Teaching English

How to Conduct Student Placement Tests

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Written in

2025
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Reading time

5 min
How to Conduct Student Placement Tests

"Insights from real conversations and real problems"

Run a short placement before accepting a class

  • Punctuality is a signal. Schedule the test at a different time from the first contact. Showing up early/on time tells you a lot about commitment.
  • Observe interaction. Set simple English tasks (repeat a phrase, answer a few questions, read a short text). Watch how the learner engages, asks, and waits.
  • Check tech basics (for online): Zoom/Meet, camera, screenshare. This tells you if online study fits and what support will be needed.
  • Use a clear script: short intro → 5‑minute task → two‑way discussion. Ask questions that reveal thinking; don’t let the learner sit passively.
  • Give evidence‑based feedback. Note strengths and next steps (vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation) with concrete examples.
  • Be ready for admin questions: syllabus, materials, fees, teaching style. Good advising improves with ongoing study and experience.

What do you think?

This article might've started as a scribble on the back of a receipt during a bus ride, a spark of something real after a conversation over a pint of Leffe, or notes from a Sunday afternoon client call that left me buzzing with ideas. However it came to be, I hope it found you at just the right moment.

If it stirred something in you, or if you're just curious about anything from automating the boring bits of your business to capturing your quiet magic in a coffee shop shoot — shall we pencil something into the diary?

I'd love to be on the other end of the conversation.

Thi Nguyen offers a wide range of marketing, automation consultancy for small, medium enterprises. Email: [email protected]. She's currently based in London, UK.
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