How to use the IELTS
scores to hire the right employees
Part I
• What is IELTS & CEPAS?
• Statistics
Part II
• How to identify a competent English
applicant?
www.ielts.org
Common English Proficiency Assessment Scheme
(CEPAS)
• benchmark the English proficiency of local
university graduates
• University Grants Committee sponsors the full
test fee for all final year university students in
UGC programmes who agree to a reference
being made in their transcripts to the fact that
they have taken the IELTS test.
www.ielts.org
www.ielts.org
IELTS CEPAS Management Unit
+ 1. Deliver IELTS Tests
2. Promote IELTS to
Employers
IELTS CEPAS
Management Unit
www.ielts.org
IELTS in Hong Kong
• UGC commissioned use of IELTS 2002
• 8 Institutions: HKU, CU, Poly U, City U . . .
• 70% of all graduating students in 2007/08
• Costs fully reimbursed
• Since 2002: 45,000 students + with over
11000 enrolled for 2007/08
www.ielts.org
Government Recognition
• IELTS 6.5 with no sub-score under 6
Equivalent to a pass in the CRE (Common
Recruitment Examination) – Use of
English
www.ielts.org
Why IELTS?
• International standard
• Reliable
• Comprehensive
• High penetration rate
• The most recent & accurate English
assessment
• Cost Saving
www.ielts.org
International standard
• 300 test centres in 120 countries
• Recognized by organizations, institutions,
government all over the world
– e.g. US government
• Global recognition system: www.ielts.org
www.ielts.org
Reliable
• Development and research
• Extensive program of research,
validation and test development
• Test material - Cambridge ESOL
• Many stages over 2 years
www.ielts.org
Test Question Production
• 1.Commissioning
• 2. Editing
• 3. Pre-testing
• 4. Analysis and banking of material
• 5. Standards fixing
• 6. Question paper construction
• 2 year cycle www.ielts.org
Recruitment & Induction
Training & Certification
Year 2 Year 1
Standardization & Monitoring
Recertification
Examiner Administration www.ielts.org
Comprehensive
Access and report performance in all four language skills
Listening Reading
30 minutes 1 hour
40 questions 40 questions
3 articles
Writing Speaking
1 hour 11-14 minutes
2 tasks 3 parts
www.ielts.org
The IELTS TRF
(Test Report Form)
www.ielts.org
The 9 band scale
9 - expert user
8 - very good user
7 - good user
6 - competent user
5 - modest user
4 - limited user
3 - extremely limited user
2 - intermittent user
1 - non-user
www.ielts.org
Penetration
• Over 700,000 candidates take IELTS every
year
• Over 150,000 candidates take IELTS in China
• Over 21,000 candidates take IELTS in HK in
2006
• CEPAS: 70% of all graduating students in
2007/08
• Since 2002: 56,000 university graduates +
11000 enrolled for 2007/08
www.ielts.org
Candidature in HK
25000
18942
20000 18352
21000
15000 17211
10000
4267 6247
3328
5000 2028 2017 2961
0
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
www.ielts.org
The most recent English Assessment Taken
• HKCE – 5 years ago
• HKAL – 3 years ago
• IELTS – less than 1 year
• HKCE & HKAL equivalent link
http://eant01.hkeaa.edu.hk/hkea/redirector.asp?p_directi
on=body&p_clickurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ehkeaa%
2Eedu%2Ehk%2Fen%2Fir%5Fielts%2Ehtm
www.ielts.org
Cost Saving
• Most University students have IELTS
results
• Workplace English Campaign
– WEC Funding Scheme Hotline: 21868800
– Website: www.english.gov.hk
– Funding course fee + exam fee
– Maximum HK$3000
www.ielts.org
No. of University Graduates (accumulated) Registered for IELTS
during 2002 to 2007
No. of Students (in Thousands)
50
45.242
40
35.473
30
25.888
20
17.219
10
8.5
0
2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07
www.ielts.org
Students’ Results under IELTS CEPAS
Band Scores
2005/06
www.ielts.org
2006/07 Students' Average Overall Score by Academic Discipline
www.ielts.org
2006/07 Students' Average overall Score by Institute
www.ielts.org
IELTS Mean Band Scores in the Region (Academic)
7.5
7
Singapore
Nationals 6.99
6.5
Hong Kong 6.42
6
South Korea 5.77
Taiwan 5.57
5.5
China 5.53
5
Listening Reading Writing Speaking Overall
Hong Kong China Korea Taiw an Singapore Nationals
www.ielts.org
Frequency Distribution by Percentage – Singapore
25
6.15
20 6.99
15
10
5
0
5
5
5
5
5
4
5
6
7
8
9
4
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
w
lo
Be
Singapore Nationals Singapore General
www.ielts.org
Frequency Distribution by Percentage – Hong Kong
30
6.42
25
20
15
10
5
0
Below 4 4.5 5 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5 8 8.5 9
4
www.ielts.org
Frequency Distribution by Percentage – South Korea
35
5.77
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
-5
5
5
5
5
5
4
5
6
7
8
9
4
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
low
Be
www.ielts.org
Frequency Distribution by Percentage – Taiwan
35
30 5.57
25
20
15
10
5
0
Below 4 4.5 5 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5 8 8.5 9
4
www.ielts.org
Frequency Distribution by Percentage – Mainland China
30
5.53
25
20
15
10
5
0
-5
5
5
5
5
5
4
5
6
7
8
9
4
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
w
lo
Be
www.ielts.org
How HR people use IELTS?
• to shortlist fresh graduates for entry level
positions
• to replace its in-house English test
• to use as English requirement standard for
promotion
www.ielts.org
CEPAS Recruitment News
• Available for IELTS Employers
• Weekly email alert on job openings access to
CEPAS candidates
• Able to select target groups: by university, by
major
• Launch date: 26 October 2007
• Subscription fee: free
www.ielts.org
Become an IELTS Employer
• CEPAS Recruitment News
• Annual IELTS statistics
• Publicity to all university final year
students through CEPAS website,
information counter, information seminar
www.ielts.org
Part II:
How to Identify a Competent
English Applicant?
www.ielts.org
Interpreting IELTS Band Scores
1. Understanding IELTS Band Scores
2. Band Score components for Speaking
3. Band Score components for Writing
4. Using IELTS in your organization
www.ielts.org
1. Understanding IELTS Band Scores
1.1. Module score: 1-9
• Each module (i.e., Listening, Reading,
Writing & Speaking) will be awarded a
score from 1-9.
• The score can be presented in *whole*
or *half* bands.
www.ielts.org
1.2. Overall Band Score: 1-9
• Each candidate will be awarded a band
score from 1-9
• Band 1 (Non-user) to Band 9 (Expert
User) [handout: IELTS Bandscore]
• No fixed pass mark (criterion-based)
www.ielts.org
2. Speaking: Band score components
2.1. Four criteria: equally weighted
2.1.1. Fluency & Coherence
2.1.2. Lexical Resource
2.1.3. Grammatical Range & Accuracy
2.1.4. Pronunciation
www.ielts.org
2.1.1. Fluency & Coherence
• Repetition of ideas
• Speed & Length
(e.g, slow speech? long turns?)
• Hesitation/Speaking with noticeable
effort (e.g., “how to say..uh...?”)
• Overuse of certain connectives
(e.g, “eh”, “and then”, “and also”)
www.ielts.org
2.1.2. Lexical Resource
• Paraphrasing
(i.e., express the same ideas by using
different words/expressions)
• Range & appropriacy
• Idiomaticity
www.ielts.org
2.1.3. Grammatical Range & Accuracy
• Variety & complexity
• Error types: systematic or “slip of the
tongue”?
• Errors comprehension problems?
• Number of error-free sentences
www.ielts.org
2.1.4. Pronunciation
• Intelligibility
• Mispronunciations strain to the
listeners?
• Degree of L1 (first language) influence
• Range of phonological features
(e.g., stress for emphasis)
www.ielts.org
Speaking interview
(Part 3): Two-way discussion
Topic: Hobbies
Candidate G Candidate H
Candidate I Candidate J
www.ielts.org
3. Writing: Band score components
3.1. Four criteria: equally weighted
3.1.1a. Task Achievement (for Task 1)
3.1.1b. Task Response (for Task 2)
3.1.2. Coherence & Cohesion
3.1.3. Lexical Resource
3.1.4. Grammatical Range & Accuracy
www.ielts.org
3.1.1a. Task Achievement
(Task: Description of data / a process)
• Identification of main trend(s) /
overview
• Tone & style
• Selection of data
(e.g., relevant? accurate? appropriate?)
www.ielts.org
3.1.1b. Task Response
(Task: Argumentative essay)
• Clear position / stance
• Development of ideas
• Completion of all the task requirements
www.ielts.org
3.1.2. Coherence & Cohesion
• Paragraphing
• Organization of ideas
• Flow / progression of ideas
(e.g., clear? logical?)
• Range of connectives
• Referencing
www.ielts.org
3.1.3. Lexical Resource
• Range & complexity
• Accuracy & appropriacy
• Spelling & word choice
www.ielts.org
3.1.4. Grammatical Range & Accuracy
• Range & complexity
• Number of error-free sentences
• Types of errors
(e.g., “slips” or impeding
communication?)
www.ielts.org
Let’s look at some sample
writings.
www.ielts.org
Task: Brick Manufacturing Process
Task Sample script
Band 5:
• Mechanical use of connectors
• Some sentences are not well-linked
• Limited range of structures
• Basic vocabulary
www.ielts.org
Task: Cinema Attendance (Graph)
Task Sample script
Band 6:
• Main trend identified
• Clear progression / flow of ideas
• Attempt in paraphrasing
• Errors ≠ impede communication
www.ielts.org
Task: International Tourism (Essay)
Task Sample script (pg 1) (pg 2)
Band 7:
• Clear position
• Main ideas elaborated (though a bit
lack of focus in para. 2)
• Clear overall progression
• Good range of structures & vocabulary
www.ielts.org
4. Using IELTS in your Organization
4.1. IELTS provides a profile of the
candidate’s ability to use English
4.2. Interpret in the light of:
1. the general description scale
( handout: IELTS Bandscore)
2. the band descriptors
www.ielts.org
4.3. Depending on the job nature,
companies and institutions can
choose
a) a specific overall score, and / or
b) a score of a particular skill area
they prefer for employment
( handout: Job – IELTS Score List)
www.ielts.org
Job Nature Suggested
Score
Customer support 6 or 6+
(e.g., IT, Utilities, Banking, (esp. in
Telecommunications) Speaking)
Sales representatives 6 or 6+
(e.g., Sales & Marketing in all (esp. in
industries) Speaking)
www.ielts.org
Job Nature Suggested
Score
Meeting/Working with overseas 6 or 6+
clients/partners (esp. in
Hotel frontline staff Speaking &
Listening)
HR/PR/Training/Event Planning 6+
(all skills)
www.ielts.org
Job Nature Suggested
Score
Consultation / Advising 7
(e.g., Private banking, CFP, Lawyers) (esp. in
Speaking &
Listening)
Reporting data / statistics in 6+
annual/quarterly reports (esp. in
(in all industries) Writing)
www.ielts.org
Assistance:
Please contact Sissy Kwong
(Tel: 2620 0362) if you need
help in
• establishing the score
requirements for your company
• helping you determine the
appropriate levels
www.ielts.org
Q&A
www.ielts.org
www.ielts.org
www.ielts.org