Page 6 - ELG1707 Jul Issue 449

NEWS .

Nurses ‘should PHALINN OOI

understand

local accents’

By Claudia Civinini The petition has been signed by 7 score in all four skills tested in petition in 2014, EU nurses were
Nurses’ conversation skills and more than 6,000 people in the the Academic Ielts. According to exempt from the English language
familiarity with local accents are past month, bringing the total to official statistics, native speakers requirement. After it was extended
just as important as knowledge of 11,000 signatures at the time to average 6.3 on the Ielts writing to cover them in January 2016, the
standard English, according to a going to press. task (see Gazette June 2017). The NMC saw a 96 per cent drop in
nurse who is calling for a reduction Mr Cyriac, originally from India petition asks for the required Ielts registrations from EU staff in the
in the language level required for and now living in Aberdeen, said he score to be lowered to 6.5, and for space of a year.
overseas nurses in the UK. launched the petition after he saw General Ielts to be used instead of
‘If you work in a care home in experienced nurses being unable the academic version.
Aberdeen, “Oxford grammar” to practise because the English ‘We still need the test,’ Mr Cyriac
won’t help you – you need to standard was too high for them. told the Gazette. ‘Communication
understand local accents,’ Febin ‘I had some friends with ten, is important, so nurses still need
Cyriac told the Gazette. fifteen years’ experience in to be tested. But a score of 7 is too
Mr Cyriac is running a petition hospitals, and they had to work as high.’ Nurses who have studied in
calling on the UK’s Nursing carers because they couldn’t get UK universities or have more than
and Midwifery Council (NMC) the required Ielts grade,’ he said. three years’ experience in the UK
to rethink its English language Current regulations require should also be exempt, he added.
requirements for foreign nurses. foreign nurses to achieve a band Back when he started the Febin Cyriac

CANADA Language school association teaching skills and establishing the Gazette. ‘Mexico is becoming
for
a focus country for Languages
programmes
Languages Canada is set to boost
exchange
TO BOOST English and French language students. Canada members’, she added. ‘It
was the fifth source market for
provision in Mexican state schools.
‘The agreement will work as
MEXICAN Languages Canada members a ‘door opener’ for partnerships language schools in 2016, and
LANGUAGE will work with state schools between Languages Canada we are expecting higher figures
members and state schools,
Guanajuato,
in
Mexico
in 2017 as a visa requirement for
to
association’s
TEACHING strengthen English and French the international affairs director Mexican students was lifted last
year’. It is expected the programme
language programmes, for example
of
and
developing teachers’ language and operations Rachel Lindsey told will be launched in early 2018.
newsinbrief
CHANGCHUN HIGH NUMBERS NEWLY CREATED THE CREAM OF Digital Innovation:
UNIVERSITY of English Language Brazilian language THE ELT sector were www.textinspector.
in China has used papers Learners are arriving in school chain Wiser rewarded at this year’s com by Stephen Bax
in Braille for the first time the Southeastern United Educação SA is recent ELTons awards with Versantus. English
to allow its blind and States and the area is planning to scoop up for innovation in English Language Teaching
visually impaired students ill-prepared to receive language schools all Language teaching. Research: Queen’s
to sit the national College them, according to the over the country, one Awards winners were: University Belfast,
English Test (CET). think tank New America. of its founders told Excellence in Course Northumbria University,
According to one of the The number of ELLs has Reuters. The company, Innovation: Students University of Glasgow.
students, this was the risen 236 per cent in which owns WiseUp, for Peace from Masters Dissertation
second major victory South Carolina over the YouMove and Number Richmond. Innovation with Best Potential for
after test papers in Braille past decade. Many in One English language in Partnership: Hausa- Impact in ELT: Jason
were used in the national the region question the school chains, aims to to-English Talking Book Anderson, King’s College
college entrance exam right to education for all own 1,000 schools by 1. Innovation in Learner London. Lifetime
in 2014. The CET is a children. One school 2020. The founder told Resources: Develop EAP: Achievement Award:
national test of English as board chairman said: ‘I Reuters that Wiser, now A Sustainable Academic Ronald Carter. For more
a foreign language which don’t want to hire any valued 750 million reals, English Skills Course. ELTons see pages 24, 25
is often required for more ESOL teachers…half could double its value in Innovation in Teacher and 26. For more details
students to graduate and of the kids we’re teaching a couple of years ‘with Resources: Tigtag on the winners, see:
enter the job market. are not even here legally’. the right acquisitions’. CLIL from Twig World. http://bit.ly/2txceXn
6 July 2017

p06-07.indd 2 7/6/2017 1:03:31 PM