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Are your ESOL students preparing for the CASAS STEPS assessment? Based on your feedback, we’re pleased to introduce Adult Education Test Preparation (AETP)—a print-on-demand and online practice resource available through Pearson’s MyEnglishLab.

AETP offers targeted preparation for all CASAS STEPS Reading and Listening levels. Each level includes:

• Teacher guides for each content area with strategies and tips
• Downloadable student worksheets for each content area
• Three prompts per worksheet to practice the 3‑step process + two practice tasks that simulate CASAS STEPS questions
• Downloadable audio files
• Practice tests with answer keys and correlation charts

Because content varies across levels, be sure to select materials aligned to your students’ needs. For guidance, refer to our test level correlation table.

If you’re looking for structured, flexible, classroom‑ready CASAS support that easily integrates into your curriculum, this new toolkit is for you! It is designed to help your students build confidence and perform their best.

Using the materials

In this blog post and platform demo, we highlight Reading Test Level C (High Beginning–Low Intermediate ESL levels, NRS levels 3–4), focusing on its four content areas: Vocabulary, Main Idea, Details and Inference.

Vocabulary

Begin by downloading the Reading Level C Vocabulary materials, including the Student Worksheet and Teacher Guidance PDFs. Review the Teacher Guidance to familiarize yourself with instructional strategies, including the 3-step process and the accompanying answer key. This process helps students identify word type, locate contextual clues and determine meaning in vocabulary tasks.

Next, provide each student with a copy of the vocabulary worksheet. It includes three guided prompts to practice the 3-step process and two CASAS STEPS–style tasks, with a clear format that supports organized note-taking and structured thinking.

Details

For the next lesson, download the Details materials. Review the Teacher Guidance and help students answer questions with information question words (What, Where, When, Who, Why and How). Distribute the Details Worksheet for students to practice. Since students now know the 3‑step process, they will move through the tasks more confidently.  

Main idea

Next, download the Main Idea materials, review the Teacher Guidance and use the student worksheet to complete the lesson. Practice answering the question “What is this about?”.

Inference

The final content area, Inference, will require students to perform their best detective work. The Teacher Guidance and Student Worksheet provides great insight to help students practice inference. It is important to remind students that inferences must be supported by key details (clues) that are in the text.

Practice test

Now that you and your students have mastered the 3-step process and completed all Reading Level C content areas, explore the CASAS STEPS Practice Test section within Adult Education Test Preparation. This blog focuses on Reading Test C.

Like the official CASAS STEPS exam, Pearson’s Reading Practice Test C includes 36 questions. You can project the Student View test for whole-class instruction, review directions and reinforce the 3-step process before practice begins.

This practice test can be used flexibly; you might assign a few at a time, incorporate them into daily warm-ups or exit tickets or have students work independently or in groups. You can also increase engagement by turning practice into interactive or game-based activities.

Pro tip:

Integrate Test Preparation materials with your existing textbook reading activities to reinforce CASAS STEPS skills. For example, if you use Pearson’s Future series, you are already reinforcing Reading content skills in your classroom. For example, Future 3, Unit 6 (Getting a Good Deal), Lesson 4 (Reading) includes activities targeting inference, main idea, details and vocabulary.

Students can work on these textbook reading exercises in pairs or groups to compare notes and answer questions together, which encourages speaking practice and collaboration. You can make it into a game by having groups share their answers (A, B or C) with small dry-eraser boards.

Are your ESOL students preparing for the CASAS STEPS? Many of you have asked for test support materials and we’re excited to introduce a new resource designed to help students succeed: Adult Education Test Preparation, a print‑on‑demand and online practice hub available through Pearson’s MyEnglishLab.

This platform provides targeted preparation for every level of the CASAS STEPS Reading and Listening tests. Each level includes:

• A teacher guide for each content area with tips and strategies.
• Downloadable student worksheets for each content area.
• Three prompts per worksheet to practice the 3‑step process and two practice tasks that simulate CASAS STEPS questions.
• Downloadable audio files.
• Practice tests with answer keys, answer sheets and correlation charts.

Remember, since content areas vary across the five testing levels, select materials that match the level you teach. Unsure? Click here for a test level correlation table.

In this blog post and platform demo, we highlight CASAS STEPS Listening Test Level C materials, which align with High Beginning (NRS 3) and Low Intermediate (NRS 4) ESL levels.

We will explore the three Listening Test C content areas: Dialogue, main idea and details. We show you how to integrate these materials with your existing curriculum.

Pro Tip: Think about teaching one content area per day or dedicating a full class session to all three. You can integrate small amounts of practice throughout the term or schedule intensive review sessions before post‑testing. Remember that Reading Test C includes four additional content areas, for a total of seven content areas to cover at Level C.

Using the materials

Dialogue

Begin with the Dialogue Teacher Guidance, which includes teaching strategies, the 3‑step process, answer keys and audio scripts. Introduce the 3‑step process to your students and work with them to identify keywords and answer the question “What happens next?” before distributing the Dialogue Worksheet. Each worksheet includes three prompts and two practice tasks, making note‑taking simple and structured. Play the accompanying Dialogue Audio to complete the lesson.

Details

For the next lesson, download the Details materials. Review the Teacher Guidance and practice asking questions with information question words (What, Where, When, Who, Why and How). Distribute the Details Worksheet and play the audio. Since students now know the 3‑step process, they will move through the tasks more confidently.

Main idea

The final content area is Main Idea. Download the Main Idea materials, review the Teacher Guidance and practice answering the question “What is this about?” Use the worksheet and audio to complete the lesson.

Practice tests

Once students have practiced all three content areas, explore the Listening Practice Test C tab. Pearson’s practice test mirrors the CASAS STEPS with 39 questions. You can project questions for whole‑class practice, use one or two a day as warm‑ups or exit tickets, assign group work,or turn them into a game.

Pro Tip: If you use Pearson’s Future series, you are already reinforcing Listening Test C skills. For example, Future 3, Unit 2 includes activities targeting main idea, details and dialogue; perfect for collaborative practice.

Every year, events like Children's Book Week, World Book Day and others offer excellent opportunities to celebrate reading, imagination and learning. Books enable children to explore new ideas, expand their vocabulary and develop a love for language. For teachers and educators, they offer an opportunity to make reading both fun and memorable.

Whether you teach young learners, English language learners or multilingual students, you can bring your classroom together through stories. Here are some simple activities to try.

1. Story reading circle

Choose a children's book that matches your students' language level. Read the story aloud and encourage students to listen carefully. Use pictures to support understanding and ask simple questions during the reading.

For example:

• What do you think will happen next?
• Who is your favorite character?
• How is the character feeling?

This activity helps students practice listening skills and learn new vocabulary in context.

2. Character drawing and description

After reading a story, ask students to draw their favorite character. Then have them write a few sentences describing the character.

Younger learners can use sentence starters such as:

• My character is...
• They have...
• They like...

This activity combines creativity with reading and writing practice.

3. Create a new ending

Invite students to imagine a different ending for the story. They can write a short paragraph, create a comic strip or discuss their ideas in pairs.

This promotes creative thinking and allows students to meaningfully engage with language.

4. Book-themed vocabulary hunt

Choose 10 to 15 key words from the book and create a vocabulary hunt. Students can search for the words in the story and match them with pictures, definitions or translations.

You can also ask students to use the new words in their own sentences.

Vocabulary activities help learners remember language more effectively by connecting words to a story they have enjoyed.

5. Storytelling with pictures

Select several pictures from the book and display them in a random order. Students work individually or in groups to put the pictures in the correct sequence and retell the story.

This activity develops speaking skills, sequencing skills and confidence in using language.

6. Dress as a book character

If possible, organize a simple book character day. Students can dress as their favorite character or create a paper mask.

Ask each student to introduce their character to the class by answering questions such as:

• Who are you?
• What do you do in the story?
• Why are you important?

This is a fun way to practice speaking and presentation skills.

7. Create a classroom book

Work together to create a class story. Each student contributes one page with a sentence and an illustration. When all the pages are finished, combine them into a classroom book.

Students are often proud to see their work become part of a real book. It also helps them understand how stories are created.

8. Book recommendations wall

Encourage students to share books they enjoy. They can write a short recommendation and add it to a classroom display.

Here's a simple template with questions for pupils to complete:

• What's the book title?
• Who's your favorite character?
• Why do you recommend this book?

This activity promotes reading while giving students a purpose for writing.

Celebrate the joy of reading

Book-related events go beyond just celebrating books. They are a means of curiosity, creativity and language learning. Simple activities can motivate students to read more, discover new ideas and gain confidence in their language skills. By nurturing positive reading experiences, teachers help students develop lifelong habits that support their learning journey. Regardless of learners' age or language proficiency, a good story can unlock a world of opportunities.