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The JAPEC English Proficiency Test for Children

The JAPEC English Proficiency Test for Children is run by the JAPEC Testing Committee, which consists of specialists on English language education for children. It aims to make correct evaluations from an objective standpoint regarding the English communication abilities of children, with emphasis on listening and speaking abilities, by using a listening test and a speaking test based on scientifically established attainment goals by grades.

Since the JAPEC English Proficiency Test for Children was first administered in 1979, many children have taken up the challenge of Grades 1 to 6 in various test venues all over Japan. Truly practical English that can be useful in the international community is continually increasing in importance, and the JAPEC English Proficiency Test for Children, with the longest history of tests of its kind in Japan, is widely supported by many teachers and highly regarded by children, receiving high social recognition as a unique and authoritative test.

The JAPEC English Proficiency Test for Children is designed to measure comprehensive English listening and speaking skills.

Listening Test

The listening test has been made for children to hear natural and real English language in many thoughtful ways. The test is designed from the children’s point of view. It includes scenarios that are very similar to childen’s daily life with adventures and dreams that many children typically experience. This test has been constructed based on great research about children’s testing. The test is fun to take and also stimulates children’s interests at the same time.

Listening Test Picture
Speaking Test

The speaking test offers a valuable experience for children to communicate using English language. For children, even in short conversations, if they can successfully use the language that they have been learned or practiced they will learn more. It makes them enjoy the experience, which helps them build their confidence when speaking English. Successful experiences encourage them to make progress and develop their learning. The speaking test’s questions are also designed to bring out children’s desire for speaking at each grade levels. It develops a great positive attitude in children for speaking English.

Speaking Test Picture
Administration period Every year, from October 1st to March 31st of the following year.
Test fees per child(incl. tax) Grade6 ¥2,500 Grade5 ¥2,500
Grade4 ¥2,800 Grade3 ¥2,800
Grade2 ¥3,100 Grade1 ¥3,100
Eligibility There are no particular eligitility requirements for children taking this test.
Test venues As a basic rule, test will be administered at a classroom that participates in the Test.
All classrooms teaching English to toddlers and older students(in elementary and middle schools)are eligible for participation.
Regional testcenters are set up in Osaka every year, and public testing is conducted. Participation is possible for individuals as well as for classrooms and groups.(Test is held in March.)
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Test Contents

Enjoy working up to the next level, with 6 grades available. Start with a grade that is right for each student.

Grade Average age group and period of study Target Skills Testing Method（Listening Test・Speaking Test）
Grade6 3 to 7
years old
Approximately
6 months
of study
  • Can catch words (mainly nouns and verbs) that are a part of children’s everyday life, specific, and easy to express through pictures and actions.
  • Can catch and understand greetings and simple conversations with family members and friends, and conversations that occur in fairy tales, and the scenes and the situations in which they occur.
  • Can use simple everyday greetings. Can verbally answer questions asking for name and age. Can answer questions about the number, name, and color of things shown in a picture.

【Number of vocabulary words used】Approximately 350 words
  • Approximately 25 minutes.
  • A CD with recordings of native English speaker(s) will be used.
  • Approximately 5 minutes. (2 to 3 minutes for Grade 6).
  • An all-English, face-to-face interview-style speaking test with one tester (can be a teacher) and one examiner.※Pictures will be used.
Grade5 5 to 8 years old
Approximately
1 year
of study

In addition to the skills of the 6th grade:

  • Can catch words (adjectives, verbs including progressive forms) that are a part of children’s everyday life, specific, and easy to express through pictures and actions, and numbers representing prices, time and age.
  • Can catch and understand the settings and situations of conversations with a store clerk.
  • Can understand questions answerable with Yes / No. Can understand and choose the appropriate answer to questions beginning with expressions such as “How many”, “Where” and “What”.
  • Can verbally answer questions about the weather and time shown in a picture.

【Number of vocabulary words used】Approximately 600 words
Grade4 7 to 10
years old
Approximately
1 to 3 years
of study

In addition to the skills of the 5th grade:

  • Can understand the relations between sounds and letters, and can write the alphabet correctly.
  • Can catch and understand the situation and contents of conversations occurring in various settings (in town, at a campsite, and so on), self-introductions and fairy tales.
  • Can understand and choose appropriate answers to questions beginning with expressions such as “How many”, “Where” and “What” and questions involving choosing nouns or verbs using “or”.
  • Can verbally answer questions including the behavior and state of a person shown in a picture.

【Number of vocabulary words used】Approximately 800 words
  • Approximately 30 minutes.
  • A CD with recordings of native English speaker(s) will be used.
  • Approximately 5 minutes.
  • An all-English, face-to-face interview-style speaking test with one tester (can be a teacher) and one examiner.
    ※Pictures will be used.
Grade3 8 to 11
years old
Approximately
2 to 4 years of study

In addition to the skills of the 4th grade:

  • Can catch and understand the situation and contents of conversations occurring in various settings (in town, school, and so on), self-introductions, fairy tales and letters.
  • Can understand and choose appropriate answers to questions beginning with “Who” and questions involving choice of adjectives using “or”.
  • Can verbally answer questions regarding hobbies and likes and dislikes. Can verbally answer questions including the behavior and state of a person shown in a picture.

【Number of vocabulary words used】Approximately 1,000 words
Grade2 9 to 12
years old
Approximately
3 to 5 years
of study

In addition to the skills of the 3rd grade:

  • Can catch and understand the contents of directions, letters, e-mails, self-introductions, speeches and fairy tales.
  • Can understand the pronunciation of words of about 3 to 7 letters (including the progressive form of verbs). Can write words of about 2 to 4 letters correctly.
  • Can understand and choose appropriate answers to questions beginning with “How” and questions involving choice of verbs using “or”.
  • Can verbally answer questions about daily life. Can verbally answer questions about the situation in a picture, and the behavior and state of the person shown in the picture. Can read aloud words of about 3 to 7 letters correctly.

【Number of vocabulary words used】Approximately 1,300 words
  • Approximately 40 minutes.
  • A CD with recordings of native English speaker(s) will be used.
  • Approximately 5 to 8 minutes.
  • An all-English, face-to-face interview-style speaking test with one tester (can be a teacher) and one examiner.
    ※Pictures will be used.
Grade1 10 to 14
years old
Approximately
4 to 6 years
of study

In addition to the skills of the 2nd grade:

  • Can catch and understand the contents of diary entries and travel descriptions.
  • Can understand the pronunciation of words of about 4 to 8 letters (including the progressive form of verbs and past tenses). Can write words of about 3 to 5 letters correctly.
  • Can understand and choose the appropriate answer to questions beginning with expressions such as “How long”, “How often” and “Why”.
  • Can verbally answer questions about daily life. Can verbally answer questions about the situations in a picture, and the behavior and state of the person shown in the picture. Can read aloud words of about 4 to 8 letters correctly.

【Number of vocabulary words used】Approximately 1,600 words
◆ The target number of words to be memorized in primary school will be 600 to 700 words from April 2020 on.
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