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This unit covered level testing and needs analysis, limiting factors, syllabus design, assessment of students, examinations, and course evaluation. Level tests should be able to show the student?s ability to use the language. The questions on the test get progressively harder. A common five-level scale is as follows: starter, elementary, pre-intermediate, intermediate, and upper-intermediate. A needs analysis will tell the teacher of the students? previous learning experiences, what they will use English for, and what they feel would be the most beneficial areas for them to study. The first lesson should have some time set aside for needs negotiation. For younger groups, the negotiation can be based around class rules instead of syllabus content. For older students, the negotiation would be a discussion. Some limiting factors may present themselves, including: your employer, time constraints, resources, cultural issues, and students. When creating a syllabus, it?s important to gather the following information: how long the course is, the number of progress tests, leaving some flexible time to cover something that comes up, language points to cover, ability and age range of the group, and an introductory first lesson. There are a variety of tests that are used to assess the students, including: diagnostic, placement, aptitude, achievement, proficiency, and progress. Whatever test used, they should be graded shortly after they?re given, returned to students as soon as possible, and some form of review should take place to cover common areas of weakness indicated in the test results. There are three levels of CYLE (Cambridge Young Learners of English) tests: starters (7 year olds with about 100 hours of English language study), movers (8-11 year olds with about 175 hours of English language study), and flyers (9-12 year olds with about 250 hours of English language study). The three separate tests for each level are speaking, reading/writing, and listening. For older age groups, a course evaluation is recommended at the end of the course because it will help the teacher evaluate and improve the material, gives students the opportunity to provide feedback, and provides teachers with useful information that can be used as the basis of a report given to the employer. I learned that creating the syllabus for younger learners may vary slightly from that of older students. It's important to still do a needs negotiation with them, just age appropriate. I also learned about a number of tests used for young learners depending on their age and time spent studying English.
