The latest to join the online English proficiency test bandwagon is National Geographic Learning. Its National Geographic Learning Online Placement Test, part of the Cencage Group, places students in one of 14 levels that marry up with the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), which universities in particular find useful when assessing incoming students.
The test has been created for the 15 and over crowd and works by collecting voice samples to determine the speaker’s level of English.
“We believe half the world will speak or learn English by 2030, because proficient English is the gateway to a promising career for millions across the globe,” says Alexander Broich, President of Cengage Global Businesses and General Manager for English Language Teaching. “As enrolments are growing by up to 5% annually, institutions need a valid and reliable test to place students at the correct level of English learning. Our online placement test addresses that need without human testers – and at scale.”
