Hi, everyone:
I am new to teaching ESL* and looking for pointers on giving out my first test. I have the most base-level students, all of whom are recent immigrants varying in age from mid 20s through middle age. Since starting teaching this class in Janurary we have covered basic workplace terms (hotel, store, taxi), letter pronunciation, and verb conjugation.
My question is, what is a good test to hand out that will encompass and see how they're doing?
Any advice is appreciated.
Thanks,
Mike G
*Taught undergraduate English/Rhetoric as a graduate fellow and assigned essay questions.
First test help?
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FraneWatson
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Re: First test help?
Welcome to the world of ESL teaching — it can be incredibly rewarding, especially when working with recent immigrants. Since your students are at a base level and you've covered workplace terms, letter pronunciation, and verb conjugation, I’d recommend creating a test that blends practical usage with basic language skills.
Here’s a simple test structure that worked well for me:
Matching Vocabulary – Give them workplace-related words (e.g., hotel, cashier, taxi) and ask them to match to pictures or simple definitions.
Pronunciation Check – Use a reading-aloud section where they read a few basic words or sentences. This helps assess pronunciation and builds confidence.
Fill-in-the-Blanks – Create sentences with missing verbs (conjugated) and see if they can supply the right form (e.g., "He ___ (to work) in a store").
Short Dialogue Completion – Offer a basic workplace conversation (e.g., between a customer and a worker) with missing parts for them to complete.
Listening Comprehension (optional) – Play a short, slow audio related to daily tasks and ask basic comprehension questions.
Keep the test short and visual if possible — visuals are especially helpful for lower-level learners.
Here’s a simple test structure that worked well for me:
Matching Vocabulary – Give them workplace-related words (e.g., hotel, cashier, taxi) and ask them to match to pictures or simple definitions.
Pronunciation Check – Use a reading-aloud section where they read a few basic words or sentences. This helps assess pronunciation and builds confidence.
Fill-in-the-Blanks – Create sentences with missing verbs (conjugated) and see if they can supply the right form (e.g., "He ___ (to work) in a store").
Short Dialogue Completion – Offer a basic workplace conversation (e.g., between a customer and a worker) with missing parts for them to complete.
Listening Comprehension (optional) – Play a short, slow audio related to daily tasks and ask basic comprehension questions.
Keep the test short and visual if possible — visuals are especially helpful for lower-level learners.