Screening English for Business Literacy
This assessment is directed at participants who wish to develop their communication skills and basic English grammatical structures, punctuation and vocabulary. These could be people for whom English is a second or third language. Despite this, the assessment is rigorous and delves into various and detailed aspects of language expertise.
Structure of the assessment
· Baseline assessment: This section assesses fundamental English skills that include comprehension, tenses, punctuation, syntax and even everyday vocabulary.
· Writing:
o Writing in response to a topic is assessed. The topic given is one with which participants are possibly familiar and they are required to communicate their opinions to a reader.
o Vocabulary is assessed. These words are accessible to participants who seek to improve basic English skills.
· Reading:
o Reading rate and recall of facts are assessed. 400 word extracts are used to ascertain the number of words that a participant can read per minute as well as recall what has been read.
o Grammar usage in a business context is assessed. The structures are accessible to participants who seek to improve basic English skills.
· Speaking:
o Participants will be required to answer basic questions. They will be given a list of words to be used in their answers. No words or questions will be too elevated that they cause unnecessary anxiety for participants.
o Reading aloud will be assessed in terms of reading fluency and pronunciation.
· Listening: Active listening skills are assessed in this section. Participants will be required to listen to an extract and then answer questions based on it.
· Listening and speaking games:
o Vocabulary, vocabulary in context, logic and reasoning and word recognition are assessed.
o The games include crossword puzzles, drag and drop exercises, complete the sentences, and find the words.
- Teacher: Kathy Martin