If you're preparing to teach English in a Chinese primary or middle school, one of the first questions you'll likely ask is: "What English level are my students, and how do I know?"
– Richard Edwell, Teach TEFL in China, 15 May 2025
If you’re preparing to teach English in a Chinese primary or middle school, one of the first questions you’ll likely ask is: “What English level are my students, and how do I know?”
Unlike in some countries, China does not use a standardized national English proficiency framework (like CEFR or Cambridge levels) in its public education system. Instead, students are classified by school grade, and English levels are assumed to progress along with those grades and textbooks. Here’s what that means — and how you can teach more effectively with that in mind.
In Chinese schools, students are formally classified by grade level:
There is no formal English level system like “A1” or “Intermediate” used at the national level. Students’ progress is based on grade and the specific textbook series used (such as PEP English or Go for It!).
Chinese students are grouped by grade, not by proficiency level. While most schools follow government-approved textbooks, these materials don’t always align with international language scales like CEFR or Cambridge English. That means Grade 5 doesn’t always equal A2, and so on.
Still, students’ language abilities tend to follow a rough pattern as they move up through the grades — especially in reading and vocabulary.
| Grade Level | Typical Age | Approximate CEFR Level | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 1–2 (Primary) | 6–8 | Pre-A1 (Starters) | Some schools begin formal English here |
| Grade 3–4 | 8–10 | A1 | Basic phrases, classroom English, commands |
| Grade 5–6 | 10–12 | A1+ to A2 | Short conversations, familiar topics |
| Grade 7 (初一) | 12–13 | A2 | Can handle predictable exchanges and texts |
| Grade 8–9 (初二-初三) | 13–15 | A2 to B1 (strong students) | Reading improves faster than speaking |
📝 Note: These are informal references, not official levels. Students in urban or private schools may progress faster.
Because there’s no formal national scale like CEFR (A1–C2) or Cambridge YLE used across all schools, foreign teachers often struggle to:
This can make teaching difficult—especially lesson planning and differentiation.
Many public schools will use local textbook series that may incorporate some level of language progression, but without a standardized international framework like CEFR. These textbooks are often produced by educational publishers approved by the government.
Common series include:
PEP English (人民教育出版社) – A widely used series in public schools.
Go for It! (人教版) – A very common set for primary and middle school students.
New Concept English – Sometimes used in junior high schools for more focused language learning.
Private/International schools may instead use international textbooks like Cambridge, Oxford, or even IB (International Baccalaureate) systems, which could use CEFR or Cambridge YLE for their curriculum structure.
To bridge this gap, many foreign teachers informally use internationally recognized systems such as:
Example alignment:
| Chinese Grade | Suggested Benchmark | CEFR Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 3–4 | Cambridge Movers | A1 |
| Grade 6 | Cambridge Flyers | A2 |
| Grade 7–9 | A2 Key / B1 Preliminary | A2–B1 |
CEFR Levels can be used as practical reference points for foreign teachers
Here, CEFR A1 describes a basic user of English who can:
Understand and use everyday expressions and basic phrases
Introduce themselves and others
Ask and answer simple questions about personal details (e.g., name, age, family)
Interact in a simple way if the other person talks slowly and clearly
In Cambridge YLE terms, this corresponds closely with the Movers exam. You can use A1 (or Movers-level) as a benchmark to assess your students’ levels of English and plan lessons accordingly:
CEFR levels can be used as a diagnostic guide: “Most of my Grade 3–4 students can do A1-level tasks, but some can’t.”
As a planning aid: “If I aim my activities at A1, they’ll be challenging but manageable.”
And as a progress indicator: “By the end of the semester, I hope students can consistently perform at A2 level.”
It should not replace your schools curriculum requirements, but it can help you design more level-appropriate lessons — especially when students’ actual skills don’t match the grade-level content.
In China, grade level is the only official “level” used to track student progress in English. But that doesn’t mean you have to teach blindly. By aligning your lessons to familiar frameworks like Cambridge YLE or CEFR, you can bring structure and consistency to your teaching—and help your students grow with clearer targets and more confidence.
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