Written by Gabriela Estrada

How do you know if you are really learning to speak English, and is there a method to identify it? Of course there is, through self-assessment! 

Identifying the level of individual progress during the study of a language is very important to continue the process with security and confidence. Learning is synonymous with acquiring new knowledge and this knowledge can be compiled to lead to qualifiable results.  

Welcome to the Planet Immiland blogToday, I will share five ways to self-assess your English progress in order to take your study with confidence and assurance, so if you are in doubt about your progress, I invite you to read this entire article so you can identify your strengths and weaknesses and interpret them in terms of results. Let's get started.

How to self-assess progress in English level?

A student must know where he is in his learning process, so that he can make rapid, self-supporting progress. To do this, he must rely on strategies or ways to identify his progress while learning English. Here are five effective ways to self-assess your English level.

1. Keeping a learning diary

A student who keeps a written record of what he or she has learned during the day can visualize both his or her strengths and weaknesses. For example, he may realize that he has good pronunciation, good ability to interpret an oral message or, on the contrary, realize that he has not yet mastered spelling or does not use a verb tense correctly. 

1. Conduct evaluation tests

Taking standardized tests such as CELPIP or IELTS to evaluate your skills in the areas of reading, writing, speaking and listening is one of the strengths of English. When an English student learns English for work, academic or migratory purposes, he/she needs to test him/herself with this type of exams, whose results reflect the skills for each area, so the student can identify if he/she needs to improve reading comprehension, oral interpretation, speech, etc. In the end, the score obtained shows how much the student knows so far.

1. Record your voice speaking in English and make presentations at home

Recording sentences aloud, conversations with fellow students or making presentations on a variety of topics, as if it were an exposition or an academic dissertation in formal and informal English, is very useful for you to then review the material and begin to evaluate pronunciation, vocabulary range, verb tense management, fluency, etc.

1. Participate in conversation clubs in order to recognize how much you are actively involved

English conversation clubs are usually conducive to a climate of relaxed participation and, when the goal of self-assessment is added to them, they take on a different meaning, because the student keeps his focus on constant feedback and manages to intervene repeatedly by assuming the English conversation as a way to recognize his linguistic weaknesses in a real environment in order to correct them on the spot.

1. Create your own English language portfolio

This last form of English self-assessment is potentially effective when done from the beginning, as it allows you to show your progress over time from day 1. What can make up your English portfolio? Writing, home recordings, tests, and anything else you have used to measure your performance with each task.

Importance of self-assessment during study

Self-assessment is a learning method used in education and is very useful for a learner to identify his or her own performance in terms of quality. When it comes to learning English, a person proceeds to evaluate his or her level according to the ability he or she demonstrates to better communicate or understand a message in the new language.

Cognitive self-knowledge allows the learner to to take control of his or her development through the identification of their strengths and areas for improvement. This is achieved through an associated process of internal reflection that requires objectivity y transparencyThis is achieved through a process of internal reflection that requires objectivity and transparency, since there is no point in being placed at a certain level just because of having fulfilled a syllabus; on the contrary, true knowledge is manifested in terms of quality, that is, speaking fluent English.

Thanks to self-assessment, the English learner can improve his or her level because he or she is able to:

1. Encourage autonomy and responsibility for their own learningThe student develops a greater awareness of his or her skills and identifies areas for improvement. This, in turn, leads to the ability to effectively analyze your own work.

1. Raise your self-esteem and motivation. By recognizing his own achievements, the student establishes a positive atmosphere in his learning environment and, even if he makes mistakes, he still maintains interest and enthusiasm to correct his mistakes and continue learning.

1. Facilitate their learning on an individual basis. Although the English teacher is fundamental in the process of teaching the language, because he has the necessary training and strategies to transmit his knowledge in an effective way, the student learns much more when he carries out his assigned activities and tasks. Let's say that this is the moment when he/she encounters the real content that he/she managed to understand during class and how to solve problems by him/herself.

1. Self-sufficient preparation for professional life. Self-assessment is a highly valued skill in the workplace. Applying this method demonstrates the ability to recognize mistakes and transform them into potential strengths that can be adapted to new practices and job functions.

Now that you know these ways to self-evaluate your progress in English, I invite you to take our free placement test. After your results, you will know which course corresponds to the level of learning you have demonstrated.

At Planeta Immiland Educationwe offer English and French courses designed to help you achieve your language and immigration goals. Our programs are based on standardized Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) scores, with a valuable academic, employment and immigration focus.

• English courses: From basic to advanced levels, our English courses lead you to develop skills in speaking, writing, reading and listening. In addition, they prepare you to function in Canadian culture. View English courses.

• French courses: we also have French programs focused on developing skills for taking standardized tests and for life in Canada. Do you know about intensive courses and specific programs such as "Mobilité Francophone". To learn more, click click here.

I hope you can put these five forms of self-assessment into practice and identify your progress. Remember that learning a language requires the guidance of a good certified teacher, but it is the student's duty to improve his or her knowledge with complementary methods and tools that will lead him or her to raise the level higher and higher.

Thank you for reading. Much success in your progress, see you in a future blog!

With love,

Planet Immiland