Running a placement test at the start of a course: the 3 main benefits

As teachers or academic leads, your mission is to prepare your students as well as possible for the world of tomorrow. In a globalised era, fluency in foreign languages has become a prerequisite for many employers.

So how can you help your students start their course with confidence? And how can you give them a clear picture of their language skills from day one, not only to offer them better learning, but also to measure their progress more accurately?

The answer is simple: a placement test. You haven’t set one up yet? The one you have feels outdated? Let’s look at what a well-designed placement test can bring to your university or higher education institution.

1) Building homogeneous language level groups

While most language tests deliver results based on the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages), some go further and add sub-levels within the CEFR scale (as we do here).

These tools deliver more precise results, which in turn make it possible to form genuinely homogeneous groups. Placing students in same-level groups is a direct way to support their progress. They stay motivated and engaged because they move forward together, at a pace that suits them. You avoid the frustration of students who feel discouraged by a group that is too advanced, and the boredom of those who already know the material being taught. It is a real pedagogical benefit for the student — and also for the teacher, who can design more targeted lessons and achieve better end-of-course results.

This kind of test is therefore an essential step in preparing an academic year that is as pleasant and effective as possible. But the goal is obviously not to make teachers’ lives harder by piling up time-consuming individual tests.

A growing number of placement tests simplify this assessment process: they are taken online and marked automatically by an algorithm based on the CEFR scale. This delivers a significant time saving for teachers, a guarantee of objectivity since every student is assessed in the same way, and the ability to organise groups as relevantly as possible.

2) Setting objectives at the start of a course

By offering a placement test at the start of a course, you help each student to understand their current skill level clearly. With this objective, detailed starting point, it becomes much easier for both the student and the teacher to set clear and achievable goals.

It is well established that the best way to define an objective is the SMART method. A placement test is a tool that helps to define two components of a SMART goal: the measurable and the realistic.

• Measurable: by comparing the skills assessed at the start of the cycle with the results obtained at the end, we can measure student progress precisely and objectively.
• Realistic: the test assesses acquired knowledge against the CEFR scale. The results therefore allow concrete, realistic goals to be set, tailored to each student’s level.

Setting SMART goals works in the same way as forming homogeneous level groups: it helps students feel more confident, more motivated, and more engaged. It also increases the chances of achieving better results by the end of the course.

With the ELAO test, each student receives an end-of-assessment report showing not only their overall results but also a detailed breakdown of their strengths and weaknesses. The report also highlights grammar areas to work on. Knowing exactly what to focus on leads to faster progress. The solution has been designed as a genuine tool for the student, supporting them on their path to success.

3) Spotting level trends from one year to the next

Testing students regularly also gives teaching teams valuable insight. Trends such as globalisation have significantly shifted the general level of certain target languages — English being the most obvious example.

With a clear view of how the average level is evolving year after year, the teaching team can adapt the course content and the overall objectives to aim for. For example, if the average starting level in English has risen from A2(00) to A2(75) over five years, end-of-year targets could be revised upwards.

4) Bonus: Strengthening your institution’s brand image

By kicking off the year with a robust, effective, and branded online placement test — personalised with your logo if you choose ELAO (more information here) — your students immediately understand that your institution offers serious, advanced, structured, and, above all, relevant courses. On top of the considerable pedagogical benefits, this also reinforces your institution’s brand image and the perceived quality of your language training.

With the right tool, you deliver courses that help your students learn with greater ease and efficiency. And if you also save time and energy, with clearer and more useful results… why go without?