The Global Scale of English (GSE) is a new standardised, granular scale from 10 to 90, which measures English language proficiency. We have added over 950 new learning objectives to those already created for the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) including 300 each for general, academic and professional English. Learners can now track their progress from the start of their learning journey with 40 new learning objectives below A1.

How are GSE learning objectives created?

After reviewing existing learning objectives and identifying gaps, new learning objectives are reviewed and refined before being rated by thousands of teachers worldwide on the GSE and CEFR. The learning objectives then go through two rounds of data analysis by our psychometricians in order to calibrate them to the GSE. Any problematic learning objectives are removed, and the final list is checked again by content editors before being published.

Who are the teachers that do the rating?

We’ve collaborated with over 6000 teachers from 50 countries to create the GSE Learning Objectives, and reach a shared understanding of what it means to be at a level in English. The GSE Learning Objectives have been psychometrically aligned to the CEFR.

Of those 6000 teachers, these include 487 in Spain, 409 in Italy, 408 in Poland, 377 in Russia and 361 in Brazil.

How many new learning objectives have been added?

The numbers of new learning objectives, sorted by skill, are:

Reading = 184 new learning objectives
Listening = 133 new learning objectives
Speaking = 344 new learning objectives
Writing = 304 new learning objectives

New GSE learning objectives by sector

The numbers of new learning objectives, sorted by sector, are:

General adult = 328 new learning objectives
Professional = 315 new learning objectives
Academic = 322 new learning objectives

In addition to these new learning objectives, we’ve included and adapted 327 CEFR descriptors (Council of Europe, 2001) with kind permission from the Council of Europe.

Download all GSE learning objectives today.

Originally published on our Pearson English.com blog by Catherine Hayes

Don’t forget to sign up to our ELT blog. You’ll find lots of great stuff to read here!

More info: ELT Argentina – ELT Chile – ELT Spain & Portugal – ELT Uruguay & Paraguay – ELT Central America and the Caribbean