Lesson Transcript

Hi, everybody. My name is Alisha. In this video, I'm going to share some sample questions you can use to self-check your study level. This is for beginners. When I say "beginners," I mean around the A1 to A2 level of the CEFR. I hope that gives you a good idea of what level these kinds of questions are targeted for. You can use these questions to help you understand what to study next and what you already know. So, I hope that this lesson will help you to be more efficient and able to choose your next study target. We'll go through a few different groups of questions one by one. So, let's get started.
First, let's talk about reading questions. So, these are questions about your reading skills. You should ask yourself each of these questions -- this is true for the entire lesson today. Ask yourself these questions, and answer yes, no, or it's difficult. If the answer is "yes," great. You can move on to another topic. If the answer is "no," it might be a little too hard right now. If you say "yes," but it's difficult, great. You can focus your energy on that point. So, let's take a look at the first one.
The first group is reading questions. So, ask yourself, "Can I understand short, simple written instructions?" So, "short, simple written instructions" means something maybe from your friend, from a co-worker, something you find online, maybe something you find in an equipment pamphlet. You buy a piece of machinery and you can find the instructions that are very simple. So, ask yourself, "Can I understand short written instructions?"
Another question to check your level is, "Can I understand simple rules, like safety rules?" For example, if you go to a park, or if you go to an office building or other big building, can you understand the rules on the sign there? Can you understand the rules about safety or the rules about things you should or should not do there? These are the kinds of things you can think about to answer this question.
Next is, "Can I follow simple step-by-step directions?" Can I follow simple step-by-step directions? This means, can you follow from step one to step two, to step three, and so on if you are reading the instructions or reading the directions? So, this can be something very, very small and simple. Like, for example, creating an email account or creating an account online on a website. You can use something like that or something maybe in your life. Like building something you buy from a furniture store maybe. So, the key is following these simple step-by-step directions. Can you use your reading skills to do that?
Okay. Next is, "Can I understand the main point of simple written information, especially with a visual?" What does this mean? So, can I understand the main point of simple written information? For example, a paragraph, a few sentences, or maybe a very short simple article. Can you understand the main point of that information? Especially, with a visual. A "visual" means a picture, or maybe a video, or an illustration, a drawing. Can you understand the main points of something like that? Yes, no, or it's a little difficult.
Okay. Finally, the last sample question here is, "Can I find key information in advertisements, postcards, simple messages to me, and so on?" Can I find key information in advertisements? So, ads like you see on TV. You can read the information there, or you can read the information in a magazine, or in a newspaper. Those kinds of advertisements. Postcards or other similar pieces of mail. Simple messages, like text messages, or emails, and so on. So, can you find the key information in those things? So, ask yourself if you can do that. So, these are some sample questions to help you understand what to focus on, what you need to work on, what you already know, and so on, for your reading skills.
Next, let's move along to talking about your writing skills. Here are some basic questions you can use to check your writing level. So, that means, what should I study next for my writing skills, to develop my writing skills? First, very basic, "Can I write my name?" "Can I write my name?" So, you can ask yourself if you can write your name -- in English letters, of course. In the English alphabet. Also, another good one is, "Can I write a self-introduction?" So, using your name, a basic self-introduction. You can expand on this one. Okay. Another good test, "Can I write my address?" "Can I write my address?" So, for example, on a postcard or another piece of mail. Can you write your address on that? Next is, "Can I write a postcard?" "Can I write a postcard?" So, a postcard is a very short simple message. Generally, we have one side as a picture, one side is a very short simple message. So, can you write a postcard? For example, where you are at that moment or expressing a nice wish to the other person. So, this is another good simple test for your writing skills.
The next question you can ask yourself is, "Can I give my personal details in a written message?" "Can I give my personal details in a written message?" So, what's personal details? For example, of course, your name, where you live, maybe your family members, your birthday. This kind of basic personal information. So, this is kind of like a self-introduction. Or maybe, for example, if you write an email to a company or to a school, can you explain who you are? So, this is a good test of your basic written skills.
Okay. Next, "Can I write the date?" "Can I write the date?" So, that means the day the month and the year, can I do that? And, finally, "Can I write a short note with basic information?" "Can I write a short note with basic information?" For example, if you need to share information with your co-worker, with your friend, maybe with a study abroad, like host family member, if you need to share short information, can you write a simple note to do that? Or, maybe it's a text message, as well. Just a short memo with some information, some small information. Like, "Please buy eggs at the store," for example. Can you do that? So, these are some sample questions to ask yourself about your writing skills.
Again, if you say yes, yes, yes, yes, yes to these questions, that's great! That means you should move to the next thing, or to another thing to focus your energy. If the answer is no, okay. So, maybe it's a little difficult right now, for example. Maybe this one is difficult, giving all your personal details in a written message. But maybe, for example, you can write a short note, a little bit. You feel pretty confident. Okay, great! So, focus on this until you feel really good about it. "Yes! I can do this with no problem." And then, maybe, move on to the next topic. So, this is how we look at each goal, each of these as goals, and focus our energy on those things until we can do them really well.
Okay. Let's move on to the next group. The next skill is speaking, your speaking skills. Here are some sample questions you can consider, you can think about to work on your speaking skills. First, "Can I make a basic request?" "Can I make a basic request?" For example, when you go to a restaurant, can you order food at the restaurant? Or, can you ask someone for something like, "Please give me that pen," or "Can I borrow your computer?" Those kinds of simple requests, can you do them?
Okay. Next is, "Can I give someone something and share a short explanation?" "Can I give someone something and share a short explanation?" So, for example, if you give someone a gift, can you explain the gift? For example, if you give someone a gift, can you say, "I bought this because I thought of you," or "I thought you would like this." Can you give a short explanation of the gift?
Another situation you can think about is at work or at school. If you return something to someone, do you know how to explain that? For example, "Here's your computer. Thank you for letting me use it." So, can you give someone to something and give a short explanation? This is a good way to question, to consider, your speaking skills.
Next is, of course, "Can I introduce myself?" "Can I introduce myself?" Of course, there's the very basic: "My name is…" That's great. That's the most basic level to introduce yourself. And, you can level this up a little bit with personal detail. So, can you introduce yourself with some personal details? You can level up this question a bit. Alright.
The next sample question is, "Can I share personal details in a conversation?" So, you're speaking with someone sharing personal details. So, in this case, maybe you can talk about your hobbies a little bit, you can give your phone number, you can talk about your birthplace, your family members, and so on. So, this is a good way to consider your speaking skills. Can I talk about this? Can I talk about this? Can I talk about this? Again, if the answer is "it's a little difficult," then you can focus on that point until it becomes easier. Keep practicing those points that are a little bit difficult.
Okay. Last is, "Can I ask about someone else's personal details?" "Can I ask about someone else's personal details?" So, that means, can you make a question to ask someone else about their life, about their hobbies, their job, their studies, and so on. So, don't forget that you need to make questions to participate in conversations, too. So, these are some sample questions you can use to think about your level in terms of your speaking skills.
Okay, great. Let's continue to listening, listening. So, first sample question is, "Can I understand the main topic of a slow, clear conversation?" "Can I understand the main topic of a slow, clear conversation?" So, if you are listening to study materials, English study materials, maybe you listen to a lot of slow audio, that's fine. Can you understand the main topic of those kinds of things? So, ask yourself, "Yes, no, or maybe it's a little bit difficult for me." If the answer is, yes, great! If it's difficult, think about why. Is it grammar? Is it vocabulary? Think about how to improve your understanding, or how to find the main topic of the conversation.
Okay. Next, "Can I understand someone's slow, clear description of weekend plans?" "Can I understand someone's slow, clear description of weekend plans?" For example, if someone says, "This weekend, I'm going hiking with my friends." Can you understand something like that? Slow, clear simple weekend plans. So, again, answer yes, no, or a little bit -- it's kind of difficult.
Okay. Next, "Can I understand a simple suggestion?" "Can I understand a simple suggestion?" For example, "I think you should," something, something. Or, "Why don't you," something, something? So, can you understand a simple suggestion from someone else? Or, maybe you hear one person make a suggestion to another person, can you understand that suggestion? There are many ways to consider this point. So, can I understand a simple suggestion?
Last sample question here. "Can I understand the main topic of a news report on TV?" "Can I understand the main topic of a news report on TV?" So, don't worry about all the details of the news report. Just ask, can I understand the main topic? What is the focus topic of this story? Is it maybe the weather? Is it good news? Is it bad news? Is it business news? Is it news about the school in my neighborhood? Can you find the main topic? Can you use your listening skills to understand the main topic of a news report? So, these are some sample questions you can ask yourself to check your level for your listening skills.
Okay, great! Let's go to our last category, communication. So, communication, of course. We have to put our skills together to communicate. We need to use our interpersonal skills, so our skills, to connect with other people, right? So, here are some sample questions you can ask yourself to check your communication skills, putting these things together.
Okay. First is, "Can I understand and follow simple, clear instructions?" "Can I understand and follow simple, clear instructions?" So, this could be written instructions -- as we talked about over here, and we could be listening to someone as well. Maybe, at the same time. So, can I understand and follow simple, clear instructions? This is a good way to check your communication skills.
Okay. Next, "Can I ask for and give directions?" "Can I ask for and give directions?" So, this is a very basic skill set, of course. Being able to ask someone, for example, where is the station? Or, where is the library? Or, where is the restroom in this store? So, being able to ask for directions is important, but also can you give directions? So, this is a great way to check your communication skills.
Okay. Next, "Can I talk about simple routine tasks?" "Can I talk about simple routine tasks?" For example, what do you do every morning? Or, what's your schedule every week? Or, what do you do every afternoon? So, can you talk about those simple routine tasks you always do? That's a good way to check your communication skills about your basic responsibilities.
Okay. Last sample question, "Can I agree and disagree with others in slow, clear conversation?" "Can I agree and disagree with others?" That means when you hear an opinion, when someone shares an opinion, maybe they write an opinion in a text message, can you agree? Can you express, "Yeah, I agree" or, "I think so, too."? Or, can you disagree? Can you say, "Hmm, I'm not sure," or "I don't think so." Can you agree and disagree in a conversation, in a spoken conversation or a written conversation? So, again, these focus on putting together your skills to focus on communication.
Okay, great! So, these are some sample questions you can use to check your own level. This is perfect for beginners. I think this is a great place for beginners to start. And, of course, if your answer to all of these questions is yes, then it might be time to move into some more challenging study material. That's great! That means you're making progress. Also, please remember, you can come back to check your answers to these questions again. So, for example, if you said, "No, I can't understand short simple written instructions today," you might focus on your reading skills. Come back next week, or come back in two weeks, look at this question again, and think, "Oh! Now, I can." So, you can use these questions to track your progress, to understand that you are leveling up. So, this is really helpful for motivation, too. But again, if you answer yes to all these questions, consider finding some more challenging material for yourself.
Okay. So, I hope that this lesson was helpful for you, and I hope it helped you to be able to self-check your study level. Thanks very much for watching this lesson, and I will see you again soon. Bye.

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