Teach English in XidatAn Zhen - Wuwei Shi

Giving feedback to the students provides the students information to evaluate their own level and progress. Sometimes, it is important to arrange for a more formal means of feedback to take place and it may be compulsory for the institution. A student?s language level is assessed by tutorials, evaluation by the students and tests. Tutorials: Tutorials can take place within the whole group or with individual students. It is important to review the performance of the students discussing the aims of the lessons, problems faced by the students etc at least once a week. Evaluation by the students: Students can be asked to evaluate their course by means of a questionnaire or a survey. The result of the survey can be discussed and the future lessons can be planned accordingly. This promotes genuine interaction and develops an awareness among students of what is happening in the classroom. Tests: It is appropriate to give tests at different stages in a course. Placement test: These tests enable teachers to place students into the correct class according to the language ability. They include multiple choice questions to check their grammar and vocabulary and a spoken interview to sort the students into the required level. The test usually begins with simple questions to more advanced difficulty level, so that the teacher can gauge the language level of the student. A few general questions can also be included in the tests to know about the written fluency level of the student. Progress tests: Progress tests are used periodically to gauge what language has been remembered and what language has been forgotten. These tests encourage students to review and revise. Teachers can also know what language items need more work. Progress tests should be a balance of reading, writing, listening and speaking skills. Diagnostic tests: These tests are similar to placement tests. They are given at the start of the course to see what the students already know. The teacher plans the lessons and prepare materials that enables students to work on the areas of difficulty identified by the test. Practice tests: Practice tests should follow the format and the structure of the external examination that they are being given in preparation for. Some of the general external examinations are TOEFL, IELTS and TOEIC. Cambridge assessment: Cambridge assessment is the non-teaching department of the University of Cambridge responsible for broad range of assessment which includes Cambridge ESOL and Cambridge International Exams. There are number of different categories of Cambridge exams. 1. General English: It includes a. KET (Key English test): It tests the students? ability to deal with basic written and spoken communication. b. PET (Preliminary English test): It tests students? ability to cope with everyday written and spoken communications. c. FCE (First Certificate in English): It is designed for students who can deal confidently with a range of written and spoken communication. d. CAE (Certificate in Advanced English): This exam is for students who achieved a high level of language skills and are able to perform effectively in any English-speaking contest. 2. Skills for life: This exam is tailored to the needs of those who have moved to Britain. Certificates in ESOL skills for life give separate marks for each type of ability. The exam is for ESOL learners in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and is based on the adult ESOL Core Curriculum. Scotland has its own education system. 3. Business English: BEC (Business English Certificates) is a suite of three exams to test English language abilities used in the context of business designed for students who are learning English in preparation for a career in business. BULATS (Business Language Testing Service): BULATS is a multilingual assessment service for companies that require a rapid, accurate means of assessing language skills in English, French, German and Spanish.