When a student enters the school system, she is given an ESOL placement test to access English proficiency. This test helps to place the student into the correct ESOL classes to continue her English study.
The placement tests assess a student's speaking, listening, reading and writing levels. A newcomer to the United States may have lower scores if he did not study English in his home country and as a result would need extra support.
It takes time to become completely fluent in the English language. The ESOL student usually becomes proficient in speaking and listening first.