ESLCurriculumandTestingforVocationalPurposes:Isittimetobringitalltogether?

ISLPRandIELTShavebeenthetwomajortestingsystemsusedinAustraliaforthepastthirtyyears;IELTSsince1989,andISLPRsince1979.

IELTShasenjoyedsuccessastheleadingtestacceptedbyDIAC,tertiaryinstitutionsandemployersAustralia‐wideandinternationally,forimmigrationandemploymentpurposes,mainlyforreasonsofglobalavailability.

ISLPRhasbeenacceptedbyanumberofindustrybodiesaroundAustraliaandisthesystemonwhichtheCSWE(CertificatesinSpokenandWrittenEnglish),anAQFcompliantcurriculumdevelopedbyNSWAMESisbased.ThecoursesarealsousedwidelythroughoutAustraliaintheAdultandCommunityEducation(ACE)sector,TAFEcolleges,universitylanguageprograms,Indigenouseducation,correctiveservicesprograms,privatelanguagecollegesandIntensiveEnglishCentres(IECs)inNSWstateschools.TheCSWEsarealsowidelyusedbyserviceprovidersoftheAMEP(AdultMigrantEducationProgram),whichisamigrantsettlementprogramprovidedbytheAustralianGovernmentandadministeredthroughtheDepartmentofImmigrationandCitizenship.TheNCELTR(NationalCentreforEnglishLanguageTeachingandResearch,basedatMacquarieUniversity)alsoproducedanonline,moderatedassessmenttaskbank,whichwascreatedwiththehelpofstafffromnumerousinstitutionsdeliveringtheCSWEAustralia‐wide.TAFEInstitutionsAustraliawidealsouseISLPRtogradetheirstudentsintolevelsandtraintheirEnglishteachersinusingtheISLPRtograde,monitorandassesslearnersprogressingthroughCSWEcertificates.

Whencomparingthesystems,itisapparentthat,althoughbothsystemsarehighlyregardedandhavebeensubjectto20to30yearsofevaluationanddevelopment,therearecohortsofcandidatesbettersuitedtoeachsystem.Intermsoftheadaptabilityandpersonalizationoftestdevelopmenttosuitthecontextofthecandidate,itwouldseemthatISLPRisthetestingsystembettersuitedtocohortsofrefugees,migrantworkersandimmigrants;ISLPRalsohastheabilitytoratethecandidatebasedontheirabilitytocommunicateincertainvocational,academicorgeneralcontexts.

Whichposesthequestion:ifISLPRhas,forthelastthirtyyears,beenthebasisforthein‐housetestingandteachingofarangeofcandidatesfromacademic,non‐academic,migrant,refugee,indigenousandvocationalbackgrounds,isitnottimetoformallyregisterISLPRasanationallyaccreditedtestingsystem,governedbyanindependentbodywhichcanmoderateandvalidatetestingandresulting?IsitnottimeforthenationtoformallyrecognizeandacceptISLPRasanacceptablealternativeforinstitutionalorimmigrationrequirements?Isitnottimetomakelanguagetestingfairerfornon‐academicandvocationalcandidates,sothatthey,too,canaccesstestingwhichcanindicatetheirtrueabilitytocommunicateintheirchosenfield?

MsMariaDoyle

University of Bristol Language Testing Forum 2012

ESLCurriculumandTestingforVocationalPurposes:

Isittimetobringitalltogether?

Major language testing systems used for Vocational candidates The Reality ISLPR IELTS

Used as the in-house testing mechanism in Australia and to grade, monitor and assess language proficiency in:

TAFEs and ACEs (Adult Community Education centres)

Migrant Centres IECs

(Intensive English Centres) .

Why is this?

Authenticity Unedited, relevant to candidate

Edited, reformulated for enmasse delivery

Test development Adaptable, relevant to candidate Enmasse

Streams available General, Academic, Specific Vocational area

General, Academic

Test administration One to one, modified to candidate

Enmasse, one size fits all

More appropriate for candidates with

backgrounds including:

Academic, non-academic, migrant, refugee,

indigenous, vocational Academic

So then WHY is this the case? Accepted as proof of language proficiency by:

Training Advisory Groups, Unions, Boards,

Registration Bodies

Some, depending on the state

TAFEs Universities Some, depending on the

institution Department of

Immigration Some visas, to specify and test for Functional English.

Which poses the questions... • If ISLPR has, for the last thirty years, been the basis for

the in-house testing and teaching of a range of candidates from academic, non-academic, migrant, refugee, indigenous and vocational backgrounds, is it time to formally register ISLPR as a nationally accredited testing system, governed by an independent body which can moderate and validate testing and resulting?

• Is it time for the nation to formally recognise and accept

ISLPR as an acceptable alternative for institutional or immigration requirements?

• Is it time to make language testing fairer for non-academic

and vocational candidates, so that they too, can access testing which can indicate their true ability to communicate in their chosen field?

Is the IAA the solution? • IAA: ISLPR Accreditation Authority

• Quality Assurance, Research, and Development of the

ISLPR • Providing an internationally recognised language testing

solution for candidates from academic, non-academic, migrant, refugee, indigenous and vocational backgrounds

For more information or to register your interest in receiving updates on the progress of the IAA, please visit www.islpr.org or contact maria@selectconsultants.com.au