IELTS
First things first… What is IELTS? It is the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), a high-stakes English test which measures the language proficiency of people who want to study, work or migrate to any country where English is used as a language of communication. It uses a nine-band scale to clearly identify levels of proficiency, from non-user (band score 1) through to expert (band score 9). IELTS is available in two modules: Academic for people applying for higher education or professional registration. General Training for those migrating to Australia, Canada or the UK, etc. or those applying for secondary education, training programmes and work experience in an English-speaking environment. Both types provide a valid and accurate assessment of the four language skills: listening, reading, writing and speaking. Listening and Speaking are the same for both tests, but the subject matter of the Reading and Writing sections differs depending on which test a student takes. The total test time is 2 hours and 45 minutes. The Test Format IELTS Academic reflects some of the features of academic language and assesses whether your students are ready to begin studying or training. IELTS General Training focuses on basic survival skills in broad social and workplace contexts. See the test format Sample Test Materials Completing sample test materials is always useful, since they give students the opportunity to familiarise themselves with any exam format and test themselves under timed conditions. The following materials can give your students an idea of what to expect in the IELTS Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking sections. Sample Test Questions Paper VS Computer Did you know that there are two different ways of taking the IELTS test? Which one would your students choose? IELTS on Paper or Computer. Making It Easy E-planet’s IELTS Made Easy is the right choice for your students if you want to provide them with an amazing e-learning self-study program that will help them to achieve the highest scores! Learn More...
B1 Preliminary (PET)
First things first… What is B1 Preliminary? Formerly known as Cambridge English: Preliminary (PET), it is an English language exam which shows that your students have mastered the basics of English and now have practical language skills for everyday use. A B1 Preliminary qualification shows that your English learners can read simple textbooks and articles, write letters and emails on everyday subjects, take meeting notes, and show awareness of opinions and mood in spoken and written English. Tip: Your students can take B1 Preliminary as a paper-based or a computer-based exam. Computer-based testing can be a better choice for these young students who are more comfortable with a keyboard and mouse than with pencil and paper! The total test time is 2 hours and 20 minutes. Test Format & Sample Papers The new exam format (from January 2020) is made up of four papers developed to test your students’ English skills. You can see exactly what’s in each paper and download useful sample papers, which can give your students an idea of what to expect the day of the exam, here: B1 Preliminary Exam Format & Sample Papers. B1 Preliminary & B1 Preliminary for Schools What's the difference? B1 Preliminary for Schools follows exactly the same format and tests at the same level as B1 Preliminary. The only difference is in the content and treatment of topics, which in B1 Preliminary for Schools have been specially developed to reflect the interests and experiences of school-age candidates. Since B1 Preliminary for Schools is specially tailored to suit the interests of young students, it increases their motivation to learn English. And because it is based on familiar topics and situations, it gives them the confidence to use their English and inspires them to move on to further qualifications. Students who successfully take B1 Preliminary for Schools receive the same internationally accepted certificate as candidates who take the standard version of the exam. Vocabulary List Your official guide to the vocabulary needed when preparing your students for B1 Preliminary and B1 Preliminary for Schools: B1 Preliminary Vocabulary List. Useful Info Click on the following link to find helpful advice and tips for the exam day and each part of the exam: B1 Preliminary Info. Teens’ Voices B1 The E-planet’s Teens’ Voices B1 is the right choice for your students if you want to provide them with a great course that will help them achieve the best scores!. Its topics have been carefully chosen according to the needs and interests of teenagers, and they can really maximise your students' chances in the B1 Preliminary and B1 Preliminary for Schools exam. Learn More....
Computer-based Exams: the future is here!
Given the post-pandemic challenges, the exponential advance of digital technology and the rapid shift to online teaching and learning, computer-based testing (CBT) has set the stage for a change. It seems that we are getting close to a tipping point. But can the convenience that CBT brings to the table easily outshine the traditional paper-based exams? And should your students take their exams on a computer or should they stick to the classic paper-based versions? Let's take a closer look at the growing trend of computer-based exams. Here's everything you need to know to help your English learners to make the right choice. So, without further ado, let’s get started!🖱️CBT ➡️ Who is it for?Do your students prefer using a fancy mouse or keyboard to sitting with their pencils poised, ready to take notes? Well, a computer-based test is the right option for them! In general, children, teenagers and young adults prefer taking computer-based exams, while older and less tech-savvy students feel more comfortable with the idea of a paper-based test. tip 💡 All computer-based tests are designed for people with normal typing skills. If your students can easily write an email, they can sit their exam on a computer without worrying about their typing speed.🖱️CBT ➡️ It all comes to the same thingFor most exams, the paper-based version and the computer-based version contain the same parts and there are no practical differences. Even when sitting a computer-based exam, all candidates are given paper and pens or pencils to make notes and all aspects of the exam (content, question types and scoring) are the same. The only part that your students can't usually take on a computer is the speaking test. Well, in a world where examiners and machines coexist, face-to-face interaction is still necessary! tip 💡 The final certificate your students will obtain will be the same in both cases. So, it doesn't matter whether your students take their test on paper or on a computer - it all comes to the same thing! 🖱️CTB ➡️ Is it a better choice?A computer-based exam isn't easier than a written exam. However, there are some important differences you and your English learners should know about.First of all, there are some differences in the way examinations are scheduled and conducted. When sitting an exam on a computer, there are usually more test dates to choose from. And this is important for most adult candidates, who can select the most convenient exam slot for them. In addition, tests do not need to be distributed using a courier service and your students can get their results much faster (usually in 1-2 weeks). And did we mention that most new testing centres for computer-based exams are much more impressive and less crowded?You do know that many young students prefer typing on a keyboard to writing by hand. But there are also extra advantages when using a computer as a writing tool. Normally, students can use the Word Count tool to see how many words they've written (which helps them to stick to the word limit), they can make changes much more easily (without having to cross out anything), they can adjust the size of the fonts and they don't need to transfer their answers to a separate answer sheet. And if your English learners' handwriting is virtually indecipherable, then using a keyboard instead of a pen can make a big difference! What's more, when taking a listening test using headphones, all candidates can adjust the volume and enjoy better sound quality.tip 💡 Many candidates with hearing, speech, visual and kinetic difficulties prefer taking a computer-based test. But why is that? Well, special features and tools such as Braille keyboards and voice-to-text and text-to-voice applications enables all these English learners to take an exam in a much more convenient way.🖱️CTB ➡️ Time managementTime is of the essence when taking an exam. That's why it is important for your students to not get sidetracked. For most exams, timers or time warnings on screens can help your English learners to always know how much time they have to complete each section.And it goes without saying that sample tests for the computer-based exams your students are going to take can help them to understand what to expect on the big day and how to use their time wisely. 🖱️CTB ➡️ Going GreenLast but not least, let’s bear in mind the great environmental impact of CBT. Pen-and-paper examinations simply aren’t the most environmentally-friendly assessment option. So far, more than 2,000,000 E-planet students have sat online paperless tests. That’s a saving of approximately 30 million sheets of paper, saving almost 3,000 trees! Well, as a publisher of educational materials, we believe it is in our hands to set an example to all our students and ensure we pass onto future generations a better planet.So, the age of computer-assisted assessments has certainly dawned and CBT is gaining ground rapidly. Computer-based exams are becoming a crucial part of all educational systems worldwide as they do offer numerous benefits when compared to pen-and-paper tests. That’s why your students don’t have to keep sticking to the classic paper-based versions of tests. After all, it’s easier than ever: We, at E-planet, are official partners with Cambridge Assessment English and all our branches are official Cambridge examination preparation centres (and, of course, official Cambridge Assessment English examination centres for CBT testing). So, what do you think? Isn’t it time to join us and use CBT for all tests, including assessment tests, end-of-unit and end-of-course tests?...
Cambridge A2 Key
🔼 What’s Cambridge A2 Key?A2 Key, formerly known as Cambridge English: Key (KET), is the exam that your young students can take if they are able to use English in order to communicate in simple situations. Do your English learners understand simple written information such as signs, packaging information and brochures? Can they take part in a conversation by asking and answering simple questions? Do they understand simple announcements and instructions?🔼 What should I know about the exam format? A2 Key tests all four English language skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking). So, you just have to slowly introduce your students to the world of Cambridge English qualifications and start explaining how they can approach every task type in order to become able to sit the exam with confidence.You can see exactly what’s in each part of the exam and download useful sample papers, which can give your students an idea of what to expect, here: A2 Key Exam Format & Sample Papers.The exam is also available in computer-based format. So, your students don’t have to keep sticking to the classic paper-based versions of tests… Yes, we do know that young students prefer using a fancy mouse or keyboard to sitting with their pencils poised, ready to take notes! After all, it’s easier than ever: We, at E-planet, are official partners with Cambridge Assessment English and all our branches are official Cambridge examination preparation centres (and, of course, official Cambridge Assessment English examination centres for CBT testing). 🔼 Should my students take this exam?Why should your school-age English learners take A2 Key? Because it prepares them for higher-level Cambridge English qualifications! In the past, most English learners dealt with FCE (now known as B2 First) as their first language exam ever. However, nowadays more and more students start their exam journey much earlier and that helps them to become familiar with different exam techniques and strategies. For example, when most students sit A2 Key, they realise for the first time the importance of multitasking. They have to listen to a discussion, read some answers, underline the key words and process the necessary information at the same time. Well, that’s hard, right? What’s more, young students learn how to discover ways to keep a positive mindset during exams and they start getting ready to pass future exams with flying colours.So, take a deep breath, take a look at this handy booklet, use our highly successful VOICES series for children and young teenagers to make learning fun… and get ready to prepare your young students for A2 Key!...
Cambridge – B2 First
What is B2 First? Formerly known as Cambridge English: First (FCE), it is an English language exam which shows that your students have the language skills to live, study and work in an English-speaking country.A B2 First qualification (upper-intermediate level) shows that your English learners can express opinions and present arguments, follow the news and have a detailed discussion in English on a fairly wide range of topics.🔻Test Format & Sample PapersThe exam format is made up of four papers developed to test your students’ English skills: Reading and Use of English, Writing, Listening and Speaking. The total test time is 3 hours and 30 minutes.Make sure that your students are familiar with the format of each part of the exam they are about to take. The better they know what will be expected of them, the less likely they are to face any unpleasant surprises. You can see exactly what’s in each paper and download useful sample papers, which can give your students an idea of what to expect the day of the exam, here: B2 First - Exam Format & Sample Papers.tip 🗸 Your students can take B2 First as a paper-based or a computer-based exam. Computer-based testing can be a better choice for your young students who are more comfortable with a keyboard and mouse than with pencil and paper! Of course, the test format is the same for both the paper-based and computer-based exams. The final certificate your students will obtain will be the same in both cases. So, it doesn't matter whether your students take their test on paper or on a computer - it all comes to the same thing! That’s why your students don’t have to keep sticking to the classic paper-based versions of tests. After all, it’s easier than ever: We, at E-planet, are official partners with Cambridge Assessment English and all our branches are official Cambridge examination preparation centres (and, of course, official Cambridge Assessment English examination centres for CBT testing).🔻B2 First & B2 First for SchoolsThe only difference is in the content and treatment of topics, which in B2 First for Schools have been specially developed to reflect the interests and experiences of school-age candidates.Students who successfully take B2 First for Schools receive the same internationally accepted certificate as candidates who take the standard version of the exam.tip 🗸 When young students meet older candidates who are more confident and talkative, they usually get discouraged and they may go into the infamous fight-or-flight mode that can paralyse everyone. That’s why B2 First for Schools is a better choice for most young English learners.🔻Voices B2E-planet’s Voices B2 is the right choice for your students if you want to provide them with a great course that will help them achieve the best scores. Combined with the ground-breaking Learn English e-learning program, it guides students to learn all the necessary vocabulary and grammar for the B2 level in a fun and effective way. Its topics have been carefully chosen according to the needs and interests of teenagers, and they can really maximise your students' chances in the B2 First and B2 First for Schools exam. Learn more.🔻Your EssentialsWhat else do you need to successfully prepare your students for B2 First exams? Take a look at these Teacher essentials and let the B2 First handbook for teachers, the mock test toolkit and the listening, reading and writing guides help you to make sure that both you and your English learners are fully prepared. Well, just like official examiners, you have to know how to identify each student’s weak spots and apply the assessment criteria to evaluate your learners' skills too, right?And don’t forget that relaxation techniques, time management tips and useful study and exam strategies can help your students to get ready and get top marks. So, carefully read our blog post ‘How to get your students ready for exams’ and help your learners to concentrate on the specific areas they need to work on in order to impress all examiners!...
