The road to our AI speaking test wasn’t a smooth one. Martin Moore lays out the trials, tribulations and triumphs of developing the Dynamic Speaking Test.
AI speaking assessment: How we designed a valid test
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IELTS for teachers
New beginnings: Arrivals in English
Introducing features and how to best use the program.
English intonation: The challenge for speakers of tonal languages
Speakers of tonal languages such as Chinese, Thai or Yoruba face particular challenges with English intonation. Andrew Stokes examines why and how we can help.
HOPES LEB Online learning for refugees: An analysis of project outcomes
Atlas English shares their findings from their project with HOPES LEB, improving the prospects for vulnerable youth and refugees in Lebanon.
What do we mean by a ‘valid’ test?
Everyone wants a test to be valid. But what is validity and how do you tell if a test is valid or not?
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.
Clarity at 30: What’s next?
Puiyee Chan, Clarity’s managing director, lays out the plans for the future.
Pronunciation at university: A case study
This study details how Ningbo University married textbook instruction of English pronunciation with digital resources. Here is how they did it.
Grammar: A refreshing revisit
Grammar has a reputation for focusing on errors. With Tense Buster, we focus on communication. Here is how.
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.
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.
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...