In Australia, on average 15 percent of all school students come from a non-English speaking background. In some states it is much higher: in New South Wales this figure is almost 25 percent English Second Language Students, as it is in the Northern Territory, and in Victoria it is 20 percent. According to Adriano Truscott, president of the Australian Council of TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) Associations, Australia has an “outstanding tradition” in teaching English as a Second Language (ESL).
It is therefore vital that we have a great system for tracking the progress of our English Second Language Students (ESL) students, to cater for the needs of our high number of ESL students, as well as to safeguard our reputation as a leader in this field.
ACTA president Adriano Truscott highlights the importance of ESL resources and teaching to be specialised and adaptable to local needs. In order to improve literacy rates in our schools, children identified with low literacy levels receive extra assistance from the Federal government. In order to ensure that the assistance is appropriately targeted to where it is needed, a reliable measure of literacy skills is required. Adriano Truscott writes: “most importantly, as is required for literacy and numeracy, students’ progress in learning English as an additional language or dialect must be consistently monitored by schools and systems, and reported at State/Territory and Commonwealth levels.”
That’s where we come in. The TOEFL Junior tests are an objective and reliable measure of your students’ English communication skills. Based on the rich heritage of the TOEFL test and best practices in English-language testing, TOEFL Junior tests can help pinpoint students’ strengths and challenges. The tests are designed for students aged 11 to 15 years, covering the early – mid high school years where students are solidifying their knowledge of the English language.
Available in two testing modes, the TOEFL junior tests can be used for classroom placement and to monitor progress.
Specifically, they can help with:
- Placing students in English-language programs matched to their appropriate level of instruction
- Monitoring progress over time to gauge learning and proficiency
- Using “can-do” statements provided on the score report to inform conversations with parents
- Advising students on appropriate book selections to improve their reading proficiency
- Mapping student achievement to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for international benchmarking
To learn more about the TOEFL Junior tests contact our friendly team at RightPeople.