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Cambridge English: English Tests for the Workplace Dr David Davies, Global Manager, Higher Education and Workplace

Cambridge English: English Tests for the Workplace · PDF fileA range of exams to meet different needs er 9) er er A1 Movers A2 B1 B2 C1 C2 Young learners Starters (YLE Starters) Young

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Page 1: Cambridge English: English Tests for the Workplace · PDF fileA range of exams to meet different needs er 9) er er A1 Movers A2 B1 B2 C1 C2 Young learners Starters (YLE Starters) Young

Cambridge English: English Tests for the Workplace Dr David Davies, Global Manager, Higher Education and Workplace

Page 2: Cambridge English: English Tests for the Workplace · PDF fileA range of exams to meet different needs er 9) er er A1 Movers A2 B1 B2 C1 C2 Young learners Starters (YLE Starters) Young

2

Cambridge English

Influencing thinking through publishing and

consultancy

Leading-edge and operational research on

assessment in education

Not for Profit

100 years experience

Delivering world-class assessment

Part of Cambridge University

Page 3: Cambridge English: English Tests for the Workplace · PDF fileA range of exams to meet different needs er 9) er er A1 Movers A2 B1 B2 C1 C2 Young learners Starters (YLE Starters) Young

To be the experts in language

assessment, delivering

excellence and innovation

Our Vision To make our flexible range of

assessment tools an

indispensable component of

language learning,

teaching and testing

throughout the world

Our mission

The Cambridge English mission and vision

Page 4: Cambridge English: English Tests for the Workplace · PDF fileA range of exams to meet different needs er 9) er er A1 Movers A2 B1 B2 C1 C2 Young learners Starters (YLE Starters) Young

Schools

Higher

Education

Work

Teaching

General

& for

schools

Academic

&

professional

Teaching

qualifications

Young

learners

Business

Our offer - focused on specific sector or purpose

Page 5: Cambridge English: English Tests for the Workplace · PDF fileA range of exams to meet different needs er 9) er er A1 Movers A2 B1 B2 C1 C2 Young learners Starters (YLE Starters) Young

A range of exams to meet different needs P

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f R

efer

ence

(C

EFR

)

Ind

epen

den

t U

ser

Bas

ic U

ser

A1

A2

B1

B2

C1

C2

Young learners Starters (YLE Starters)

Young learners Movers (YLE Movers)

Young learners Flyers (YLE Flyers)

First for schools (FCE for schools)

Preliminary for schools (PET for schools)

Key for schools (KET for schools)

Proficiency (CPE)

Advanced (CAE)

First (FCE)

Preliminary (PET)

Key (KET)

Business Vantage (BEC)

Business Vantage (BEC)

Business Preliminary (BEC)

International Legal English Certificate (ILEC)

International Certificate in Financial English (ICFE)

90

75

60

40

20

BULATS

8

7.5

7

6.5

6

5.5

5

4.5

4

IELTS

9

Page 6: Cambridge English: English Tests for the Workplace · PDF fileA range of exams to meet different needs er 9) er er A1 Movers A2 B1 B2 C1 C2 Young learners Starters (YLE Starters) Young

What is Cambridge English?

• Cambridge English produces the world’s leading range of examination and assessments for learners and teachers of English.

• A not-for-profit department of the University of Cambridge.

• Part of Cambridge Assessment group, Europe’s largest assessment agency.

• First offered English language exams in 1913, with the Certificate of Proficiency in English – an exam we still offer (although with many revisions over the years).

Cambridge English

Page 7: Cambridge English: English Tests for the Workplace · PDF fileA range of exams to meet different needs er 9) er er A1 Movers A2 B1 B2 C1 C2 Young learners Starters (YLE Starters) Young

English for the Workplace

• Cambridge English is planning to introduce a range of tests designed for the workplace

• The tests are designed to support organisations to identify candidates’ competencies across a wide range of functions

• The tests will consist of evidence-based assessment that will provide the tools to measure general English proficiency

• The tests are designed to support recruitment, selection and progression

• Results will be reported on the CEFR scale from A1 to C2

Cambridge English

Page 8: Cambridge English: English Tests for the Workplace · PDF fileA range of exams to meet different needs er 9) er er A1 Movers A2 B1 B2 C1 C2 Young learners Starters (YLE Starters) Young

Why are we introducing Workplace Tests?

• Research evidence indicates that employers need evidence of candidates’ ability to use English in many different workplace contexts

• Need for a test that measures English proficiency in familiar workplace contexts.

• The tests will be online and on-demand to meet the needs of employers and candidates

• The tests are based on the can-do statements within the CEFR

• Topics and themes will be immediately familiar to anyone in a normal working environment- meetings, applying for jobs, pay and benefits etc

Cambridge English

Page 9: Cambridge English: English Tests for the Workplace · PDF fileA range of exams to meet different needs er 9) er er A1 Movers A2 B1 B2 C1 C2 Young learners Starters (YLE Starters) Young

What will be included in the Workplace Test?

• There will be Tests of Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing.

• All tests will be online

• Reading and Listening tests will be computer-adaptive (i.e. they will adapt to the candidate’s ability level in order to maximise the precision of the tests, based on the candidate’s answers to earlier questions)

• Speaking and Writing tests will be computer-based and linear

• A single Test will be provided for each module- it will be possible to have a single test for each skill but Reading and Listening will normally be taken as one test, although reported on separately

Cambridge English

Page 10: Cambridge English: English Tests for the Workplace · PDF fileA range of exams to meet different needs er 9) er er A1 Movers A2 B1 B2 C1 C2 Young learners Starters (YLE Starters) Young

Reading and Listening Tests

• Computer-adaptive Tests (i.e. they will adapt to the candidate’s ability level in order to maximise the precision of the tests, based on the candidate’s answers to earlier questions)

• As the test is adaptive the length of the test will depend on the candidate’s level of ability but the test is usually 60 minutes long

• General English proficiency in a workplace context

• Candidates can take a combined Reading and Listening test or separate tests.

• Separate Reading and Listening scores for all tests

Cambridge English

Page 11: Cambridge English: English Tests for the Workplace · PDF fileA range of exams to meet different needs er 9) er er A1 Movers A2 B1 B2 C1 C2 Young learners Starters (YLE Starters) Young

Reading and Listening Tests: question types

• Read and select

• Gapped sentences

• Multiple-choice gap fill

• Open gap-fill

• Extended reading- multiple choice questions

• Listen and select- multiple choice questions

• Extended listening- multiple choice questions

Cambridge English

Page 12: Cambridge English: English Tests for the Workplace · PDF fileA range of exams to meet different needs er 9) er er A1 Movers A2 B1 B2 C1 C2 Young learners Starters (YLE Starters) Young

Speaking and Writing Tests

• Computer-based linear tests

• Complementary to Reading and Listening tests but can be taken independently

• Marking administered by agents (standard) or by Cambridge English if required

• Marked by examiners

Cambridge English

Page 13: Cambridge English: English Tests for the Workplace · PDF fileA range of exams to meet different needs er 9) er er A1 Movers A2 B1 B2 C1 C2 Young learners Starters (YLE Starters) Young

Speaking Tests: tasks

• The test lasts about 15 minutes.

• Part I: Interview

• Part 2: Reading aloud

• Part 3: Presentation

• Part 4: Presentation with graphics

• Part 5: Communication activity

Cambridge English

Page 14: Cambridge English: English Tests for the Workplace · PDF fileA range of exams to meet different needs er 9) er er A1 Movers A2 B1 B2 C1 C2 Young learners Starters (YLE Starters) Young

Writing Tests: question types

• The test lasts 45 minutes.

• Part 1: Short e-mail- candidates are given input in the form of a short text to which they must respond concisely. The input text may be in the form of an e-mail, advertisement etc. Three bullet points guide candidates towards the content required in their answers. Output in the form of an e-mail.50-60 words.

• Part 2: Report or letter- candidates are given a context and a reason for writing the required text. The output will either be a report or a letter. 180-200 words. Part 2 is designed to allow candidates with higher level language to demonstrate maximum language proficiency by following the instruction to write about ‘…any other points which you think are important.’

Cambridge English

Page 15: Cambridge English: English Tests for the Workplace · PDF fileA range of exams to meet different needs er 9) er er A1 Movers A2 B1 B2 C1 C2 Young learners Starters (YLE Starters) Young

Tests in different contexts

• Also measure General English proficiency

• Business (from early 2015)

• Future possibilities: • Travel and Tourism

• Hospitality?

• …

Cambridge English

Page 16: Cambridge English: English Tests for the Workplace · PDF fileA range of exams to meet different needs er 9) er er A1 Movers A2 B1 B2 C1 C2 Young learners Starters (YLE Starters) Young

Results Reporting

• Results Reporting form provided for all modules taken

• Results reporting for Reading and Listening will be immediate

• Overall scores and scores for each section will be available

• Reporting scale will be 0-100, linked to A1 to C2 of the CEFR

Cambridge English

Page 17: Cambridge English: English Tests for the Workplace · PDF fileA range of exams to meet different needs er 9) er er A1 Movers A2 B1 B2 C1 C2 Young learners Starters (YLE Starters) Young

Cambridge English

Our Organisation

• Around 440 UK based staff • 130 staff in our network of 27 offices worldwide including

Argentina

Australia

Brazil

China

France

Germany

Greece

UAE

India

Italy

Malaysia

Mexico

Poland

Russia

South Korea

Spain

Taiwan

Turkey

Page 18: Cambridge English: English Tests for the Workplace · PDF fileA range of exams to meet different needs er 9) er er A1 Movers A2 B1 B2 C1 C2 Young learners Starters (YLE Starters) Young

Internationally Recognised

Accepted by over 15,000 organisations

Including employers, universities and government bodies

Over 7,300 H/E institutions

from 100 countries

Over 5,500 corporate users from

100 countries

500 Government bodies from

66 countries

© UCLES 2013

Page 19: Cambridge English: English Tests for the Workplace · PDF fileA range of exams to meet different needs er 9) er er A1 Movers A2 B1 B2 C1 C2 Young learners Starters (YLE Starters) Young

Why Cambridge English

Best in class and world leaders

Broad & comprehensive assessment

Continual research & development

Fit for purpose

Results you can trust

Unparallel Support

Truly international – content, delivery,

recognition

Page 20: Cambridge English: English Tests for the Workplace · PDF fileA range of exams to meet different needs er 9) er er A1 Movers A2 B1 B2 C1 C2 Young learners Starters (YLE Starters) Young

www.CambridgeEnglish.org

www.Facebook.org/cambridgeenglish

www.twitter.com/cambridgeenglish

www.youtube.com/CambridgeEnglishTV

Page 21: Cambridge English: English Tests for the Workplace · PDF fileA range of exams to meet different needs er 9) er er A1 Movers A2 B1 B2 C1 C2 Young learners Starters (YLE Starters) Young

Any questions?

• Dr David Davies

• Global Manager, Higher Education and Workplace, Business Development

[email protected]

• Tel: 00441223556059

Cambridge English