Transcript Slide 1

English language
requirements in immigration
Focus on IELTS
UKNARIC Annual Conference
2009
www.ielts.org
Aims
To give staff working with English language assessment
an understanding of:
– PBS & English language requirements in Tier 4
– What makes IELTS a proven, fit-for-purpose high
quality assessment of English language ability
– Assessing English language ability
• IELTS format, content and scores
• Test Report Form (TRF) Verification Service
www.ielts.org
The importance of language
skills
• English language proficiency – a necessary standard
• Required by:
 Employers
 Professional registration bodies
 Education institutions
• Incorporated into the Points Based System (PBS)
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What is IELTS?
• The ‘International English Language Testing System’
• Jointly managed by 3 partners:
• Experts in language testing internationally
• 20th anniversary!
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What does IELTS do?
“Designed to assess the English language ability of people
who intend to study or work where English is the
language of communication”
• Test of communicative proficiency in English
• Original 4 skills test covering:
• Listening
• Reading
• Writing
• Speaking
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The increasing popularity of IELTS
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Jul'03
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Aug'08 to
Jul'09
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Candidate top destinations 2008
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Proven track record
• Tried, tested and proven for over 20 years
• Over 6000 recognising organisations worldwide
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Comprehensively researched
Research and Validation Unit:
• Maintaining quality
• Continuity and innovation
• Ongoing research programmes
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Successful communication
involves interaction
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Face-to-face speaking test
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Globally accessible and convenient
• Tests administered at centres and venues worldwide
• Up to 48 test dates per year (4 per month)
• Results released 13 days after test
• TRF can be sent directly to receiving organisations
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Question Paper Production
• 3 – 4 years to develop one item (question) - rigorous
standards applied
• Item writers in Australia, New Zealand, UK, USA and
now Canada
• Content sourced globally
• Topics or language context which may introduce a bias
against any group are avoided
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Test Format
Listening
30 minutes, 4 sections, 40 items
Academic Reading
General Training Reading
60 minutes, 3 sections, 40 items
60 minutes, 3 sections, 40 items
Academic Writing
General Training Writing
60 minutes, 2 tasks
60 minutes, 2 tasks
Speaking
11 - 14 minutes, 3 parts
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PBS
Tier 4 and English language
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Tier 4 – sponsors role
• Tier 4 sponsors = licensed educational institutions
• Sponsor assesses student qualifications
• No English language requirement by UKBA
• English language ability should be considered by
sponsor when assessing qualifications
• Satisfactory qualifications = sponsor issues Confirmation
of Acceptance for Study or Visa Letter
• Unconditional offer for place on a course
www.ielts.org
Tier 4 – students role
Student sends UKBA their visa application including:
• Photos, passport, identity card (if applicable) etc
• Proof of the availability of maintenance funds
• CAS reference number or visa letter (unconditional offer)
• Original certificates (or transcripts of results) of
qualifications assessed by the sponsor in order to assign
CAS / issue visa letter - includes proof of English
language ability if assessed by sponsor
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Let’s discuss
• When assessing student qualifications for Tier 4, how do
you assess their English language ability?
• How important is English ability to their success at your
institution?
• What do your students need to be able to do in English /
what activities do they need to be involved in?
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How does English ability relate
to an IELTS Score?
9 band scores:
9 – expert user
8 – very good user
7 – good user
6 – competent user
5 – modest user
4 – limited user
3 – extremely limited user
2 – intermittent user
1 – non user
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Mini assessment!
We will watch three short clips of candidates at three
different IELTS levels
Discuss:
• What impressed you in terms of their ability?
• What do you think limited their ability?
• What IELTS score do you think they are?
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IELTS Band Score Quiz
6.5
5
4.5
Reveal
Your thoughts
Think again about what your students need to be able to
do in English / what activities do they need to be
involved in.
Discuss:
• What’s a realistic score to set?
• How do your think these candidates would cope at your
institution and what type of course would suit them best?
• Have the clips made you reassess your English
language requirements?
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Ensuring you are
assessing genuine
qualifications
IELTS Test Report Form
Verification service
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On-line TRF Verification Service
• Log in at www.ielts.org/TRF and click on TRF Query
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• Enter the TRF number
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• A match is found
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• No match found
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Test Report Form
(TRF)
What security features of
a TRF do you know about
and look for?
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Contact us
• Carly Moulding – IELTS Stakeholder Relations
Manager
• Chris Chivers – IELTS Client Relations Officer
[email protected]
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Thank you!
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