The ELS is an easy-to-administer, easy-to-score assessment tool for quickly identifying the appropriate starting level for ESL and literacy instruction. After a brief individual oral screening, the remainder of the test can be group administered. Subtests include: Listening Comprehension, Grammar, Life Skills, Reading Comprehension, and Composition.

This quick, informal assessment was developed and field-tested over a 5-year period with adult school students of many different backgrounds, including Hispanic, Asian, Middle Eastern and European.