International schools in particular use English testing as a key performance tool. It not only it helps them demonstrate an important competitive advantage, it also helps to achieve and maintain the high standards expected from them.
The Aptis English test is successfully used as an evaluation and performance tool by schools around the world to evaluate and improve teaching standards. By identifying strengths and weaknesses, the results of the test inform teaching, improve training programmes, reinforce positive professional development and benchmark promotion, remuneration and recruitment.
Raising the standards of English teaching
In Saudi Arabia, international secondary schools such as the Bangladesh International School, have successfully used the Aptis test to drive excellence in teaching standards.
The school used Aptis as an evaluation tool to inform key decisions related to the teaching of English. Implementing Aptis helped the school focus on the teachers’ personal development plans. This in turn improved motivation, kept the staff engaged and encouraged excellence in their teaching.
The Aptis test delivered an engaging experience for the teachers and an English qualification.
The results from Aptis are delivered in just 48 hours and are mapped to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), providing a full overview of the language profile of each teacher.
Management tool for schools
The test was also used as a management tool to inform decisions on remuneration and promotional opportunities for the staff for the next academic year. For the recruitment of new staff, it was an invaluable benchmark to measure the ability and potential of the recruits. The top three components that were most valued by the school were speaking, listening, and writing as these abilities are all vital for daily interactions and communication with students and colleagues. In this way, Aptis has helped the school to employ the best teachers for the job.
Aptis for Teachers – the right test for the client’s needs
Aptis for Teachers is customised for the education sector and tests cognitive and communication skills, testing the ability to interact in English in real-life situations. The test requirements relate to the scenarios that teachers come across every day. This enables test takers to focus purely on the language being tested.
“My members gained invaluable experience and used the Aptis test as a learning curve for future progress in their teaching careers,”
Md. Bazlur Rashid, Bangladesh International School, English Section, Riyadh, KSA
With thanks to Md. Bazlur Rashid, Bangladesh International School, English Section, Riyadh, KSA