Everyone wants a test to be valid. But what is validity and how do you tell if a test is valid or not?
What do we mean by a ‘valid’ test?
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Placement testing
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IELTS for teachers
Learning to learn: 5 free tools for Pre-A1s
Most online learning tools are free of charge and available at all times on the phone in your pocket! These are five stand out tools your learners can access for free.
Arrivals in English: Barriers to ESOL
The barriers to ESOL and our suggested solutions.
Trim the admin: Keycode Access
Too many students, groups, classes, and programs to handle? Keycode Access can reduce and streamline your admin. Here’s how.
Item analysis: How reliable is your test?
This post explains what item analysis is, how we use it, and what you’ll find in a robust and reliable test.
Matching test items to the CEFR: The first two stages
In this post, Andrew Stokes looks at the first two stages of matching test items to the CEFR – with an accompanying webinar clip and report.
Digital assessment: Flexibility and the CEFR
Language ability in academic versus real life settings can differ greatly. That’s why the CEFR is the perfect tool to measure what students really ‘can do’.
How to assess a test
In this post, Andrew Stokes suggests ten questions you should ask yourself when selecting a placement test.
No more marking: How AI can give you back your evenings
At the British Council New Directions conference in Kuala Lumpur this month, Adrian Raper described two ways that Artificial Intelligence can help teachers grade student writing.
The English filter: DPT for recruitment
Language testing is a key part of the recruitment process. Is there an efficient, secure, and accurate approach to online English testing? Katie Stokes discusses a successful case study.
Grammar: A refreshing revisit
Grammar has a reputation for focusing on errors. With Tense Buster, we focus on communication. Here is how.
EdTech over time
Andrew Stokes and Samuel Sheinberg look back on how EdTech has changed over the last 30 years and what we can expect in the future.
Reading is the new Speaking
How can we best equip migrants with the language skills they need to integrate effectively into their communities? It starts with Reading.
Clarity at 30: Down memory lane
Some of our partners and customers have been with us since we started 30 years ago. Here are a few memories from the early days.
Bilingualism: Tools for success
Language learning opens doors to new worlds. But getting through the language barrier is tough. Here are five reminders for when motivation wanes.
Speaking tests: dramatically changing the outcome
In the second most popular TED Talk of all time, Amy Cuddy comes to the intriguing, evidence-based conclusion that altering the way we stand for just two minutes before an evaluative situation — a presentation or an exam — really can lead to better outcomes. ‘We know...
Free British Council IELTS prep tools
Most IELTS candidates leave their test preparation to the last minute. When they go into the test centre, they discover they don’t understand the question types, they’re not sure how to allocate their time efficiently, and they don’t know what the examiner is looking...