Find the right English language learning activities for your child

It’s important to find learning activities that are at the right level. If an activity is far too difficult, it can be demoralising. However, if your child stays in their comfort zone, their progress will be slower.

So, how do you find your child’s ‘level’? Well, many teachers and experts around the world use the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). The CEFR has six levels from beginner (A1) to very advanced (C2).

Check your child’s CEFR level

Ask your child to complete our quick, free online test for young learners or our online test for school-age learners.

You’ll see your child’s CEFR level at the end of the test. You can use this information to find practice activities and exams at the right level.

Free, short learning activities for young learners

Free, short learning activities for teenagers

Remember, this is a quick test and the level displayed at the end is approximate. When you have your child’s results, ask your child to try an activity at this level. If the activity is too easy or too hard, ask your child to try an activity at the next level up or the next level down.

Improve your child’s English reading

Learning tip for 5–12 year olds
Encourage your child to try some of our fun reading activities, available on a computer or a tablet:

• If your child is at pre-A1 level, encourage them to try our reading activities about food and drink, animals, and things in the home.
• If your child is at A1 level, ask them to try these reading activities about the body and the face, the weather, snow and the library.
• If your child is at A2 level, they can practise reading about things we use or wear, adjectives used to describe things and people, describing what things are made from and numbers.

English language learning tips for 13–18 year olds

Encourage your child to try some of our free online reading activities. For example, they can practise using English in social situations with these activities:

• If your child is at basic level (CEFR A1–A2) they can practise the language used when meeting someone for the first time.
• If your child is at independent level (CEFR B1–B2) they can practise arranging to meet someone.
  
• If your child is at proficient level (CEFR C1–C2) they can practise understanding socio-cultural references.  

Improve your child’s writing in English 

Learning tip for 5–12 year olds
Encourage your child to try some of these fun writing activities:

• Parts of the body is a great writing activity for CEFR pre-A1 level learners.
• Our Sing and Learn activities: part 1 (activity 3) and part 2 (activity 3) are a fantastic way for CEFR A1 and A2 level learners to practise completing written sentences.

Learning tip for 13–18 year olds
Encourage your child to try some of our free online writing activities. For example, they can practise using informal and formal English with these activities:

• Basic level learners (CEFR A1–A2) can practise using informal English to write short emails to their friends and formal English to complete a college form.
• Independent level learners (CEFR B1–B2) can practise using informal English to write informal emails and formal English to write formal letters. 
• Proficient level learners (CEFR C1–C2) can practise the different phrases and registers used in informal and formal writing.

Improve your child’s English listening

Learning tip for 5–12 year olds
Encourage your child to try some of our fun online listening activities:

• Pre-A1 learners can try our listening activities about things in the classroom, things at the beach and a family day out.
• A1 learners can try these listening activities about food and drink, days of the week and things you do at home. 
• A2 learners can try the following listening activities about special times of the year, things you do in your free time, different jobs and going to the movies.

Learning tip for 13–18 year olds
Encourage your child to try some of our free online listening activities. For example, they can practise a range of different listening skills with these activities:

Practise listening for simple information in our activities about going to the movies and shopping for clothes. These activities are great for basic level learners (CEFR A1–A2).

• Practise listening for opinions in these activities about music bands and deciding if people are agreeing or disagreeing. These are good activities for independent level learners (CEFR B1–B2).
• Practise understanding implied meaning and subtle attitudes based on the words and intonation used. These activities are ideal for proficient level learners (CEFR C1–C2).

Improve your child’s English speaking

Learning tip for 5–12 year olds
Encourage your child to practise their speaking skills with our fun Sing and Learn activities:

• Sing about family members, animals and actions in the song: At the zoo. This is a great activity for CEFR pre-A1 level learners.
• Sing about places, transport and things to do in your free time in the songs: Going into town (part 1) and Going into town (part 2). These activities are ideal for CEFR A1–A2 learners.

Learning tip for 13–18 year olds
Encourage your child to try some of our free online pronunciation activities. For example, they can practise word and syllable stress (how stronger and weaker sounds are pronounced differently) with these activities:

• Independent level learners (CEFR B1–B2) can practise different syllable stress patterns.
• Proficient level learners (CEFR C1–C2) can practise different ways of stressing a word and understanding how this changes the meaning of the word.

Improve your child’s English grammar and vocabulary

Learning tip for 5–12 year olds
Encourage your child to improve their English vocabulary with these fun activities:

• If your child is at pre-A1 level, they can practise lots of different vocabulary about clothes, animals, sports, colours and hobbies in this activity: which is correct?.
• If your child is at A1 level, encourage them to try these activities: food and drink, things to do in your free time, the world we live in, at the doctor’s and parts of the body.
• If your child is at A2 level, they can try these activities: food and drink, the time, different jobs, the museum and the natural world.

Learning tip for 13–18 year olds
Encourage your child to try some of our free vocabulary and grammar activities. For example, here are some vocabulary activities for learners at different CEFR levels:

• These activities are ideal for basic level learners (CEFR A1–A2): food, parts of the body and the natural world.
  
• These activities are great for independent level learners (CEFR B1–B2): adverbs and the words do and make.
• These activities are aimed at proficient level learners (CEFR C1–C2): using idioms (everyday expressions with a culturally understood meaning) and vocabulary for qualifying statements and opinions.