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ESL forum >
Message board > Negotiating this site
Negotiating this site
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joy2bill
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Negotiating this site
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How dumb am I? I have been a member since Jan 2008 and I have only just discovered that I do not have to scroll through all the new contributions with all levels, which takes so much time. I have found the �search recent contributions � button with a choice of levels.
Guess we should all read the FAQ �s and instructions more often.
Cheers Joy |
16 Apr 2011
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chrissmolder
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I didn �t realize that either! Thanks for pointing it out.
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16 Apr 2011
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pilarmham
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Just another dummy here: how do you do that?... |
16 Apr 2011
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silvia.patti
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Hi Joy, you are right but sometimes the level of a worksheet depends from the author. An exercise can be easy for a class, but difficult for another. So you could miss something...
Silvia
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16 Apr 2011
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Jayho
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Joy, I don �t think that option has been there since 2008, or has it????
BTW, I didn �t really think about that option being there even though I �ve seen it there when I search.
Cheers
Jayho |
16 Apr 2011
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zailda
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I agree with Silvia, because in the past I have chosen this option to search and the result was not what I expected. Levels depend on the teacher, the class and the country school divisions that vary from place to place. When students from other schools apply for a placement test at the school where I work at, it �s clear that what we place under the "elementary" label is different from what other school does. When I classify my wss I have in mind what I teach at each level, but I �m not sure about the others. I have seen wss classified under "elementary" that I �d only use with my advanced. I �d like to add that sometimes a ws deals with an easy topic for beginners (like the verb to be in the present) but it contains exercises and sentences with the present perfect (intermediate), wish clauses (advanced), phrasal verbs (intermediate), indirect speech (intermediate), passive voice (advanced), and that turns the wss useless because they �ll make our students feel confused or an inexperienced teacher might get into trouble trying to explain the sentences before the students do the exercises. Would it be useful if we sent a list of topics taught at each level in our country / school? It �d be useful when we download a person �s ws - I think. Or maybe if the members used common sense when preparing wss, it �d save lots of time checking before giving them to our students. Have a nice weekend! - from sunny Brazil  |
16 Apr 2011
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almaz
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Quite right, Zailda. The worksheet �levels � here seem to be completely arbitrary, far too subjective and often bear little relevance to our students � abilities and achievements.
In Europe, we �ve been using the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) for some time now and most course books - no matter what language you �re learning - nowadays give the appropriate level code (A1, A2 etc...up to C2 ) so it doesn �t matter what particular, or even peculiar, names your centre uses for their classes ( �High Fliers �, anyone?). Perhaps a similar system can be instituted here.
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16 Apr 2011
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moravc
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Well, CEFR - A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2 is a good idea. see the table here
It is really easy to follow - A1-beg, A2-el, B1-pre-int, B2-int, C1-upper-int, C2-adv
It had been suggested before, but Victor said no...
Maybe it is difficult to change the level options on the website... dunno...
To the suggestion - distinguish levels according to grammar topics
-> This would make no sense, really... CEFR - GRAMMAR:
http://www.examenglish.com/CEFR/cefr_grammar.htm
Almost all grammar topics consist of easy part and more diffucult part - modals, phrasals, passive, conditionals, reported speech...
And the level depends on the vocabulary (common, less common, idiomatic...) and the lenght of the exercises as well...
For example: passive is taught in A2, B1 and C1 - pre-int, int and upper-int level, according to the difficulty - is/was + V3 is the easiest, then: will be+V3,
then followed by has been +V3, is/was being V3, is going to be V3
and the "older" students learn the less common passives such as - had been V3, will have been V3,
or the strange passives such as: will be being V3, will have been being V3
Similar with comparatives, there are easy (short) comparatives, followed by expressions such as "a bit more crowded", "a little bit shallower", "a way more encouraging", "much more soothing", "far more grotesque", "less entertaining" - these expressions are for B1-B2 level because these adjectives are not so common... or even DOUBLE comparatives - used by C1-2 advanced students...
Phrasal verbs seem difficult, but even the beginners know SOME common phrasal vebs such as get up, bring up, get on, take off, look after, look up (a word) etc... for A2, but some phrasals are C2...
Irregular verbs and plurals - same problem: some irregulars are common and well-known (go)-A1, some are much more advanced - (smite, slink)-C2.
Nouns - teeth x women x cacti x ... vertebrae...
To sum up: IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE 6 LEVELS, instead of three.
Until then, WE can write A1-C2 or level 1/6 - 6/6 in the NAME of the worksheet, so everybody can see the exact level!!!
I believe all members would be able to place the worksheet into the right level...
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17 Apr 2011
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Doesn �t that make you want to jump up and sing that song from The wizard of Oz called "If I Only Had A Brain"?