Assessing English for the International Community |
AcCEPT is the Ascentis Anglia ESOL lnternational Proficiency level assessment designed specifically for non-native English speakers requiring English for higher education or for academic purposes in order to study at international universities.
AcCEPT measures all four language skills
–listening, reading, writing and speaking.
The total time for the test is 3 hours and 20 minutes.
Listening, Reading and Writing components are completed on the same day. The face-to-face Speaking test is optional depending on the specific grade requirements of each institution or course.
As speaking is an active component, it is subjective, difficult to homogenise, open to prejudice and difficult to calibrate. Therefore, Ascentis Anglia has chosen to make the Speaking test an optional component. which if taken, would account for 20% of the final grade. This also allows the student to take the most suitable AcCEPT based on Academic Institution requirements. The AcCEPT Speaking test is conducted by professional external examiners, recorded as an MP3 and sent to the Anglia UK Head Office for moderation.
The certificates are valid indefinitely though institutions may wish candidates to re-take AcCEPT if a significant period has lapsed since the last test, dependent on the candidate´s individual circumstances during that time period.
This level has been designed to test the candidate´s effective use of the English language. An extended piece of written work that is clearly well organised and may involve opinions and/ or discussion of the “pros/cons” of a set issue is an important part of the test.
Accuracy in writing and reading is vital as is the need to be able to use the English language in a way that is the “norm” within certain social or learning contexts. The candidates will need to respond to what they hear with a high level of precision and basically be able to provide evidence they would be comfortable in any “social or professional exchanges”.
The student has a very good active vocabulary and structural understanding, and can therefore undertake a course of study in English in further or higher education.
The student can successfully
• write clearly, organised text on descriptive, narrative, or discursive topics, including giving opinion and explaining the advantages and disadvantages of a given issue
• write letters, both formal and informal
• read and respond to a longer text on any topic, concrete or abstract
• provide an accurate summary of a text
• use language to perform any function likely to arise in a normal social or learning context
• manipulate structures to create emphasis, and vary style and idiom
• listen and respond accurately to passages and questions in a variety of forms and contexts, delivered at a normal speaking pace
Test users frequently ask how the scores from different examinations compare with each other. The varying formats, designs and measurement scales of different examinations make it very difflcult to give exact comparisons with any degree of confidence.
To test your level take our online placement test at www.anglia.org
The qualification obtained from taking the Ascentis Anglia AcCEPT Proficiency test is listed in UCAS both as Anglia Proficiency and as OCNW/ Ascentis NQF Level 2.
AcCEPT is aligned to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) at level C1 as seen on the NDAQ. The CEFR level descriptor for C1 confirms that someone of this ability can use the English language effectively for not only social but professional and academic purposes.
Ascentis is listed on the British Council website for English Examinations which are accredited in the UK. These examinations are widely recognised by institutions and organisations.
Results are reported as three passing grades (Distinction, Merit and Pass) and one failing grade (Refer). The minimum successful performance which a candidate needs at each grade typically corresponds to the following table:
Such comparisons are difficult to verify both empirically and conceptually. With this in mind, test-users should nonetheless still find the following correlations useful to consider: the candidates who achieve a 6.0 in IELTS would typically receive a PASS grade in AcCEPT; the candidates who achieve a 6.5 in IElTS would typically receive a MERIT grade in AcCEPT and the candidates who achieve a 7.0 in IELTS would typically receive a DISTINCTION grade in AcCEPT.
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