How can language testing improve your global communication skills?

As intimidating as language tests can be whether they’re live or recorded, I’ve found that completing language proficiency tests have a lot of benefits. Just to name a few: 1) It’s strengthened my confidence as a polyglot to be able to seek employment as an interpreter in various target languages that I’ve scored with a Native proficiency. 2) It has served as motivation for me to diligently practice in my target language before I schedule the actual language test and make the monetary investment. 3) It had allowed me to experience what the test process involves from the user interface and develop techniques that I can teach in my workshops to help those who struggle with this type of testing. 4) It’s a valuable credential.

Standardized tests can only go so far measuring a person's abilities, especially when it comes to communication. As far as being able to communicate effectively in cross cultural environments, there's a constant need for "being out there" , trying and learning in practice. Theory and practice are completely different things.

Os testes de idioma são cruciais para quem deseja dominar a comunicação em inglês. Os testes de inglês incentivam você a refinar suas habilidades, fornecer feedback crítico sobre aspectos essenciais como gramática e vocabulário e aumentar sua credibilidade profissional. Passar com sucesso em um teste de inglês não apenas aumenta sua confiança, mas também abre portas para oportunidades internacionais, tornando você um participante formidável em qualquer área profissional. Abrace o desafio; é um passo transformador em direção à proficiência global. Dica: Escolha testes de inglês com uma empresa que entenda onde você deseja chegar em sua carreira. Desta forma, eles terão o conselho certo para você Clarke - Professor de inglês #inglês

Something I like about language tests is that bring a sense of completion to the language learning process. After studying for a period of time, sometimes we are unsure about our skills or for how much longer we would need to continue learning the language. A test can give us information about that. In 2022, I took a Goethe-Zertifikat German test to wrap up my German learning efforts and move on to my next language (Thai). I felt I needed to "formally" close that stage I was in (German learner) in order to start the next one (Thai learner). Not everybody needs taking tests to put an ending to a language learning period, but some do. In my experience, it was helpful.

I believe most people are aware of the language tests available for English. Therefore, I will list the most popular ones available for Italian: -CELI (Certificato di Conoscenza della Lingua Italiana): offered by the University for Foreigners of Perugia, CELI tests assess proficiency levels from A1 to C2. -CILS (Certificazione di Italiano come Lingua Straniera): administered by the University of Siena, CILS exams certify Italian language proficiency at various levels from A1 to C2. -PLIDA (Progetto Lingua Italiana Dante Alighieri): administered by the Società Dante Alighieri, PLIDA exams evaluate Italian language proficiency across six levels, from A1 to C2.

When it comes to Korean language, the main and most recognizable exam is TOPIK, which stands for The Test of Proficiency in Korean. There are two types of TOPIK: TOPIK I (for beginners) and TOPIK II (for intermediate and advanced learners). TOPIK is crucial for those who aim to study or work in South Korea. However, it's important to mention that the actual language skills are much more important.

A few tips on how to prepare for your language proficiency test would be: 1) Make sure you prepare for the format of how the test is administered. For example, will the test be administered with a live Proctor or will you be recording your answers on a proctoring platform? This will allow you to mentally prepare for the timing ⏱️ and speed. 2) Make sure you answer every question within the allotted time. One of the top reasons people fail a language test is because they don’t give enough of an answer or they have mental fog and time runs out before they give a response. To avoid this, I recommend treating each question like a conversation with a friend. This will not only relax you, but allow you to speak extemporaneously.

Parler la langue mais surtout (SURTOUT) parfaitement comprendre la structure du test ! Exemple pratique avec le TOIEC 👇 ↳ Partie 1 : les photos + audio, la réponse est en BE +V-ing ou au passif (pour la position d'un objet. La réponse n'est jamais émotive. ↳ Partie 2 : audios choisir la suite logique, écoute bien les 3 premiers mots (contenant un pronom interrogatif) + un keyword pour comprendre le contexte. ↳ Partie 3 et 4 : les dialogues + les monologues Lis les questions, choppe le contexte. Les les réponses, fais un prono avec les keywords. Valide ou invalide le prono en écoutant si tu retrouves les keywords. je continue dans une deuxième contribution (j'ai pas assez de place lol, si c'est utile pour toi, lâche un like)

Practice is key. Memorizing isn't the answer—it can affect what we say. Instead, practice with a tutor, coach, or friends. Stand in front of a mirror, record yourself, or make a video. Pay attention to your intonation; falling intonation is a must. It makes you sound professional, gives you time to think, and conveys calmness. It allows you to breathe and speak confidently. Practice is the secret to mastering effective communication.

These days, we are used to practicing languages online, with our devices. However, some of the tests are performed with pen and paper. Devoting time to practice using the exact format we'll be using for our test is incredibly important. I don't usually write long-hand, and some of the characters I easily type on my computer feel strange on paper. It's a matter of habit and getting used to it. But we need to do it weeks before the exam day. If there's a listening comprehension part in an in-person setting: how will the test be? Will you be using headphones or there will be speakers? Keep that into account when preparing for the test (you can ask the institution beforehand).

Os resultados de um teste de idioma oferecem insights valiosos para aprimorar a comunicação global. Eles não apenas destacam conquistas, mas também revelam áreas a serem melhoradas. Celebrar sucessos motiva, enquanto analisar cuidadosamente o desempenho ajuda a identificar pontos fracos e fortes. É crucial aprender com erros e utilizar o feedback para planejar os próximos passos no aprendizado. Esses resultados abrem portas para explorar oportunidades em diversos setores, permitindo aplicar as habilidades linguísticas de maneira prática. Assim, é possível alinhar os objetivos de aprendizado com interesses pessoais e profissionais, maximizando o potencial de comunicação global.

If you are taking language lessons or working with a coach, share your test results with them and create a plan to address your weak points and create a new plan based on that. Are you going to settle for a passed test, or are you going to work on the skills you now know you need to work on? There's no right or wrong answer, it will depend on your goals and your personal situation. Passing or failing an exam can boost your motivation to improve yourself, or can defeat you and leave you hopeless. One more time: it depends on your lens and how you decide to frame your results. In any case, I encourage you to reflect after your experience. I'm sure you have gained something along the process!

O resultado você pode usar para se inscrever em universidades internacionais, empregos no exterior e até mesmo no currículo para confirmar seu nível de conhecimento no idioma.

Thanks to the tests, you will find out what your weak points are, locate your knowledge gaps and discover the areas worth working on. However, sometimes it is worth being gentle with oneself and understanding that test results are not always reliable and trustworthy. During the test, students work under significant time pressure. Moreover, stress during the exam can also have a negative impact on the final results.

Language proficiency tests, such as the DELE, SIELE, and TELC, use The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) levels to assess and certify an individual's language ability. These levels help ensure consistency and comparability of language skills across different exams and educational systems. The CEFR is widely recognized and used in academic, professional, and immigration contexts to gauge language competence, specially in Europe. This helps understand the possibilities of use of a language proficiency test.

Fazer um teste de proficiência é um processo estressante, que requer engajamento e dedicação para uma boa preparação. Por outro lado, esse pode ser um motor de motivação para sistematizar e acelerar os seus estudos. A maioria dos testes de proficiência vão requerer que você demonstre as suas habilidades de quatro formas diferentes: 1.Compreensão auditiva 2. Expressão oral 3. Compreensão leitora 4. Expressão escrita Caso o teste não tiver essas quatro formas de demonstração de habilidade, verifique se esse teste é aceito e irá atender as suas necessidades (ser aceito por uma universidade, por exemplo).

Keeping your language skills top-notch means sticking to a routine of daily practice, speaking with native speakers, writing often, and regularly consuming content in your target language. Getting fully immersed, whether through travel or hanging out with native speakers, is key, just like using language learning tools such as apps, online courses, and good old textbooks. Joining language communities and setting clear goals keep you on track, while regular review and feedback keep you improving. And don’t forget to learn from mistakes and mix up your learning methods for a well-rounded approach to mastering your language skills.

Use it or lose it! To maintain and enhance language skills, keep using it in your daily life. For example: 1) Read your target language on a multilingual product label or user guide. 2) Writer reminders to yourself in the target language

Maintaining and enhancing your language skills goes beyond formal testing; it's about integrating the language into your daily life. Immersing yourself in authentic and diverse media sources, such as films, podcasts, and books, exposes you to different dialects and cultural contexts, enriching your understanding and fluency. Engaging with communities of learners and native speakers, both online and in-person, fosters a supportive environment for practice and feedback. Creating and sharing your own content, whether through writing, speaking, or social media, helps solidify your command of the language.

Keeping your skills fresh is definitely worth investing in. We have more and more HR managers complaining to us that an employee that has a passed a certain test can't actually use the foreign languages in the workplace as they haven't practised since they did the test. We've even been asked to provide a speaking test version of our app to be used for recruitment purposes. This seems to be quite a big problem. I would say that if you've spent a long time preparing for a specific test and you've passed it, let your hair down and keep your skills current in a more enjoyable way, whatever that means to you.

Preparing for and taking a language test is a fantastic learning experience in itself. Regardless of passing or not passing the exam and getting the certificate or not, you can be proud of making the decision. It takes time, effort, and money. You have decided to direct your attention and resources to getting better at your language skills. As a result, you can expect improvements in your confidence while speaking and interacting in your target language. Most language tests include speaking and listening. The skills you build while you practice for that moment will serve you greatly. Think of the test as an excuse to work and improve your communication skills in general, and you won't be disappointed (even if you don't pass the exam).

I would like to share my personal experience with language tests. I decided to take the Cambridge exams to enhance and improve my language skills and to test myself. Initially, I started studying by myself, but I soon felt completely stuck. So I enrolled in a preparation course, and finally, I knew what to do. After a year of hard work, I achieved a C2 level, and I was thrilled and surprised by how much I had grown and challenged myself. All the efforts were worth it in the end.

Remember that the test is not the be all and end all. This isn't exclusive to language tests, but many are poorly written, poorly marked and do not test the right things. Writing a test is exceptionally difficult and it's impossible that one test will exactly fit the needs of all of those who use it. Anyone feeling stressed about tests should bear this in mind.