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Cambridge Assessment English or Cambridge English develops and produces Cambridge English Qualifications and the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). The organisation contributed to the development of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), the standard used around the world to benchmark language skills,^[2] and its qualifications and tests are aligned with CEFR levels.^[3]

Cambridge Assessment English is part of Cambridge Assessment, a non-teaching department of the University of Cambridge^[4] which merged with Cambridge University Press to form Cambridge University Press & Assessment in August 2021.^[5]

Current Cambridge English qualifications / exams[edit]

Each Cambridge English Qualifications focuses on a level of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).^[6]

Schools[edit]

These English qualifications are to help school-age children and young people improve their English language skills.^[7]

General and higher education[edit]

These qualifications are designed for adult learners.^[10] A2 Key, B1 Preliminary and B2 First have the same exam format (e.g. number of papers, number of questions, time allowance) as the schools’ versions of these qualifications, but use different topics and content suited to adult learners.^{[citation needed]}

Business[edit]

These qualifications are designed for adult learners learning English for use in a business context.^[13]

Multilevel tests[edit]

Multilevel tests are used to find out which English learning programme or exam is right for a student. These cover multiple levels of the CEFR in one test.

Cambridge Exams Publishing, a joint venture with Cambridge University Press, produces Cambridge-branded IELTS resources and materials to help learners prepare and practice for their tests.

Teaching[edit]

Qualifications and courses for teachers of all levels of experience.

Discontinued exams[edit]

In alphabetical order:

• BULATS discontinued on 6 December 2019.^[27]
• Cambridge English: Financial (ICFE) discontinued in December 2016.^[28]
• Cambridge English: Legal (ILEC) discontinued in December 2016.^[29]
• CELS (Certificates in English Language Skills): modular qualifications for English language learners.
• Certificates in ESOL Skills for Life (SfL) (UK only) discontinued in June 2017.^[30]
• DTE(E)LLS (Diploma in Teaching English (ESOL) in the Lifelong Learning Sector) and ADTE(E)LLS (Additional Diploma in Teaching English (ESOL) in the Lifelong Learning Sector): these qualifications for English language teachers in the UK were discontinued in September 2012. CELTA is a recommended alternative for those wanting an English teaching qualification for teaching in the UK.
• IDLTM (International Diploma in Language Teaching Management) discontinued in June 2016.^[31]
• PTLLS (Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector): discontinued in November 2012.^[32]
• Young Learner (YL) Extension to CELTA discontinued in December 2016.
• TKT: KAL and TKT: Practical discontinued in December 2016.^[33]

Partnerships and acquisitions[edit]

In the 1980s Cambridge Assessment English, the British Council and IDP Education formed the international IELTS partnership which delivers the IELTS tests.^[34][35]

In 2010 Cambridge Assessment English and the English Language Institute Testing and Certificate Division of the University of Michigan agreed to form a not-for-profit collaboration known as CaMLA (Cambridge Michigan Language Assessments). Cambridge Assessment English owns 65% of the venture.^[36]

Since 2011 Cambridge Exams Publishing, a partnership between Cambridge Assessment English and the English Language Teaching (ELT) business of Cambridge University Press, develops official Cambridge preparation materials for Cambridge English and IELTS exams.^[37]

In 2013 Cambridge Assessment English formed a joint venture with the Box Hill Institute to deliver the Occupational English Test, known as OET.^[38]

In 2019 Cambridge Assessment English acquired English Language iTutoring (ELiT), an artificial intelligence developed off technology from the University of Cambridge, to support new English language assessment products.^[39]

Alignment with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)[edit]

Cambridge Assessment English was involved in the early development of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and all Cambridge English qualifications and tests are aligned with the levels described by the CEFR.^[40][41] Each Cambridge English Qualification targets specific CEFR levels but the exam also contains test material at the adjacent levels. For example, B2 First is aimed at B2, but there are also test items that cover B1 and C1. This allows for inferences to be drawn about candidates’ abilities if they are a level below or above the one targeted. Candidates are encouraged to take the exam most suitable to their needs and level of ability.^[42]

Research[edit]

The Cambridge English EFL Evaluation Unit was established in 1989 and was the first dedicated research unit of its kind.^[43] This unit is now called the Research and Validation Group and is the largest dedicated research team of any English language assessment body.^[44] Research is published in the Studies in Language Testing (SiLT) series.

Awards[edit]

In 2015, Cambridge Assessment English was awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the ‘international trade’ category.^[45][46]

Qualification development[edit]

Cambridge University’s examination board (UCLES)[edit]

The first Cambridge English exam was produced in 1913 by UCLES (University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate).^[43] UCLES had been set up in 1858 to provide exams to students who were not members of a university.

There was a growing concern in Britain with standards of school education and the transition from secondary to tertiary-level education. A number of schools «petitioned the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge [to provide] means of comparing achievements of pupils across schools.»^[47] The secondary education sector was still voluntary in nature. Without support from the state, it was logical to seek help from universities that were long established and widely admired. The University of Oxford and University of Cambridge, in particular, were “regarded as viable sources of supervision.”^[48]

UCLES was invited to set exams and inspect schools with the aim of raising educational standards. The University of Oxford also created its own examination board: the University of Oxford Delegacy of Local Examinations (UODLE). UODLE and its partner, the Association of Recognised English Language Schools, merged with UCLES in 1995.^[49]

The first UCLES examinations took place on 14 December 1858. The exams were designed to test for university selection and were taken by 370 candidates in British schools, churches and village halls. Candidates were required to «satisfy the examiners» in the analysis and parsing of a Shakespeare text; reading aloud; dictation; and composition (on either the recently deceased Duke of Wellington; a well-known book or a letter of application).^[50]

Female candidates were accepted by UCLES on a trial basis in 1864 and on a permanent basis from 1867. Cambridge University itself did not examine female students until 1882 and it was not until 1948 that women were allowed to graduate as full members of the university.^[51]

In the mid to late 19th century, UCLES exams were taken by candidates based overseas – in Trinidad and Tobago (from 1863), South Africa (from 1869), Guyana and New Zealand (from 1874), Jamaica (from 1882) and Malaysia (from 1891). Many of these candidates were children of officers of the British colonial service and exams were not yet designed for non-native speakers of English.^[52]

The first Cambridge English exam[edit]

In 1913 UCLES created the first exam for non-native speakers of English – the Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE – now known as C2 Proficiency). This may have been prompted by the development of English exams «for foreigners» by other universities.^[53]

CPE was originally a qualification for teachers: «the Certificate of Proficiency in English is designed for Foreign Students who desire satisfactory proof of their knowledge of the language with a view to teaching it in foreign schools.» The exam was only available for candidates aged 20 or over.^[54]

In 1913 the exam could be taken in Cambridge or London, for a fee of £3 (approximately £293 in 2012 prices^[55]). The exam lasted 12 hours and included:

1. Translation from English into French or German: 2 hours
2. Translation from French or German into English, and English Grammar: 2.5 hours
3. English Essay: 2 hours
4. English Literature: 3 hours
5. English Phonetics: 1.5 hours
6. Oral test: dictation (30 minutes); reading aloud and conversation (30 minutes)^[56]

The main influence behind the design of the exam was the grammar-translation teaching approach, which aims to establish reading knowledge (rather than the ability to communicate in the language). In 1913, the first requirement for CPE candidates was to translate texts. Translation remained prominent in foreign language teaching up until the 1960s. It was a core part of CPE until 1975 and an optional part until 1989.^[57]

However, CPE was also influenced by Henry Sweet and his book published in 1900: A Practical Study of Languages: A Guide for Teachers and Learners, which argued that «the most natural method of teaching languages was through conversation.» Due to this influence, speaking as part of Cambridge English exams from the very beginning.^[58]

Exam questions in 1913[edit]

Candidates were required to translate from English into French/German and translate from French/German into English. Here is a short segment from one of the passages candidates were asked to translate from English into German:

The sentiments which animated Schiller’s poetry were converted into principles of conduct; his actions were as blameless as his writings were pure. With his simple and high predilections, with his strong devotedness to a noble cause, he contrived to steer through life, unsullied by its meanness, unsubdued by any of its difficulties or allurements …

In the English Essay paper, candidates were asked to write an essay for two hours, on one of the following subjects: the effect of political movements upon nineteenth-century literature in England; English Pre-Raphaelitism; Elizabethan travel and discovery; the Indian Mutiny; the development of local self-government; or Matthew Arnold. The exam board provided little or no formal structure. Concepts such as audience and purpose, and the length of the essay, were left for the candidate to decide.

The questions in the English Literature section were borrowed from the university’s Language and Literature matriculation exams for native speakers and included questions on Shakespeare’s Coriolanus and Milton’s Paradise Lost. Here is an example question: explain fully and comment on the following passages, stating the connexions in which they occur and any difficulties of reading, phraseology or allusion: «Wert thou the Hector, That was the whip of your bragg’d progency, Thou should’st not ‘scrape me here.« It was not until 1930 that a Literature paper was designed specifically for CPE candidates.

The grammar section contained questions about grammar and lexis, e.g. give the past tense and past participle of each of the following verbs, dividing them into strong and weak …, and questions about grammar and lexis usage, e.g. embody each of the following words into a sentence in such a way as to show that you clearly apprehend its meaning: commence, comment, commend … At the time, this mirrored the approach to learning grammar in Latin and Greek (as well as modern languages).

Finally, a Phonetics paper was included as it was thought to be useful in the teaching of pronunciation. The paper required candidates to make phonetic transcriptions of long pieces of continuous text; describe the articulation of particular sounds; explain phonetic terms, and suggest ways of teaching certain sounds. Here are two example questions: explain the terms: “glide”, “narrow vowel”, “semi-vowel” and give two examples of each in both phonetic and ordinary spelling and how would you teach a pupil the correct pronunciation of the vowel sounds in: fare, fate, fat, fall, far?

Revisions to the 1913 exam[edit]

The 1913 CPE exam was taken by just three candidates. The candidates «were able to converse fluently, expressing themselves on the whole, with remarkable ease and accuracy.» However, all three candidates failed the exam and none of them was awarded a CPE certificate.^[59]

In its second year (1914), CPE gained in popularity, with 18 candidates and four passing. However, for the next 15 years candidature remained static.^[52] Italian and Spanish were added as languages for the translation paper in 1926.

In 1928, CPE had only 14 candidates and by 1929 it was in danger of being discontinued.^[60] Jack Roach, Assistant Secretary to the Syndicate from 1925 to 1945, decided to «save it from the scrapheap» and introduced a number of changes.^[60] The Phonetics paper was dropped and the essay questions became more a test of writing proficiency rather than a test of knowledge about British culture. Questions such as «The best month of the year» were preferred to the more culture-bound topics set in 1913, such as «Elizabethan travel and discovery.«^[53] The target candidature was broadened beyond teachers, to «all foreign students who desire to obtain evidence of their practical knowledge of the languages, both written and spoken, as of their ability to read with comprehension standard works of English literature.»

In 1932 it was decided to establish overseas exam centres. The first overseas centres were set up in Hamburg, Paris and San Remo (1933), followed by further centres in Italy (Rome and Naples), the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland. Latin America also became an exam area in the 1930s, with centres in Argentina and Uruguay.

In 1935 CPE started providing alternatives to the Literature paper, with an Economic and Commercial Knowledge paper – an early forerunner of English for Specific Purposes.

Then, in 1937–38, the University of Cambridge and University of Oxford decided to accept CPE as representing the standard in English required of all students, British or foreign, before the entrance to their university. To this day, CPE still serves as a qualification for entry to higher education. Following these changes CPE candidate numbers instantly began to rise, reaching 752 by the outbreak of World War II.^[58]

World War II[edit]

From 1939 onwards, thousands of refugees from the Spanish Civil War and occupied Europe started arriving in the UK and began taking UCLES exams while stationed in the UK.

UCLES launched the Lower Certificate in English (LCE) to meet the demand for certification at a lower level than CPE. A Preliminary exam, at a lower level than LCE, was also offered in 1944 as a special test to meet the contingencies of war. These were the first steps toward developing language assessments at different levels.

Polish servicemen and women made up a large proportion of the candidature. In 1943, over a third of all LCE Certificates were awarded to candidates from the Polish army and air force. This pattern continued throughout the war and into the post-war period. On one single day in 1948, no fewer than 2,500 Polish men and women of the Polish Resettlement Corps took the LCE.

UCLES tests were made available for prisoners of war in Britain and in Germany. In Britain, 1,500 prisoners of war took the exams, almost 900 of them Italians. In Germany, the War Organisation of the British Red Cross and Order of St John of Jerusalem made arrangements for UCLES examinations to be offered at prisoner-of-war camps with many Indian prisoners of war, in particular, taking LCE or School Certificate exams.

Examiners were asked to report on «disturbance, loss of sleep, etc., caused by air raids, and on any exceptional difficulties … during the examination period.» One report noted that the candidates had been spending «most of each day in the air-raid shelter«; that candidate 5224, a probationer nurse, had been showing strain caused by helping with «rescue work«; and that the house of candidate 5222 had been bombed, whilst she was at school, with fatalities. Such were the circumstances of wartime exam takers and administrators.

Exams were also maintained clandestinely in continental European exam centres, which frequently meant unusual measures, including acts of determination and courage. However, UCLES was unable to fund and support the growing international network of English language examination centres around the world. Meanwhile, the British Council had a brief to disseminate British culture and educational links. In March 1941 a formal ‘Joint Agreement’ was signed between the two organisations to collaborate on the distribution of UCLES exams around the world. This started a long-lasting relationship, which continues to this day.^[52]

Post-war[edit]

By 1947, there were over 6,000 UCLES candidates, with LCE double the size of CPE. Exam centres had been set up in Europe (17), Latin America (9), the Middle East (8), Africa (4) and the USA (1). Candidate numbers continued to grow, reaching over 20,000 by 1955, 44,000 by 1965, and over 66,000 by 1975.

However, by the 1970s demand was growing for exams at more clearly defined levels of proficiency. This set the scene for the Council of Europe and the development of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), which was initiated in 1971.

Qualification at different levels[edit]

UCLES had a few attempts at developing language assessments at different levels. During the Second World War, there was a three-level system: the Preliminary English Test, LCE and CPE. After the war, a new three-level system was introduced: LCE, CPE and DES (The Diploma of English Studies). However, as an extremely advanced exam, DES candidature never rose beyond a few hundred and was later discontinued.

In the 1980s and 1990s, the levels stabilised and the suite of exams we recognise today became established. A five-level system was developed, which characterises Cambridge English’s general English exams to the present day and laid the foundations for the levels in the CEFR.^[61][62]

• Level 1: the Key English Test (KET) was launched in 1994. It is now known as A2 Key.
• Level 2: the Preliminary English Test (PET) was originally used during the Second World War years. It reappeared in 1980 under close monitoring and was fully launched in the 1990s. It is now known as B1 Preliminary.
• Level 3: LCE, operational since the Second World War, continued under a new name: the First Certificate in English. It is now known as B2 First.
• Level 4: the Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) was launched in 1991. It is now known as C1 Advanced.
• Level 5: CPE, operational since 1913, became Cambridge English’s highest level qualification. It is now known as C2 Proficiency.

During this period there were also substantial revisions to the existing exams: B2 First and C2 Proficiency. These revisions included improving the authenticity of texts and tasks; increasing the weight on Listening and Speaking; improving the balance between grammar and vocabulary items in the Reading paper; and adding a broader range of texts in the Composition and Use of English papers, (e.g. letter-writing, dialogues, speeches, note-taking, and discursive and descriptive compositions).

With increased weight on Listening and Speaking, UCLES joined forces with the BBC. However, in the BBC recording booths, there was tension between the BBC’s approach, which focused on dramatic potential, and UCLES’ need for clarity of speech. For example, a man abseiling down a mountain was highly entertaining but unacceptable for test purposes. It was finally agreed that at least 35% of listening tests would comprise an original BBC recording, largely made up of programmes from World Service and Woman’s Hour broadcasts.^[52]

IELTS[edit]

With learners increasingly requiring English language certification for their studies, UCLES, along with the British Council and the Australian International Development Programme (IDP), developed a test in the 1980s which focused specifically on English for academic purposes.

An English Language Testing Service (ELTS) test was first launched in 1980 with tasks based on language use in academic and occupational contexts in the «real world». However, the ELTS test was very complex to administer and only two full versions were ever produced.

In 1989, a simplified and shortened test became operational under a new name: the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).^[63]

It was clear that different forms of the test would need to be equated. All IELTS materials were therefore pretested and calibrated to a common scale on the basis of the Rasch model. This was the first time that UCLES had used the Rasch model, which now forms the cornerstone of the level testing system.^[64]

RSA and teaching qualifications[edit]

In 1988, the EFL exams developed by The Royal Society of Arts (RSA) Examination Board were merged with those of UCLES. The RSA Examination Board had been established in 1754, long before UCLES, and by taking over the RSA TEFL schemes UCLES became responsible for «the running of the world’s most respected and widely recognised schemes for validating training courses for teachers of English as a Foreign Language.«^[65]

The two sets of qualifications were integrated and syllabuses for the revised qualifications were developed in consultation with the ESL sector, in order to re-integrate the ESL and EFL teacher communities. In 1999 the RSA Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language to Adults (CTEFLA) and the RSA Diploma in Teaching English as a Foreign Language to Adults officially became known as the CELTA and Delta qualifications. These qualifications were joined in 2004 by ICELT (a revised version of its predecessor, COTE) – which is a purely in-service professional qualification.

At the start of the 21st century, there was growing demand from government ministries and schools for a professional qualification without any in-service (teaching practice) component. This led to the introduction of the Teaching Knowledge Test (TKT), which focuses solely on core professional knowledge. Following consultations with worldwide teacher training institutions and trials with 1,500 English language teachers in Europe, Latin America and Asia, TKT went live in 2005. In the first six months thousands of candidates sat the test in 36 different countries. It was also incorporated into government plans, e.g. plans in Chile to retrain all in-service teachers, and was incorporated into state university teacher training programmes.^[66]

China and business English[edit]

The early 1990s saw China developing its market economy very rapidly. Recognising the importance of English as a language of international business and trade, the Chinese government asked Cambridge Assessment English to develop a suite of Business English Certificates (BEC).

BEC Preliminary (now known as B1 Business Preliminary) examinations were first taken in 1993 by 5,000 candidates from seven cities across China. BEC Vantage (now known as B2 Business Vantage) was launched in 1994 and BEC Higher (now known as C1 Business Higher) in 1996. This was followed in 1997 by the launch of the Business Language Testing Service (BULATS) for companies.^[67]

Young learners[edit]

In the 1990s, there was growing demand from Cambridge English centres in the Far East, Latin America and Europe for assessments designed specifically for younger learners. At the time, relatively little research had been carried out into the assessment of second language learning in children.

UCLES worked with Homerton College (a teacher training college within the University of Cambridge) to trial test questions with over 3,000 children in Europe, South America and South East Asia. The feedback was used to construct the first Young Learners English (YLE) tests, targeted at learners aged 6–12, which went live in 1997.

The YLE tests introduced a new level. The addition of the ‘breakthrough’ level created a six-level system that was mirrored by the CEFR, published in 2001.^[68]

Candidates[edit]

In 1988, with just two established exams (B2 First and C2 Proficiency), exam candidature was around 180,000. By 2002, with a more comprehensive range of exams, the exam candidature was over 1 million; by 2007, it was over 2 million, by 2013, it was over 4 million; and by 2017, it was over 5.5 million.^[69]

The Cambridge English Scale[edit]

In January 2015, a new way of reporting results was introduced – the Cambridge English Scale. The scale aims to provide exam users with more information about their exam performance.

Candidates get more detailed results – receiving an overall score and a score for each skill/paper. In addition, the Cambridge English Scale makes it easier to see the progression and compare performance across different Cambridge English exams.^[70]

B2 First, C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency have reported results on the Cambridge English Scale since January 2015. A2 Key and Key for Schools, B1 Preliminary and Preliminary for Schools and Business Certificates have reported results on the scale since February 2016.^[71]

Timeline 1209–2021[edit]

• 1209 — University of Cambridge founded.
• 1534 — Cambridge University Press founded.
• 1858 — University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES) founded.
• 1913 — Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) introduced. Now known as C2 Proficiency.
• 1939 — Lower Certificate in English (LCE) introduced. Renamed First Certificate in English (FCE) in 1975 and now known as B2 First.
• 1941 — Joint agreement with the British Council – British Council centres established.
• 1943–47 — Preliminary English Test (PET) introduced. It was reintroduced in 1980 and is now known as B1 Preliminary.
• 1971 — Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) initiated.
• 1988 — The Royal Society of Arts (RSA) Examination Board becomes part of UCLES.
• 1989 — Specialist EFL research and evaluation unit established.
• 1989 — IELTS launched. A simplified and shortened version of ELTS was launched in 1980.
• 1990 — Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE) founded.
• 1991 — Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) introduced. Now known as C1 Advanced.
• 1993 — Business English Certificates (BEC) launched.
• 1994 — Key English Test (KET) introduced. Now known as A2 Key.
• 1995 — University of Oxford Delegacy of Local Examinations (UODLE) becomes part of UCLES.
• 1997 — Young Learner English Tests (YLE) introduced. Now known as Pre-A1 Starters, A1 Movers, and A2 Flyers.
• 1997 — BULATS launched.
• 2001 — CEFR published.
• 2002 — UCLES EFL renamed University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations (Cambridge ESOL).
• 2002 — One million Cambridge ESOL exam candidates.
• 2010 — CaMLA established (Cambridge Michigan Language Assessments).
• 2011 — Cambridge Exams Publishing joint venture with Cambridge University Press established.
• 2013 — Cambridge ESOL renamed Cambridge English Language Assessment.
• 2015 — Cambridge English Scale introduced.
• 2016 — Linguaskill reading and listening introduced.
• 2016 — Linguaskill writing introduced.
• 2017 — Cambridge English Language Assessment renamed Cambridge Assessment English.
• 2020 — The University of Cambridge announces it plans to merge two of its non-teaching departments, Cambridge Assessment and Cambridge University Press.^[72]
• 2021 — Cambridge Assessment and Cambridge University Press merge to become Cambridge University Press & Assessment

See also[edit]

• CaMLA
• IELTS, International English Language Testing System
• Studies in Language Testing (SiLT)
• Teaching English as a Foreign Language

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• Cambridge Assessment English
• Cambridge English Candidate Support Site
• Cambridge English Teacher Support Site
• Studies in Language Testing (SiLT)
• Cambridge Assessment Admissions Testing
• Cambridge University Press & Assessment

Cambridge Assessment English or Cambridge English develops and produces Cambridge English Qualifications and the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). The organisation contributed to the development of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), the standard used around the world to benchmark language skills,^[2] and its qualifications and tests are aligned with CEFR levels.^[3]

Cambridge Assessment English is part of Cambridge Assessment, a non-teaching department of the University of Cambridge^[4] which merged with Cambridge University Press to form Cambridge University Press & Assessment in August 2021.^[5]

Current Cambridge English qualifications / exams[edit]

Each Cambridge English Qualifications focuses on a level of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).^[6]

Schools[edit]

These English qualifications are to help school-age children and young people improve their English language skills.^[7]

General and higher education[edit]

These qualifications are designed for adult learners.^[10] A2 Key, B1 Preliminary and B2 First have the same exam format (e.g. number of papers, number of questions, time allowance) as the schools’ versions of these qualifications, but use different topics and content suited to adult learners.^{[citation needed]}

Business[edit]

These qualifications are designed for adult learners learning English for use in a business context.^[13]

Multilevel tests[edit]

Multilevel tests are used to find out which English learning programme or exam is right for a student. These cover multiple levels of the CEFR in one test.

Cambridge Exams Publishing, a joint venture with Cambridge University Press, produces Cambridge-branded IELTS resources and materials to help learners prepare and practice for their tests.

Teaching[edit]

Qualifications and courses for teachers of all levels of experience.

Discontinued exams[edit]

In alphabetical order:

• BULATS discontinued on 6 December 2019.^[27]
• Cambridge English: Financial (ICFE) discontinued in December 2016.^[28]
• Cambridge English: Legal (ILEC) discontinued in December 2016.^[29]
• CELS (Certificates in English Language Skills): modular qualifications for English language learners.
• Certificates in ESOL Skills for Life (SfL) (UK only) discontinued in June 2017.^[30]
• DTE(E)LLS (Diploma in Teaching English (ESOL) in the Lifelong Learning Sector) and ADTE(E)LLS (Additional Diploma in Teaching English (ESOL) in the Lifelong Learning Sector): these qualifications for English language teachers in the UK were discontinued in September 2012. CELTA is a recommended alternative for those wanting an English teaching qualification for teaching in the UK.
• IDLTM (International Diploma in Language Teaching Management) discontinued in June 2016.^[31]
• PTLLS (Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector): discontinued in November 2012.^[32]
• Young Learner (YL) Extension to CELTA discontinued in December 2016.
• TKT: KAL and TKT: Practical discontinued in December 2016.^[33]

Partnerships and acquisitions[edit]

In the 1980s Cambridge Assessment English, the British Council and IDP Education formed the international IELTS partnership which delivers the IELTS tests.^[34][35]

In 2010 Cambridge Assessment English and the English Language Institute Testing and Certificate Division of the University of Michigan agreed to form a not-for-profit collaboration known as CaMLA (Cambridge Michigan Language Assessments). Cambridge Assessment English owns 65% of the venture.^[36]

Since 2011 Cambridge Exams Publishing, a partnership between Cambridge Assessment English and the English Language Teaching (ELT) business of Cambridge University Press, develops official Cambridge preparation materials for Cambridge English and IELTS exams.^[37]

In 2013 Cambridge Assessment English formed a joint venture with the Box Hill Institute to deliver the Occupational English Test, known as OET.^[38]

In 2019 Cambridge Assessment English acquired English Language iTutoring (ELiT), an artificial intelligence developed off technology from the University of Cambridge, to support new English language assessment products.^[39]

Alignment with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)[edit]

Cambridge Assessment English was involved in the early development of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and all Cambridge English qualifications and tests are aligned with the levels described by the CEFR.^[40][41] Each Cambridge English Qualification targets specific CEFR levels but the exam also contains test material at the adjacent levels. For example, B2 First is aimed at B2, but there are also test items that cover B1 and C1. This allows for inferences to be drawn about candidates’ abilities if they are a level below or above the one targeted. Candidates are encouraged to take the exam most suitable to their needs and level of ability.^[42]

Research[edit]

The Cambridge English EFL Evaluation Unit was established in 1989 and was the first dedicated research unit of its kind.^[43] This unit is now called the Research and Validation Group and is the largest dedicated research team of any English language assessment body.^[44] Research is published in the Studies in Language Testing (SiLT) series.

Awards[edit]

In 2015, Cambridge Assessment English was awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the ‘international trade’ category.^[45][46]

Qualification development[edit]

Cambridge University’s examination board (UCLES)[edit]

The first Cambridge English exam was produced in 1913 by UCLES (University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate).^[43] UCLES had been set up in 1858 to provide exams to students who were not members of a university.

There was a growing concern in Britain with standards of school education and the transition from secondary to tertiary-level education. A number of schools «petitioned the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge [to provide] means of comparing achievements of pupils across schools.»^[47] The secondary education sector was still voluntary in nature. Without support from the state, it was logical to seek help from universities that were long established and widely admired. The University of Oxford and University of Cambridge, in particular, were “regarded as viable sources of supervision.”^[48]

UCLES was invited to set exams and inspect schools with the aim of raising educational standards. The University of Oxford also created its own examination board: the University of Oxford Delegacy of Local Examinations (UODLE). UODLE and its partner, the Association of Recognised English Language Schools, merged with UCLES in 1995.^[49]

The first UCLES examinations took place on 14 December 1858. The exams were designed to test for university selection and were taken by 370 candidates in British schools, churches and village halls. Candidates were required to «satisfy the examiners» in the analysis and parsing of a Shakespeare text; reading aloud; dictation; and composition (on either the recently deceased Duke of Wellington; a well-known book or a letter of application).^[50]

Female candidates were accepted by UCLES on a trial basis in 1864 and on a permanent basis from 1867. Cambridge University itself did not examine female students until 1882 and it was not until 1948 that women were allowed to graduate as full members of the university.^[51]

In the mid to late 19th century, UCLES exams were taken by candidates based overseas – in Trinidad and Tobago (from 1863), South Africa (from 1869), Guyana and New Zealand (from 1874), Jamaica (from 1882) and Malaysia (from 1891). Many of these candidates were children of officers of the British colonial service and exams were not yet designed for non-native speakers of English.^[52]

The first Cambridge English exam[edit]

In 1913 UCLES created the first exam for non-native speakers of English – the Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE – now known as C2 Proficiency). This may have been prompted by the development of English exams «for foreigners» by other universities.^[53]

CPE was originally a qualification for teachers: «the Certificate of Proficiency in English is designed for Foreign Students who desire satisfactory proof of their knowledge of the language with a view to teaching it in foreign schools.» The exam was only available for candidates aged 20 or over.^[54]

In 1913 the exam could be taken in Cambridge or London, for a fee of £3 (approximately £293 in 2012 prices^[55]). The exam lasted 12 hours and included:

1. Translation from English into French or German: 2 hours
2. Translation from French or German into English, and English Grammar: 2.5 hours
3. English Essay: 2 hours
4. English Literature: 3 hours
5. English Phonetics: 1.5 hours
6. Oral test: dictation (30 minutes); reading aloud and conversation (30 minutes)^[56]

The main influence behind the design of the exam was the grammar-translation teaching approach, which aims to establish reading knowledge (rather than the ability to communicate in the language). In 1913, the first requirement for CPE candidates was to translate texts. Translation remained prominent in foreign language teaching up until the 1960s. It was a core part of CPE until 1975 and an optional part until 1989.^[57]

However, CPE was also influenced by Henry Sweet and his book published in 1900: A Practical Study of Languages: A Guide for Teachers and Learners, which argued that «the most natural method of teaching languages was through conversation.» Due to this influence, speaking as part of Cambridge English exams from the very beginning.^[58]

Exam questions in 1913[edit]

Candidates were required to translate from English into French/German and translate from French/German into English. Here is a short segment from one of the passages candidates were asked to translate from English into German:

The sentiments which animated Schiller’s poetry were converted into principles of conduct; his actions were as blameless as his writings were pure. With his simple and high predilections, with his strong devotedness to a noble cause, he contrived to steer through life, unsullied by its meanness, unsubdued by any of its difficulties or allurements …

In the English Essay paper, candidates were asked to write an essay for two hours, on one of the following subjects: the effect of political movements upon nineteenth-century literature in England; English Pre-Raphaelitism; Elizabethan travel and discovery; the Indian Mutiny; the development of local self-government; or Matthew Arnold. The exam board provided little or no formal structure. Concepts such as audience and purpose, and the length of the essay, were left for the candidate to decide.

The questions in the English Literature section were borrowed from the university’s Language and Literature matriculation exams for native speakers and included questions on Shakespeare’s Coriolanus and Milton’s Paradise Lost. Here is an example question: explain fully and comment on the following passages, stating the connexions in which they occur and any difficulties of reading, phraseology or allusion: «Wert thou the Hector, That was the whip of your bragg’d progency, Thou should’st not ‘scrape me here.« It was not until 1930 that a Literature paper was designed specifically for CPE candidates.

The grammar section contained questions about grammar and lexis, e.g. give the past tense and past participle of each of the following verbs, dividing them into strong and weak …, and questions about grammar and lexis usage, e.g. embody each of the following words into a sentence in such a way as to show that you clearly apprehend its meaning: commence, comment, commend … At the time, this mirrored the approach to learning grammar in Latin and Greek (as well as modern languages).

Finally, a Phonetics paper was included as it was thought to be useful in the teaching of pronunciation. The paper required candidates to make phonetic transcriptions of long pieces of continuous text; describe the articulation of particular sounds; explain phonetic terms, and suggest ways of teaching certain sounds. Here are two example questions: explain the terms: “glide”, “narrow vowel”, “semi-vowel” and give two examples of each in both phonetic and ordinary spelling and how would you teach a pupil the correct pronunciation of the vowel sounds in: fare, fate, fat, fall, far?

Revisions to the 1913 exam[edit]

The 1913 CPE exam was taken by just three candidates. The candidates «were able to converse fluently, expressing themselves on the whole, with remarkable ease and accuracy.» However, all three candidates failed the exam and none of them was awarded a CPE certificate.^[59]

In its second year (1914), CPE gained in popularity, with 18 candidates and four passing. However, for the next 15 years candidature remained static.^[52] Italian and Spanish were added as languages for the translation paper in 1926.

In 1928, CPE had only 14 candidates and by 1929 it was in danger of being discontinued.^[60] Jack Roach, Assistant Secretary to the Syndicate from 1925 to 1945, decided to «save it from the scrapheap» and introduced a number of changes.^[60] The Phonetics paper was dropped and the essay questions became more a test of writing proficiency rather than a test of knowledge about British culture. Questions such as «The best month of the year» were preferred to the more culture-bound topics set in 1913, such as «Elizabethan travel and discovery.«^[53] The target candidature was broadened beyond teachers, to «all foreign students who desire to obtain evidence of their practical knowledge of the languages, both written and spoken, as of their ability to read with comprehension standard works of English literature.»

In 1932 it was decided to establish overseas exam centres. The first overseas centres were set up in Hamburg, Paris and San Remo (1933), followed by further centres in Italy (Rome and Naples), the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland. Latin America also became an exam area in the 1930s, with centres in Argentina and Uruguay.

In 1935 CPE started providing alternatives to the Literature paper, with an Economic and Commercial Knowledge paper – an early forerunner of English for Specific Purposes.

Then, in 1937–38, the University of Cambridge and University of Oxford decided to accept CPE as representing the standard in English required of all students, British or foreign, before the entrance to their university. To this day, CPE still serves as a qualification for entry to higher education. Following these changes CPE candidate numbers instantly began to rise, reaching 752 by the outbreak of World War II.^[58]

World War II[edit]

From 1939 onwards, thousands of refugees from the Spanish Civil War and occupied Europe started arriving in the UK and began taking UCLES exams while stationed in the UK.

UCLES launched the Lower Certificate in English (LCE) to meet the demand for certification at a lower level than CPE. A Preliminary exam, at a lower level than LCE, was also offered in 1944 as a special test to meet the contingencies of war. These were the first steps toward developing language assessments at different levels.

Polish servicemen and women made up a large proportion of the candidature. In 1943, over a third of all LCE Certificates were awarded to candidates from the Polish army and air force. This pattern continued throughout the war and into the post-war period. On one single day in 1948, no fewer than 2,500 Polish men and women of the Polish Resettlement Corps took the LCE.

UCLES tests were made available for prisoners of war in Britain and in Germany. In Britain, 1,500 prisoners of war took the exams, almost 900 of them Italians. In Germany, the War Organisation of the British Red Cross and Order of St John of Jerusalem made arrangements for UCLES examinations to be offered at prisoner-of-war camps with many Indian prisoners of war, in particular, taking LCE or School Certificate exams.

Examiners were asked to report on «disturbance, loss of sleep, etc., caused by air raids, and on any exceptional difficulties … during the examination period.» One report noted that the candidates had been spending «most of each day in the air-raid shelter«; that candidate 5224, a probationer nurse, had been showing strain caused by helping with «rescue work«; and that the house of candidate 5222 had been bombed, whilst she was at school, with fatalities. Such were the circumstances of wartime exam takers and administrators.

Exams were also maintained clandestinely in continental European exam centres, which frequently meant unusual measures, including acts of determination and courage. However, UCLES was unable to fund and support the growing international network of English language examination centres around the world. Meanwhile, the British Council had a brief to disseminate British culture and educational links. In March 1941 a formal ‘Joint Agreement’ was signed between the two organisations to collaborate on the distribution of UCLES exams around the world. This started a long-lasting relationship, which continues to this day.^[52]

Post-war[edit]

By 1947, there were over 6,000 UCLES candidates, with LCE double the size of CPE. Exam centres had been set up in Europe (17), Latin America (9), the Middle East (8), Africa (4) and the USA (1). Candidate numbers continued to grow, reaching over 20,000 by 1955, 44,000 by 1965, and over 66,000 by 1975.

However, by the 1970s demand was growing for exams at more clearly defined levels of proficiency. This set the scene for the Council of Europe and the development of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), which was initiated in 1971.

Qualification at different levels[edit]

UCLES had a few attempts at developing language assessments at different levels. During the Second World War, there was a three-level system: the Preliminary English Test, LCE and CPE. After the war, a new three-level system was introduced: LCE, CPE and DES (The Diploma of English Studies). However, as an extremely advanced exam, DES candidature never rose beyond a few hundred and was later discontinued.

In the 1980s and 1990s, the levels stabilised and the suite of exams we recognise today became established. A five-level system was developed, which characterises Cambridge English’s general English exams to the present day and laid the foundations for the levels in the CEFR.^[61][62]

• Level 1: the Key English Test (KET) was launched in 1994. It is now known as A2 Key.
• Level 2: the Preliminary English Test (PET) was originally used during the Second World War years. It reappeared in 1980 under close monitoring and was fully launched in the 1990s. It is now known as B1 Preliminary.
• Level 3: LCE, operational since the Second World War, continued under a new name: the First Certificate in English. It is now known as B2 First.
• Level 4: the Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) was launched in 1991. It is now known as C1 Advanced.
• Level 5: CPE, operational since 1913, became Cambridge English’s highest level qualification. It is now known as C2 Proficiency.

During this period there were also substantial revisions to the existing exams: B2 First and C2 Proficiency. These revisions included improving the authenticity of texts and tasks; increasing the weight on Listening and Speaking; improving the balance between grammar and vocabulary items in the Reading paper; and adding a broader range of texts in the Composition and Use of English papers, (e.g. letter-writing, dialogues, speeches, note-taking, and discursive and descriptive compositions).

With increased weight on Listening and Speaking, UCLES joined forces with the BBC. However, in the BBC recording booths, there was tension between the BBC’s approach, which focused on dramatic potential, and UCLES’ need for clarity of speech. For example, a man abseiling down a mountain was highly entertaining but unacceptable for test purposes. It was finally agreed that at least 35% of listening tests would comprise an original BBC recording, largely made up of programmes from World Service and Woman’s Hour broadcasts.^[52]

IELTS[edit]

With learners increasingly requiring English language certification for their studies, UCLES, along with the British Council and the Australian International Development Programme (IDP), developed a test in the 1980s which focused specifically on English for academic purposes.

An English Language Testing Service (ELTS) test was first launched in 1980 with tasks based on language use in academic and occupational contexts in the «real world». However, the ELTS test was very complex to administer and only two full versions were ever produced.

In 1989, a simplified and shortened test became operational under a new name: the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).^[63]

It was clear that different forms of the test would need to be equated. All IELTS materials were therefore pretested and calibrated to a common scale on the basis of the Rasch model. This was the first time that UCLES had used the Rasch model, which now forms the cornerstone of the level testing system.^[64]

RSA and teaching qualifications[edit]

In 1988, the EFL exams developed by The Royal Society of Arts (RSA) Examination Board were merged with those of UCLES. The RSA Examination Board had been established in 1754, long before UCLES, and by taking over the RSA TEFL schemes UCLES became responsible for «the running of the world’s most respected and widely recognised schemes for validating training courses for teachers of English as a Foreign Language.«^[65]

The two sets of qualifications were integrated and syllabuses for the revised qualifications were developed in consultation with the ESL sector, in order to re-integrate the ESL and EFL teacher communities. In 1999 the RSA Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language to Adults (CTEFLA) and the RSA Diploma in Teaching English as a Foreign Language to Adults officially became known as the CELTA and Delta qualifications. These qualifications were joined in 2004 by ICELT (a revised version of its predecessor, COTE) – which is a purely in-service professional qualification.

At the start of the 21st century, there was growing demand from government ministries and schools for a professional qualification without any in-service (teaching practice) component. This led to the introduction of the Teaching Knowledge Test (TKT), which focuses solely on core professional knowledge. Following consultations with worldwide teacher training institutions and trials with 1,500 English language teachers in Europe, Latin America and Asia, TKT went live in 2005. In the first six months thousands of candidates sat the test in 36 different countries. It was also incorporated into government plans, e.g. plans in Chile to retrain all in-service teachers, and was incorporated into state university teacher training programmes.^[66]

China and business English[edit]

The early 1990s saw China developing its market economy very rapidly. Recognising the importance of English as a language of international business and trade, the Chinese government asked Cambridge Assessment English to develop a suite of Business English Certificates (BEC).

BEC Preliminary (now known as B1 Business Preliminary) examinations were first taken in 1993 by 5,000 candidates from seven cities across China. BEC Vantage (now known as B2 Business Vantage) was launched in 1994 and BEC Higher (now known as C1 Business Higher) in 1996. This was followed in 1997 by the launch of the Business Language Testing Service (BULATS) for companies.^[67]

Young learners[edit]

In the 1990s, there was growing demand from Cambridge English centres in the Far East, Latin America and Europe for assessments designed specifically for younger learners. At the time, relatively little research had been carried out into the assessment of second language learning in children.

UCLES worked with Homerton College (a teacher training college within the University of Cambridge) to trial test questions with over 3,000 children in Europe, South America and South East Asia. The feedback was used to construct the first Young Learners English (YLE) tests, targeted at learners aged 6–12, which went live in 1997.

The YLE tests introduced a new level. The addition of the ‘breakthrough’ level created a six-level system that was mirrored by the CEFR, published in 2001.^[68]

Candidates[edit]

In 1988, with just two established exams (B2 First and C2 Proficiency), exam candidature was around 180,000. By 2002, with a more comprehensive range of exams, the exam candidature was over 1 million; by 2007, it was over 2 million, by 2013, it was over 4 million; and by 2017, it was over 5.5 million.^[69]

The Cambridge English Scale[edit]

In January 2015, a new way of reporting results was introduced – the Cambridge English Scale. The scale aims to provide exam users with more information about their exam performance.

Candidates get more detailed results – receiving an overall score and a score for each skill/paper. In addition, the Cambridge English Scale makes it easier to see the progression and compare performance across different Cambridge English exams.^[70]

B2 First, C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency have reported results on the Cambridge English Scale since January 2015. A2 Key and Key for Schools, B1 Preliminary and Preliminary for Schools and Business Certificates have reported results on the scale since February 2016.^[71]

Timeline 1209–2021[edit]

• 1209 — University of Cambridge founded.
• 1534 — Cambridge University Press founded.
• 1858 — University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES) founded.
• 1913 — Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) introduced. Now known as C2 Proficiency.
• 1939 — Lower Certificate in English (LCE) introduced. Renamed First Certificate in English (FCE) in 1975 and now known as B2 First.
• 1941 — Joint agreement with the British Council – British Council centres established.
• 1943–47 — Preliminary English Test (PET) introduced. It was reintroduced in 1980 and is now known as B1 Preliminary.
• 1971 — Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) initiated.
• 1988 — The Royal Society of Arts (RSA) Examination Board becomes part of UCLES.
• 1989 — Specialist EFL research and evaluation unit established.
• 1989 — IELTS launched. A simplified and shortened version of ELTS was launched in 1980.
• 1990 — Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE) founded.
• 1991 — Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) introduced. Now known as C1 Advanced.
• 1993 — Business English Certificates (BEC) launched.
• 1994 — Key English Test (KET) introduced. Now known as A2 Key.
• 1995 — University of Oxford Delegacy of Local Examinations (UODLE) becomes part of UCLES.
• 1997 — Young Learner English Tests (YLE) introduced. Now known as Pre-A1 Starters, A1 Movers, and A2 Flyers.
• 1997 — BULATS launched.
• 2001 — CEFR published.
• 2002 — UCLES EFL renamed University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations (Cambridge ESOL).
• 2002 — One million Cambridge ESOL exam candidates.
• 2010 — CaMLA established (Cambridge Michigan Language Assessments).
• 2011 — Cambridge Exams Publishing joint venture with Cambridge University Press established.
• 2013 — Cambridge ESOL renamed Cambridge English Language Assessment.
• 2015 — Cambridge English Scale introduced.
• 2016 — Linguaskill reading and listening introduced.
• 2016 — Linguaskill writing introduced.
• 2017 — Cambridge English Language Assessment renamed Cambridge Assessment English.
• 2020 — The University of Cambridge announces it plans to merge two of its non-teaching departments, Cambridge Assessment and Cambridge University Press.^[72]
• 2021 — Cambridge Assessment and Cambridge University Press merge to become Cambridge University Press & Assessment

See also[edit]

• CaMLA
• IELTS, International English Language Testing System
• Studies in Language Testing (SiLT)
• Teaching English as a Foreign Language

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• Cambridge Assessment English
• Cambridge English Candidate Support Site
• Cambridge English Teacher Support Site
• Studies in Language Testing (SiLT)
• Cambridge Assessment Admissions Testing
• Cambridge University Press & Assessment

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) is an English language based secondary qualification similar to the GCSE and is recognised in the United Kingdom as being equivalent to the GCSE for the purposes of recognising prior attainment.^[1] It was developed by Cambridge Assessment International Education. The examination boards Edexcel, Learning Resource Network (LRN), and Oxford AQA also offer their own versions of International GCSEs. Students normally begin studying the syllabus at the beginning of Year 10 and take the test at the end of Year 11. However, in some international schools, students can begin studying the syllabus at the beginning of Year 9 and take the test at the end of Year 10.^{[2][citation needed]}

The qualifications are based on individual subjects of study, which means that one receives an “IGCSE” qualification for each subject one takes. Typical “core” subjects for IGCSE candidates include a First Language, Second Language, Mathematics and one or more subjects in the Sciences.

Examination boards[edit]

Cambridge IGCSE[edit]

Cambridge IGCSE exams are conducted in three sessions: February/March (India only), May/June and October/November, and the results are released in May, August and January respectively. The exams are set by Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE), which is part of Cambridge Assessment that also includes OCR, a UK GCSE examination board. As of January 2021, there are over 70 subjects available and schools can offer them in any combination.^[3]

The Cambridge examination board offers an ICE (International Certificate in Education) group qualification for candidates who achieve 7 subject passes across the following groups:^[4]

• Group 1: Languages
• Group 2: Humanities and Social Sciences
• Group 3: Sciences
• Group 4: Mathematics
• Group 5: Creative and Vocational (Professional and Creative)

The certificate is awarded to candidates who pass in seven IGCSE subjects — two Group 1 subjects, one subject from each of Groups 2–5, and a seventh subject which can be selected from any Group.

The ICE is awarded in three categories:

• Distinction (Grade A or better in five subjects and Grade C or better in two subjects)
• Merit (Grade C or better in five subjects and Grade F or better in two subjects)
• Pass (Grade G or better in seven subjects)^[5]

In addition, to award top candidates, Cambridge awards «Outstanding Achievement Awards» in the categories of «top in country» and «top in world» for each subject.^[6][7]

Pearson Edexcel International GCSE[edit]

Edexcel International GCSE exams are conducted in June and January. The exams are set by Edexcel which also sets GCSE exams in the UK.^[8]

Oxford AQA International GCSE[edit]

Oxford AQA International GCSE exams are conducted in May/June and November. The exams are set by OxfordAQA (Oxford International AQA Examinations), which is a joint venture between AQA which sets GCSE exams in the UK and Oxford University Press (OUP).

LRN International GCSE[edit]

LRN International GCSE exams are conducted in January, May and November.

Comparisons with GCSE[edit]

Before changes to GCSE first taken in 2017, the IGCSE was often considered to be more similar to the older O-Levels qualification than the current GCSE in England, and for this reason was often argued to be a more rigorous and more difficult examination.^[9] Before the early 2010s, most schools offering the IGCSE were private international schools for expatriate children around the world. However, in the 2010s, an increasing number of independent schools within the United Kingdom also began offering IGCSEs as an alternative to conventional English GCSEs for international IGCSE subjects, on the supposed basis that it is more challenging than the national curriculum.^[10]
A comparison between GCSEs and IGCSEs was conducted by the Department of Education in 2019. The study found that it was easier to achieve a grade A in English Language and English Literature in IGCSEs but harder to achieve a grade A in science subjects. Most other subjects were roughly equivalent.^[11]

• The change from an A*-G grading system to a 9-1 grading system by English GCSE qualifications has led to a 9-1 grade International General Certificate of Secondary Education being made available.^[12] Before, this qualification was graded on an 8-point scale from A* to G with a 9th grade “U” signifying “Ungraded”. This measure of grading was also found in the UK GCSE. Most IGCSE subjects offer a choice of tiered examinations: Core or Extended papers (in Cambridge International), and Foundation or Higher papers (in Edexcel). This is designed to make IGCSE suitable for students with varying levels of ability. In some subjects, IGCSE can be taken with or without coursework.

At one point in time, the “A*” grade in the GCSE did not exist but was later added to recognize the very top end of achievement. In the case of Further Mathematics, an extra A* grade was added for students that can “demonstrate sustained performance in higher-level maths skills such as reasoning, proof and problem-solving.”^[13]

Recognition and equivalence[edit]

The qualification is recognized by many institutions^[quantify] in the world. It also allows further vocational education and is often considered the baseline for employment.

Its academic worth is comparable to many secondary school curricula worldwide, such as England’s GCSE, the North American GED or high school diploma, Hong Kong’s HKCEE,^[14] Singapore’s O-Level,^[15] and the Indian CBSE and ICSE courses. The IGCSE prepares students for further academic study, including progression to A Level and BTEC Level 3 study, Cambridge Pre-U, IB Diploma Programme and other equivalents. It is recognised by academic institutions and employers around the world and is considered by many institutions as equivalent to the standard GCSE.^{[citation needed]}

Hong Kong[edit]

The IGCSE exam is widely used in international schools. Students in Hong Kong can take the Cambridge exam board as well as the Edexcel exam board, either at their school or registering through the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) as individual candidates.^[16]

Singapore and Malaysia[edit]

The IGCSE exam is predominantly used in international schools, while other schools offer it as an alternative to O Level exams.^[17]

United Kingdom[edit]

The official status of IGCSEs has changed several times in the UK.

In 2013 the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) allowed more use of IGCSE subjects in state-funded schools. Ofqual allowed the use of Cambridge IGCSE exams under the name of «Cambridge International Certificates».^[18] Initially, 16 Cambridge IGCSE syllabuses received UK government accreditation. Following that, the UK government announced that the 16 accredited Cambridge IGCSE syllabuses could also be funded in state-maintained schools. Subsequently, Cambridge IGCSE German and Spanish were also accredited and funded, taking the total number of accredited and funded Cambridge IGCSEs to 18. For accreditation purposes, the syllabuses are referenced as «Cambridge International Certificates» in the UK, although they are known across the world as Cambridge IGCSEs. The IGCSE is offered by two examination boards in the UK, one being Edexcel, and the other one being AQA.^[19]

However, from 2017 the government decided to exclude IGCSEs from official performance tables, and consequentially entries from state schools have fallen.^[20] So that whilst «international GCSEs no longer meet the condition of funding; however, they do continue to count as equivalent to GCSEs for the purposes of recognising prior attainment.»^[21]

In 2018, 91% of IGCSE UK entries in core subjects were in private schools, and about 75% for all subjects.^[22]

United States[edit]

While the number of North American schools offering the IGCSE remains small, some homeschooling educators are said to be choosing the IGCSE instead of a typical North American high school curriculum. According to many of these educators, the IGCSE curriculum may be more advanced than a typical North American secondary school course by at least one year.^[23]

Italy[edit]

For some years in Italy many high schools have joined a Cambridge Schools Network, becoming Cambridge International Schools.
The aim of these schools is to get students IGCSE and As & A Level certifications.
Some Italian Universities as well accept both IGCSE and AS & A Level certifications, but a minimum of grade is often required for the admission.

Cancellations[edit]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, all IGCSE examinations due to take place in May/June 2020 were cancelled, along with GCSE and A-Level exams that year. As of 31 March 2020, the CAIE had decided to guide schools to predict students’ grades through evidence like mock examination results.^[24]

On 30 April 2020, Pearson Edexcel announced that grades for the May/June 2020 exam would be calculated using information from schools. Schools were asked to provide an assessment grade for each student, as well as a ranked order of students within each grade by 29 May 2020.^[25]

For the June 2021 exam series, CAIE plans for exams to go ahead in countries that are permitted and safe, and countries where exams cannot take place due to government directives will switch to school-assessed grades using evidence like student coursework and mock exam results. There are also adjustments, exemptions, and special considerations available for schools that applies for them.^[26]

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• Cambridge IGCSE for non-UK schools
• Cambridge IGCSE for UK schools
• Edexcel International GCSE Homepage
• International OxfordAQA GCSE Homepage
• UK accreditation information on NDAQ

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) is an English language based secondary qualification similar to the GCSE and is recognised in the United Kingdom as being equivalent to the GCSE for the purposes of recognising prior attainment.^[1] It was developed by Cambridge Assessment International Education. The examination boards Edexcel, Learning Resource Network (LRN), and Oxford AQA also offer their own versions of International GCSEs. Students normally begin studying the syllabus at the beginning of Year 10 and take the test at the end of Year 11. However, in some international schools, students can begin studying the syllabus at the beginning of Year 9 and take the test at the end of Year 10.^{[2][citation needed]}

The qualifications are based on individual subjects of study, which means that one receives an “IGCSE” qualification for each subject one takes. Typical “core” subjects for IGCSE candidates include a First Language, Second Language, Mathematics and one or more subjects in the Sciences.

Examination boards[edit]

Cambridge IGCSE[edit]

Cambridge IGCSE exams are conducted in three sessions: February/March (India only), May/June and October/November, and the results are released in May, August and January respectively. The exams are set by Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE), which is part of Cambridge Assessment that also includes OCR, a UK GCSE examination board. As of January 2021, there are over 70 subjects available and schools can offer them in any combination.^[3]

The Cambridge examination board offers an ICE (International Certificate in Education) group qualification for candidates who achieve 7 subject passes across the following groups:^[4]

• Group 1: Languages
• Group 2: Humanities and Social Sciences
• Group 3: Sciences
• Group 4: Mathematics
• Group 5: Creative and Vocational (Professional and Creative)

The certificate is awarded to candidates who pass in seven IGCSE subjects — two Group 1 subjects, one subject from each of Groups 2–5, and a seventh subject which can be selected from any Group.

The ICE is awarded in three categories:

• Distinction (Grade A or better in five subjects and Grade C or better in two subjects)
• Merit (Grade C or better in five subjects and Grade F or better in two subjects)
• Pass (Grade G or better in seven subjects)^[5]

In addition, to award top candidates, Cambridge awards «Outstanding Achievement Awards» in the categories of «top in country» and «top in world» for each subject.^[6][7]

Pearson Edexcel International GCSE[edit]

Edexcel International GCSE exams are conducted in June and January. The exams are set by Edexcel which also sets GCSE exams in the UK.^[8]

Oxford AQA International GCSE[edit]

Oxford AQA International GCSE exams are conducted in May/June and November. The exams are set by OxfordAQA (Oxford International AQA Examinations), which is a joint venture between AQA which sets GCSE exams in the UK and Oxford University Press (OUP).

LRN International GCSE[edit]

LRN International GCSE exams are conducted in January, May and November.

Comparisons with GCSE[edit]

Before changes to GCSE first taken in 2017, the IGCSE was often considered to be more similar to the older O-Levels qualification than the current GCSE in England, and for this reason was often argued to be a more rigorous and more difficult examination.^[9] Before the early 2010s, most schools offering the IGCSE were private international schools for expatriate children around the world. However, in the 2010s, an increasing number of independent schools within the United Kingdom also began offering IGCSEs as an alternative to conventional English GCSEs for international IGCSE subjects, on the supposed basis that it is more challenging than the national curriculum.^[10]
A comparison between GCSEs and IGCSEs was conducted by the Department of Education in 2019. The study found that it was easier to achieve a grade A in English Language and English Literature in IGCSEs but harder to achieve a grade A in science subjects. Most other subjects were roughly equivalent.^[11]

• The change from an A*-G grading system to a 9-1 grading system by English GCSE qualifications has led to a 9-1 grade International General Certificate of Secondary Education being made available.^[12] Before, this qualification was graded on an 8-point scale from A* to G with a 9th grade “U” signifying “Ungraded”. This measure of grading was also found in the UK GCSE. Most IGCSE subjects offer a choice of tiered examinations: Core or Extended papers (in Cambridge International), and Foundation or Higher papers (in Edexcel). This is designed to make IGCSE suitable for students with varying levels of ability. In some subjects, IGCSE can be taken with or without coursework.

At one point in time, the “A*” grade in the GCSE did not exist but was later added to recognize the very top end of achievement. In the case of Further Mathematics, an extra A* grade was added for students that can “demonstrate sustained performance in higher-level maths skills such as reasoning, proof and problem-solving.”^[13]

Recognition and equivalence[edit]

The qualification is recognized by many institutions^[quantify] in the world. It also allows further vocational education and is often considered the baseline for employment.

Its academic worth is comparable to many secondary school curricula worldwide, such as England’s GCSE, the North American GED or high school diploma, Hong Kong’s HKCEE,^[14] Singapore’s O-Level,^[15] and the Indian CBSE and ICSE courses. The IGCSE prepares students for further academic study, including progression to A Level and BTEC Level 3 study, Cambridge Pre-U, IB Diploma Programme and other equivalents. It is recognised by academic institutions and employers around the world and is considered by many institutions as equivalent to the standard GCSE.^{[citation needed]}

Hong Kong[edit]

The IGCSE exam is widely used in international schools. Students in Hong Kong can take the Cambridge exam board as well as the Edexcel exam board, either at their school or registering through the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) as individual candidates.^[16]

Singapore and Malaysia[edit]

The IGCSE exam is predominantly used in international schools, while other schools offer it as an alternative to O Level exams.^[17]

United Kingdom[edit]

The official status of IGCSEs has changed several times in the UK.

In 2013 the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) allowed more use of IGCSE subjects in state-funded schools. Ofqual allowed the use of Cambridge IGCSE exams under the name of «Cambridge International Certificates».^[18] Initially, 16 Cambridge IGCSE syllabuses received UK government accreditation. Following that, the UK government announced that the 16 accredited Cambridge IGCSE syllabuses could also be funded in state-maintained schools. Subsequently, Cambridge IGCSE German and Spanish were also accredited and funded, taking the total number of accredited and funded Cambridge IGCSEs to 18. For accreditation purposes, the syllabuses are referenced as «Cambridge International Certificates» in the UK, although they are known across the world as Cambridge IGCSEs. The IGCSE is offered by two examination boards in the UK, one being Edexcel, and the other one being AQA.^[19]

However, from 2017 the government decided to exclude IGCSEs from official performance tables, and consequentially entries from state schools have fallen.^[20] So that whilst «international GCSEs no longer meet the condition of funding; however, they do continue to count as equivalent to GCSEs for the purposes of recognising prior attainment.»^[21]

In 2018, 91% of IGCSE UK entries in core subjects were in private schools, and about 75% for all subjects.^[22]

United States[edit]

While the number of North American schools offering the IGCSE remains small, some homeschooling educators are said to be choosing the IGCSE instead of a typical North American high school curriculum. According to many of these educators, the IGCSE curriculum may be more advanced than a typical North American secondary school course by at least one year.^[23]

Italy[edit]

For some years in Italy many high schools have joined a Cambridge Schools Network, becoming Cambridge International Schools.
The aim of these schools is to get students IGCSE and As & A Level certifications.
Some Italian Universities as well accept both IGCSE and AS & A Level certifications, but a minimum of grade is often required for the admission.

Cancellations[edit]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, all IGCSE examinations due to take place in May/June 2020 were cancelled, along with GCSE and A-Level exams that year. As of 31 March 2020, the CAIE had decided to guide schools to predict students’ grades through evidence like mock examination results.^[24]

On 30 April 2020, Pearson Edexcel announced that grades for the May/June 2020 exam would be calculated using information from schools. Schools were asked to provide an assessment grade for each student, as well as a ranked order of students within each grade by 29 May 2020.^[25]

For the June 2021 exam series, CAIE plans for exams to go ahead in countries that are permitted and safe, and countries where exams cannot take place due to government directives will switch to school-assessed grades using evidence like student coursework and mock exam results. There are also adjustments, exemptions, and special considerations available for schools that applies for them.^[26]

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• Cambridge IGCSE for non-UK schools
• Cambridge IGCSE for UK schools
• Edexcel International GCSE Homepage
• International OxfordAQA GCSE Homepage
• UK accreditation information on NDAQ

Кембриджские экзамены

Кембриджские экзамены или Cambridge ESOL — это система тестов для взрослых и детей, проводимая подразделением Кембриджского университета. Это подразделение не является коммерческой организацией и было создано для международного сертифицирования владения английским всех, для кого этот язык не является родным. В этой статье я пишу именно о плюсах Кембриджских экзаменов для школьников.


(Источник: https://www.cambridgeenglish.org.ru/exams-and-tests/linguaskill/information-about-the-test/practice-materials/)

Почему Cambridge exam?

Объединяет эти все экзамены, во-первых, то, что они проверяют ваш уровень владения английским, а именно насколько вы хорошо на нем общаетесь, понимаете на слух, пишите и читаете. Во-вторых, после успешной сдачи экзаменов вы получаете сертификат. Но если срок действия сертификата TOEFL или IELTS — 2 года, то экзамены линейки Cambridge English не имеют срока действия. Это главное преимущество Кембриджских экзаменов. Нет необходимости сдавать их заново. Более того, экзамены Cambridge English мотивируют двигаться вперед и совершенствовать свой английский, поскольку каждый тест и сертификат подтверждает разный уровень владения языком.

Чтобы лучше разобраться, какому уровню какой экзамен соответствует, стоит обратить внимание на шкалу CEFR, которая выделяет шесть уровней:


(Источник: https://www.englishdom.com/blog/vse-chto-nuzhno-znat-o-kembridzhskix-ekzamenax-po-anglijskomu/ )

Экзамены для взрослых

A2 Key (KET) — первый экзамен в линейке Cambridge English для взрослых, и он является первым шагом в развитии ваших навыков английского языка для работы или учебы в будущем.

Он подтверждает уровень А1 и А2 по CEFR, то есть Beginner и Elementary. Вы можете сдавать его, если вы говорите, пишете и понимаете на слух базовый английский. Чтобы сдать экзамен, вы должны уметь:

• задавать и отвечать на вопросы о себе и других;
• понимать объявления и инструкции при условии, что люди говорят медленно и четко;
• рассказать другим, что вы думаете о прочитанном или услышанном;

B1 Preliminary (PET) подтверждает ваше умение общаться на английском языке в практических, повседневных ситуациях. Этот сертификат — хорошая основа для тех, кто стремится получить профессиональную квалификацию по английскому языку. B1 Preliminary (PET) подтверждает уровень В1 или В2 по CEFR, то есть Intermediate.

Вы можете сдавать PET, если вы уверенно общаетесь во время путешествий или вам предстоит иметь дело с носителями английского языка на работе. Чтобы сдать экзамен, нужно уметь:

• выражать свои предпочтения, симпатии и антипатии, обсуждать их с другими;
• понимать на слух устные и письменные объявления и инструкции;
• писать личное письмо или заметку по содержанию собрания или дискуссии;

B2 First (FCE) — общий экзамен по английскому языку, подтверждающий, что вы можете говорить и писать по-английски достаточно хорошо, чтобы работать или учиться в англоязычной среде. Уровень квалификации: выше среднего — B2 по общеевропейской шкале.

Вы можете сдавать FCE, если вы хотите работать в англоязычной компании, жить в англоязычной стране или пройти подготовку к поступлению в университет на английском языке. Для успешной сдачи экзамена необходимо уметь:

• писать эссе и электронные письма, статьи или репортажи;
• объяснить идею или провести подробное обсуждение на английском языке;
• понимать общий английский, например, смотря телевизор или читая газеты, новости в интернете;

C1 Advanced (CAE) — общая квалификация по английскому языку, показывающая, что ваш английский соответствует стандарту, ожидаемому от профессионального делового человека или студента университета.

Сегодня большинство учебных заведений Австралии, Великобритании и Канады принимают сертификат CAE наравне с TOEFL и IELTS при зачислении иностранных студентов на курс. С каждым годом количество университетов, которые признают сертификат CAE, становится все больше.

Чтобы сдать экзамен, нужно уметь:

• писать сложные отчеты, рецензии или электронные письма, а также делать заметки на встречах или лекциях;
• делать презентации на сложные темы на английском языке;
• понимать различные тексты, от художественной литературы до газетных статей;

C2 Proficiency (CPE) показывает, что вы освоили английский язык и можете свободно использовать его в сложных исследовательских, академических и профессиональных ситуациях. Это высшая квалификация Кембридж Инглиш.

Учащиеся используют эту квалификацию для обучения в аспирантуре, проведения исследовательских проектов высокого уровня и академических семинаров, а также для эффективного общения на уровне топ-менеджеров и руководителей в международном бизнесе.

Работодатели, университеты и правительственные департаменты по всему миру принимают C2 Proficiency как доказательство того, что кандидат может успешно учиться или работать на самом высоком профессиональном и академическом уровне, а также как свидетельство владения английским языком в совершенстве. Среди вузов, признающих C2 Proficiency, например, Австралийский национальный университет, Университет Торонто, Университет Людвига-Максимиллиана в Мюнхене, Кембриджский университет, Гарвардский университет и другие.

Экзамены для детей и подростков

Cambridge English: Young Learners (YLE) — линейка экзаменов, созданных Кембриджем специально для детей 7–12 лет. Эти экзамены оценивают прогресс в изучении английского языка по направлениям: чтение, аудирование, говорение и письмо. В отличии от экзаменов для взрослых, эти экзамены разработаны и поданы в занимательной форме, поэтому их сдача проходит легко и интересно для детей.

Оценкой за экзамен являются «щиты». Максимально можно набрать 15 «щитов». Дети также получают сертификаты! Участники YLE получают их, даже если не продемонстрировали необходимых знаний.

Pre A1 Starters (YLE Starters) — первый из трех Кембриджских экзаменов для детей, который поможет вашему ребенку изучать английский с раннего возраста и создаст позитивное отношение к языковым тестам. Экзамен предлагает надежную и последовательную оценку того, насколько хорошо ребенок умеет слушать, говорить, читать и писать. Как правило, дети, которые сдают тест, обычно находятся в возрасте от 7 до 8 лет. В ходе теста ребенку необходимо будет:

• распознавать цвета на английском;
• ответить на очень простые вопросы о себе;
• написать короткие односложные ответы на вопросы;

Кембриджский экзамен состоит из трех частей: аудирование, говорение, а также объединенные в одну часть чтение и письмо. Ребенок может получить максимум пять щитов за каждую часть теста. Количество щитов, которые он получит за каждую часть, будет указано в сертификате. Сертификат приходит минимум через полтора месяца после сдачи экзамена. Получение сертификата YLE Starters позволяет вашему ребенку перейти на следующий уровень: YLE Movers.

A1 Movers (YLE Movers) стимулирует вашего ребенка общаться в реальных ситуациях на английском языке и создавать позитивное отношение к языковым тестам. Детям, которые сдают тест, обычно от 8 до 11 лет.

Ребенок должен уметь:

• понимать основные инструкции на английском языке;
• заполнить простую форму или ответить на вопросы о себе;
• отвечать на вопросы и записывать простые факты (например, дни недели, время или имена), которые он услышит или прочитает в сказке или истории;

A2 Flyers (YLE Flyers) – для детей в возрасте от 9 до 12 лет, и тех, кто течении двух-трех лет в школе изучал английский как второй или иностранный язык.

В ходе экзамена вашему ребенку необходимо будет:

• объяснить разницу между двумя историями или картинками;
• написать или рассказать короткую историю на английском;
• задавать вопросы и использовать прошедшее время;

(Источник: https://www.englishdom.com/blog/vse-chto-nuzhno-znat-o-kembridzhskix-ekzamenax-po-anglijskomu/)

Достоинства и недостатки сдачи Cambridge exam

(Источник: https://stepandlevel.com/info/articles/training/5-prichin-zachem-sdavat-kembridzhskie-ekzameny/)

Список использованных источников

1. Все,что нужно знать про Кембриджские экзамены по английскому языку
2. Кембриджские экзамены
3. Зачем сдавать Кембриджские экзамены?
4. 5 причин сдавать Кембриджские экзамены

Cambridge Assessment English, или Cambridge English, является крупнейшей из трех основных экзаменационных комиссий, входящих в состав Cambridge Assessment , не преподавательского факультета Кембриджского университета .

Cambridge Assessment English разрабатывает и выпускает экзамены Cambridge English Qualifications и IELTS .

Организация внесла свой вклад в разработку Общеевропейских компетенций владения иностранным языком (CEFR), стандарта, используемого во всем мире для оценки языковых навыков. Его квалификация и тесты соответствуют уровням CEFR.

Индивидуальные экзамены

Кембриджские экзамены по английскому языку позволяют улучшить языковые навыки. Каждая квалификация ориентирована на уровень Общеевропейских компетенций владения языком (CEFR).

Кембриджские экзамены по английскому языку: школы

Кембриджские квалификации по английскому языку: школы обеспечивают основу для обучения, чтобы помочь детям и подросткам улучшить свои знания английского языка.

Кембриджские экзамены по английскому языку: общее и высшее образование

Эти квалификации предназначены для взрослых учащихся.

Ключ А2, Предварительный В1 и Первый экзамен имеют тот же формат (например, количество работ, количество вопросов, отвод времени), что и школьные версии этих квалификаций, но используют разные темы и содержание, подходящие для взрослых учащихся.

Кембриджский английский квалификация: бизнес

Кембриджская квалификация по английскому языку: Бизнес устанавливается в бизнес-контексте.

Многоуровневые тесты

Многоуровневые тесты, такие как Linguaskill, BULATS, Cambridge English Placement Test и Cambridge English Placement Test для молодых учащихся, охватывают несколько уровней CEFR в одном тесте. Они используются для определения уровней групп учащихся со смешанными способностями и включения их в нужные программы изучения английского языка или ввода их для сдачи нужных экзаменов.

Cambridge Assessment English также является производителем теста IELTS. Cambridge Exams Publishing, совместное предприятие с Cambridge University Press, выпускает ресурсы и материалы по IELTS под брендом Кембриджа, чтобы помочь учащимся подготовиться и потренироваться к своим тестам. IELTS управляется международным партнерством организаций — British Council , Cambridge Assessment English и IDP Education.

Кембриджское преподавание английского языка

Квалификации и курсы для учителей любого уровня подготовки.

Прекращенные экзамены

• Кембриджский английский: финансовый (ICFE) прекращен в декабре 2016 года.
• Кембриджский английский: юридический (ILEC) прекращен в декабре 2016 года.
• Сертификаты ESOL Skills for Life (SfL) (только для Великобритании) прекращены в июне 2017 года.
• CELS (Certificates in English Language Skills): модульные квалификации для изучающих английский язык.
• DTE (E) LLS (Диплом преподавателя английского языка (ESOL) в секторе непрерывного обучения) и ADTE (E) LLS (Дополнительный диплом преподавателя английского языка (ESOL) в секторе непрерывного обучения): эти квалификации для учителей английского языка в Великобритании. были прекращены в сентябре 2012 года. CELTA является рекомендуемой альтернативой для тех, кто хочет получить квалификацию преподавателя английского языка для преподавания в Великобритании.
• IDLTM (Международный диплом в области управления преподаванием языков) прекращен в июне 2016 года.
• PTLLS (Подготовка к обучению в секторе непрерывного обучения): прекращено в ноябре 2012 года.
• Расширение для молодых учащихся (YL) на CELTA прекращено в декабре 2016 года.
• TKT: KAL и TKT: Практическое прекращено в декабре 2016 года.

Партнерские отношения и приобретения

В 1980-х годах Cambridge Assessment English, Британский совет и IDP Education сформировали международное партнерство IELTS, которое проводит тесты IELTS.

В 2010 году Cambridge Assessment English и Отдел тестирования и сертификации Института английского языка Мичиганского университета договорились о создании некоммерческого сотрудничества, известного как CaMLA (Cambridge Michigan Language Assessments). Cambridge Assessment English владеет 65% предприятия.

С 2011 года компания Cambridge Assessment English сотрудничает с подразделением преподавания английского языка (ELT) Cambridge University Press , Cambridge Exams Publishing, которое разрабатывает официальные материалы Кембриджской подготовки к экзаменам Cambridge English и IELTS.

В 2013 году компания Cambridge Assessment English создала совместное предприятие с институтом Box Hill для проведения теста профессионального английского языка , известного как OET.

В 2019 году компания Cambridge Assessment English приобрела английский язык iTutoring (ELiT), искусственный интеллект, разработанный на основе технологий Кембриджского университета, для поддержки новых продуктов для оценки английского языка.

Согласование с CEFR

Cambridge Assessment English участвовал в ранней разработке CEFR, и все квалификации и тесты Cambridge English приведены в соответствие с уровнями, описанными CEFR.

Кембриджские квалификации по английскому языку нацелены на определенные уровни CEFR, и кандидатам предлагается сдать экзамен, наиболее соответствующий их потребностям и уровню способностей. Хотя каждый экзамен посвящен определенному уровню CEFR, экзамен также содержит тестовые материалы на смежных уровнях (например, B2 First предназначен для B2, но есть также тестовые задания, которые охватывают B1 и C1). Это позволяет делать выводы о способностях кандидатов, если они на уровень ниже или выше целевого.

Исследовательская работа

Отделение оценки Cambridge English EFL было создано в 1989 году и стало первым специализированным исследовательским отделом подобного рода. Это подразделение теперь называется группой исследований и валидации и является крупнейшей специализированной исследовательской группой среди всех органов по оценке английского языка. Исследования опубликованы в серии « Исследования по языковому тестированию» (SiLT) .

Награды

В 2015 году экзамен Cambridge Assessment English был удостоен Королевской награды за предпринимательство в категории «Международная торговля».

Повышение квалификации

Экзаменационная комиссия Кембриджского университета (UCLES)

Первый Кембриджский экзамен по английскому был подготовлен в 1913 году UCLES (Синдикат местных экзаменов Кембриджского университета).

UCLES был основан в 1858 году для сдачи экзаменов студентам, не являющимся членами университета. В Британии росло беспокойство по поводу стандартов школьного образования и перехода от среднего образования к высшему. Ряд школ «обратились в Оксфордский и Кембриджский университеты с просьбой [предоставить] средства для сравнения достижений учеников в разных школах».

Сектор среднего образования по-прежнему носил добровольный характер. Без поддержки со стороны государства было логично обратиться за помощью к давно существующим университетам, которыми восхищались многие. В частности, Оксфордский и Кембриджский университет «рассматривались как жизнеспособные источники надзора».

UCLES был приглашен для проведения экзаменов и проверки школ с целью повышения образовательных стандартов. Оксфордский университет также создал свою собственную экзаменационную комиссию: Делегация местных экзаменов Оксфордского университета (UODLE). UODLE и его партнер, Ассоциация признанных школ английского языка, объединились с UCLES в 1995 году.

Первые экзамены UCLES прошли 14 декабря 1858 года. Экзамены были разработаны для проверки при отборе в университеты и были сданы 370 кандидатами в британских школах, церквях и деревенских залах. От кандидатов требовалось «удовлетворить экзаменаторов» при анализе и разборе текста Шекспира; читать вслух; диктант; и сочинение (либо о недавно умершем герцоге Веллингтоне; известная книга; либо письмо-заявление).

Кандидаты-женщины были приняты UCLES на пробной основе в 1864 году и на постоянной основе с 1867 года. Сам Кембриджский университет не проверял студенток до 1882 года, и только в 1948 году женщинам было разрешено получить высшее образование в качестве полноправных членов университета.

В середине и конце 19 века экзамены UCLES сдавали кандидаты, проживавшие за границей — в Тринидаде (с 1863 г.), Южной Африке (с 1869 г.), Гайане и Новой Зеландии (с 1874 г.), Ямайке (с 1882 г.) и Малайе (с 1891 г.). ). Многие из этих кандидатов были детьми офицеров британской колониальной службы, и экзамены еще не были предназначены для лиц, для которых английский язык не является родным.

Первый кембриджский экзамен по английскому языку

В 1913 году UCLES разработал первый экзамен для тех, для кого английский не является родным — Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE — теперь известный как C2 Proficiency). Это могло быть вызвано разработкой экзаменов по английскому языку «для иностранцев» в других университетах.

Первоначально CPE был квалификацией для учителей: «Сертификат о знании английского языка предназначен для иностранных студентов, которые хотят получить удовлетворительное подтверждение своего знания языка с целью преподавания его в иностранных школах». Экзамен был доступен только кандидатам в возрасте 20 лет и старше.

В 1913 году экзамен можно было сдавать в Кембридже или Лондоне за плату в 3 фунта стерлингов (примерно 293 фунта стерлингов в ценах 2012 года). Экзамен длился 12 часов и включал:

1. Перевод с английского на французский или немецкий: 2 часа
2. Перевод с французского или немецкого на английский и грамматика английского языка: 2,5 часа
3. Эссе на английском: 2 часа
4. Английская литература: 3 часа
5. Фонетика английского языка: 1,5 часа
6. Устный тест: диктант (30 минут); чтение вслух и беседа (30 минут)

Основное влияние на дизайн экзамена оказал метод обучения грамматике и переводу, который направлен на формирование навыков чтения (а не умения общаться на языке). В 1913 году первым требованием от кандидатов в CPE был перевод текстов. Перевод оставался важным в обучении иностранным языкам до 1960-х годов. Он был основной частью CPE до 1975 года и дополнительной частью до 1989 года.

Однако на CPE также повлиял Генри Свит и его книга, опубликованная в 1900 году: «Практическое изучение языков: руководство для учителей и учащихся», в которой утверждалось, что «наиболее естественный метод обучения языкам — это разговор». Благодаря этому влиянию устная речь с самого начала была частью Кембриджских экзаменов по английскому языку.

Экзаменационные вопросы 1913 г.

Кандидаты должны были переводить с английского на французский / немецкий и переводить с французского / немецкого на английский. Вот небольшой отрывок из одного из отрывков, которого кандидатов попросили перевести с английского на немецкий:

Чувства, оживлявшие поэзию Шиллера, были преобразованы в принципы поведения; его действия были столь же безупречны, насколько чисты его сочинения. С его простыми и высокими пристрастиями, с его сильной преданностью благородному делу, он умудрялся вести жизнь, не запятнанный ее подлостью, не покоренный никакими ее трудностями или соблазнами …

В статье English Essay кандидатов просили написать эссе в течение двух часов по одному из следующих вопросов: влияние политических движений на литературу XIX века в Англии; Английский прерафаэлитизм; Елизаветинские путешествия и открытия; Индийский мятеж; развитие местного самоуправления; или Мэтью Арнольд. Экзаменационная комиссия практически не имела формальной структуры. Такие понятия, как аудитория и цель, а также объем эссе, оставались на усмотрение кандидата.

Вопросы в разделе английской литературы были заимствованы из экзаменов на зачисление в университет по языку и литературе для носителей языка и включали вопросы по Кориолану Шекспира и Потерянному раю Милтона. Вот пример вопроса: полностью объясните и прокомментируйте следующие отрывки, указав связи, в которых они встречаются, и любые трудности чтения, фразеологии или намеков: « Будь ты Гектором, Это был кнут твоего хвастовства, Ты should’st не «царапать меня здесь. « Это не было до 1930 года , что документ литературы был разработан специально для кандидатов CPE.

Раздел грамматики содержал вопросы о грамматике и лексике, например, дайте прошедшее время и причастие прошедшего времени каждого из следующих глаголов, разделив их на сильные и слабые … , а также вопросы о грамматике и лексике, например, включите каждое из следующих слов в форму предложение таким образом, чтобы показать, что вы ясно понимаете его значение: начинать, комментировать, одобрять… В то время это отражало подход к изучению грамматики на латыни и греческом (а также на современных языках).

Наконец, был включен доклад по фонетике, так как он считался полезным при обучении произношению. В документе от кандидатов требовалось сделать фонетическую транскрипцию длинных фрагментов непрерывного текста; описывать артикуляцию определенных звуков; объяснять фонетические термины и предлагать способы обучения определенным звукам. Вот два примера вопроса: объясните термины: «скольжение», «узкая гласная», «полугласная» и приведите по два примера каждого из них как в фонетическом, так и в обычном правописании, и как вы научите ученика правильному произношению гласных звуков. в: проезд, судьба, жир, падение, далеко?

Изменения к экзамену 1913 года

Экзамен CPE 1913 года сдали всего три кандидата. Кандидаты «умели бегло разговаривать, выражать свои мысли в целом с поразительной легкостью и точностью». Однако все три кандидата провалили экзамен, и ни один из них не получил сертификата CPE.

На второй год своего существования (1914 г.) CPE приобрела популярность, набрав 18 кандидатов и четыре из которых прошли. Однако следующие 15 лет кандидатура оставалась неизменной. Итальянский и испанский были добавлены в качестве языков для перевода в 1926 году. Однако CPE все еще «колебалась вместе с 14 или 15 кандидатами в год». В 1928 г. в CPE было всего 14 кандидатов, а к 1929 г. он был под угрозой упразднения.

Джек Роуч, помощник секретаря Синдиката с 1925 по 1945 год, решил «спасти его от помойки» и внес ряд изменений. Работа по фонетике была исключена, и вопросы для сочинений стали скорее проверкой навыков письма, чем проверкой знаний о британской культуре. Такие вопросы, как « Лучший месяц в году », были предпочтительнее более связанных с культурой тем, поставленных в 1913 году, таких как « Елизаветинские путешествия и открытия ».

Целевая кандидатура была расширена за пределы учителей, на «всех иностранных студентов, которые хотят получить доказательства своего практического знания языков, как письменных, так и устных, а также их способности читать с пониманием стандартные произведения английской литературы».

В 1932 году было решено создать зарубежные экзаменационные центры. Первые зарубежные центры были открыты в Гамбурге, Париже и Сан-Ремо (1933), за ними последовали другие центры в Италии (Риме и Неаполе), Нидерландах, Швеции и Швейцарии. Латинская Америка также стала областью экзаменов в 1930-х годах с центрами в Аргентине и Уругвае.

В 1935 году CPE начал предлагать альтернативу литературному документу с докладом об экономических и коммерческих знаниях — ранним предшественником английского языка для конкретных целей.

Затем, в 1937–1938 годах, Кембриджский и Оксфордский университеты решили принять CPE как стандарт английского языка, необходимый для всех студентов, британских или иностранных, перед поступлением в их университет. По сей день CPE по-прежнему служит квалификацией для поступления в высшие учебные заведения. После этих изменений число кандидатов CPE мгновенно начало расти, достигнув 752 к началу Второй мировой войны.

Вторая Мировая Война

С 1939 года тысячи беженцев от гражданской войны в Испании и оккупированной Европы начали прибывать в Великобританию и начали сдавать экзамены UCLES, находясь в Великобритании.

UCLES запустил нижний сертификат на английском языке (LCE), чтобы удовлетворить спрос на сертификацию на более низком уровне, чем CPE. Предварительный экзамен, на более низком уровне , чем LCE, также была предложена с 1944 в качестве специального теста для удовлетворения непредвиденных обстоятельств войны. Это были первые шаги к развитию языковой оценки на разных уровнях.

Польские военнослужащие и женщины составили значительную часть кандидатур. В 1943 году более трети всех сертификатов LCE были выданы кандидатам из польской армии и военно-воздушных сил. Так продолжалось на протяжении всей войны и в послевоенный период. За один день 1948 года не менее 2500 польских мужчин и женщин из Польского корпуса переселенцев заняли LCE.

Тесты UCLES были доступны для военнопленных в Великобритании и Германии. В Великобритании экзамены сдали 1500 военнопленных, почти 900 из них итальянцы. В Германии Военная организация Британского Красного Креста и Ордена Святого Иоанна Иерусалимского организовала проведение экзаменов UCLES в лагерях для военнопленных с участием многих индийских военнопленных, в частности, для сдачи экзаменов LCE или школьного аттестата.

Экзаменаторов попросили сообщить о « нарушениях, недосыпании и т. Д., Вызванных воздушными налетами, а также о любых исключительных трудностях… во время экзаменационного периода». В одном из отчетов отмечалось, что кандидаты « большую часть дня проводили в воздухе». -палубое укрытие »; кандидат 5224, медсестра-стажер, испытывала напряжение, вызванное помощью в « спасательных работах »; и что дом кандидата 5222 подвергся бомбардировке, когда она училась в школе, что привело к гибели людей. Таковы были обстоятельства экзаменаторов и администраторов военного времени.

Экзамены также проводились тайно в экзаменационных центрах континентальной Европы, что часто означало необычные меры, включая акты решимости и мужества. Однако UCLES не смог профинансировать и поддержать растущую международную сеть центров экзаменов по английскому языку по всему миру. Тем временем у Британского совета было задание распространять британскую культуру и образовательные связи. В марте 1941 г. между двумя организациями было подписано формальное «Совместное соглашение» о сотрудничестве в распределении экзаменов UCLES по всему миру. С этого начались длительные отношения, которые продолжаются по сей день.

Послевоенный

К 1947 году было более 6000 кандидатов в UCLES, при этом LCE вдвое превышала CPE. Экзаменационные центры созданы в Европе (17), Латинской Америке (9), Ближнем Востоке (8), Африке (4) и США (1). Число кандидатов продолжало расти, достигнув более 20 000 к 1955 году, 44 000 к 1965 году и более 66 000 к 1975 году.

Однако к 1970-м годам спрос на экзамены с более четко определенными уровнями владения языком рос. Это заложило основу для Совета Европы и разработки Общей европейской системы владения иностранными языками (CEFR), которая была начата в 1971 году.

Квалификация на разных уровнях

В UCLES было несколько попыток разработать языковую оценку на разных уровнях. Во время Второй мировой войны существовала трехуровневая система: предварительный тест по английскому языку, LCE и CPE. После войны была введена новая трехуровневая система: LCE, CPE и DES (The Diploma of English Studies). Однако, как чрезвычайно сложный экзамен, кандидатура DES никогда не поднималась выше нескольких сотен и позже была снята с рассмотрения.

В 1980-х и 1990-х уровни стабилизировались, и набор экзаменов, который мы признаем сегодня, стал установленным. Была разработана пятиуровневая система, которая характеризует экзамены по общему английскому языку Cambridge English до настоящего времени и заложила основы для уровней в CEFR.

• Уровень 1: Тест на знание английского языка (KET) был запущен в 1994 году. Сейчас он известен как A2 Key.
• Уровень 2: Предварительный тест по английскому языку (ПЭТ) изначально использовался в годы Второй мировой войны. Он вновь появился в 1980 году под пристальным наблюдением и был полностью запущен в 1990-е годы. Теперь он известен как предварительный B1.
• Уровень 3: LCE, действующий со времен Второй мировой войны, продолжил свое существование под новым названием: Первый сертификат на английском языке. Теперь он известен как B2 First.
• Уровень 4: сертификат Advanced English (CAE) был запущен в 1991 году. Сейчас он известен как C1 Advanced.
• Уровень 5: CPE, действующий с 1913 года, стал квалификацией самого высокого уровня Cambridge English. Теперь он известен как C2 Proficiency.

В этот период также были внесены существенные изменения в существующие экзамены: B2 First и C2 Proficiency. Эти изменения включали повышение аутентичности текстов и заданий; увеличение веса на аудировании и разговорной речи; улучшение баланса между грамматикой и лексикой в ​​документе для чтения; и добавление более широкого диапазона текстов в состав и использование английских документов (например, написание писем, диалоги, речи, заметки, а также дискурсивные и описательные композиции).

UCLES объединил усилия с BBC , уделяя все больше внимания аудированию и разговорной речи . Однако в кабинах звукозаписи BBC возникло противоречие между подходом BBC, который фокусировался на драматическом потенциале, и потребностью UCLES в ясности речи. Например, человек, спускающийся с горы, был очень интересным, но неприемлемым для тестовых целей. В конце концов было решено, что по крайней мере 35% тестов на прослушивание будут включать оригинальную запись BBC, в основном состоящую из программ передач World Service и Woman’s Hour .

IELTS

Поскольку учащимся все чаще требуется сертификация по английскому языку для учебы, UCLES вместе с Британским советом и Австралийской программой международного развития (IDP) разработали в 1980-х годах тест, в котором особое внимание уделялось английскому языку для академических целей.

Тест Службы тестирования по английскому языку (ELTS) был впервые запущен в 1980 году с заданиями, основанными на использовании языка в академическом и профессиональном контексте в «реальном мире». Однако тест ELTS был очень сложным в администрировании, и когда-либо были выпущены только две полные версии.

В 1989 году был введен в действие упрощенный и сокращенный тест под новым названием: Международная система тестирования по английскому языку (IELTS) .

Было ясно, что нужно приравнять разные формы теста. Поэтому все материалы IELTS были предварительно протестированы и откалиброваны по единой шкале на основе модели Раша . Это был первый случай, когда UCLES использовал модель Раша, которая теперь является краеугольным камнем системы тестирования уровней.

RSA и квалификация преподавателя

В 1988 году экзамены EFL, разработанные экзаменационной комиссией Королевского общества искусств (RSA), были объединены с экзаменами UCLES. Экзаменационная комиссия RSA была создана в 1754 году, задолго до UCLES, и, взяв на себя схемы RSA TEFL, UCLES стал ответственным за « управление наиболее уважаемыми и широко признанными в мире схемами для проверки учебных курсов для учителей английского языка как иностранного. . »

Два набора квалификаций были интегрированы, и программы для пересмотренных квалификаций были разработаны в консультации с сектором ESL, чтобы реинтегрировать сообщества преподавателей ESL и EFL. В 1999 году сертификат RSA по преподаванию английского языка как иностранного для взрослых (CTEFLA) и диплом RSA по преподаванию английского как иностранного языка для взрослых официально стали называться квалификациями CELTA и Delta . К этим квалификациям в 2004 году присоединился ICELT (пересмотренная версия своего предшественника, COTE), который является чисто профессиональной квалификацией без отрыва от производства.

В начале 21 века в государственных министерствах и школах рос спрос на профессиональную квалификацию без какой-либо составляющей без отрыва от производства (педагогической практики). Это привело к введению теста на знания преподавателя (TKT) , который фокусируется исключительно на основных профессиональных знаниях. После консультаций с учебными заведениями по всему миру и испытаний с 1500 учителями английского языка в Европе, Латинской Америке и Азии, TKT был запущен в 2005 году. За первые шесть месяцев тесты прошли тысячи кандидатов в 36 разных странах. Он также был включен в правительственные планы, например планы в Чили по переподготовке всех действующих учителей, и был включен в программы подготовки учителей государственных университетов.

Китай и деловой английский

В начале 1990-х Китай очень быстро развивал рыночную экономику. Признавая важность английского языка как языка международного бизнеса и торговли, китайское правительство попросило Cambridge Assessment English разработать набор сертификатов делового английского (BEC).

Предварительные экзамены BEC (теперь известные как B1 Business Preterior) впервые сдали в 1993 году 5000 кандидатов из семи городов Китая. BEC Vantage (теперь известный как B2 Business Vantage) был запущен в 1994 году, а BEC Higher (теперь известный как C1 Business Higher) в 1996 году. За этим последовал запуск в 1997 году Службы тестирования делового языка (BULATS) для компаний.

Юные ученики

В 1990-х годах в центрах Кембриджского английского языка на Дальнем Востоке, в Латинской Америке и Европе рос спрос на оценивание, разработанное специально для младших школьников. В то время было проведено относительно мало исследований по оценке изучения второго языка у детей.

UCLES работал с Homerton College (педагогическим колледжем при Кембриджском университете) над тестовыми тестами с более чем 3000 детей в Европе, Южной Америке и Юго-Восточной Азии. На основании полученных отзывов были составлены первые тесты по английскому языку для молодых людей (YLE), предназначенные для учащихся в возрасте от 6 до 12 лет, которые были запущены в 1997 году.

Тесты YLE представили новый уровень. Добавление уровня «прорыва» создало шестиуровневую систему, которая была отражена в CEFR, опубликованном в 2001 году.

Кандидаты

В 1988 году, когда было сдано всего два экзамена (первый уровень B2 и уровень владения C2), количество кандидатов на экзамен составило около 180 000 человек. К 2002 году при более широком спектре экзаменов количество кандидатов на экзамены превысило 1 миллион; к 2007 г. — более 2 млн, к 2013 г. — более 4 млн; а к 2017 году — более 5,5 миллионов.

Кембриджская шкала английского языка

В январе 2015 года был введен новый способ представления результатов — Cambridge English Scale . Шкала предназначена для предоставления экзаменаторам дополнительной информации об их успеваемости на экзамене.

Кандидаты получают более подробные результаты — общий балл и балл за каждый навык / работу. Кроме того, Cambridge English Scale упрощает отслеживание успеваемости и сравнение результатов на разных экзаменах Cambridge English.

B2 First, C1 Advanced и C2 Proficiency сообщают о результатах по Кембриджской шкале английского языка с января 2015 года. A2 Key и Key для школ, B1 Предварительный и предварительный для школ и бизнес-сертификаты сообщают результаты по шкале с февраля 2016 года.

Хронология 1209–2017 гг.

• 1209 — Кембриджский университет основан
• 1534 — Cambridge University Press основана
• 1858 — Основание Синдиката местных экзаменов Кембриджского университета (UCLES).
• 1913 г. — введен сертификат о знании английского языка (CPE). Теперь известен как C2 Proficiency.
• 1939 — Представлен нижний аттестат по английскому языку (LCE). В 1975 году он был переименован в First Certificate in English (FCE) и теперь известен как B2 First.
• 1941 — Совместное соглашение с Британским Советом — созданы центры Британского Совета.
• 1943–47 — введен предварительный тест по английскому языку (ПЭТ). Он был повторно введен в употребление в 1980 году и теперь известен как предварительный B1.
• 1971 — Инициирована Общеевропейская компетенция владения иностранным языком (CEFR).
• 1988 — Экзаменационная комиссия Королевского общества искусств (RSA) становится частью UCLES.
• 1989 — Создано специализированное исследовательское и оценочное подразделение EFL.
• 1989 г. — запущен IELTS . Упрощенная и сокращенная версия ELTS, выпущенная в 1980 году.
• 1990 — Основание Ассоциации языковых тестеров Европы (ALTE).
• 1991 г. — введен сертификат Advanced English (CAE). Теперь известен как C1 Advanced.
• 1993 — Выпуск сертификатов делового английского (BEC).
• 1994 — введен тест по основному английскому языку (KET). Теперь известен как A2 Key.
• 1995 — Делегация местных экзаменов Оксфордского университета (UODLE) становится частью UCLES.
• 1997 г. — введены тесты для подростков по английскому языку (YLE). Теперь известен как Pre-A1 Starter, A1 Movers и A2 Flyers.
• 1997 год — запущен BULATS.
• 2001 — опубликован CEFR.
• 2002 — UCLES EFL переименован в экзамены ESOL Кембриджского университета (Cambridge ESOL).
• 2002 — Один миллион кандидатов на экзамен Cambridge ESOL.
• 2010 — учреждение CaMLA ( экзамен по языку в Кембридже, штат Мичиган).
• 2011 — Создано совместное предприятие Cambridge Exams Publishing с Cambridge University Press .
• 2013 — Cambridge ESOL переименован в Cambridge English Language Assessment.
• 2015 — введена Кембриджская шкала английского языка.
• 2016 — Представлен Linguaskill Reading and Listening.
• 2016 — Представлен Linguaskill Writing.
• 2017 — Cambridge English Language Assessment переименован в Cambridge Assessment English.

Смотрите также

• CaMLA
• IELTS , Международная система тестирования английского языка
• Исследования по языковому тестированию (SiLT)
• Преподавание английского как иностранного

использованная литература

внешние ссылки

• Кембриджский экзамен по английскому языку
• Сайт поддержки кандидатов в Кембриджский английский
• Сайт поддержки преподавателей английского языка Кембриджа
• Исследования по языковому тестированию (SiLT)
• Кембриджское вступительное тестирование

Cambridge ESOL (англ. English for Speakers of Other Languages), Кембриджские экзамены — группа экзаменов по английскому языку, проводимых одноимённым подразделением экзаменационного совета Кембриджского университета (UCLES).

История

UCLES (University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate) — подразделение Кембриджского университета — создано в 1858 году с целью проведения экзаменов в школах. Позднее его функции были расширены.

В 1913 году появился первый тест — CPE (Certificate of Proficiency in English). В 1939 году — Lower Certificate in English, ныне известный как FCE. Периодически проводились изменения содержания тестов.

Центры Экзаменационного отдела Кембриджского университета в России

Экзамены и сертификация

ESOL делятся на несколько категорий:

• Для детей (Young Learners)
• Общий английский (General English)
• Школьные экзамены (Exams for Schools)
• Профессиональный английский (Professional English)
• Академический английский (Academic English)

Для детей (Young Learners)

Имеет трёхуровневую систему:

1. Starters- 7 лет
2. Movers- от 8 до 11
3. Flyers- от 9 до 12

Общий английский (General English)

Набор экзаменов General English имеет пятиуровневую систему:

1. КЕТ (Key English Test)
2. PET (Preliminary English Test)
3. FCE (First Certificate in English) — Первый Кембриджский сертификат
4. CAE (Certificate in Advanced English) — Кембриджский сертификат продвинутого уровня
5. СРЕ (Certificate of Proficiency in English) — Кембриджское свидетельство о свободном владении английским языком

Профессиональный английский (Professional English)

Деловой английский язык

• BEC (Business English Certificates): Три уровня сложности (Preliminary, Vantage and Higher).
• BULATS (Business Language Testing Service).

Юридический английский

• ILEC (International Legal English Certificate).

Академический английский (Academic English)

• IELTS

Отдельные навыки — Certificates in English Language Skills (CELS)

Certificates in English Language Skills (CELS) предлагают отдельную оценку каждого языкового навыка и являются наиболее предпочтительными для людей, которым не требуется демонстрировать одинаковый уровень подготовки по всем четырём языковым навыкам. Каждый навык оценивается отдельно по трём уровням, и кандидаты могут выбирать не только навыки, но и уровень.

Связь с CEFR

Кембриджские экзамены ESOL связаны с CEFR. Таблица соответствия ESOL CEFR^[1] показана ниже:

Ссылки

• Официальный сайт Cambridge ESOL (англ.)
• «Пианистка KET» и другие из Кембриджа // Людмила Городецкая, Андрей Буховцев. По материалам журнала «Обучение за рубежом»

Примечания

См. также

Международные экзамены по английскому языку
Общеевропейские компетенции владения иностранным языком
Наиболее популярные	TOEFL, IELTS, FCE, TOEIC
Кембриджские (ESOL)	General English: КЕТ, PET, FCE, CAE, CPE; Professional English: BEC, BULATS, ILEC, ICFE; Academic English: IELTS
Американские	TOEFL (PBT, CBT, IBT), TOEIC
Другие	UNIcert, GRE