LSI have recently signed an agreement with Cambridge ESOL to be one of the first language institutes to offer computer based testing (CBT) for the internationally recognised Cambridge ESOL exams. Our LSI Cambridge school has been designated as an official test centre by Cambridge ESOL and will be offering CBT for all our 2011 Cambridge exam preparation courses. In addition, CBT will also be available to students who have taken their exam preparation courses at other language centres.
School director, Phil Scherb, has been at the fore front of introducing CBT to LSI Cambridge and believes there are many advantages over the more traditional paper based testing.
“ I think the new computer based testing will be great for the students. They’ll be able to take the test in a familiar environment and so will feel more relaxed when taking the test. The results are available in only five weeks rather than the usual twelve weeks. Even the application time required to take the test is much shorter – down to one week as oppose to 6 six weeks for the paper based testing. The listening exercises are clearer as students will listen through headphones and being able to do all the writing on a computer is a definitive plus for those of us who have illegible handwriting! The speaking part of the test remains face to face as Cambridge ESOL send out examiners to the centres to carry out the oral part of the examination. As far as I can see there are no downsides to this new form of testing. It’s great for the school too as the increased number of exam testing dates means that’ll we be able to offer more course dates for those students who want to follow our exam preparation courses.”
LSI Cambridge will be offering CBT on our FCE and CAE courses starting in 2011. View details about dates and prices of these courses .