Here's how you can effectively evaluate language proficiency.

Take a comprehensive approach: Integrated Skills Testing: Assess reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills together to gauge overall proficiency. Real-Life Tasks: Use tasks that mimic real-life scenarios to evaluate practical language use. Continuous Assessment: Implement ongoing assessments through quizzes, assignments, and classroom participation. Self-Assessment: Encourage learners to self-assess and reflect on their language abilities. Peer Review: Incorporate peer assessments to provide diverse feedback. Teacher Observations: Use regular observations to monitor progress and identify areas needing improvement. This multifaceted approach provides a more accurate picture of language proficiency.

An alternative to what my colleague has said here is the purest form of language accumulation: vocabulary. Needless to say, if we were to start learning, let's say, Japanese from scratch right now, after knowing how languages already work for the most part; building a vast lexicon would give us the greatest head start. If we can build a vocabulary of 1000 words we can already communicate 'well' even if we make grammatical errors. I don't conform to the way of thinking that bad mistakes can't be eradicated, but rather they can be ironed out later. Focus on gaining ingredients, then learn the recipes.

Tests on Language Proficiency can outline the weaknesses and show us which skills have to be improved. It basically creates a clear target - what to focus on more during your language journey.

It’s one of the greatest challenges for the language learners - communicate with native speakers. To start with understanding, there are quite a lot of obstacles to overcome, such as speed of the speech, pronunciation, dialects and so on. But when we try all the time, observe a variety of native speakers communicating, our brain gets used to the different idiomatic expressions, vocabulary choice and grammatical patterns - after that we are able first to copy, and then to produce our own language.

One thing I always do with my potential new students, or current ones who decide to keep learning with me, is SETTING LANGUAGE GOALS. Once the goal is clear, and once the teacher knows the student’s attitude, is then easier to design the perfect language road map and educational material. It’s pivotal to engage students, make them become passionate about the language, and above all, make the entire journey as much fun and effortless possible. A questionnaire, followed by a discovery call, and recurrent follow-ups are paramount.

Speak and interact with the student, ask them questions, and encourage him to discuss various topics. Only through active speaking, you will be able to evaluate your students' skills and adequately help them improve their knowledge.