Webinar: The Importance

of English Testing for

Corporations March 2013

Amy Wood

Training & Performance Standards Manager

On-demand Distance Business

English Training that combines

eLearning, eWriting and Live

Coaching

Agenda

• Why proficiency frameworks are relevant to the corporate setting

• What English language tests aim to measure

• Which standardized tests might meet your corporate needs

• The effects of testing on recruitment, career development, and evaluation

Why test English skills?

Why test? • Recruitment

– Ensure candidate qualification

• Career Development

– Talent management

– Workforce and succession planning

• Training Needs Analysis

– Analyze language training needs

– Analyze other needs for training delivered in English

• Training Effectiveness Evaluation

– Analyze improvement after language training

– Analyze improvement after other training

Why test?

Effective International

What is proficiency?

What is Proficiency?

A measurement of

– Competence

– Skill

– Expertise

There are two kinds of proficiency:

– Technically-oriented

– Action-oriented

Proficiency with the technical aspects of language or “book knowledge”

• Grammar

• Vocabulary

• Lexicon

• Phonology

Technically-Oriented

Proficiency

Action-Oriented

Proficiency

Proficiency with what one can DO / CREATE / ACHIEVE with the language

• Understanding changes to product specifications

• Recording meeting minutes

• Understanding spoken instructions

• Describing a process

Why are proficiency frameworks

relevant to the corporate setting?

Proficiency frameworks offer standardized, widely accepted, detailed definitions of proficiency levels

• Proof of proficiency using a standardized framework – Reputable

– Trusted

• Portable achievement – Test in China, work successfully in Brazil

• Establish a common reference for description of proficiency – Different tests measure the same proficiencies

Standardized

• CEFR = Common European Framework of Reference

– Developed by the Council of Europe (COE)

• ALTE = Association of Language Testers in Europe

– Developed by Association of Language Testers (Included founding member Cambridge English)

Frameworks

CEFR

Level

ALTE

LEVEL

CEFR Sample Description* ALTE Sample Description*

Pro

fic

ien

t u

se

r

C2 ALTE 5 Can express him/herself spontaneously, very

fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades

of meaning even in more complex situations

Can advise on or talk about complex or sensitive

issues, understanding colloquial references and

dealing confidently with hostile questions

C1 ALTE 4 Can express him/herself fluently and

spontaneously without much obvious searching

for expressions

Can use language flexibly and effectively for

social, academic and professional purposes

Can contribute effectively to meetings and seminars

within own area of work or keep up a casual

conversation with a good degree of fluency, coping

with abstract expressions

Ind

ep

en

de

nt

use

r

B2 ALTE 3 Can interact with a degree of fluency and

spontaneity that makes regular interaction with

native speakers quite possible without strain for

either party

Can follow or give a talk on a familiar topic or keep

up with a conversation on a fairly wide range of

topics

B1 ALTE 2 Can produce simple connected text on topics

which are familiar or of

personal interest

Can express opinions on abstract/cultural matters

in a limited way or offer advice within a known area,

and understand instructions or public

announcements

Bas

ic U

se

r

A2 ALTE 1 Can communicate in simple and routine tasks

requiring a simple and direct exchange of

information on familiar and routine matters

Can express simple opinions or requirements in a

familiar context

A1 ALTE Can understand and use familiar everyday

expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the

satisfaction of needs of a concrete type

Can understand basic instructions or take part in a

basic factual conversation on a predictable topic

Can understand and use familiar everyday

expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the

satisfaction of needs of a concrete type

Can understand basic instructions or take part in a

basic factual conversation on a predictable topic

Can communicate in simple and routine

tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange

of information on familiar and routine matters

Can express simple opinions or requirements

in a familiar context

Can produce simple connected text on topics

which are familiar or of

personal interest

* Descriptions are incomplete. Examples were taken from the general language ability can–do statements

from the CEFR and ALTE.

Can express opinions on abstract/cultural

matters in a limited way or offer advice within

a known area, and understand instructions or

public announcements

Can interact with a degree of fluency and

spontaneity that makes regular interaction with

native speakers quite possible without strain

for either party

Can follow or give a talk on a familiar topic or

keep up with a conversation on a fairly wide

range of topics

Can express him/herself fluently and

spontaneously without much obvious

searching for expressions

Can use language flexibly and effectively for

social, academic and professional purposes

Can contribute effectively to meetings and

seminars within own area of work or keep up a

casual conversation with a good degree of

fluency, coping with abstract expressions

Can express him/herself spontaneously, very

fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades

of meaning even in more complex situations

Can advise on or talk about complex or sensitive

issues, understanding colloquial references and

dealing confidently with hostile questions

Which standardized tests might meet

your corporate needs?

Choices

Scope & Purpose

• English-speaking environment?

– Academic / University

– Business / Corporate

– General English for immigration

• Communicative tasks?

– Reading, Writing, Speaking, Listening

– Does one have priority?

• Subject matter?

– Special needs, such as legal vocabulary

Overview

TOEIC English for the workplace and business communication

For qualification for work and admission to business–related academic

programs

TOEFL English for academic settings

For admission to educational institutions, immigration; also accepted by

employers

IELTS General and academic English

Two test formats for reading and writing: General Training and Academic

For admission to educational institutions and immigration; also accepted by

employers

BULATS English for the workplace

For work qualifications, admission to business–related programs,

assessment of training

BEC Preliminary

BEC Vantage

BEC Higher

English for the workplace in three proficiency levels

For work qualification and admission to business–related programs

FCE Assessment of upper–intermediate users of English

For work qualification and admission to business–related programs

Review

• Why are proficiency frameworks relevant to the corporate setting?

• What do English language tests aim to measure?

• Which standardized tests might meet your corporate needs?

• What are the effects of testing on recruitment, career development and evaluation?

White Paper

Participants of this webinar

received a copy of “A Guide to

English Tests and Proficiency

Frameworks”.

A recording of this webinar is

available on goFLUENT’s

website.

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