Understanding your learners' levels and needs

Use sample papers to help you identify your learners’ level and where there are gaps. The results can support conversations with learners and their parents and guide your next steps in teaching.

Free sample tests, both paper-based and computer-based, can be found via our exam preparation page, or use our authentic practice tests. Our guide to converting practice test scores will help you understand how well your students are doing in each skill.

Try to have a one-to-one session with each learner, time permitting. This can be in their first language to ensure an open and honest discussion.

Use these sessions to find out more about what they have been studying at home and give them guidance on how to address gaps you identified from the sample test.

The discussion can also help you understand any mental health issues that may have an impact on their on-going learning.

When starting a new unit in your coursebook or at the start of each week or each lesson, find out how confident your learners are about what is coming up by asking them to do a quick quiz: How confident are you about…? (e.g. writing an email to a friend/describing people/using the present continuous, etc.).

Ask them again at the end of the unit/week/lesson. This can help learners to reflect on their own learning and build their confidence, as well as helping you to understand their needs better.

• Some learners will need more support than others to catch up and may need more time to do activities.
• Use our Fast finisher ideas for primary for the students who finish a task quickly while you support those who need more time. Give different homework tasks according to where learners need most practice.
• Our self-access study materials (levels A2-C1) can help both weaker and stronger learners develop at their own pace.
• If your learners have internet access, they can also use our online learning materials for both primary and secondary, or try our mobile app, Exam Lift (for A2 Key for Schools and B1 Preliminary for Schools).

• Give learners feedback on what they have done as quickly as possible. Don’t just give them scores or highlight errors, but tell them what they have done well and make suggestions about how to improve.
• For secondary learners, Write & Improve is a great tool to give learners instant feedback on their writing and to help them revise and improve what they’ve written.