Can a test run on a student’s device ever be secure? What’s to stop a test taker looking up the answers on the Internet? What, in fact, does ‘secure’ mean in the context of a placement test?
Author: Adrian Raper, Technical Director, ClarityEnglish
‘If it works in Africa, it’ll work anywhere…’
This month, we look at two examples of how modestly-funded, locally sensitive projects can start to bridge the technology gap in East Africa.
‘I’m sorry to say at the moment people don’t take tests for fun.’
Sean McDonald of telc catches up with Adrian Raper at the IATEFL Conference in Glasgow. He discusses his philosophy of testing, and the steady move from paper-based exams towards digital language assessment.
A CEFR for China?
The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) was originally developed for Europe, but the ‘can do’ statements have global application. After all, the ability to ‘understand simple technical information, such as operating instructions for everyday equipment’ or to ‘understand short, simple texts on familiar matters’ is relevant worldwide. Could it not therefore be renamed the Global Framework of Reference for Languages? Read more
School starting age: the evidence
Children in Northern Ireland start school at the age of four; in the Irish republic it’s six. And in much of Europe, it’s seven. Does an early start lead to better outcomes? David Whitebread explains why children may need more time to develop before their formal education begins in earnest.