Cambridge English : Young Learners

On Saturday , May 12 , 2018 , twenty-nine Sekolah Harapan Bangsa Cambridge Primary students challenged themselves in sitting the Cambridge English Young Learners Exams         ( YLE ). These tests are international and available worldwide. They are designed to assess how learners use English to communicate in real-life situations.

For our students , it’s a terrific opportunity to assess their skills in Reading , Writing , Listening and Speaking. They are in-depth exams that make learning English enjoyable , effective and rewarding. For our YLE students , they are a stepping stone to Cambridge English Qualifications accepted and trusted by thousands of universities and organisations around the world.

There are two levels for our students :  Movers for our grade 2 students and Flyers for our grade 4 students. In grade 6 , all students sit the Cambridge Checkpoint exams in English , Maths and Science.

We had ten students this year for  Movers  and nineteen students for  Flyers . Beginning at 8.00am , the students took their Reading and Writing Test , Listening Test and the Speaking Test. While the students were confident that they would do well in the Reading , Writing and Listening , they were less confident and slightly nervous about taking the Speaking Test. For this part of the test , they talk to a qualified Cambridge Speaking Examiner and describe six differences from two pictures , ask and answer questions , tell a story from five pictures , and finally answer questions about themselves. This is valuable practice for our students and helps them gain confidence in speaking English in an environment different from what they are used to ; challenging but motivating also.

Finished by 11.00am , students sat down for lunch before being picked up by mum and dad. The test materials are sent to Cambridge , England for marking , and soon after the new academic year begins , every student will receive their certificate outlining their strengths and weaknesses in using English.

Thank you to the students and parents for supporting our Cambridge English program. We strongly believe the students gain confidence as well as further knowledge through taking these YLE tests.

“Learning a foreign language, and the culture that goes with it, is one of the most useful things we can do to broaden the empathy and imaginative sympathy and cultural outlook of children. “

Michael Gove