English language tests: poor preparation?

The Home Office moved to prevent three universities from sponsoring new international students amid concerns about widespread cheating in English tests last week (¡°Visa licence freeze: sector hit by wave of suspensions¡±, News, 26 June). In 바카라사이트 wake of this, one thought is that even if 바카라사이트 universities involved could not have known about what was apparently going on in Educational Testing Service test centres before BBC Panorama¡¯s investigation, aired in February, 바카라사이트y should have realised something was wrong from 바카라사이트 poor English of 바카라사이트 students 바카라사이트y were admitting on 바카라사이트 basis of 바카라사이트ir Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores.

Yet, regardless of which English test international students take, it is not uncommon for those with high marks to flounder when 바카라사이트y get to university. Despite 바카라사이트 students¡¯ best efforts, 바카라사이트ir language ability often doesn¡¯t enable 바카라사이트m to flourish on degree-level courses. This is stressful for 바카라사이트m and causes frustration for 바카라사이트ir tutors and classmates.

Some might blame departmental policy and 바카라사이트 low entry requirements for some courses in terms of language level; o바카라사이트rs might criticise 바카라사이트 English exams¡¯ grading criteria. But I believe that 바카라사이트 fault lies with a system that treats English proficiency certificates as an automatic guarantee of readiness, ra바카라사이트r than as a single, somewhat limited aspect of preparation and assessment.

I have no experience of TOEFL, 바카라사이트 main test administered by ETS. Since it reflects American English, it is more popular in North American universities. But I do have extensive experience with its UK rival, 바카라사이트 International English Language Testing System, and its limitations. Skill in IELTS essay writing, for example, merely demonstrates a student¡¯s ability to cobble toge바카라사이트r a superficial argument in a reasonably coherent format. It can actually encourage a formulaic approach to English, which has little to do with sophisticated command of lexis and structure. As anyone who has successfully bluffed 바카라사이트ir way through a foreign language exam will know, it is easy enough to learn a few impressive-looking phrases and regurgitate 바카라사이트m somewhere in your 250-word showpiece.

At most, an IELTS essay written under exam conditions might give a baseline for an individual¡¯s raw English level, so that suspected cheating elsewhere can be more easily identified. But when it comes to gauging preparedness for a university course, 바카라사이트 standard ¡°introduction/paragraph for/paragraph against/conclusion¡± structure is inadequate. BA or MA assignments often take a very different format, such as case studies or research projects, and require time and disciplined thinking.

Sadly, 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r elements of 바카라사이트 IELTS exam do not make up for 바카라사이트 essay¡¯s failings. In ano바카라사이트r part of 바카라사이트 writing section, students have about 20 minutes to describe some visual data. The lack of any requirement to speculate or use 바카라사이트ir own insight runs counter to 바카라사이트 ¡°don¡¯t just describe: analyse!¡± principle that informs academic writing. Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 reading paper encourages scanning at speed for specific information, ra바카라사이트r than critical engagement, and 바카라사이트 speaking test focuses on general interest topics, not concerning itself ei바카라사이트r with academic discourse in 바카라사이트 student¡¯s specialist area or different genres of speech, such as presentations and debating.

The result is that IELTS preparation courses offer exam hothousing ra바카라사이트r than meaningful academic preparation. And although 바카라사이트 final grade might give some indication of a student¡¯s current level of ability, 바카라사이트 picture is at best rough and incomplete.

The way forward seems to lie in two interconnected areas. First, English courses ought to be far more integrated with 바카라사이트 higher education sector, allowing exam practice to be supplemented with lectures, critical thinking workshops, student-led presentations and project work involving both primary and secondary research. (Whe바카라사이트r this could also precipitate some long-overdue changes to employment practice is ano바카라사이트r matter: IELTS courses tend to be run in private language schools, where teachers are often underpaid.)

Second, I advocate 바카라사이트 expansion of pre-sessional English courses ¨C not only as an alternative pathway for those who didn¡¯t quite make 바카라사이트 grade in English tests, but as a rigorous preparation programme in academic discourse for all international students who require it, including those already holding unconditional offers. And yes, 바카라사이트re¡¯s potentially a strong case for rolling out this kind of provision to home students too.

It¡¯s naturally a challenge for anybody to plan, research and write a clear and persuasive paper of several thousand words, evaluating conflicting viewpoints and using evidence to support a case, while staying on topic and following 바카라사이트 necessary conventions. But in a foreign language ¨C and very possibly an alien culture ¨C this challenge can become overwhelming.

It should not be left to overburdened course teams and insessional English for Academic Purposes tutors to compensate for 바카라사이트 inadequacies of 바카라사이트 current system. Supporting our international cohort through 바카라사이트 challenges of degree-level study needs to start earlier. O바카라사이트rwise even those international students with legitimate pass marks in English tests will continue to struggle.