How to get ready for Eiken Tests

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What’s Eiken?

The Eiken, properly called 実用英語技能検定, is abbreviated to 英検 Eiken and sometimes referred to as the STEP Test, is a standardized test to measure the mastery of English at various levels. It’s not the only test out there, but it’s widely used in Japan and supported by the Japanese ministry responsible for education, MEXT.

It’s administered three times a year. The lower level tests, 4級 4 kyu or grade four and under, measure reading, vocabulary, grammar, and speaking. Beyond, ３級 3 kyu or grade 3 measure all that plus writing and speaking.

Why take it?

It’s a way for students to confirm their achievement as they progress through elementary, junior high, and senior high English lessons. They can demonstrate they have acquired the vocabulary, grammar, syntax, and expression that's taught at their grade level. It's something for them to aim for in steps as they progress through junior and senior high school. The top end of the benchmarks measures the English level of university graduates and adult learners, too.

I’ve enjoyed celebrating my students as they achieve passing scores on all the test levels. I can't take credit. It’s all dependent on their effort in English lessons and drive to attempt the tests. I use various resources that help the students hit the marks.

How do your learners prepare for it?

The Eiken Foundation provides a guide Eiken for kids, which walks them through the test procedure. Once your learners have a sense of the test procedure, introduce them to a model test with the Eiken downloadable tests. There are both tests and answer keys here to give you and the learners a sense of what they have to know.

To get ready, there are many resources to help. Words are the building blocks of language, and our learners can review Eiken words on Quizlet. Many educators in Japan have prepared Quizlet sets at various levels. You don't have to log in to access them. Simply have a look at the level and try one of the many activities on the platform.

Learners benefit from a lot of reading to get exposure to grammar and words in context. A group of educators in Japan prepared an extensive reading bank, Extensive Reading Central, with interesting and leveled reading texts.  If you prefer not to log in, the readings with levels indicated by stars are still accessible. With login, the learners can mouse over the words to get the meanings of words they don't know.

When students at Grade 3 and above succeed at the first stage of the test, they're lined up for the interview that follows. JET Program ALTs of Hiroshima AJET prepared a comprehensive guide for teachers and students to approach the tests with confidence. 

Have you prepared learners, either your own children or students, for standardized tests such as Eiken? How did you do it? How did they fare?