• YLE measures students’ language ability objectively and accurately.
• YLE encourages effective learning by its attractiveness and colourfulness.
• YLE gives children a sense of achievement.
• YLE allows parents and teachers to see how well children have acquired the language.
• YLE ensures a positive first impression of language tests.

Children who participated in all three parts of the test will receive test awards within approximately 4 weeks.

Each of the three parts of the test is marked separately.

YLE Listening as well as the Reading and Writing papers are marked in Cambridge. Speaking is assessed locally by qualified oral examiners

The maximum score per paper is 5 shields which makes 15 shields in total. It is assumed that children whose total score is 10 or more shields and no less than 3 in an individual part are ready to prepare for the next test level.

COUNCIL OF EUROPE LEVELS

The Council of Europe Common European Framework of Reference is intended to describe the criteria of language knowledge and skills of language learners across Europe. Please find below a comparison of YLE with the Council of Europe global scale levels.

	Detailed description
A1 Break-through	Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type. Can introduce him/herself and others and can ask and answer questions about personal details such as where he/she lives, people he/she knows and things he/she has. Can interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.
A2 Waystage	Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment). Can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters. Can describe in simple terms aspects of his/her background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.
B1 Threshold	Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. Can deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken. Can produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest. Can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes and ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.
B2 Vantage	Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialisation. Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party. Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue, giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.
C1 Effective Proficiency	Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognise implicit meaning. Can express him/herself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. Can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. Can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organisational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices.
C2 Mastery	Can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read. Can summarise information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation. Can express him/herself spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in more complex situations.

For more information please visit the Council of Europe webpage.