Drawing on years of expertise and experience in English education, the British Council works with governments, educational institutions, and other organisations around the world to improve practical English skills. Since 1941, they have been developing and researching international English tests and advising on educational reforms for language testing used in different countries.
The British Council has played a central role in the development and administration of IELTS, an English language proficiency test that comprehensively assesses all four skills. IELTS now has the largest number of examinees in the world and is widely used as a test to prove English proficiency for studying and working abroad. Aptis, a computer-based English assessment tool that accurately evaluates the four skills based on international standards, was developed in 2012. It has since been adopted by companies, governments, and educational institutions around the world. In these three video interviews, Barry O'Sullivan and Victoria Clark of the British Council's Assessment Research & Development department discuss their efforts to ensure the reliability of language tests.
1. Video: Our Assessment Expertise
How did IELTS, which is used by more than 11,000 institutions in more than 140 countries around the world, and Aptis, which has been gaining more attention in recent years, originate? Barry O'Sullivan, head of the department, describes the role the British Council has played in the field of language testing to date and discusses the research and development team. (1st video at the top of the page)
2. Video: Ensuring the Quality of the Aptis Test
In language testing, there is a rigorous verification process at each stage, from the design to scoring analysis. How does Aptis ensure authenticity? The two explain the specific verification methods that support the authenticity and validity of Aptis. These include setting the methodology, using guidelines, ensuring transparency, and reviewing test material. (Second video from the top)
3. Video: How we ensure the accuracy of the Aptis scores
Even if students take a high-quality test, language proficiency cannot be adequately assessed unless it is scored accurately. The quality of scoring greatly affects the effectiveness of a language test. They discuss Aptis’s methods for scoring speaking and writing skills, the reasons for implementing both automated and human scoring, the rigorous management of examiners, possible challenges and solutions, and the painstaking efforts to ensure the accuracy of scores. (Third video from the top)