Global Scale of English
The Global Scale of English (GSE) is the first truly global English language standard, allowing teachers to more accurately and easily measure learner progress.
Based on research involving over 6000 teachers from more than 50 countries, it extends the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) by pinpointing on a scale from 10 to 90 what needs to be mastered for the four skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing within a CEFR level, using a more granular approach.
GSE resources help teachers select the right learning objectives, grammar and vocabulary required for their learners to move onto the next level. It's a more effective way of selecting the right lesson, course materials or assessments at the right time.
GSE Teacher Toolkit
Use the Global Scale of English in your classroom with our GSE Teacher Toolkit.
How does it help?
Teachers are able to use a common framework from which to measure learner progress on a local, national or international level – one which provides tools that guide them in identifying areas for focus and creating appropriate lesson content.
Learners benefit by having a clear understanding of what needs to be mastered at each CEFR level, keeping them motivated.
The GSE helps learners answer:
- How good is my English?
- Am I progressing?
- What do I need to do next?
The GSE Solution
The GSE is designed to support curriculum design, courseware and assessment decisions. We've aligned teaching and learning materials and assessments to help you to select the most appropriate resources.
Scale
The GSE runs from 10-90, with clear statements for what a learner can achieve in Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing at any point on the scale.
Learning Objectives
The GSE Learning Objectives are critical in that they provide context for teachers and learners – LOs describe what learners can do at each level of proficiency.
Courseware
Our English language learning courseware has been developed using GSE Learning Objectives, so you can be sure that your learners are at the right level.
Assessment
Institutions can develop their own assessment materials with help from the GSE Learning Objectives and assessment frameworks, or choose one of our assessments.
“The Global Scale of English represents the most significant advance in performance-based approaches to language learning, teaching and assessment since the development of the Common European Framework of Reference.”
David Nunan Ph.D. Professor Emeritus of Applied Linguistics University of Hong Kong
Benefits of the GSE
Curriculum design
Using the scale with the GSE Teacher Toolkit helps teachers find resources to create or tailor their existing curriculum.
Lesson planning
Use the free GSE Teacher Toolkit to find learning objectives, along with vocabulary and grammar resources.
Measuring progress
The scale's granularity, set next to broader CEFR levels, helps motivate students as they see more progress, even within levels.
More about the GSE
Research & expertise
The Global Scale of English is the culmination of the most comprehensive, on-going academic research ever conducted in the field, involving over 6,000 teachers from 50+ countries.
We have a Technical Advisory Group (TAG) who provide their expertise in language testing, psychometrics and teaching, as well as offering advice and critical assessment.
The papers in our research series cover a wide range of research projects, from exploring how the Learning Objectives were developed to the creation of GSE job profiles.
Case studies
Our case studies highlight how the GSE can be used to improve teaching performance and achieve learning objectivies.
From our blog
Get started with the GSE
The GSE Teacher Toolkit contains all four sets of Learning Objectives (aligned to both the GSE and the CEFR), GSE Grammar and GSE Vocabulary in a single, searchable online database.
A survey of over 200 teachers who use the GSE Teacher Toolkit found that:
- 74% have used it to select appropriate vocabulary & grammar
- 67% have used it to create supplementary materials, and
- 66% have used it to plan lessons.