What will the English test be like in the future？
University library. Bright picture
On the first day of the postgraduate entrance examination on December 21st, English for postgraduate entrance examination was on the hot search because it was "difficult". Coincidentally, on December 14th, CET-4 and CET-6 came to an end. A question about how to express "four generations under one roof" in Chinese-English translation stumped a group of college students and became the hot news of the day.
"Can translate ‘ Four generations under one roof ’ Does that mean my English is good? Fluent dialogue is a good proof of English. " After the exam, a netizen left a message like this.
How to measure English level scientifically? Since the examination was started in 1987, CET-4 and CET-6 have been accompanied by Chinese candidates for 32 years and become an important reference for the evaluation of social English talents. Although the results are objective, "unable to measure at the same level as foreign exams" is the main aspect of public opinion calling for its reform.
On December 13th, the China English Proficiency Scale (hereinafter referred to as the Scale) completed the docking with the TOEFL test. Prior to this, IELTS, Preston and the scale completed direct docking. At the same time, the national English proficiency test in many places was suspended. What does this mean? When will the new test form "China English Proficiency Test" be published? The reporter interviewed Wu Sha, director of the Foreign Language Assessment Division of the Examination Center of the Ministry of Education, and Liu Jianda, the chief expert of the national foreign language proficiency assessment and a professor at Guangzhou University of Foreign Studies.
1. Has the English proficiency test gone out?
Reporter: The China English Proficiency Scale has recently released the docking results with the TOEFL test. What does this mean? Does it mean that China has taken an important step in the scientific nature of English testing?
Wu Sha:The successful completion of the research on foreign English test docking scale is of great significance to promoting the international recognition of China English proficiency rating scale and promoting the openness and internationalization of foreign language education in China.
To meet the needs of China’s development strategy in the new period and future social development, foreign language teaching and examination need to be more scientific and international. China, as the country with the largest number of English learners and test participants, will link the scores of international tests such as TOEFL with China’s ability standards, which will not only help China students and users better understand international tests and choose tests rationally, but also help other countries and regions in the world better understand China’s standards and students’ ability.
Liu Jianda:If China English Proficiency Rating Scale wants to go out of China, go to the world and be accepted internationally, it must be connected with internationally renowned standards and examinations. China English Proficiency Scale can provide reference for English learning, teaching and evaluation in China, and it is a good way to let the world understand English education in China. Through the docking of English rating scale with other scales and exams in the world, foreign scholars can better understand English education in China.
Since the publication of China English Proficiency Rating Scale, the R&D team has used different international and domestic academic conference publicity scales, and the Scale has also been widely recognized by scholars and experts at home and abroad. The development and hosting organizations of some mainstream scales and exams in the world have taken the initiative to connect their scales and exams with the China English Proficiency Scale, which also shows that the China English Proficiency Scale has a certain influence in the world.
2. When will the new English Test be issued?
Reporter: We have noticed that many local national English proficiency tests have been suspended. Then, when will the National English Proficiency Test based on China English Proficiency Scale come out? What is the current research progress?
Wu Sha:The State Council’s "Implementation Opinions on Deepening the Reform of Examination Enrollment System" puts forward that to strengthen the construction of foreign language proficiency assessment system, the development of the China English Proficiency Scale and the development of English Proficiency Test are the specific tasks in the construction of the assessment system.
Liu Jianda:The construction of the national foreign language proficiency assessment system includes five aspects, the first is to establish standards, and the other is to develop a grade examination based on standards. Now, the China English Proficiency Scale has been issued, and the design of English Proficiency Test based on the Scale has been completed.
It should be pointed out that the National English Proficiency Test was conducted according to the international common norms and principles from the beginning, and the test developers have done a lot of research on the reliability and validity of the test, with the aim of making the National English Proficiency Test internationally recognized. After the development and maturity of the National English Proficiency Test, it is entirely possible for English candidates in China to use the scores of the National English Proficiency Test to replace some popular test scores in the world and make relevant academic applications.
At present, the English proficiency test under development has only five levels, which is not one-to-one corresponding to the nine levels in China English Proficiency Scale. Moreover, the five levels are not aimed at students at any particular stage. English learners and users can voluntarily choose the exam suitable for their current ability level according to their own ability level. The overall design of the national English proficiency test, the development of all levels of the test is under way. At present, the development of the 5 th and 6 th levels of the test has been completed, and the development of sample papers and benchmark papers, the writing and demonstration of test instructions have been basically completed. Experts and scholars are building a test bank for related exams and have done a lot of test work. The relevant units are going through the relevant declaration and approval procedures, and the specific date of promulgation will be announced by the relevant units.
3. Will CET-4 and CET-6 be replaced?
Reporter: The reform of CET-4 and CET-6 has been called for. Will the National English Proficiency Test be connected with CET-4 and CET-6 in the future? Or will the new national English proficiency test replace the CET-4 and CET-6?
Wu Sha:CET-4 and CET-6 have played an important role in promoting college English teaching in China for 30 years, and have also become a reference for social evaluation of talents’ English ability. In the new era of foreign language education development, CET-4 and CET-6 should also be integrated into the new evaluation system with reference to the new standards, so as to play a better role and better promote the reform and development of teaching and evaluation. Because there are many links involved in the implementation of the examination, it is necessary to make the existing examination smoothly integrate into the new system and reduce the inconvenience to candidates and society.
Liu Jianda:Whether the English proficiency test will replace the CET-4 and CET-6 remains to be investigated and demonstrated by the relevant units. Because the reform of CET-4 and CET-6 will be carried out according to the concept of the Scale, and the English proficiency test is also developed based on the Scale, the two tests may have a lot in common, and it is not impossible to merge the two tests at an appropriate time in the future. However, it should be pointed out that the purpose of the English Proficiency Test is to test the English proficiency level of candidates, not especially for students at any stage. Any English learners and users at home and abroad can voluntarily sign up for this test.
4. Can we use more tests in the future and reduce repeated tests?
Reporter: Will the introduction of "Scale" play the role of multi-purpose in one exam and reduce repeated exams? How will it affect college English teaching and evaluation?
Wu Sha:The Scale can help to construct a diversified and multi-level college English curriculum system. Colleges and universities can design courses that meet the needs of students and majors, meet the diverse needs of students, and implement personalized teaching according to the characteristics of running schools and referring to the ability description of relevant scales. According to the actual needs of our school, we can refer to the ability dimension and specific ability description of the Scale in terms of test design, grading standard design and student achievement feedback, so as to make the test objectives in teaching more specific and clear, the standards more consistent and the feedback more abundant.
With the help of the Scale, students can make self-evaluation and mutual evaluation of their English level, diagnose their English ability, adjust their learning objectives and methods according to their actual situation, choose suitable learning materials, and participate in appropriate training or proficiency test.
Liu Jianda:The establishment of "Scale" provides a basis for exam design, the compilation of exam content outline, and the optimization of question types, provides a unified standard for the formulation of grading standards, the report and interpretation of scores, and the judgment of whether the exam objectives are achieved, and provides a reference for comparing the ability levels of existing exams and making the results of different exams comparable (Council of Europe, 2001, 2018). Therefore, the establishment of the national English proficiency test based on the Scale is not aimed at the reform of a certain English test item, nor is it simply to adjust the existing test items. Instead, on the basis of the national unified English proficiency standard, we should sort out and integrate some existing English test items, improve the systematicness, scientificity and functionality of English test items, scientifically design new English proficiency test items, promote the communication and mutual recognition of learning achievements at all levels, and promote the coherence and order of English tests at all levels and realize ".
Grade examination comprehensively examines the comprehensive language application ability, which can meet the diversified needs of evaluation, further education and employment, and can be used for multiple purposes and reduce repeated examinations.
However, the Scale itself is not mandatory, and there are corresponding teaching outlines or guidelines for English education and assessment at all stages in China, which should be subject to. However, the Scale provides a coherent reference for all kinds of outlines or guidelines at all levels and provides the basis for the implementation of "one-stop" English education. At present, both Chinese and English versions of the Scale have been published, and the docking with the European Language Common Reference Framework and other international famous exams such as IELTS and TOEFL has been basically completed. However, the Scale needs to be continuously improved in practice, and the verification and revision of the Scale can be said to be a continuous work, and the corresponding scientific research work needs to be followed up from all aspects to make the Scale play its due role.
(Reporter Yao Xiaodan)