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Cambridge Assessment English

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
Established1913[1]
TypeFor profit, but part of a tax-exempt charity
Legal statusA department of the University of Cambridge
PurposeExamination board
HeadquartersCambridge, UK
Region served
Global
Key people
Francesca Woodward, CEO
Parent organization
Cambridge University Press & Assessment
SubsidiariesCaMLA, OET, ELiT
Websitewww.cambridgeenglish.org
Formerly called
Cambridge English Language Assessment / University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations (Cambridge ESOL) / University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES)

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

 

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

Schools

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

General and higher education

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

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

Exams[14]
B1 Business Preliminary
B2 Business Vantage
C1 Business Higher

Multilevel tests

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.

Tests CEFR level
Cambridge English Placement Test[15] A1-C2
Cambridge English Placement Test for Young Learners Pre A1-A2
Linguaskill[16] A1-C2
IELTS A1-C2

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

Qualifications and courses for teachers of all levels of experience.

Exams[17] Teaching level on the Cambridge English Teaching Framework Course delivery
CELTA (Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages)[18] Foundation/Developing Full-time/part-time. Face-to-face course or online course with face-to-face teaching practice.
CELT-P (Certificate in English Language Teaching – Primary)[19] Foundation/Developing Online modular course with optional face-to-face elements. Assessed through an exam and teaching practice.
CELT-S (Certificate in English Language Teaching – Secondary)[20] Foundation/Developing Online modular course with optional face-to-face elements. Assessed through an exam and teaching practice.
Language for Teaching[21] Foundation/Developing/Proficient Online learning with optional face-to-face elements.
TKT (Teaching Knowledge Test)[22] Foundation/Developing Exams with a flexible modular format.
ICELT (In-service Certificate in English Language Teaching)[23] Developing/Proficient Part-time face-to-face course with teaching practice and distance learning support.
Delta (Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages)[24] Proficient/Expert Flexible modular format combining coursework and exams. Distance learning support, local tutoring and assessed teaching practice.
Certificate in EMI Skills (English as a medium of instruction in Higher Education)[25] Proficient/Expert Online learning with optional face-to-face sessions.
Train the Trainer[26] Proficient/Expert Part-time face-to-face course.

Discontinued exams

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

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)

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

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

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

Qualification development

Cambridge University’s examination board (UCLES)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • 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

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External links

  • 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, major, contributor, this, article, appears, have, close, connection, with, subject, require, cleanup, comply, with, wikipedia, content, policies, particularly, neutral, point, view, please, discuss, further, talk, page, march, 2. A major contributor to this article appears to have a close connection with its subject It may require cleanup to comply with Wikipedia s content policies particularly neutral point of view Please discuss further on the talk page March 2018 Learn how and when to remove this template message 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 EnglishEstablished1913 1 TypeFor profit but part of a tax exempt charityLegal statusA department of the University of CambridgePurposeExamination boardHeadquartersCambridge UKRegion servedGlobalKey peopleFrancesca Woodward CEOParent organizationCambridge University Press amp AssessmentSubsidiariesCaMLA OET ELiTWebsitewww wbr cambridgeenglish wbr orgFormerly calledCambridge English Language Assessment University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations Cambridge ESOL University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate UCLES 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 amp Assessment in August 2021 5 Contents 1 Current Cambridge English qualifications exams 1 1 Schools 1 2 General and higher education 1 3 Business 1 4 Multilevel tests 1 5 Teaching 2 Discontinued exams 3 Partnerships and acquisitions 4 Alignment with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages CEFR 5 Research 6 Awards 7 Qualification development 7 1 Cambridge University s examination board UCLES 7 2 The first Cambridge English exam 7 3 Exam questions in 1913 7 4 Revisions to the 1913 exam 7 5 World War II 7 6 Post war 7 7 Qualification at different levels 7 8 IELTS 7 9 RSA and teaching qualifications 7 10 China and business English 7 11 Young learners 7 12 Candidates 7 13 The Cambridge English Scale 8 Timeline 1209 2021 9 See also 10 References 11 External linksCurrent 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 Exams 8 9 Pre A1 StartersA1 MoversA2 FlyersA2 Key for SchoolsB1 Preliminary for SchoolsB2 First for SchoolsC1 AdvancedC2 ProficiencyGeneral 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 Exams 11 12 A2 KeyB1 PreliminaryB2 FirstC1 AdvancedC2 ProficiencyBusiness Edit These qualifications are designed for adult learners learning English for use in a business context 13 Exams 14 B1 Business PreliminaryB2 Business VantageC1 Business HigherMultilevel 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 Tests CEFR levelCambridge English Placement Test 15 A1 C2Cambridge English Placement Test for Young Learners Pre A1 A2Linguaskill 16 A1 C2IELTS A1 C2Cambridge 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 Exams 17 Teaching level on the Cambridge English Teaching Framework Course deliveryCELTA Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages 18 Foundation Developing Full time part time Face to face course or online course with face to face teaching practice CELT P Certificate in English Language Teaching Primary 19 Foundation Developing Online modular course with optional face to face elements Assessed through an exam and teaching practice CELT S Certificate in English Language Teaching Secondary 20 Foundation Developing Online modular course with optional face to face elements Assessed through an exam and teaching practice Language for Teaching 21 Foundation Developing Proficient Online learning with optional face to face elements TKT Teaching Knowledge Test 22 Foundation Developing Exams with a flexible modular format ICELT In service Certificate in English Language Teaching 23 Developing Proficient Part time face to face course with teaching practice and distance learning support Delta Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages 24 Proficient Expert Flexible modular format combining coursework and exams Distance learning support local tutoring and assessed teaching practice Certificate in EMI Skills English as a medium of instruction in Higher Education 25 Proficient Expert Online learning with optional face to face sessions Train the Trainer 26 Proficient Expert Part time face to face course Discontinued exams EditIn 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 EditIn 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 EditCambridge 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 EditThe 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 EditIn 2015 Cambridge Assessment English was awarded the Queen s Award for Enterprise in the international trade category 45 46 Qualification development EditCambridge University s examination board UCLES Edit See also University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate 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 Translation from English into French or German 2 hours Translation from French or German into English and English Grammar 2 5 hours English Essay 2 hours English Literature 3 hours English Phonetics 1 5 hours 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 Edit1209 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 amp AssessmentSee also EditCaMLA IELTS International English Language Testing System Studies in Language Testing SiLT Teaching English as a Foreign LanguageReferences Edit Cambridge celebrates 100 years of English language exams www gov uk Retrieved 23 April 2018 About The Cambridge English Language Assessment Link Education www linkeducationinc com Archived from the original on 30 January 2018 Retrieved 23 April 2018 The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages CEFR and the development of language policies challenges and responsibilities Council of Europe www coe int en Retrieved 14 May 2018 Colleges and Departments University of Cambridge 24 January 2013 Retrieved 25 February 2022 CUP and Cambridge Assessment complete merger The Bookseller Retrieved 25 February 2022 Cambridge have modified their CEFR versus exams chart teachersmadrid es 6 October 2017 Retrieved 14 May 2018 English Language Exams A Guide for Parents British Council PDF www britishcouncil cz Retrieved 14 May 2018 Take a Cambridge English exam with British Council Greece www britishcouncil gr Retrieved 23 April 2018 Why I Love Being a Cambridge Speaking Examiner teachinghouse com Retrieved 23 April 2018 Germany Lingoda GmbH Berlin English Language Examinations Lingoda www lingoda com Retrieved 23 April 2018 Cambridge English exams at International House www ihes com Retrieved 23 April 2018 General English British Council www britishcouncil hk Retrieved 23 April 2018 Cambridge Business English exam everything you need to know Language Partners www languagepartners nl 16 October 2017 Retrieved 23 April 2018 Business English exams BEC British Council www britishcouncil it Retrieved 14 May 2018 Cambridge English Placement Test Retrieved 28 March 2022 News The PIE Cambridge develops new digital English language test thepienews com Retrieved 23 April 2018 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a last has generic name help Play Interactive English Teacher Training Courses Certificaciones Cambridge CELTA Teacher Training Cursos de ingles International House Mexico ihmexico com Retrieved 23 April 2018 Johnson Jenny 30 November 2006 How to choose a Tefl course The Guardian Retrieved 23 April 2018 What are the differences between TEFL TESOL CERT TESOL CELTA and CELT P www english teacher college at Archived from the original on 15 May 2018 Retrieved 14 May 2018 What s CELT S International House www ihmexico com Retrieved 14 May 2018 Governments get course of action for English teachers Retrieved 14 May 2018 New qualification that s just the TKT 17 April 2006 Retrieved 23 April 2018 via www telegraph co uk ICELT British Council www britishcouncil kr Retrieved 14 May 2018 Beyond CELTA www theguardian com 9 May 2008 Retrieved 14 May 2018 EMI English as Medium of Instruction ICD icd org pk Retrieved 23 April 2018 Train the Trainer International House Milan ihmilano com Retrieved 23 April 2018 BULATS was officially retired on 6 December 2019 Cambridge English www cambridgeenglish org Retrieved 22 August 2022 ICFE discontinued from December 2016 Cambridge English www cambridgeenglish org Retrieved 23 April 2018 ILEC discontinued from December 2016 Cambridge English www cambridgeenglish org Retrieved 23 April 2018 Cambridge English ESOL Skills for Life SfL English language tests for adults Cambridge English www cambridgeenglish org Retrieved 23 April 2018 IDTLM discontinued from June 2016 Cambridge English www cambridgeenglish org Retrieved 23 April 2018 Error www cambridgeenglish org Retrieved 15 March 2017 Teaching courses and modules discontinued from December 2016 www cambridgeenglish org Retrieved 23 April 2018 USA IELTS New milestones confirm IELTS as the world s leading test of English for international migration and higher education www prnewswire com Retrieved 23 April 2018 Sharma Vinay Cambridge University Press join hands with touchstone for the IELTS partnership programme The Economic Times Retrieved 14 May 2018 ESL Directory ESLDirectory www esldirectory com Retrieved 23 April 2018 Global growth Cambridge Assessment www cambridgeassessment org uk Retrieved 30 June 2020 Cambridge buys into Box Hill English test www theaustralian com au Retrieved 14 May 2018 Cambridge Assessment Achieve April 2020 PDF The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages CEFR and the development of language policies challenges and responsibilities Council of Europe www coe int en web portal Retrieved 14 May 2018 The Common European Framework of Reference Development Theoretical and Practical issues PDF www nationaalcongresengels nl Archived from the original PDF on 14 May 2018 Retrieved 14 May 2018 Results and Certificates British Council www britishcouncil cz Retrieved 14 May 2018 a b NEWS ELT The history of the Cambridge Exams eltnews gr Retrieved 23 April 2018 Company Profiles UK Trade and Investment UKTI PDF www gov uk government organisations uk trade investment Retrieved 14 May 2018 Queen s Awards for Enterprise 2015 winners Financial Times Retrieved 23 April 2018 Cambridge English wins Queen s Award for Enterprise www cambridgenetwork co uk Retrieved 23 April 2018 Bradbury R 1983 Magazine of the Cambridge Society 13 31 38 Roach J 1971 Public Examinations in England 1850 1900 The University of Oxford Delegacy of Local Examinations www uodle org uk Retrieved 23 April 2018 Morris M 1961 A historian s view of examinations in Wiseman S Ed Examinations and English Education Manchester University of Manchester 1 43 At last a degree of honour for 900 Cambridge women independent co uk 31 May 1998 Retrieved 23 April 2018 a b c d Hawkey R Milanovic M 2013 Cambridge English Exams The first hundred years a b Archived copy PDF Archived from the original PDF on 10 January 2014 Retrieved 10 January 2014 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint archived copy as title link UCLES 1913 Regulations for the Examination for Certificates of Proficiency in Modern Language and Religious Knowledge Inflation Calculator Bank of England Archived from the original on 6 October 2014 Retrieved 5 January 2017 http www cambridgeenglish org images 23124 research notes 10 pdf bare URL PDF Howatt A 1984 A history of English Language Teaching Oxford Oxford University Press a b Hawkey R Milanovic M 2013 Cambridge English Exams The first hundred years University of Cambridge 1913 Class List and Supplementary Tables for the June 1913 University of Cambridge Higher Local Examination and Examination for Certificates of Proficiency in Modern Languages and Religious Knowledge a b Roach J O 1956 Part copy of JOR s report on Examinations as an instrument of cultural policy Cambridge Assessment Archives Oferta sprzedazy domeny topbooks pl PDF www topbooks pl Retrieved 23 April 2018 http www topbooks pl store 31 3113080856344df7cd82d18cb pdf Page 8 History of IELTS ielts org Archived from the original on 11 July 2015 Retrieved 8 July 2015 McNamara Tim Knoch Ute 2012 The Rasch wars The emergence of Rasch measurement in language testing Language Testing v29 n4 p555 576 doi 10 1177 0265532211430367 Hargreaves P 1996 ELT News and Views Argentina Archived copy PDF Archived from the original PDF on 7 December 2012 Retrieved 10 January 2014 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint archived copy as title link http www cambridgeenglish org images 23120 research notes 08 pdf bare URL PDF http www cambridgeenglish org images 23119 research notes 07 pdf bare URL PDF Cambridge Assessment English Cambridge Assessment www cambridgeassessment org uk Retrieved 23 April 2018 Cambridge English Scale results reporting Cambridge English www cambridgeenglish org Retrieved 23 April 2018 http www cambridgeenglish org images 167506 cambridge english scale factsheet pdf bare URL PDF Cambridge University Press to join with Cambridge Assessment University of Cambridge 20 October 2020 Retrieved 25 February 2022 External links EditCambridge Assessment English Cambridge English Candidate Support Site Cambridge English Teacher Support Site Studies in Language Testing SiLT Cambridge Assessment Admissions Testing Cambridge University Press amp Assessment Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Cambridge Assessment English amp oldid 1142740814, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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