Benchmarking system
The Cambridge ESOL Language Benchmarking System provides academic institutions, commercial organisations and policymakers with a comprehensive, evidence-based solution for assessing the language skills of groups.
The effectiveness of The Cambridge ESOL Language Benchmarking System has been proven in a range of environments and is based on reliable, trusted methodology together with Cambridge ESOL's extensive expertise in language skills assessment. It is a system that delivers accurate, consistent and cost-effective data about language ability.
The system is flexible and can be tailored to meet the different needs of a diverse range of clients. It can be used by:
- ministries of education — to measure the current levels of language ability within a learner group to establish a baseline gauge, before implementing a programme of educational reform
- government programmes — to check the effectiveness of an ongoing language training programme
- universities — to set standards for matriculation
- commercial organisations — in the recruitment of staff and for development and training activities.
How organisations have used Cambridge ESOL's benchmarking service.
The benefits of benchmarking
Benchmarking has proved to be an effective, reliable and affordable solution to situations where there have been requirements to:
- provide an analysis of current levels of language ability
- set new targets for language learning
- raise standards of teaching and learning at national or local levels
- set basic requirements for matriculation, recruitment or staff or career planning.
The language benchmarking process
We work closely with the client from the beginning to develop a tailored solution to their precise needs.
The methods we use include a combination of tried and tested diagnostic tools and other measurement devices to give an accurate reference point for language ability or performance:
- specific tests anchored to an international framework
- diagnostic activity
- linguistic gap analysis
- survey techniques
- test integration in education systems to determine language knowledge, skills and vocabulary.
The tests can be based on existing Cambridge ESOL tests or can be developed specifically for the project, depending on the requirements.
We interpret the test results and measure them against international assessment standards.
As part of the analysis reporting process, we identify gaps in performance and advise on how these gaps may be remedied and performance improved.
Because the analysis is based on tangible results, clients can make informed decisions on policy development, policy change or overall strategic direction.
Successful benchmarking
Chile
As part of the Chilean government's project to improve levels of English — English Opens Doors — Cambridge ESOL designed a highly successful diagnostic tool to evaluate the English proficiency of 12,000 students.
The ensuing report enabled the Chilean Ministry of Education to realign its policy on English language teaching and learning and implement the necessary changes.
Colombia
The Ministry of Education in Colombia embarked on a nationwide project to improve language learning and teaching. Cambridge ESOL provided assessment tools for the programme. The result of this collaboration was that a teacher training qualification for graduate and in-service teachers in Colombia was implemented, in addition to the provision of a new English language exit test for 16-year-olds.
Italy
The Italian Ministry of Education ran benchmarking programmes to address the foreign language needs in its state school curricula. The Progetto Lingue 2000 initiative sought not only to improve the standards of foreign language learning, but also to provide certification aligned to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) to Italian students. The purpose of the Progetto Pilot was to ensure primary school teachers reached CEFR Level B1 after government reforms phased out specialised English teachers in primary schools.
