At the ELITE conference in Malang, Indonesia last week Dr Adrian Raper explained why a placement test must be adaptive. This is a summary of his talk.
Why an adaptive test is the only answer
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Extended edition: All series
Sometimes we come across a topic that we can’t fit into one post. So we created blog series. Take a look at our first four series here.
The quest for VoiceGPT
The voices we hear in day-to-day life aren’t always what they seem. In this post, we’ll identify the benefits of using computer generated voices as a resource for teachers, students and publishers – then we’ll ask whether the technology is up to the job yet.
Intonation: Guidelines, not rules
We discovered the hard way that generally accepted ‘rules’ for intonation are often misleading. Clear Pronunciation 2 balances ‘rules’ and ‘guidelines’. Here’s how.
Placement tests: Can your choice of device affect your result?
No one wants to be disadvantaged during a test. Here is a reminder of what students can expect when taking the Dynamic Placement Test on different devices.
The CEFR and… cooking
Andrew Stokes presents an ingenious technique for demystifying the CEFR. The idea, devised by Sean MacDonald of telc, is to compare it to cooking.
Matching test items to the CEFR: The first two stages
In this post, Andrew Stokes looks at the first two stages of matching test items to the CEFR – with an accompanying webinar clip and report.
Digital assessment: Flexibility and the CEFR
Language ability in academic versus real life settings can differ greatly. That’s why the CEFR is the perfect tool to measure what students really ‘can do’.
How to assess a test
In this post, Andrew Stokes suggests ten questions you should ask yourself when selecting a placement test.
No more marking: How AI can give you back your evenings
At the British Council New Directions conference in Kuala Lumpur this month, Adrian Raper described two ways that Artificial Intelligence can help teachers grade student writing.
EdTech over time
Andrew Stokes and Samuel Sheinberg look back on how EdTech has changed over the last 30 years and what we can expect in the future.
Reading is the new Speaking
How can we best equip migrants with the language skills they need to integrate effectively into their communities? It starts with Reading.
Clarity at 30: Down memory lane
Some of our partners and customers have been with us since we started 30 years ago. Here are a few memories from the early days.
Bilingualism: Tools for success
Language learning opens doors to new worlds. But getting through the language barrier is tough. Here are five reminders for when motivation wanes.
Lessons from a digital publisher: 30 years on
This year marks ClarityEnglish’s 30th birthday. Over the coming months we will share messages and lessons from a few people who have helped us get to this point. This week, Martin Moore shares four lessons for success in digital publishing.
British Council France: Providing IELTS support for universities
On a visit to British Council Paris, Clarity’s Andrew Stokes talked to Tanguy Perrichot on providing IELTS support to universities in France. They discussed a successful approach to guided self-access.
“I’m a busy teacher and we don’t run IELTS classes…”
Try this four-step process that will provide a structure for the students’ work, leaving you free to guide and advise.
Treating the untreatable: the Philippines nurses IELTS Writing Project
The requirement for a 7.0 in IELTS Writing is stopping nurses in the Philippines from travelling to the UK, and is proving a headache to the National Health Service. Dr Victoria Clark describes how her team is analysing the problem and coming up with solutions.
Speaking tests: dramatically changing the outcome
In the second most popular TED Talk of all time, Amy Cuddy comes to the intriguing, evidence-based conclusion that altering the way we stand for just two minutes before an evaluative situation — a presentation or an exam — really can lead to better outcomes. ‘We know...
Free British Council IELTS prep tools
Most IELTS candidates leave their test preparation to the last minute. When they go into the test centre, they discover they don’t understand the question types, they’re not sure how to allocate their time efficiently, and they don’t know what the examiner is looking...