Page 12 - ELG2102 Feb Issue 474

BUSINESS NEWS .

Macron backs French language

courses and English language tests

By Melanie Butler them survive the pandemic. Weeks later, on
In a dramatic example of the change of its 23 December, the French Ministry of Higher
traditional position on English language Education, Research and Innovation signed a SHUTTERSTOCK
learning, the French government has signed deal with LanguageCert, part of the PeopleCert
a four-year contract with awarding body group, following a thorough tendering process.
LanguageCert to deliver over 600,000 English The move will see every student in France
tests to undergraduates at the country’s and its overseas territories take the LinguaCert
state-owned universities and Institutes of science Test of English (LTE) as part of their
and technology. undergraduate studies, with the government
Unlike most of the rest of Europe, France has picking up the test fees. Before they graduate,
previously declined to prioritise the teaching of students will be tested in three skills: listening,
English over other European languages, with reading and writing, using either a paper-based
many schools choosing Spanish or German test or in a computer-adaptive format. Each
as the first foreign language taught and some student will receive a certificate showing their
students leaving school having been taught no level on the Common European Framework
English at all. of Reference (CEFR), but undergraduates’
In a typically pragmatic decision, President attainment on the test will not affect their France’s President Macron
Emmanuel Macron has adopted the policy degree results.
of promoting the learning of English as Some French teachers have pushed back
the language of business, while ramping against the initiative, complaining about the use Pushback from the public and the French
up his support for the teaching of French of an international test produced by a private press has been muted, with some observers
and for the French-speaking populations of company rather than a French state exam. The suggesting that Britain’s final exit from the
la Francophonie. exam board has responded by offering a package European Union has dampened the political
In the first week of December, he announced of teacher support, including webinars and free objections to learning the language of a
that French language schools would become study materials. LanguageCert’s Frederic Borne competing European power. “English has
an official ‘protected sector’, awarding them told the Gazette: “We are committed to helping become neutralised by Brexit,” one source told
tax exemptions and fiscal support to help the teachers.” the Gazette.

More language test centres open for UK visas There are five Secure English Language

Tests (SELT) approved for official purposes
By Melanie Butler UK to join family or to apply for settlement and by the UKVI, the UK immigration authority.
Pearson has been busy opening 57 of the 72 new citizenship, it offers PTE Home, which tests Each provider offers two tests: one for
Secure English Language Test (SELT) centres speaking and listening skills. immigration and visa purposes, the second
which have been approved by the UKVI, the The new Pearson SELT test centres include for family reunion visas and citizenship
British immigration authority. eight in the UK, 15 in India and others in purposes. The exams must be taken at a
Under the new SELT rules introduced in countries as diverse as Algeria, Egypt, Hong Secure English Language Test centre run by
2019, migrants must take a secure test from Kong, Japan, Palestine, Philippines, Saudi the relevant provider.
one of five approved exam boards, including Arabia, Singapore, Sweden and Switzerland, to IELTS SELT Consortium – available in
Pearson, and the tests must be taken in name just a few. the UK or overseas.
the specially approved SELT centres run by Pearson has a total of 384 test centres
each board offering PTE Academic worldwide, but most IELTS for UKVI:
Pearson has two exams approved for visa and are not SELT centres. The test is accepted • Life Skills
immigration: PTE Academic, which covers all by universities across the world and, even LanguageCert – available in the UK or
four skills and is taken for student visas and in the UK, universities have the right to choose overseas:
working visas and, for people coming to the which academic tests prospective students • LanguageCert International ESOL SELT
will take and where they • LanguageCert International ESOL
should take them. SELT speaking and listening
With the Covid-19 Trinity College London – available in the
pandemic, however, test UK only:
centres have been opening • Integrated Skills in English (ISE)
and closing and opening • Graded Examinations in Spoken English
again, depending on local (GESE)
restrictions, and numbers
for those taking the PTE Pearson – available in the UK or overseas:
were down 36% in 2020 • Pearson PTE Academic UKVI
compared with 2019. • Pearson PTE Home
“It has been and PSI Services (UK) Ltd – available overseas
continues to be a very only:
fluid situation,” says Kasia • Skills for English UKVI (four components)
Reardon, director, corporate • Skills for English UKVI (two components)
affairs, at Pearson.
12 February 2021