EF Corporate Solutions
Assessment Services
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English Testing for your Organization Forward-thinking companies regularly survey their employees to better understand their needs and next steps as they relate to their English levels and future business decisions. However, company-wide English proficiency testing for companies has been a resourceintensive process with the need to book in-person appointments at test centers far in advance. Individual test fees can be in the hundreds of dollars. Low levels of English are often sources of misunderstanding and delay. In many cases, they are a barrier to career progression. A recent EF survey (The English Margin) identified that 88% of managers and directors of large international companies would consider paying more for a product or service from a supplier with higher levels of English proficiency. At an organizational level, English competency can have a direct effect on the bottom line in many ways including enabling a company to take advantage of all international opportunities, reducing risk and maximizing the potential of it’s human capital. Whether you have 20 or 200,000 employees, EF Corporate Solutions has the English assessment service to fit your business needs.
Company-wide English Proficiency Testing by EF Corporate Solutions TRUSTED BY OVER 2,500 COMPANIES Thousands of global companies around the world are already working with EF to assess their English levels using the EF Standard English Test™ (EFSET), the world’s first digital standardised English proficiency test. For companies, strong English proficiency amongst employees encourages knowledge-sharing and fosters innovation and can have a direct impact on the bottom line. NO FEES AND NO HASSLE No matter the number of employees or the size of the company, the EFSET is available for free without hidden costs. The time and money saved using EF’s digital testing solution is invaluable for global and local companies alike. Employees can take the online English test anytime without interfering with their working day, and managers can run large-scale testing projects from their home or office. SECURE ACCESS TO TEST TAKER DATA AND RESULTS EFSET results are precise and comprehensive. Individual and aggregate scores can be viewed and monitored by managers using the easy-to-use EF Corporate Reporting Center. All the test taker data and scores are stored securely in our servers and only accessible to those who have been granted access rights. For companies with proprietary databases, employees’ test scores can be securely imported to the company’s existing database systems using web-based integration solutions.
About the EF Standard English Test (EFSET) EFSET FOR READING AND LISTENING SKILLS ASSESSMENT The EFSET is a standardized, objectively-scored test of English Listening and Reading proficiency. Every test taker has a time limit of 50 minutes to answer as many questions as possible. The EFSET is a Computer Adaptive Multi-Stage Test (ca-MST). This means questions are adjusted in real time to the test takers’ levels of reading and listening comprehension. The output is a scientific and verifiable measure of English skills. EFSET SCORE RELIABILITY The easy-to-understand EFSET scale (0-100) is pegged to the leading international standard, the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). The CEFR is a set of common guidelines outlining the expected proficiencies of language learners at six distinct levels (as indicated in the score comparison table below). The EFSET is currently the only standardized English test that accurately measures all skill levels from beginner to proficient, in alignment with the CEFR. Independent studies to compare the reliability and validity of the EFSET to other known tests such as the TOEFL and IETLS show that EFSET scores are as reliable as the most rigorous English certificates and accurate across the entire score scale. For more information and in-depth EFSET academics and scientific test reliability comparison reports please visit www.efset.org/research/ EFSET SCORE COMPARISONS The EFSET score can be easily compared with TOEFL, IELTS or TOEIC scores. Based on extensive research conducted by EF, the EFSET score comparison to TOEFL and IELTS scores are reliable and valid.
EFSET Score
Level
CEFR
TOEFL
IELTS
TOEIC Listening
TOEIC Reading
01 – 30
Beginner
A1
–
–
60 – 105
60 – 110
31 – 40
Elementary
A2
–
–
110 – 270
115 – 270
41 – 50
Intermediate
B1
42 – 71
4.0 – 5.0
275 – 395
275 – 380
51 – 60
Upper Intermediate
B2
72 – 94
5.5 – 6.0
400 – 485
385 – 450
61 – 70
Advanced
C1
95 – 120
6.5 – 7.5
490 – 495
455 – 495
71 – 100
Proficient
C2
–
8.0 – 9.0
–
–
For more information on the EFSET score scale. Please visit: www.efset.org/english-score/
EFSET-Speaking EFSET-Speaking is EF’s oral English proficiency test. It is designed to provide a realistic and quick assessment of an individual’s oral comprehension and speaking skills by testing them with native-level English teachers. It can be taken together with the Reading and Listening EFSET or be administered on a standalone basis. Each test taker is carefully assessed by an EF Teacher™ to ensure the most accurate and realistic evaluation of their level. The questions range in complexity across CEFR A1-C2 competency levels and must be answered within certain time limits. The EFSET-Speaking is graded on a separate scale to EFSET for Reading and Listening and assessed by EF Teachers™ on five specific criteria: Accuracy, Range, Fluency, Coherence and Pronunciation. Grade and feedback on Pronunciation is further divided into three areas - sound production, intonation and accent. Test administrators can monitor EFSET-Speaking test scores for all employees at the EF Corporate Reporting Center. For test takers, a detailed report can be made available within 48 hours of test administration.
How it works We take the hassle out of company-wide proficiency testing by helping you administer tests anywhere and on-demand. Both the EFSET and EFSET-Speaking can be scaled to cover any number of participants – whether you want to test a small team, a big department, or the whole company. Our operational support is available every step of the way. The following easy steps need to be followed to ensure a successful testing project:
1.
2.
3.
Decide who to test: Gather numbers and contacts for testing population.
Decide on testing method: Decide whether to add EFSET-Speaking; and decide whether to add EF-provided invigilators to create a controlled test-room setting.
Tech Check: Verify quickly that participants are able to access our tests and multi-media content.
4.
5.
6.
Communicate: Use EF’s pre-prepared communication templates to give participants information about the testing period and how their results will be used.
Send invitations: Using company-specific test URLs, EF will invite participants to complete their test. We will follow up to ensure maximum completion rates.
Check results: As test scores start to flow in, you can track everything easily in our Corporate Reporting Center™.
Within one week of closing the testing period, EF will provide a full analysis of all results and how your organization benchmarks against others in your industry and your country. We will also offer recommendations as to how any skills gaps can be resolved. We can assist with content for your intranet if you wish to continue testing employees on an ongoing basis. HOW MUCH IT COSTS Company-wide English Proficiency testing is available free or at minimal additional cost to your organization. It can be used as a stand-alone service or bundled with other learning services provided by EF Corporate Solutions.
EF’s Research and Innovation in Testing and Learning
THE EF RESEARCH NETWORK
THE EF ENGLISH PROFICIENCY INDEX (EF EPI)
THE EF ENGLISH PROFICIENCY INDEX FOR COMPANIES (EF EPI-C)
The EF Research Network enables scholars to access rich sources of data from EF’s global community of teachers and students.
The EF English Proficiency Index (EF EPI) ranks 70 countries and territories based on test data from over a million adults who take our online English tests each year. The EPI continues to track the evolution of English proficiency, looking back over the past eight years of EF EPI data.
The EF English Proficiency Index for Companies (EPI-c) measures English proficiency levels in 22 industries and 32 countries, at companies with an annual turnover ranging from under $1 million to over $100 billion.
Researchers at various institutions, including the Harvard Graduate School of Education and the University of Tokyo, are using the EFSET for research on language learning, teaching, and assessment. Together, we are committed to research and innovation that will shape the future of language education.
The EF English Proficiency Index is increasingly used as a reliable data source by journalists, educators, governments and business leaders. EF is pleased to contribute to the global conversation about English language education.
The report aims to set national and international benchmarks for workforce English, against which individuals and companies can evaluate their competitiveness. It also explores why companies in some countries and sectors perform better than others and highlights best practice.
Privacy Policy EF Language Learning Solutions Ltd, Haldenstrasse 4, 6006 Luzern, Switzerland, (“EF”) is committed to protecting the privacy of our customers. The EF privacy policy (the “Privacy Policy”) applies to all personal information collected by us, or submitted to us, whether offline or online, including personal information collected or submitted through our websites, via mobile applications, through official social media pages that we control (collectively “EF English Live”) or through other channels as further described further in our privacy policy.
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