Placement Testing in Chinese

Note: This is only for extremely low-level or nervous students. Conducting a placement test primarily in Chinese opens
you up to a host of complaints – from the student, parents, or local staff. It can cause a lot of problems for many people.

Only do this in an emergency situation.

At every point throughout a primarily Chinese placement test you must inject as much English into the conversation as
possible. Ask every question in English first and ask for English answers every time.

English prompt If they don’t answer…

Hi. What’s your name? 你叫什么名字？Ni jiao shen me ming zi?

(Point to the student’s name on their testing sheet.) ENG: What’s your name?

Do you have an English name? English name? 你有没有英文名字？Ni you mei you ying wen ming zi?
ENG: Do you have an English name?

What is your English name? 英文名字叫什么吗？Ying wen ming zi jiao shen me?
ENG: What is your English name?

Are you a student? 你会不会说英文？Ni hui bu hui shuo ying wen?

(It sometimes helps to point to the student.) ENG: Can you speak English?

你会说什么？Ni hui shuo shen ma?

ENG: What can you say (in English)?
(Bring out the OPT folder and point to things.) (Listen while the student exhausts his or her English.)

Do you like English? 喜欢不喜欢说英语？Xi huan bu xi huan shuo ying yu?

ENG: Do you like speaking English?

What is your English teacher’s name? 你的英文老师叫什么？Ni de yingwen laoshi jiao shenme?
ENG: What is your English teacher’s name?

Is she beautiful? Is he funny? 他是什么样子的？Ta shi shen me yang zi de ?

ENG: What is (he or she) like?

By now you should have a very good idea about what the student’s English level is like. You may even have some insight
into their problems with English.

Common placement tests for 听不懂 students usually read:

“She cannot answer any common questions in English. She is eight years old. She mimicked my English very well and I
think she will learn well. Sean’s HF Starter on Saturday morning is perfect – even if she thinks the book is easy.”

“He refused to answer anything in English. We spoke in Chinese. He is six years old. He needs to be in a new Small Stars.”

Renato Ganoza for EF Zhengzhou, 2011