Page 25 - ELG1704 Apr Issue 446

DATA & ANALYSIS

English skills for

integration

With Uber drivers in London ordered to take English tests, Melanie Butler
explores the option offered by Trinity College London’s ISE exams

BER’S recent court processes test-takers need in the
case against English world of study and that it pro-
language tests for motes the development of study
private-hire drivers strategies such as summarising,
Ubrought two language planning and note-taking. They
exams into the national spot- also argue that their choice of
light: Ielts and Integrated Skills task types and content approach
in English (ISE) from Trinity reflects the way English is taught
College London. While most in the contemporary classroom,
people in international lan- making the tests easily accessible
guage teaching know Ielts, ISE to candidates and reducing the
is best known as an exam taken need for specialist exam training.
by secondary school English Although the tests may be less
learners. Yet, along with Ielts, familiar to UK teachers than,
it is one of only two govern- say, Trinity or Ielts, there are free AUTOMOBILE ITALIA
ment-approved Secure English practice tests and support ma-
Language Tests (Selt) which terials online and an increasing
can be taken in the UK. number of exam course books
Although only levels B1 and published by third parties such
above of ISE are available as as Global ELT.
SELTs the foundation level, In fact, the Trinity College The drive for English?
at A2 can be taken for other London exam design is very
purposes. transparent. Its website is
So what makes ISE different? crammed with detailed informa- Trinity ISE and Ielts hit the UK headlines last month when Uber lost a court
The first and most obvious rea- tion, including the scoring sys- appeal against compulsory English tests for private hire drivers in London. The
son is that, as its name suggests, tem used by the examiners, the American digital cab company argued that the B1 level required in Reading and
the skills tests are integrated: inter-rater reliability (Cronbach Writing was too high.
Listening is tested with Speak- alpha. 967, for you test geeks) Transport for London introduced the language level requirements listing
ing, and Reading with Writing. and details of linking studies to Trinity and Ielts as the main tests. Drivers educated in Britain can show their
Both modules explicitly test skill the CEFR. national school exams results. Drivers of London’s traditional Black taxis are
integration. For example, one of And that is another ad- exempt from the language test because their two-year training period includes
the reading tasks involves read- vantage of a newer exam like a series of oral and written examinations in English.
ing a range of short texts on the Trinity: it was written from
same subject, which are used for the beginning to meet the the exam only applies for that across a network of ten centres
the basis of a writing task. This levels of the CEFR A2–C2, level. Students taking ISE II, the – all you have to do is book
exercise in ‘reading into writing’ and is directly mapped to the B1 exam, for example, will be online. Certificates are sent out
assesses how well candidates framework. There are sepa- awarded distinction, merit, pass within 14 days and institutions
can read across text and apply rate exams for each of the five or fail – they cannot be awarded including, crucially, UK immi-
in writing the information they levels, enabling the examiners A2. However if they fail on one gration authorities can verify the
have obtained. The Listening to set more complex tasks for of the skills they can take that results online.
and Speaking test takes place more advanced learners. In the module again. Feedback on ISE started life as an aca-
with a human examiner, so Speaking exam, for example, test results is provided for both demic exam aimed at overseas
at higher levels the student learners discuss a personalised teachers and learners. secondary schools. However,
summarises a listening text for topic, but from B1 they have to And what about the flexibility as one of only two exams listed
the examiner before listening perform a collaborative task, and and availability of the exams, as accepted as a SELT by the
to it again and answering the from C1 they are asked to make one of the features Trinity UK government, its popularity
examiner’s questions. a formal presentation. Having College London is famous for? among adult learners in the
Trinity believes that this five levels with different tasks Well, in the UK the exams are UK looks set to grow – not to
approach reflects the cognitive types, of course, means that available seven days a week mention among Uber drivers.

26 April 2017

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