University of Cambridge ESOL examination
Encyclopedia
University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations is a non-profit assessment organization that provides examinations in English language
ability for non-native speakers of English and English teaching qualifications.
. Cambridge ESOL is part of Cambridge Assessment, formerly known as the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2008.
Cambridge English examinations are taken by over three million learners in more than 130 countries each year. The exams cover general English, business English
, academic English
and English for young learners. Cambridge ESOL also offers teaching qualification
s such as ICELT, CELTA
and DELTA
and is renowned for its major research and validation operation.
(CEF). This framework sets standards in foreign language teaching across Europe
. It divides learners into six levels of ability, with descriptions of what a learner is able to do at each stage.
A1/0 is the level of the very beginners. Some awards are mapped onto this level, including YLE Starters/Movers, and Entry 1 Certificate in ESOL Skills for Life. However, a candidate would receive 1.0 for IELTS, or 0 for BULATS, if he/she left the testing papers blank. Thus, 1.0 for IELTS, or 0 for BULATS, should not be treated as an "award".
(ACCA), the renowned and the largest professional accountancy body that offers Chartered Certified Accountant
qualification worldwide, have signed the global partnership agreement, which resulted in the launch of the International Certificate in Financial English (ICFE), a new financial English exam.
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
ability for non-native speakers of English and English teaching qualifications.
Overview
ESOL stands for "English for Speakers of Other Languages", see English language learning and teachingEnglish language learning and teaching
English as a second language , English for speakers of other languages and English as a foreign language all refer to the use or study of English by speakers with different native languages. The precise usage, including the different use of the terms ESL and ESOL in different countries, is...
. Cambridge ESOL is part of Cambridge Assessment, formerly known as the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2008.
Cambridge English examinations are taken by over three million learners in more than 130 countries each year. The exams cover general English, business English
Business English
Business English is English language especially related to international trade. It is a part of English for Specific Purposes and can be considered a specialism within English language learning and teaching; for example, the teachers' organisation IATEFL has a special interest group called BESIG...
, academic English
English for Academic Purposes
English for academic purposes entails training students, usually in a higher education setting, to use language appropriately for study. It is a challenging and multi-faceted area within the wider field of English language learning and teaching , and is one of the most common forms of English for...
and English for young learners. Cambridge ESOL also offers teaching qualification
Teaching qualification
A teaching qualification or teacher qualification is one of a number of academic and professional degrees that enables a person to become a registered teacher in primary or secondary school...
s such as ICELT, CELTA
CELTA
The Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults is a professional credential held by many teachers of English as a foreign language.-Overview:...
and DELTA
DELTA (ELT)
The Delta is a professional qualification in English language teaching consisting of three modules awarded by Cambridge Assessment, formerly UCLES, a part of the University of Cambridge...
and is renowned for its major research and validation operation.
General English and for School
- KET (Key English Test): elementary
- KET for Schools (Key English Test for Schools)
- PET (Preliminary English TestPreliminary English TestThe Preliminary English Test is an international examination sanctioning a certain level of mastery of the English language. It is the second easiest diploma offered by University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations in England....
): intermediate - PET for Schools (Preliminary English Test for Schools)
- FCE for Schools (First Certificate in English for Schools)
Business English
- BEC (Business English Certificates): This exam in Business EnglishBusiness EnglishBusiness English is English language especially related to international trade. It is a part of English for Specific Purposes and can be considered a specialism within English language learning and teaching; for example, the teachers' organisation IATEFL has a special interest group called BESIG...
can be taken at three levels (Preliminary, Vantage and Higher). - BULATS (Business Language Testing Service): This is an assessment service for companies, for showing language skills in English, FrenchFrench languageFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, GermanGerman languageGerman is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
and SpanishSpanish languageSpanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
. In JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, the online versions of Reading&Listening, Speaking and Writing tests became open to individual test takers in September 2011.
Legal English
- ILEC (International Legal English Certificate): A high-level language qualification for lawyers set at levels B2 and C1 of the CEFR. ILEC is equivalent in level to the FCE and CAE, and assesses language skills in a legal context. Examinations at the C1 level may be used as proof of the level of language necessary to work in an international legal context or to follow a course of legal study at university level.
Academic and Professional English
- FCE (First Certificate in EnglishFirst Certificate in EnglishThe First Certificate in English is one of the examinations available from University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations in England. Its possession proves one's adequacy in the English language, and its successful completion means that one is able to interact socially efficiently.- Sections :The test...
): upper intermediate - CAE (Certificate in Advanced EnglishCertificate in Advanced EnglishThe Certificate in Advanced English is the advanced general English examination provided by University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations in England.- Overview :The examination comprises five parts:#Reading...
): advanced - CPE (Certificate of Proficiency in EnglishCertificate of Proficiency in EnglishThe Certificate of Proficiency in English or CPE is the most advanced general English exam provided by University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations. The English level of those who have passed the CPE is supposed to be similar to that of a fairly educated native speaker of English...
): very advanced/proficient
- IELTSIELTSIELTS , or 'International English Language Testing System', is an international standardised test of English language proficiency. It is jointly managed by University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations, the British Council and IDP Education Pty Ltd, and was established in 1989.There are two versions of...
(International English Language Testing System): IELTS is managed by an international partnership of not-for-profit organisations - the British CouncilBritish CouncilThe British Council is a United Kingdom-based organisation specialising in international educational and cultural opportunities. It is registered as a charity both in England and Wales, and in Scotland...
, Cambridge ESOL and IDP Education, and is administered through more than 400 test centres in 150 countries worldwide. More than one and a half million candidates sit the test each year, which is used by more than 1,000 universities and colleges in the AnglosphereAnglosphereAnglosphere is a neologism which refers to those nations with English as the most common language. The term can be used more specifically to refer to those nations which share certain characteristics within their cultures based on a linguistic heritage, through being former British colonies...
, including more than 700 institutions in the USA, as a standard entrance requirement. Its main competitor is the US-based TOEFLTOEFLThe Test of English as a Foreign Language, or TOEFL , evaluates the ability of an individual to use and understand English in an academic setting....
(Test of English as a Foreign Language). Both exams test not just general English but also English for academic purposesEnglish for Academic PurposesEnglish for academic purposes entails training students, usually in a higher education setting, to use language appropriately for study. It is a challenging and multi-faceted area within the wider field of English language learning and teaching , and is one of the most common forms of English for...
.
Young Learners' English
- YLE (Cambridge Young Learners' English TestsCambridge Young Learners' English TestsCambridge Young Learners' English Tests is one of the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations tests targeted at children aged between seven and twelve....
): English exams for children aged 7 to 12.
Skills for life
Most Cambridge exams are available around the world and suit anyone who wants to use English in their studies or work, in other words, English as a foreign language. These exams, uniquely, are tailored to the needs of those who have moved to Britain, i.e. immigrants needing English as a second language.- Certificates in ESOL Skills for Life: These certificates also give separate marks for each type of ability. The exam is for ESOL learners in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. (Scotland has its own education system.)
Discontinued exam
- CELS (Certificates in English Language Skills): These exams (now discontinued) allowed students to prove what they could do in each skill (reading, writing, speaking, and listening); a separate mark was given for each section.
Teachers
- TKT (Teaching Knowledge Test): This exam is aimed at teaching English to speakers of other languages, aka TESOLTESOLTESOL may refer to:* The acronym "Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages", used in English as a Foreign or Second Language * TESOL Inc., a professional organization based in the United States for people working in this field...
. It is given in three modules, each consisting of eighty questions, that can be taken together or separately in any order. It tests candidates on their knowledge of concepts related to language, language use, and the background and practice of language teaching and learning.
- There are four optional modules of TKT - these can be added to the three core modules above, or can each be taken completely independently: TKT: Practical, TKT: Content and Language Integrated Learning, TKT: Knowledge About Language, and TKT: YLE.
Link to Common European Framework
The Cambridge ESOL exams are related to the Common European Framework of Reference for LanguagesCommon European Framework of Reference for Languages
The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment, abbreviated as CEFR, is a guideline used to describe achievements of learners of foreign languages across Europe and, increasingly, in other countries...
(CEF). This framework sets standards in foreign language teaching across Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. It divides learners into six levels of ability, with descriptions of what a learner is able to do at each stage.
A1/0 is the level of the very beginners. Some awards are mapped onto this level, including YLE Starters/Movers, and Entry 1 Certificate in ESOL Skills for Life. However, a candidate would receive 1.0 for IELTS, or 0 for BULATS, if he/she left the testing papers blank. Thus, 1.0 for IELTS, or 0 for BULATS, should not be treated as an "award".
Global partnership
University of Cambridge ESOL examinations and Association of Chartered Certified AccountantsAssociation of Chartered Certified Accountants
Founded in 1904, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants is the global body for professional accountants offering the Chartered Certified Accountant qualification . it is one of the largest and fastest-growing global accountancy bodies with 147,000 members and 424,000 students in 170...
(ACCA), the renowned and the largest professional accountancy body that offers Chartered Certified Accountant
Chartered Certified Accountant
Chartered Certified Accountant was historically seen as a British qualified accountant designation awarded by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants . However, although ACCA is UK based, it is a global body for professional accountants with 147,000 qualified members and 424,000...
qualification worldwide, have signed the global partnership agreement, which resulted in the launch of the International Certificate in Financial English (ICFE), a new financial English exam.
See also
- Teaching English as a Foreign LanguageTeaching English as a Foreign LanguageTeaching English as a foreign language refers to teaching English to students whose first language is not English. TEFL usually occurs in the student's own country, either within the state school system, or privately, e.g., in an after-hours language school or with a tutor...
- Trinity College London ESOLTrinity College London ESOLTrinity College London ESOL is an international English Language examinations board delivering assessments in English language learning and teaching and has been offering English language examinations since 1938...
- IELTSIELTSIELTS , or 'International English Language Testing System', is an international standardised test of English language proficiency. It is jointly managed by University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations, the British Council and IDP Education Pty Ltd, and was established in 1989.There are two versions of...
, International English Language Testing System
External links
- University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations
- University of Cambridge ESOL Candidate Support Site
- University of Cambridge ESOL Teacher Support Site
- University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations Mexico
- FCE — free practice tests
- Cambridge ESOL Examinations Hakkında Bilgi ve Kitaplar
- Tips and interactive exercises for FCE candidates