Grade 1 ESL Test: The Alphabet — Paper and Speaking Check (30 Marks)

Question Types & Suggested Use

Paper 20 marks (5 + 5 + 5 + 5) + speaking 10 marks (5 items × 2) = 30. Bands: 27–30 Excellent, 21–26 Good, 15–20 Developing, 0–14 Needs practice.

Skills Assessed

• Say the 26 letter names in ABC order and name any letter when they see it.
• Match capital and small letters, including the "mirror" letters b / d / p / q.
• Say the first letter of 25 picture words (A is for apple … Z is for zebra) and know that x is at the end of box.
• Say and write the letter that comes before, after or between other letters, and put letters in ABC order.
• Ask and answer "What's your name? How do you spell it?" and spell their own name letter by letter.
• Read a short text (Pim's ABC Book) and write about their own name ("My name starts with P. P is for pig.").

How to Administer

• Read the listening script on the answer key two times for Parts A and B (for Part B spell the word — do not say it). While the class does Parts C–D, call children one at a time for the Speaking Check (page 2). Record all scores on the class record (page 3).

Differentiation

Support: Tape a desk alphabet strip to every desk from Lesson 1. Teach A–M in Lesson 1 and review N–Z in Lesson 2. Let children point first and write second, and accept a capital letter where a small one is asked in the first-letter tasks. Pair a confident child with a quieter one for the Spell Your Name! survey.

Extension: Children spell 3-letter words from the flashcards (cat, dog, bus, sun, pig, box), find a second word for a letter ("B is for bus and ball"), or put four classmates' names in ABC order. Strong readers read Pim's ABC Book aloud and make their own ABC page.

Follow-Up Activities

• Practice the speaking questions in pairs the lesson before.
• Use the Show-Me Card so every child sees exactly the same letters and pictures.

Teacher Tips

Keep the letter NAME and the letter SOUND apart, and use the same routine every time: name — sound — word ("B — /b/ — bus"). Children who mix them read "bee-us" for bus. Most Grade 1 classes already sing the ABC song, so do not teach all 26 letters as new: spend your time on the letters children in Asia most often mix up — b / d / p / q, e / i, g / j and m / n — and on clear final sounds when spelling (C–A–T, not "ca"). The "bed" trick (two fists, thumbs up: b on the left, d on the right) fixes most b / d reversals.

What's Included

• 3-page test: paper, speaking check with Show-Me Card, and class record (DOCX + PDF)
• Answer key with listening script and speaking marking guide (DOCX + PDF)

Additional Files

• Grade 1 ESL Test: The Alphabet (DOCX)
• Answer Key (PDF)

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