What is the Flyers Certificate and what advantages does it offer elementary school students? How can children achieve high scores in the Flyers exam? You’ll find answers to these inquiries in the article below by FLYER.
1. What is the Flyers certificate?
The Flyers Certificate is the highest level of the Cambridge program designed for elementary school children. It corresponds to level A2 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). The age range for taking the Cambridge Flyers exam is typically 9-11 years old (equivalent to grades 4, 5, and 6). However, according to Cambridge’s assessment, students who have received about 180-200 hours of guided English instruction are generally ready to take the Flyers certificate exam.
Pre A1 Starters, A1 Movers, and A2 Flyers are the three levels in the Cambridge English: Young Learners (YLE) program for children aged 6-11, organized and awarded by the Cambridge University English Language Assessment. These exams assess the English language proficiency of children through three components: Listening, Reading & Writing, and Speaking
The YLE exams are designed around familiar themes and focus on the essential skills needed for effective English communication. They are designed with colorful, vibrant designs and imagery suitable for young elementary school-aged children.
2. Children’s abilities at A2 Flyers level
When achieving an A2 Flyers English proficiency level, children can:
- Communicate on familiar topics at a slow pace.
- Understand short and simple sentences.
- Provide basic descriptions and instructions that listeners can understand.
- Use familiar and basic phrases and sentence structures.
If you want to know if your child is ready for the Flyers level, parents can have their child take a quick test on the Virtual Test Room:
3. Why does your child need to prepare for the Flyers certificate?
Preparing for the Flyers certificate is not mandatory for elementary school students. However, this certificate offers several benefits for children, and parents may consider it for their child’s long-term educational development:
3.1. The Cambridge Flyers certificate is permanent and recognized
Cambridge English certificates, including the A2 Flyers, are established under the auspices of the University of Cambridge, one of the world’s most prestigious universities. These exams are aligned with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, showcasing a systematic progression from basic language users to proficient users. The A2 Flyers certificate is globally recognized and holds permanent value.
3.2. A2 Flyers is a comprehensive English assessment covering all 4 skills
The A2 Flyers exam assesses children’s English language proficiency comprehensively across four skills: Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing. All test sections are based on everyday situations at home, school, etc., covering practical and realistic topics. Notably, the Speaking, Reading, and Writing tests include open-ended questions, encouraging creative English language use, logical thinking, and communication skills development.
3.3. A2 Flyers helps children master the basic English foundation
By the time children reach A2 Flyers level, they will have acquired a vocabulary of around 1,200 words and become familiar with common grammatical structures, such as simple present and continuous tenses, simple past and past continuous tenses, present perfect, simple future tense, conditional sentences, imperative sentences, and more. This equips them with the ability to communicate effectively in most daily situations.
4. Cambridge Flyers testing format
The Cambridge Flyers exam consists of three separate test papers: Listening, Reading & Writing, and Speaking. The total testing time for the Flyers Cambridge certificate is approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. The time allocation and the number of questions in each test paper are as follows:
Reading & Writing Test
| Section | Task Description |
| 1 | Match words with their meanings: You are given 15 words and 10 definitions. Choose the appropriate word to fill in the definition provided. |
| 2 | Read a dialogue and select the correct answer from 8 answer options to fill in the blanks. |
| 3 | Fill in the blanks with appropriate words: Read a text with 5 blanks and select the correct words from those provided to complete the text. |
| 4 | Read a text with 10 blanks and select the correct answers to fill in the blanks. Each question provides 3 answer options. |
| 5 | Read and complete a story based on the story’s content, pictures, and using 1-4 words to fill in the blanks. |
| 6 | Read a text in the form of a diary or letter with 5 blanks and fill in the missing word to complete the text. |
| 7 | Write a short story (minimum of 20 words) based on 3 provided pictures. |
Listening Test
| Section | Task Description |
| 1 | View a picture and listen to a dialogue, match the provided character names with the individuals mentioned in the picture. |
| 2 | Listen to a dialogue, fill in one word or one number in the blanks of a given note. |
| 3 | View a set of pictures of objects and a set of character/place names, then listen to a conversation to match the objects with the corresponding character/place names. |
| 4 | Listen to a conversation, choose the correct picture that matches the content heard. This section has 5 questions, each consisting of a short dialogue and 3 pictures. |
| 5 | Listen to a conversation, color a picture, and write 2 simple words on the picture following the instructions in the conversation. |
Speaking Test
| Section | Task Description |
| 1 | Look at 2 pictures and point out 6 differences compared to the descriptions provided by the examiner earlier. |
| 2 | The examiner asks the candidate questions about a person, place, or object, and the candidate answers, using an information sheet provided. Then, the candidate asks the examiner questions based on a different information sheet. |
| 3 | The examiner shows the candidate five pictures representing a story, names the story, and describes the first picture. The candidate describes the remaining four pictures. |
| 4 | The examiner asks the candidate several personal questions on topics like school, holidays, birthdays, family, and hobbies. |
Parents can refer to FLYER’s series of sample Speaking Flyers Cambridge videos (5 episodes) below to understand how a speaking test is conducted.
5. Cambridge Flyers Exam Results
On the YLE Cambridge Young Learners’ English certificates, the results of the various test sections are represented by shield-shaped icons. The maximum number of shields for each skill (Listening, Speaking, Reading & Writing) is 5 shields. The total number of shields a candidate can attain for one certificate is 15 shields.
All candidates participating in the Flyers exam receive a certificate containing shields corresponding to the number of points they have earned, without a pass or fail assessment. This approach helps reduce pressure on children during the preparation process.
6. Cambridge Flyers practice exams
6.1. 200+ Cambridge Flyers Practice Exams on the Virtual English Testing Platform
The FLYER Virtual English Testing Platform offers over 200+ A2 Flyer 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.
Here is a video introducing some of the exciting learning features on FLYER:
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!
6.2. Cambridge Flyers practice books
Cambridge offers a selection of preparation books that are highly recommended for children who are preparing to take the Flyers exam.
- Fun for Flyers
- Story Fun 5
- Story Fun 6
- A2 Flyers 3 | Authentic Examination Papers
Conclusion
You now know the complete answers to the questions “What is the Flyers certificate?” and the advantages that this exam provides for pupils in elementary school. Selecting the Cambridge road is labor-intensive, but it pays off in the long run by giving kids a head start in school and in contexts where English is the primary language. It also helps them develop a solid foundation in the language for future endeavors at greater proficiency levels.
