General Recommendations for Starters, Movers and Flyers

Reading the questions

• Train candidates to read the questions very carefully and to do exactly what is asked. If they're asked for just one word, then they shouldn't write three or four words.
• It's very important that all candidates are familiar with the rubrics and task types and have some practice with past papers.
• Remind candidates that some questions are on the back page of the answer booklet, (e.g. Starters Listening Part 4).

Writing answers

• For multiple choice tasks, where there is a choice of three boxes, candidates must tick one box only. They should only use the symbols or (and not shading or a zero).
• Similarly, for 'draw a line' tasks, (e.g. Starters, Movers and Flyers, Listening Part 1) they must draw only one line between the object (or name) and location (or person). In order to make accurate marking possible, the line should be straight, thick and clear.
• If candidates change answers, they must do this clearly and unambiguously.

Spelling

• In all parts of the Young Learners English Tests, totally accurate spelling is required, with the exception of Part 2 in Movers and Flyers Listening, where some alternatives may be accepted.
• If a word plus an article is to be copied, as in Movers and Flyers Reading & Writing Part 1, the article must be accurately copied as well as the word.

Colouring Tasks

• For colouring tasks, (e.g. Starters, Listening Part 4) candidates must only colour the objects they are asked to colour. They should not colour anything else.
• Make sure all candidates have all the coloured pencils necessary.
• Candidates should only bring the ten colours required in the test, which are: black, blue, brown, green, grey, orange, pink, purple, red and yellow.
• In an emergency, (e.g. if the candidates breaks or loses a particular colouring pencil) they may write the name of the colour beside the object to be coloured.
• Candidates who are colour-blind are allowed to label their pencils with the names of the colours (in their own language).

Vocabulary and grammar

• All the vocabulary and grammar that is used in the tests is listed in the grammar and structures and vocabulary lists, which are contained in the YLE Handbook. Ensuring that your candidates are familiar with all those words and structures (including people's names) will make it much easier for them to do well.
• Some of the lexical items listed in the syllabus may well be things that candidates are not familiar with in their everyday life. This is because the tests are taken throughout the world and care has been taken not to make the vocabulary lists too specific to any particular culture. Chopsticks and mangoes, therefore, are included as well as knives, forks and apples. Make sure that candidates know what everything on the syllabus is and that, where appropriate, they would be able to recognise a picture of it.
• In some parts of the tests, 100% accuracy in grammar is not expected. Comprehension, rather than production, is being tested.

An enjoyable first experience of language testing

• These tests are intended to provide an enjoyable first experience of language testing for young learners. Candidates should be encouraged to see the activities in the tests as essentially games, and it is hoped that they will not only learn from them but also enjoy them.