Page 22 - ELG2005 Jul Issue 471

TESTING TIMES . SPECIAL FEATURE

No admission

when students UNIVERSITY OF READING

have an unknown

English test?

Covid-19 has led to students applying for courses

with a raft of test results. Matt Salusbury introduces a
set of guidelines which helps make sense of them

niversity admissions officers and There’s now a guide to many of these
EAP departments across the exams from BALEAP, the UK-based
English-speaking world are asked association for teachers of academic English.
Uto evaluate the English level of Guidelines on English Language Tests for
prospective international students based on University Entry has been compiled by
results of tests they may never have heard of. BALEAP’s current testing officer, Professor
In normal times, they can specify the exam Emeritus John Slaght, formerly Director of
qualifications required or, in some cases, the Assessment & Test Development (University
exams their governments mandate, generally of Reading).
including IELTS, TOEFL IBT and PTE We commend this guide, which was last
Academic. updated in June; it’s well worth reading all 63 Students enjoy the sun at the University of Reading, a BALEAP member
But these are not normal times. China’s pages of it.
national exams authority cancelled all its Guidelines on English Language Tests in response to Covid-19. It’s delivered up to invigilation. For the latest information and 180 words for the second, which may not
English tests, including IELTS and TOEFL, includes all the familiar SELTs, the Secure eight times a year by Reading University contact the exam provider. be sufficient for academic study. To learn more about the language
tests covered in Guidelines, simply
in February. And it was recently announced English Language Tests, as well as the invigilators at the University and elsewhere. The BALEAP Guidelines also evaluate tests Pearson have created the entirely click on these links:
that tests for July wouldn’t go ahead either. TOEFL IBT which, according to the guide, There are postgraduate and undergraduate which are not specifically for academic computer-based Versant English Placement
Most countries have had no English- “is currently regarded as a SELT, because of versions, including Language Knowledge and purposes, to determine how useful they might Test (VEPT), delivered online and lasting 50 Cambridge C1 Business English
language tests since March. UK exam centres Covid-19”. Although, Professor Slaght Speaking tests. Its listening paper includes be as a guide to students’ academic level. For minutes, with a total of nine tasks. It can be Higher
for the Secure English Language Tests advises that, “It is not known at this stage listening, reading and writing sections which example, the Cambridge suite of exams taken anytime and delivered from any Cambridge English: B2 First
(SELTs), needed for UK immigration (see whether this will continue.” are topic-based to simulate university includes Cambridge English: C2 Proficiency location, without the need for an examiner, Cambridge English: C1 Advanced
pages 18-19 of the BALEAP Guidelines), are and Cambridge English C1: Advanced. although Pearson suggest an invigilator
opening up. However, the re-opening of There’s also Cambridge English: B2 First. sitting in with the candidate would be a good Cambridge English: C2 Proficiency
post-2013
overseas SELTs centres depends on which The Guidelines cover aspects of each test, The Guidelines suggest students with general idea to prevent fraud. The test gives a
country they’re in. including whether they are of appropriate level and English at this level are unlikely to have numerical score for the four skills, as well as Duolingo
So how are university admissions staff enough academic English for direct entry to data on typing speed. VEPT provides quick Kaplan International Pathways
supposed to test the English level of format for academic English purposes. For example, many university level courses. results, but the Guidelines observe that 50 LanguageCert *
international student applicants? The wriggle C2 Proficiency, last revised in 2013 to minutes is very short and some tasks seem to
room they have varies by country of origin. whether sufficient attention writing skills is included make it more suitable for higher education, “lack authenticity.” Linguaskill
Compare the US, where they can accept a and whether tests are of appropriate length. tests the usual four skills plus Use of English. Finally, there’s the Duolingo English test, Michigan English Test (MET)
much wider range of tests, to the UK where “Test takers at this level will have a high level taken online at low cost to the candidate and Password English Language Tests
they can select their own criteria for testing A complete test that is completed in under practice. TEEP is included as an example of of general language proficiency appropriate with results available in 48 hours. It’s mapped Pearson Test of English
English proficiency for ‘direct entry’ to degree an hour, for example, probably wouldn’t be the information required for other bespoke for most degree programmes,” as quoted in to IELTS, but not the CEFR. The Guidelines (PTE Academic) *
level courses, but not for EAP pre-sessionals. appropriate. Other aspects include test tests, which institutions may wish to have the Guidelines. Before Covid-19, C2 tests note that some universities are already
However, UK-bound students must generally security, validity and reliability, and whether included in the guidelines, as Professor Slaght were offered four times a year in over 90 accepting this for direct entry, but that, “it is Test of English for Educational
reach at least B2 on the Common European it is mapped to CEFR. Many entries also also hopes to add other academic English centres; while C1 tests were held every a test of general English and quite limited in Purposes (TEEP)
Framework of Reference (CEFR), and the come with evaluations from Professor Slaght, tests, devised by academic institutions, to the month, with a combination of paper-based terms of what is tested … with no specific The Aptis Test
tests are subject to audits by UK Visas & which may prove helpful. Guidelines. and computer-based tests. Both tests use an test of reading.” The International English Language
Immigration. We have used the BALEAP Guidelines to Also included are the Password English array of security measures, including security- This is, of course, just a short taster of the Testing System (IELTS) *
There are a bewildering range of tests out make a selection of some of the tests students language tests devised by CRELLA at the enhanced paper containing “hidden information available on the BALEAP The Test of English as a Foreign
there for university admissions officers to might have taken, excluding the SELTs, University of Bedfordshire, which was features,” and a simple verification system. website. More tests will be added to the Language (TOEFL)
choose from. Some are delivered at least which teaching staff mostly already know involved in the development of IELTS and Cambridge also offer Linguaskill Business Guidelines on English Language Tests for
partly online, with more online versions in about. the Cambridge suite. There are five Password and Linguaskill General, designed primarily University Entry, so also check for updates. It’s TOEFL IBTr **
development in response to Covid-19. Some Starting with institutional-based academic tests that can be delivered as stand-alones – as placement tests. They’re delivered entirely the answer to an admissions officer’s prayers. Trinity Integrated Skills of English
can be arranged at relatively short notice – English tests, there is the University of Speaking (20 minutes), Writing (75 minutes), online, with rapid results, and take between (Trinity ISE)
useful with universities in the Northern Reading’s Test of English for Educational Listening, Reading and a Knowledge paper 60 and 85 minutes – rather short if we follow Thanks to Professor John Slaght for his help and Versant (VEPT)
Hemisphere scheduled to start a new Purposes (TEEP). This is a fully paper-based testing grammar and vocabulary. Currently, it the Guidelines, which also notes there’s little for his work in producing the invaluable *SELT **Temporary SELT
academic year in September. test, but an online version is being developed is believed that Password requires one-to-one by way of writing – 50 words for the first task Guidelines.

22 July 2020 editorial@elgazette.com 23