Job Discussion Forums

[Dedicated]

From 23rd July 2010, the minimum level of English Language courses that will be permitted under Tier 4 will be B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference. This restores the position in place before the judgement (made in the Judicial Review case brought by English UK) was handed down.

See

[url] <http:// [email protected][/url]

The TOEIC exam will no longer be acceptable as an entry requirement.

So no more beginners and pre-intermediates.............

[spiral78]

Interesting. It does limit the market, but I can see some practical reasons for such regs.

It IS quite possible to 'teach yourself' up to B1, or to find an ok teacher in most parts of the world to get yourself there. In fact, at the very lowest levels, it can be really beneficial to have a teacher who also speaks your L1. It's just practical.

It means, for the UK teacher, that you've actually got something to work with, and the advantages of having a native speaking teacher don't kick in until intermediate level anyway.

Also, those with English language skills under B1 certainly face problems with daily life in the UK. It's pretty hard to get around or shop or anything else with less English than B1.

Interesting, but I think overall a good move. Now we'll see if more of the 'language tourists' start flowing into N. America in response!

[Dedicated]

I totally agree with you, spiral78, from a practical point if view. I was just wondering what impact that would have on language schools, and therefore, on jobs, even book sales. B1 is equivalent to a Threshold User, ie. PET level (and the reading can be quite tricky) so presumably that would rule out any students below PET level.

[Insubordination]

Well, I hope they come to Australia instead. Our industry is floundering at the moment due to the strong AUdollar, our reputation being damaged from murders of Indian students, shonky schools closing almost every month, changes to immigration and arduous visa processing.

Without knowing the politics of England/UK, why has this move been made? I can't really fathom why their money isn't welcome. Many native English speakers are at beginner level (or lower) when they go to foreign countries to study. Why not the other way round?

[scot47]

Party line is that there were too many pretending to be students while actually coming to work. Lots of very dodgy schools that will say that you are a student if you give them a "bung" ! (ie BRIBE !)

My position is that no one should be allowed to enter Britain - under any circumstances. We already have enough people here.

[Mr_Monkey]

As I understand the market (I'm DoS at a small English school in the UK), the biggest single issue for the sector is that the EFL market is being lumped in with the private FE market.

A great many schols are vehemently against the move (they would be; it limits income for them), but in my experience it hasn't hurt my school a bit - the majority of our sub-B1 learners are EU citizens anyway, and those that aren't rarely stay for greater than six months so they can take a student visitor visa.

I think it hurts the bottom line of large schools and FE colleges more than it hurts the small schools. Many of the objections seem to be based on the principle of limitations rather than the limitations in and of themselves: state- and corporate-sponsored students are exempt from the regulations anyway, afaik, (so the Middle Eastern gravy train is not necessarily cancelled, even though the Saudi government is massively scaling back its sponsorship program in the UK), and it's still possible for students who do not meet the criteria to go home and renew the visa from their home countries with the added evidence of their previous studies in the UK supporting their reapplication. GSV students will take a month's holiday anyway (if on a 1 year course), so I don't really see the problem.