LANGUAGECERT’s roadshow in Australia and New Zealand

For the last three months, from April to June, LANGUAGECERT undertook an intensive and widespread programme of engagement with the English language teaching and higher education communities across Australia and New Zealand. The programme included events in five cities, multiple school visits and three webinars. The aim of the engagement was to introduce LANGUAGECERT Academic, the complete English test of academic English, to Australian and New Zealand teachers and universities, and to learn more about their needs and those of their students.

Cathy Jones, Assessment Development Specialist, spoke about The Need for Oracy in the Age of AI during her keynote address at the NEAS Management Conference in Sydney, where LANGUAGECERT was a Sponsor. Higher Education is facing the undetectable use of generative AI for coursework and written assessments. A possible solution is the greater use of spoken assessments, which would require students to verbally express their ideas and defend them. To prepare students for such demands, high-stakes admissions tests should foster oracy skills in addition to assessing speaking.

In her keynote, Cathy argued that oracy is vital to building students' participation, inclusion and belonging. Oracy goes beyond transactional speaking skills. It enables students to communicate their needs and to express who they are. Just as oracy is essential in the seminar room it is critical for all active social participation.

‘’As educators, we work to prevent international students from being strangers in a strange land. Higher education is a reciprocal experience, enriching students, institutions and society as a whole.’’
Cathy Jones, Assessment Development Specialist

Cathy also delivered a Fireside Chat on the future of assessment which you can watch here. Tests of academic English for HE admissions purposes are an opportunity to do much more than assess language proficiency and communicative ability. LANGUAGECERT Academic helps develop the extralinguistic skills of critical thinking, oracy and verbal reasoning.

‘’What the many conversations at the events brought home to me is that there is a real desire for an admissions test that is human-centred, and meets the needs of students so they can survive, thrive and flourish in an academic environment. The last three months have been a very worthwhile and rewarding whirlwind of activity. I would like to thank the organisers of the events, everyone who came to the presentations or visited us on our stands, and of course, I would also like to thank all those at LANGUAGECERT who made these memorable months possible.”
Dr Patrick Pheasant, Head of Education Partnerships Australia and New Zealand

This collaborative effort between LANGUAGECERT and Australian and New Zealand educators reflects an ongoing commitment to listening to the sector, anticipating change, and ensuring that LANGUAGECERT Academic remains fit-for-purpose to meet the needs of students, educators and institutions. We extend gratitude to all who contributed, especially English Australia, English New Zealand, and NEAS.

Discover more content by Cathy Jones on the LANGUAGECERT Blog.