Cambridge certificates refer to recognized English language certifications offered by the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations. These exams are known for their assessment of language proficiency making them highly objective and comprehensive. However many parents are currently wondering how long it takes for children to attain Cambridge Starters, Movers, Flyers certificates. In this article, FLYER aims to assist parents in finding the answer they seek.
1. How many points do candidates need to “pass” a Cambridge exam?
The results of the Starters, Movers, and Flyers exams do not differentiate between pass and fail. Children will receive a maximum of five shields for the three sections, covering the skills of (1) listening, (2) speaking, and (3) reading and writing. Candidates with a perfect score will receive 15 shields. Although there are no specific pass or fail criteria, an average score considered as “pass” is typically above 10 shields, with no individual skill falling below 2 shields.
2. How long does a child need to study to achieve each level?
According to the standard Cambridge curriculum, children need to participate in courses for 1.5 to 2 years to fully prepare for the exams, covering all four language skills: Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing.
According to Cambridge’s statistics, during that time, children need:
- 90-100 guided learning hours to reach level A1 Starters/Movers from a beginner level.
- 180-200 guided learning hours to reach level A2 Flyers from a beginner level.
However, the time each child needs to study for and take the certification exams will vary and depend on several factors. Factors that can affect how long it takes to improve a child’s English proficiency include:
- The child’s language learning background.
- The intensity of the child’s study.
- The child’s age.
- The duration of study or extracurricular exposure.
In addition to the guided learning hours spent with teachers, children need extra time for self-study, revisiting material, and engaging in other activities they enjoy using the English language, such as reading books, watching cartoons, listening to music, and more.
Furthermore, the period of practice and exam preparation will be a motivational process, fostering a keen interest in learning English. Children will feel happier and more excited when their learning has a clear goal and a specific direction.
3. Assessing your child’s English proficiency
To achieve the best learning outcomes, parents need to determine their child’s English proficiency level to establish a suitable learning path.
FLYER offers a free online placement test for parents to quickly assess their child’s current English proficiency. Once the child completes the test, the system immediately scores and provides an assessment result.
Taking the test on the FLYER virtual exam room:
Parents have their child create an account in the virtual exam room, log in, select “Your Level” on the homepage, choose the test “For Children” (age 5-10), and start the test.
Alternatively, click on the banner below, choose the test “For Children” (age 5-10), and begin the test. (Parents should remember to create an account for their child after completing the test to save the results.)
4. Building a study plan
Cambridge provides a tool to help teachers and parents create study plans for children, preparing for exams based on the daily study hours and the number of weeks available.
Parents and teachers can refer to it HERE.
After selecting the test type, the number of weeks for revision, and the weekly study hours, Cambridge will generate a weekly study plan. This plan includes study materials and content for teachers and parents to guide children’s revision throughout the week, broken down by skill.
These materials are allocated based on specific skills and have designated time slots, allowing teachers and parents to guide children in learning and revising their knowledge efficiently.
5. Online practice tests for Starters, Movers, Flyers (with answers)
The FLYER Virtual English Testing Platform offers over 1000+ Cambridge exam practice tests (covering all parts: Listening, Reading & Writing, and Speaking) to provide your child with preparation for the Cambridge Starters exam.
- These exams have been carefully compiled to match the format (up to 90%) following Cambridge’s latest standards.
- The automatic scoring system and answer key will help students review and study effectively at home.
- Interactive exercises and game simulations stimulate children’s brain activity and interest in learning.
- It offers various fun learning features such as challenges with friends, short practice exercises, and vocabulary reviews.
Moreover, a helpful feature for parents is the Learning Report, which makes it easy to track the progress of their children’s studies. The system automatically stores all test results and uses them to provide feedback on the student’s current proficiency level, strengths, and areas that require improvement.
More significantly, parents who use FLYER’s virtual testing platform can save up to 80% on their kids’ exam preparation expenses!
Conclusion
We hope that the information shared here will help parents answer the question of how long children need to study to achieve Cambridge Starters, Movers, and Flyers certificates, and enable them to develop an appropriate study plan for their children to achieve the best results.
