RE: oral assessment - The problems with IELTS

Rebecca explains that she will use the IELTS scale to rate her students.
There are a few problems with IELTS that may cause you to reconsider.

The IELTS scale is not evenly proportioned over the range of proficiency
like other scales are. IELTS is uneven.

Below you can see how three different international scales are
proportioned evenly and how IELTS is different. This information came
from a British Council website.

Why is this important? The implication is that it could take students a
longer or shorter time to go through one level of IELTS as compared to
the other scales.


Dave



1. Council of Europe Common European Framework (CEF)
2. Cambridge ESOL Main Suite exams 
3. Cambridge Business English exams 
4. IELTS bands 


CEF A1 - Break-through - IELTS 1-2 - Can understand and use familiar
everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of
needs of a concrete type. Can introduce him/herself and others and can
ask and answer questions about personal details such as where he/she
lives, people he/she knows and things he/she has. Can interact in a
simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is
prepared to help. 

CEF A2 - Waystage - ESOL KET - IELTS 3 Can understand sentences and
frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance
(e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local
geography, and employment). Can communicate in simple and routine tasks
requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and
routine matters. Can describe in simple terms aspects of his/her
background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate
need. 

CEF B1 - Threshold - ESOL PET - BEC Preliminary - IELTS 3.5-4.5 Can
understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters
regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. Can deal with most
situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area where the
language is spoken. Can produce simple connected text on topics which
are familiar or of personal interest. Can describe experiences and
events, dreams, hopes and ambitions and briefly give reasons and
explanations for opinions and plans. 

CEF B2 - Vantage - ESOL FCE - BEC - Vantage - IELTS 5-6 Can understand
the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics,
including technical discussions in his/her field of specialisation. Can
interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular
interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for
either party. Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of
subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the
advantages and disadvantages of various options. 

CEF C1 - Effective - Proficiency - ESOL CAE BEC Higher IELTS 6.5-7  Can
understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognise
implicit meaning. Can express him/herself fluently and spontaneously
without much obvious searching for expressions. Can use language
flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes.
Can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects,
showing controlled use of organisational patterns, connectors and
cohesive devices. 

CEF C2 - Mastery - ESOL CPE - IELTS 7.5+ Can understand with ease
virtually everything heard or read. Can summarise information from
different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and
accounts in a coherent presentation. Can express him/herself
spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades
of meaning even in more complex situations. 






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