Knowing the English level of employees is the first step to organising effective training. It may also be necessary when creating international teams, incorporating a professional into a specific project, or identifying the linguistic needs of an organisation.
However, assessing the English level of a workforce is not just about sending an online test and obtaining a score. There are different types of tests, each measuring different competencies. Choosing the right system will depend primarily on the purpose of the assessment.
Why Does the Company Need to Know the English Level?
Before choosing a test, it is advisable to consider what you want to find out.
If the goal is merely to obtain a rough reference of the general level of a large group of workers, an online test may be sufficient. But if the results are to be used to design training programmes, understand the linguistic competencies available within the organisation, or determine if a person can function professionally in English, a more comprehensive assessment will be necessary. Therefore, the purpose of the evaluation will condition the most suitable type of test.
Online English Tests: A First Approximation
Online tests are probably the quickest option for assessing a large number of people.
Typically, these tests include questions on grammar and vocabulary. At the end, the participant receives a score or an estimate of their level according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), ranging from A1 to C2.
The main advantage is speed, as they allow for an initial classification without the need to organise individual assessment sessions. However, they have a significant limitation: a good result in such a test does not guarantee that the person can communicate or express themselves orally or in writing. It is simply an indicator of a person's grammatical and vocabulary knowledge, more at a passive than active level.
For this reason, when oral communication ability is relevant, the online test should be understood as a first part of the assessment and not as the definitive result.
The Written Test
A written assessment allows for the analysis of aspects that a closed-answer test can hardly measure. Asking the participant to draft an email, explain a professional situation, or briefly develop a topic allows for observation of how they actually use the language.
The evaluator will analyse grammar and vocabulary, but also the ability to organise ideas, construct a coherent discourse, and convey information clearly.
Moreover, using tasks related to the work environment can provide particularly useful information about the competencies the employee will later need in their job.
The Oral Interview: The Key Step to Understanding Communication Ability
In many companies, speaking is precisely the skill that workers need the most. Participating in meetings, answering calls, negotiating with a client, making a presentation, or collaborating with colleagues from other countries requires skills that cannot be adequately measured through a multiple-choice or written test.
An oral interview allows for the assessment of aspects such as fluency, comprehension, pronunciation, vocabulary range, grammatical accuracy, and the ability to maintain a conversation. It also allows for observation of how the person reacts when they have to express themselves spontaneously, reformulate an idea, or answer a question they had not prepared for.
For this reason, when the goal is to organise training aimed at professional communication, the oral assessment is much more decisive than the result obtained in a written test.
Comprehensive Assessment: Combining Written Test and Oral Interview
To obtain a more reliable picture of an employee's level, one of the most comprehensive options is to combine different tools.
The English tests for companies can include a written test along with an oral interview conducted by a specialised evaluator.
This system allows for contrasting different competencies: a person may, for example, demonstrate a good grammatical knowledge and achieve a high score in the written part, but face significant difficulties in expressing themselves orally. The opposite can also happen: there are professionals who regularly use English and communicate fluently, even if they make grammatical errors or have difficulties in more academic exercises.
Detecting these differences is especially important before assigning levels or creating training groups.
How to Interpret Levels A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, and C2?
The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages establishes six levels: A1 and A2 correspond to basic users; B1 and B2 to independent users; and C1 and C2 to advanced users. However, the general level does not tell the whole story. Two people classified as B2 may have very different profiles: one may write correctly but feel insecure when speaking, while another may communicate fluently and make more grammatical errors.
Therefore, in addition to the overall level, it is advisable to identify the strengths and areas for improvement of each participant.
Evaluate Before Forming Groups
A comprehensive initial assessment allows for the creation of more homogeneous groups and the establishment of appropriate objectives. In addition to the linguistic level, it is important to consider the professional roles of the participants, the situations in which they use English, and their objectives.
What Type of Test Should a Company Choose?
It will depend on the purpose of the assessment. To obtain a first reference for a large workforce, an online test may be sufficient. To organise training, the combination of a written test and an oral interview provides much more complete information. And if it is necessary to assess the ability to function in specific professional situations, tasks related to the job can be incorporated.
In short, a level test should serve not only to assign a label but to understand the real competencies of workers and design training that meets their needs.
Trending on the web
You may also like
