated terms.
B2 (Upper Intermediate)
Once students reach the B2 level, they’re more fluent when it comes to conveying their thoughts and commenting on various concrete and abstract topics, such as cultural and political issues. They can also take part in meetings in their area of expertise and even converse with native speakers without major problems.
Proficient User
C1 (Advanced)
Students’ English skills at the C1 level are already considered advanced, which means they can understand and coherently use complex grammar structures in written and spoken form. They can also have a firmer understanding of longer texts and identify implicit meaning. At this level, learners are also comfortable in using English in school, work, social activities, and almost all other kinds of situations.
C2 (Proficient)
The highest level in the CEFR scale is C1, which is close to native English speaker proficiency. When students reach this level, it means they can communicate very fluently and precisely even if it’s about complex topics like science and finance. They can easily understand almost everything they hear or read in English, regardless of another speaker’s pacing and word choice or the complexity of vocabulary in a text.
How are English language learner levels determined?
As it merely provides universal guidelines to describe language learner levels, the CEFR isn’t a test. However, language learners can find out their place on the CEFR in a number of ways. Here are some types of language level evaluations students can take.
Placement tests
The best and quickest way for ELLs to find out their CEFR level is by taking a placement test given by an English language school or institute. It’s also necessary to take this assessment if you want to take an English language course or if you want to find out your progress during your English studies.
Take note that placement tests may vary from one school to another.
Standardized English proficiency exams
Learners can also take high-quality, standardized English proficiency tests, especially if they need to demonstrate their English level for academic, work, or immigration purposes. As these language exams are more comprehensive than placement tests in language schools, test takers often take an exam-prep course beforehand.
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
- The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
- The Business Language Testing Service (BULATS)
Although these standardized English proficiency exams already have their own English learner levels. based on results, students can also see what their test score is equivalent to in the CEFR levels, such as this comparison provided by TOEFL.
Why is it important for teachers and students to be aware of English language learners’ proficiency level?
Knowing levels of English language learners is crucial for the following reasons:
- It gives the English teacher an idea of what the student may or may not be capable of doing in class right from the start or a course.
- A teacher can determine a learner’s needs and establish goals with the language, based on their current level.
- Teachers can select the materials and activities appropriate to the learner’s level and tailor their teaching techniques.
- Learners can create their own English-learning goals after they find out their present level of proficiency.
- Learners can also see if they’re making headway as they progress through their English studies.
Though every learner has a distinct experience or prior knowledge about the language, it’s not impossible to measure proficiency using standardized levels. With the help of globally-recognized standards, these level descriptions not only guide English teachers in their instruction but also help students take ownership of their language learning progress.
Global scale – Table 1 (CEFR 3.3): Common Reference levels
It is desirable that the common reference points are presented in different ways for different purposes. For some purposes it will however be appropriate to summarize the set of proposed Common Reference Levels in a holistic summarized table. Such a simple ‘global’ representation will make it easier to communicate the system to non-specialist users and will provide teachers and curriculum planners with orientation points.
Official translations of the CEFR Global Scale
| PROFICIENT USER | C2 | Can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read. Can summarize information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation. Can express him/herself spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in more complex situations. |
| C1 | Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognize implicit meaning. Can express him/herself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. Can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. Can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organizational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices. | |
| INDEPENDENT USER | B2 | Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialization. Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party. Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options. |
| B1 | Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. Can deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken. Can produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest. Can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes & ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans. | |
| BASIC USER | A2 | Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment). Can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters. Can describe in simple terms aspects of his/her background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need. |
| A1 | Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type. Can introduce him/herself and others and can ask and answer questions about personal details such as where he/she lives, people he/she knows and things he/she has. Can interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help. |
Official translations of the CEFR Global Scale
| USUARIO COMPETENTE | C2 | Es capaz de comprender con facilidad prácticamente todo lo que oye o lee. Sabe reconstruir la información y los argumentos procedentes de diversas fuentes, ya sean en lengua hablada o escrita, y presentarlos de manera coherente y resumida. Puede expresarse espontáneamente, con gran fluidez y con un grado de precisión que le permite diferenciar pequeños matices de significado incluso en situaciones de mayor complejidad. |
| C1 | Es capaz de comprender una amplia variedad de textos extensos y con cierto nivel de exigencia, así como reconocer en ellos sentidos implícitos. Sabe expresarse de forma fluida y espontánea sin muestras muy evidentes de esfuerzo para encontrar la expresión adecuada. Puede hacer un uso flexible y efectivo del idioma para fines sociales, académicos y profesionales. Puede producir textos claros, bien estructurados y detallados sobre temas de cierta complejidad, mostrando un uso correcto de los mecanismos de organización, articulación y cohesión del texto. | |
| USUARIO INDEPENDIENTE | B2 | Es capaz de entender las ideas principales de textos complejos que traten de temas tanto concretos como abstractos, incluso si son de carácter técnico siempre que estén dentro de su campo de especialización. Puede relacionarse con hablantes nativos con un grado suficiente de fluidez y naturalidad de modo que la comunicación se realice sin esfuerzo por parte de ninguno de los interlocutores. Puede producir textos claros y detallados sobre temas diversos así como defender un punto de vista sobre temas generales indicando los pros y los contras de las distintas opciones. |
| B1 | Es capaz de comprender los puntos principales de textos claros y en lengua estándar si tratan sobre cuestiones que le son conocidas, ya sea en situaciones de trabajo, de estudio o de ocio. Sabe desenvolverse en la mayor parte de las situaciones que pueden surgir durante un viaje por zonas donde se utiliza la lengua. Es capaz de producir textos sencillos y coherentes sobre temas que le son familiares o en los que tiene un interés personal. Puede describir experiencias, acontecimientos, deseos y aspiraciones, así como justificar brevemente sus opiniones o explicar sus planes. | |
| USUARIO BÁSICO | A2 | Es capaz de comprender frases y expresiones de uso frecuente relacionadas con áreas de experiencia que le son especialmente relevantes (información básica sobre sí mismo y su familia, compras, lugares de interés, ocupaciones, etc.) Sabe comunicarse a la hora de llevar a cabo tareas simples y cotidianas que no requieran más que intercambios sencillos y directos de información sobre cuestiones que le son conocidas o habituales. Sabe describir en términos sencillos aspectos de su pasado y su entorno así como cuestiones relacionadas con sus necesidades inmediatas. |
| A1 | Es capaz de comprender y utilizar expresiones cotidianas de uso muy frecuente así como frases sencillas destinadas a satisfacer necesidades de tipo inmediato. Puede presentarse a sí mismo y a otros, pedir y dar información personal básica sobre su domicilio, sus pertenencias y las personas que conoce. Puede relacionarse de forma elemental siempre que su interlocutor hable despacio y con claridad y esté dispuesto a cooperar. |
