The right test at the right time: How we do testing at the British Council

A one-size-fits-all, isolated approach to language testing doesn’t work. That’s why, at the British Council, we take a holistic approach to language teaching, learning and assessment – and a far-reaching, future-first outlook.?

Here’s what that looks like.?

Seeing the whole picture

Rather than considering language, language users and tests in isolation, we treat them as integral parts of large linguistic, social and educational ecosystems. When these ecosystems work together, it benefits learners, their academic, social and professional communities and, ultimately, the whole world.?

To put it another way, providing the right test at the right time – for the right reasons – drives successful outcomes. That’s because it gives people the best chance of unlocking the opportunities afforded by learning English at important points in their lives.?

Understanding context

In order to provide the right test at the right time, we draw on the Socio-Cognitive Model (see Diagram 1: Socio-Cognitive Model - updated from Chalhoub-Deville and O’Sullivan, 2020) and 90+ years of research and test development. This lets us put test takers, their needs and motivations front and centre every step of the way when designing tests. As part of this, we take the following learner characteristics into account:

• Learner age
• Learning stage?
• The test-taking environment?
• Social (interactional) and cognitive (productive) aspects of language use
• Reason for testing

That last one is crucial because it’s almost always part of a larger, longer-term chain of objectives that ends in greater opportunity and prosperity for individuals and their communities. With that in mind, test development is always strongly anchored in context: Who is the test taker? What do they want in life? How, where and why will they use the language? What subjects engage and motivate them? Which formats will best support them?

Taking diverse stakeholders into account

We also ask important questions about the decisions that will be made based on the test score and the impact on test-takers and other stakeholders. There's more to test validity than being statistically robust; it also has to be appropriate and useful for a particular context and purpose. Not to mention clearly understandable to everyone who needs the insights it provides.?

For example, if you’re applying for a job you need a test that demonstrates on-the-job ability. And your prospective employer needs to be able to interpret the results in a way that tells them whether you’ve got the skills to handle certain situations.

Engaging modern learners through tech

We’re also conscious that learners of all ages and all walks of life get anxious about tests, and that this stress can negatively affect their ability to demonstrate their real skills. That’s why we work hard to leverage the latest technology and develop test experiences with genuinely engaging content and formats. For example, using animation or storytelling to make young learner tests more accessible to them.?

It’s our mission to ensure that language assessments stay in step with advances like AI. It’s a reality in daily life and, used appropriately, should be in the classroom too. Our tests strive to meet the test taker where they’re at and put them at ease. This helps achieve a natural performance and, therefore, the most accurate measure of ability.

A solid foundation for reliable results

Everything we do is informed by the standards and frameworks that sit (or should sit) at the heart of Comprehensive Learning Systems. For example, our rating scales are linked to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for language proficiency and our test tasks are shaped by CEFR ‘can-do’ statements. This allows schools, parents, teachers and others to have a clear, objective understanding of what a result means in terms of communicative ability – and the evidence to compare proficiency at different stages.?

As the CEFR is widely used to underpin course content, delivery and assessment, it also means our tests support a unified ecosystem, shown to be the fastest, smoothest route to success.

All this lets us create smarter, more accurate, innovative and flexible tests that meet the needs of learners, teachers and employers.

Learning from our learners

Our learner-focused, context-dependent, evidence-based approach to test development is integrated at every stage of the test cycle. From initial design where we assess the needs of the test taking group, through to production of test items, which are rigorously checked for quality, reliability and appropriacy. Our joint Justice, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) policies focus on this – and we make appropriate accommodations for test takers of disability. It’s all part of ensuring our tests are relevant, engaging and supportive to every learner at any point in the learning journey.?

But it doesn’t stop there: our work goes far beyond test design, development and scoring. We also research and implement findings in terms of score delivery to test takers, parents and schools, and closely monitor the impact of our tests on our test takers and the world around them so we can improve.?

British Council tests: Opening doors for learners?

We’re proud that everything we put into developing our assessments allows us to support learners and their educational, local and global communities with innovative, world-class tests and testing experiences. In this way, we make it easier for people to progress through their learning journey and take advantage of the opportunities available to them in the wider world.?

References

O’Sullivan, B. (2020). The Comprehensive Learning System. British Council Perspectives on English Language Education & Policy. London: British Council. Available from: www.britishcouncil.org/exam/aptis/research/publications/british-councilperspectives-english-language-policy-and-education ?

Motteram, J., Spiby, R., Bellhouse, G., & Sroka, K. (2023). Implementation of an accommodations policy for candidates with diverse needs in a large-scale testing system.?Language Testing,?40(4), 904-932.?https://doi.org/10.1177/02655322231166587 ?

O’Sullivan, B. (2014) Stakeholders and consequence in test development and validation. Plenary Address at the Language Testing Forum 2014, University of Southampton.??

O’Sullivan, B. (2016) ‘Validity: What is it and who is it for?’ in Y. Leung (ed.) Epoch Making in English Teaching and Learning: Evolution, Innovation, and Revolution. Taipei: Crane Publishing Company Ltd, pp. 157-175.??

O’Sullivan, B. and Chalhoub-Deville, M. (2023) ‘Validity: An integrated arguments approach’, in N. Dobric, H. Cesnik, and C. Harsch (eds.)?Festschrift in Honour of Günther Sigott; Advanced Methods in Language Testing. Language Testing and Evaluation Series, Vol. 46. Frankfurt: Peter Lang, pp. 17-34.??