Testing language skills

N. SUBASH JEYAN

As with any other skill, so with learning a language like English: the younger a child starts learning it, the faster s/he will learn it. While traditional methods of teaching/ learning English have concentrated more on reading and writing skills, the importance of communicative English, listening and speaking skills cannot be overemphasised. Examinations do give an indication of the development of a child's reading and writing skills but our schools have not developed comparable methods for testing a child's speaking skills.

It was to fill this gap, says Mr. Nic Humphries, First Secretary (Examination Services), that the British Council has introduced in India the Cambridge Young Learners English Tests, designed by the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES) for children aged seven to12.

The CYL tests are available at three levels: Starters, for seven- year-olds who have completed atleast 100 hours of learning English; Movers for eight to 10-year-olds who have completed about 175 hours of English tuition and Flyers for 10 to 12-year- olds with 250 hours of tuition. While exams in general can be a terror, these tests, emphasises Mr. Humphries, are designed to test a child's English skills in a non-threatening way. As he says, "Every child gets a certificate, it is an important part of the philosophy of these tests that no child fails the test. But the reports actually show, using badges, the strengths and weaknesses of a child in the different language skills which can then be used to improve further learning. The tests are like snapshots of a child's language development at that particular point."

Since there are controversial issues regarding testing children at such early ages, the British Council formed focus groups in the each of the four regions they were operating, comprising of teachers, parents and children and the response was that the tests were excellent.

The Council is working with schools and training teachers on the methodology to be followed. While there is no standard prescribed course material, each student who appears for the exam gets a set of sample papers so that s/he knows what to expect.

In Chennai, the tests have been piloted in three schools so far: Padma Seshadri Bal Bhavan, Bhavan's Rajaji Vidyashram and CSI Ewart. Three hundred and seventy students from Padma Seshadri Bal Bhavan who completed the exams successfully, got their certificates recently. The British Council is planning to include more schools from other towns as well in the future.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Features
Previous : For the taste that lingers
Next     : Give peace a chance