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Jetgirly · Joined: 17 Jul 2004 Posts: 741

I just came back from a meeting about term abroad options for post-degree Bachelor of Education students (like me!). I was told that my university has a lot of opportunities for students to go to Catalonia, Spain because they had the worst scores in all of Europe on the _________ Test. I can't remember the name of the test, but they implied that it was a test used across the EU to assess English ability. I know it wasn't anything like TOEFL, IELTS, TOIEC, 1st Cert, etc.

In two weeks I have a group interview for these term abroad positions. I already have an advantage because I did my initial TEFL training at IH Barcelona and I've got a few years TEFL experience. However, I would like to knock the interviewers socks off (and make my fellow applicants look bad) by knowing something about the tests that the Catalan seem to be failing so miserably. Does anyone know what test I might be talking about? I *think* it was something like PIFE, FIPE, FIFE, PIPE, or some other short-ish word with a strong "p" and/or "f" sound.

THANK YOU!

Oh yeah... one more thing... Once, I heard this song on the radio that was like, "La la laaaa la la laaaa la." Do you know what song that was? Wink

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

'FCE" First Certificate in English marketed by Cambridge.

Next time listen more carefully.

Jetgirly · Joined: 17 Jul 2004 Posts: 741

I'm sure it wasn't 1st Cert, no matter how she read the acronym. It had a vowel or two in it, because she was able to read the acronym so that it sounded like a word, not a series of letters.

joshsweigart · Joined: 27 Feb 2005 Posts: 66

Maybe BULATS or one of the BEC tests. They are both for business English and are from Cambridge.

joshsweigart · Joined: 27 Feb 2005 Posts: 66

Oh yeah, I think the song that you're talking about was "The Gambler" by Kenny Rogers, I think it goes something like that but it depends on whether you hum the guitar part or the words....

Jetgirly · Joined: 17 Jul 2004 Posts: 741

It definintely was not BULATS or BEC either. I'm pretty sure sure the word sounded something like "pipe". I looked on the EU website's language section and couldn't find anything about a standardized EU test. I think this may actually be a test that is given to K-12 students in public schools.

joshsweigart · Joined: 27 Feb 2005 Posts: 66

Maybe PET. If it's all over Europe it is probably within the European Framework for languages and probably comes from Cambridge.

Jetgirly · Joined: 17 Jul 2004 Posts: 741

No, it wasn't PET. I'm pretty familiar with all the Cambridge tests as well as the ones students use to enter universities here in Canada. It was a totally new acronym to me.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Why not contact the person who spoke at the meeting and ask her/it/him ?

Or is that too easy ?

Jetgirly · Joined: 17 Jul 2004 Posts: 741

It's the weekend. I can't call until Monday and I want to know NOW! Smile

SueH · Joined: 01 Feb 2003 Posts: 1022 Location: Northern Italy

The only P I can think of is Portfolio as in the Eurpean Language Portfolio - but it's not actually a test ISTR, but a way of demonstrating language ability by collecting examples of work, project stuff etc..

What was it by the way???

Jetgirly · Joined: 17 Jul 2004 Posts: 741

They cancelled my meeting so I won't be able to talk to anyone before Friday. They also lost half the application forms. At this point in time, I wouldn't be surprised to find out the woman made up the acronym using the first letters of her pets' names.

Jetgirly · Joined: 17 Jul 2004 Posts: 741

Okay, now here is the weird part.

The test that they were referring to is the PISA - the Programme for International Student Assessment. It's managed by OECD. BUT the PISA website doesn't talk at all about testing English language skills. It only refers to testing "Mathematical Literacy, Problem Solving, Reading Literacy [and] Scientific Literacy".

So how did Catalonia score so low on PISA English tests? Hmmmm?

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

Jetgirly · Joined: 17 Jul 2004 Posts: 741

Here is the history of the Education Term Abroad program:

1. The application form was put online. The information provided online said the due date for applications was April 30th. Applications were actually due on January 15th.

2. The information session was scheduled for a time when all students were at a mandatory off-campus event.

3. The application form requires you to select your country of choice. Only half the possible destinations appear on the form.

4. Group interviews were scheduled and cancelled with less than twenty-four hours' notice (I'm glad I booked that time off work).

5. Half of the application forms were lost and have not reappeared.

So...

It wouldn't surprise me to hear that the Term Abroad Ladies went to Catalonia and told all the poor Catalonian students that their tests WERE about the Leaning Tower. They probably made the students pay $1000 for a special Leaning Tower of Pisa Exam prep course then cancelled all the classes at the last minute. And then lost all the receipts showing who paid. And then flunked all the students. And then came back to Canada and invented a mythical English test that doesn't really exist and pretended that the Catalonian government is going to subsidize our exchanges in return for EFL instruction. I'll bet they'll tell me I'm going to Spain, tie me up, gag me and send me on a freighter (followed by a rickshaw) to Harbin where I'll live in a mud hut and teach eighty hours each week while still being expected to do all my coursework.