Most language learners will be required to take a graduation test if they have completed all of the requirements of an Intensive English Program (#IEP), such as attendance, assignments (independent work), projects, participation, proving competency, levels, and so on. Some programs have a program-specific graduation exam, while others urge students to take a standardized international examination like the iTEP or TOEFL.
For the past 15 years, I've been in charge of ensuring that each student receives a diploma with a score that reflects his or her English proficiency level.
This used to be done face to face, and it was almost never done by video conference. Today, it's common to conduct it using Zoom or another video conferencing service, which is more convenient for most stakeholders; candidates feel more in charge of the setting because they are at home using technology they're familiar with. They are in a room in their house that makes them feel more at ease, and they are not impacted by the worried behavior of other candidates or the intensity of the moment in a conventional test waiting area.
People have no idea that the experience for us, the test raters, is more of a learning experience than a job or work to be completed. In my instance, I've given grades to kids in pre-school, elementary, secondary, IB Language B oral assessment, university, and now intensive English programs. And I get to learn about learners' perceptions and/or thoughts on current issues through each
procedure. I have the opportunity to observe and learn about their concerns and motives. I get to hear about how they learned and mastered this language (success stories), as well as how others struggle to attain the required level. I get to know the people. I learn about their skills and shortcomings in the English program they attended, as well as the teacher's or teaching methodology's performance up to that point.
What's more satisfying to me is that the fresh applicants I interview seem to be better in general as time goes on (fluency, use of idiomatic expressions, etc.). Most of them can now hold engaging discussions without any effort.
Our Ecuadorian graduates will excel in their academic environments, whether they are pursuing undergraduate, graduate, or postgraduate degrees.
Por Mr. Tito R. Hidalgo
World Engish Institute Ec
Virtual Campus
Fuente foto principal: World English Institute
Fuente foto 2: World English Institute