British Council - International Career Day 2013 Milan

www.britishcouncil.org 1

British Council Examinations Service

Certificazione della lingua inglese per lo studio e il lavoro

Milan 3 April 2013


British Council

Who we are

The United Kingdom international organisation for educational and cultural relations


British Council Examinations Servicesexists to

•provide a secure, comfortable testing environment which gives all candidates an equal chance of performing to their full potential in accordance with the regulations of the exam board

•support teachers, schools, universities and companies by providing high quality, trusted, internationally recognised certification

•support students and teachers in preparation for exams by providing guidance, training and access to materials

•provide advice to the public and the Italian education system with regard to recognition


LANGUAGE CERTIFICATION IN ITALY

•Universities need proof of your language level as credits for graduation or for admission to courses – usually B1 or B2 level.

OPTIONS:

•You might already have a recognised certificate from school

• Internal tests written and administered by the university?

•International certification produced by the exam boards of the various countries associated with the language ?


Benefits of doing an international exam

•A reliable reflection of your true language level

•Recognition all over the world

•Increased mobility for work and study

•An official qualification to put on your curriculum vitae

•A way of differentiating yourself from other applicants

So how do you find out more?


Enti certificatori per la lingua inglese

What is an exam board?

www.britishcouncil.it


EXAM BOARDS – ENTI CERTIFICATORI


What is B1 or B2 ?

The Common European Framework of Reference for Language level

For all languages

Council of Europe

www.coe.eu


Common European frameworkC2

EXPERT USERC1

B2

INDEPENDENT

USERB1

A2

BASIC USERA1


CEF Writing descriptor

In social and travel contexts, users at this level can write short notes and messages and simple personal letters of a narrative or descriptive type, such as thank you letters and postcards

In the workplace, they can write a short note of request and record a routine order. They can make notes during a meeting for their own purposes and write a straightforward routine letter, although this will need to be checked by a colleague.

Th

resh

old

B1


B2 – Writing Descriptor – In the workplace

Can make notes that are useful to both him/herself and to colleagues

Can write most letters he /she is likely to be asked to do; such errors as occur will not prevent understanding of the message

Can write a simple report


http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/LanguageSelfAssessmentGrid/en


Assess your level at



The Common European Framework of Levels

and Business English Exams

C2 Proficiency UK University level

C1 Advanced

BEC Higher ILEC/ICFE

UK University level

B2 First

BEC Vantage/ ILEC/ICFE

Italian University Scuola Superiore

B1 Preliminary

BEC Preliminary Italian University Scuola Superiore

A2 Key/Flyers Scuola Media

A1 Movers Starters

Scuola Elementare


Internationally recognised qualifications

•High quality, reliable testing instruments

•Set to European Standards

•4 skills – Reading , Writing, Speaking, Listening


BULATSBusiness Language Testing Service

BECBusiness English Certificates

ILECInternational Legal English Certificate

Cambridge ESOL

World of Work Assessments

ICFEInternational Certificate in Financial English


So you need to get an English language

certificate…..•How do you decide which exam to do?

TOEFL, PET, IELTS

•What variety of English? General English? Business English? Academic English ? British /American?

•When do you want to do the exam?

•Where do you want to do the exam?

•How much time have you got to prepare?

•Paper based or computer-based?

•How soon do you need the results ?


Important to choose a test of all 4 language skills•Reading

•Writing

•Listening

•Speaking

•All assessed as equal value

•WHY?


Reference No

To be quoted on all correspondence

Preliminary English TestENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGEStatement of results

Session March 2002

Candidate Name

Place of entry

QualificationBusiness English Certificate- Vantage PAPER PROFILE Result B Pass

Exceptional

Good

Borderline

Weak

Listening

Reading SpeakingWriting

8


Extended certification for PET

B2 PET Pass with Distinction B2 Certificate

B1 PET Pass with Merit PET Certificate

PET Pass PET Certficate

A2 PET Narrow Fail A2 Certificate

Fail No Certificate


Extended certification for Cambridge First /BEC VantageC2 First Grade A C1 Certificate

B2 First Grade B First Certificate

B2 First Grade C First Certficate

B1 First Grade D B1 Certificate

First Grade E Fail –no certificate


IELTS exam structure

Paper 1

Paper 2

Listening

Reading

40 minutes

1 hour

25%

25%

Paper 3 Writing 1 hour 25%

Paper 4 Speaking 14 minutes 25%


Cambridge FCE, Advanced, Proficiency exam

structure

Paper 1

Paper 2

Reading

Writing

20%

20%

Paper 3

Paper 4

Use of English

Listening

20%

20%

Paper 5 Speaking 20%


Use of English

tests your knowledge of

GrammarVocabulary

Exams with a Use of English paper encourage you to raise your language level


How is writing tested?


First and Advanced Writing tasks overview

Format Task focus Marks

1

Compulsory task –

writing an email or

letter of

120–150 words

Responding to a letter or email

and accompanying notes, using

a variety of functions 20

2

One piece of

extended writing of

120–180 words from

a choice

of five

Choice of tasks may include:

article, essay, letter, report,

review, story

Question 5 (a and b) is based

on two set texts (one question

on each)

20


BEC Vantage Writing tasks

Part 1 : An internal communication – email

Part 2: An external communication - a letter, report


BEC Vantage Writing Part 1You are a regional sales manager for an international company. You have been asked to go to a meeting at your company’s head office. You cannot go so someone else will go in your place.

Write an email to Erica Young, who is organising the meeting

•apologising for not being able to go to the meeting

•explaining why you cannot go

•saying who will go

•Write 40-50 words


Writing

Range of tasks accordingly to level

Marked in Cambridge by regularly standardised markers

Marking criteria


Assessment of Writing

Content 5

Accuracy 5

Range of vocabulary and grammar structures 5

Organisation and cohesion 5

Effect on the target reader 5


IELTS Writing tasks

A choice of modules

•General training module

•Academic module


Speaking1:1 oral interview, 11-14 minutes

General Writing2 tasks, 60 minutes

General Reading3 sections, 40 items, 60 minutes

Academic Writing 2 tasks, 60 minutes

Academic Reading3 sections, 40 items, 60 minutes

Listening4 sections, 40 items, 30 minutes

4 Skills

Test Format

2 ore, 45 minuti


Academic Writing Task 1

In task 1 candidates are asked to look at a diagram or table and to present the information. They may need to:

organise, present and compare datadescribe the stages of a process or proceduredescribe an object or an event or sequence of eventsexplain how something works


The chart below shows the number of men and women in further education in Britain in three

periods and whether they were studying full-time or part-time. Write a report for a university

lecturer describing the information shown below. (At least 150 words)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

1970/71 1980/81 1990/91


Part 1 : You must write at least 150 words


Band score 6

According to the graph, the number of men and women in further education in Britain shows the following

pattern. In the case of male, the number of males has

declined slightly from about 1000 thousands in 12970/71

to about 850 thousands in 1980/81. However this figure

rose back to about 850 thousands in 1980/81. The

proportion of full-time education has declined during

this periods. However, the proportion of part-time

education has increased dramatically. On the other

hand , in the case of female, the number of both full.-

time education and part-time.education has increased

during this period. From about 700 thousands in 1970/71,

these figures rose to about 820 thousand s in 1980/81,

to about 1100 thousands in 1990/91………..


IELTS writing assessment crieria

Task achievement 9

Grammatical range and accuracy 9

Vocabulary 9

Coherence and cohesion 9

10/04/23www.britishcouncil.org

Academic Writing Task 2

In Task 2 candidates are presented with a point of view or argument or problem They may need to:

present a solution to a problem present and justify an opinioncompare and contrast evidence, opinions and implicationsevaluate and challenge ideas, evidence or an argument


Task 2 Sample task

Some people say that governments need to do more to prevent damage to the environment

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Write at least 250 words.


General tips for IELTS writing

Write at least the minimum number of words requested

Use a range of linking words to connect and sequence your ideas

In Task 1 make sure what you write reflects the information in the chart accurately

In Task 2 make sure your view is clear and that you support it effectively

Check your work for particular mistakes you make

Paragraphing is essential


Cambridge Speaking Tests

•25%/20% of marks for whole test•face-to-face interaction•friendly non-threatening environment•PET 10-12 minutes First 12-14 minutes•2 candidates: 2 examiners per test


Speaking tests

Different interaction patterns:

examiner to candidate

candidate to candidate

range of tasks

range of material available to examiners


Speaking tests

standard interlocutor frame

visual prompts

assessment based on range of speaking skills

examiners carefully trained, regularly co-ordinated and monitored


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Compensation strategies

I’m sorry, I don’t understand

I’m sorry, could you repeat that, please?

I’m sorry, I don’t know the word in English

It’s a type of ….


The IELTS Speaking test

One examiner and one candidate

Interview is digitally recorded

Realistic interactive conversation with a live examiner

Shows your real life communication skills

Preferred by many institutions in the U.S. and worldwide.


Speaking, 11-14 minutes

britishcouncil.it/ielts


IELTS Speaking Test11-14 minutes 3 parts

Part 1: General questions about home, family, job, studies etc

Part 2: Monologue based on a verbal prompt on a card (1 minute to prepare)

Part 3: Discussion of more abstract issues

based on theme of part 2


Part 2 cardDescribe a memorable meal you have had:

You should say:

where you ate

who you went with

what you ate

and explain why it was so memorable


Part 2 cardDescribe something you own which is very important to you.

You should say:

where you got it from

how long you have had it

what you use it for

And explain why it is so important to you


Speaking Part 3 Let’s consider first of all how people’s values have changed

…

• What kind of things give status to people in your country?

• Have things changed since your parents’ time?

Finally, let’s talk about the role of advertising …

• Do you think advertising influences what people buy?


Criteria for assessment of speaking

Fluency and coherence 9.0

Lexical Resource 9.0

Grammatical Range and Accuracy 9.0

Pronunciation 9.0

One examiner

All interviews are recorded on digital recorders for double marking


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PREPARATION

www.ielts.org

www.cambridgeesol.org

www.learnenglish.britishcouncil.org

Published Materials in bookshops

Materials on sale at the British Council, via Manzoni 38

Intensive courses, one-day workshops at the British Council

Road to IELTS : free online course for all registered candidates


Some facts about language certification in Italy

Most Italian school leavers and university graduates know their language level according to the European framework

And thousands of them can prove their level with an internationally recognised certificate

Over 170,000 candidates take a Cambridge exam in Italy every year

Another 15,000 a year take IELTS


Applying the Common European Framework in

the working world

Recruitment: Use the CEF reference levels in applications for for jobs

eg. C1 English Writing skills desirable, B2 level speaking skills, B2 English language skills

Application forms:

Language Level? Reading? Writing? Speaking ? Listening?

□A1 □ A2 □ B1 □ B2 □ C1 □ C2

Shortlisting for interview: Attach a copy of your most recent certificate to your CV and application form as proof of language level


Recognition in Italy

•University websites

•MIUR website

•Exam board websites

•Expiry dates of certificates


Recognition in the UK and the USA

www.britishcouncil.it/istruzione

www.educationUK.org

www.ielts.org

www.cambridgeesol.org


More information about

preparation and registration


[email protected]

02 772221

British Council - International Career Day 2013 Milan

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