A.P.I.E.L.

A.P.I.E.L.

A new international English language
examination offering the possibility
to prove your proficiency in English

On Saturday 12 May 2000 the Advanced Placement International English Language examination was presented by delegates of the College Board and André Geukens in the Antwerp Waldorf Hotel (Zonhoven).

The APIEL examination was developed by the College Entrance Examination Board in New York, an organization that coordinates college and university entrance requirements.

In the development of APIEL, the College Board has cooperated with the Educational Testing Service in Princeton, New Jersey, and with educators and linguists from Europe, Asia and North America.

In May 1997 the APIEL examination was administered for the first time and offered to students in two French cities, Paris and Montpellier, and two German states, Baden-Württemberg and Nordrhein-Westfalen. Only two years later, in March 1999, the APIEL examination was administered in seven countries – Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, India, Norway and Switserland – and almost 5,000 students participated.

In a single, comprehensive examination, APIEL offers young people the opportunity to prove their English language proficiency that they have acquired in the secondary school system. A passing grade on the examination is proof of their ability to participate in academic classes at English-language colleges and universities. It helps students avoid preparatory language classes and language tests that are normally required of non-active speakers.

The APIEL certificate can also be of help when applying for a place at a European university in a non-English speaking country. Furthermore, it is a valuable addition to job application documents.

The following features are distinctive of APIEL:

APIEL is not a mere language test. It is an examination on an academic level evaluating proficiency in the four basic language skills: listening, reading, writing and speaking.
The APIEL examination takes 3 hours. It consists of four parts.
Extra time to fill in forms and an intermission are granted.

Listening Comprehension: Students listen to a series of dialogues and short talks, and respond to various multiple-choice questions which examine the ability to follow a conversation in English. The short talks provide students with an opportunity to display their ability to understand presentations on academic subjects and topics. (Time: 35 minutes)

Reading: This section of the examination asks the student to read several prose passages and then answer multiple-choice questions on their content and meaning. (Time: 50 minutes)

Writing: Students are asked to write two essays on topics of general interest, demonstrating an ability to use English to communicate their thoughts. (Time: 40 minutes each)

Speaking: In response to oral or visual stimuli, the students must make short oral statements which are recorded on tape. This section thus examines the student’s ability to conceptualize as well as to speak. (Time: 15 minutes)

The APIEL examination draws on texts from various types of discourse, including writings from the sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities addressed to a nonspecialist audience.

The grading of all essays and speaking performances is done during a centralized grading session at a university in the USA. The graders are American professors of English and selected secondary school teachers from various countries. The multiple-choice part is assessed by computer.

Participation in the APIEL examination is voluntary. The best time to take it is in grade 12 or during the first year at university.

There are no time-consuming preparatory courses. No expensive study materials need to be acquired.

The APIEL examination is administered at the candidate’s school or at an examination center in the vicinity.

Each participant is individually informed about the grade achieved in the APIEL examination. The participant’s school does not get any information about the grade.

The APIEL certificate has no expiration date.

TOEFL	APIEL	IELTS
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL):	Advanced Placement International English Language Examination (APIEL):	The International English Testing System (IELTS):
measures the English language proficiency of non-native speakers of English who intend to study in an institution of higher education (undergraduate and graduate schools primarily in the US and Canada) where English is the language of instruction. is a paper-and-pencil, multiple-choice test, which includes an audiotape for the listening comprehension questions. The Test of Written English (TWE) is the essay component of the TOEFL. The Test of Spoken English (TSE) is a companion test to the TOEFL and TWE.	is an examination for international students who wish to persue university study in English-speaking countries, particularly in North America. those who choose to participate in APIEL have an opportunity to prove – while still in high school – their ability to do university level work conducted in English. is open to any student who has a good command of English grammar and vocabulary and has, over several years, completed a substantial course of English language study. is modled after other AP language exams – French, German and Spanish. is a paper-and-pencil, multiple-choice and essay exam. It also includes an audiotape for the listening and speaking sections.	organized by the University of Cambridge Local Examination Syndicate (UCLES), the British Council and IDP Education Australia. provides an assessment of whether non-native speakers are ready to study or train in the medium of English. is a test which includes multiple choice as well as short-answer questions, sentence completion, data based report writing, written argument presentation and an oral interview.
How is TOEFL used ?	How is APIEL used ?	How is IELTS used ?
Institutions in the US, Canada, and elsewhere use TOEFL scores to help make undergraduate and graduate admission decisions. The scores are also sometimes used by government agencies, scholarship programs and licensing/certification agencies to evaluate English proficiency.	The APIEL Exam is designed for use by colleges and universities in helping to make undergraduate and graduate admission decisions.Some institutions also use the scores for placement and/or credit decisions.	IELTS is used as a language requirement for admission to undergraduate and postgraduate courses.
What does TOEFL measure ?	What does APIEL measure ?	What does IELTS measure ?
TOEFL assesses the language abilities used in academic settings. The test consists of three sections: Listening Comprehension Measures ability to understand English as it is spoken in North America. Examinees listen to short dialogues and longer talks by one or more speakers. Examinees anwer questions based on what they have heard. Structure and Written Expression Measures ability to recognize language that is appropriate for standard written English. Examinees demonstrate a knowledge of English structures by choosing a word or phrase which best completes a sentence. In another kind of task, examinees identify a word or phrase in a sentence which must be changed in order for the sentence to be correct. Reading comprehension Measures ability to understand non-technical reading matter. Examinees read short (300 – 350 words) passages and answer 8 –12 multiple-choice questions about each passage. The Test of Written English (TWE) is administered as part of the TOEFL test. The examinees write a 30 minute essay to provide information on their ability to generate and organize ideas on paper, support those ideas with evidence or examples, and to use the conventions of standard written English. The Test of Spoken English (TSE) is designed to evaluate the general oral language proficiency of non-native speakers of English. Examinees are asked to give oral answers to questions that are presented in written and oral form. The spoken answers are recorded on tape.	APIEL measures a non-native speaker’s readiness to do university level work conducted in English. The Examination requires students to demonstrate the following skills: Comprehension of spoken English, particularly in academic contexts; a critical understanding of written English, including excerpts from books and articles on academic subjects; an ability to express ideas and opinions in writing with clarity and fluency; an ability to express ideas and opinions orally with accuracy and resourcefulness. Components of the exam include: Listening Students listen to a series of dialogues among speakers or short talks by a single speaker. Students then answer approximately 45 multiple-choice questions based on what they have heard. Reading Students read several prose passages and listen to a series of dialogues among speakers or short talks by a single speaker. Students then answer approximately 40 multiple-choice questions on their content and meaning. Writing Students respond to two essay questions. These questions require candidates to demonstrate their ability to use English to communicate their views about significant issues. Speaking This portion of the exam presents visual images and significant issues that students must describe, explain and discuss. Students’ responses are recorded on individual audiocassettes. Their answers are scored for appropriateness, grammatical correctness, fluency and pronunciation.	IELTS assesses whether a candidate is able to study or train in the medium of English at an undergratuate and postgraduate level. The test consists of four modules: Listening There are 40 questions within four progressing sections. The first two sections are concerned with social needs. The final two sections are dealing with situations related more closely to educational and training contexts. In both sections students listen to conversations and monologues. Academic Reading There are three reading passages with a total of 1,500 and 2,500 words and 40 questions. Texts are taken from magazines, journals, books and newspapers. All the topics are of general interest. They deal with issues which are interesting, recognisably appropriate and accessible to candidates entering postgraduate or undergraduate courses. Academic Writing Students have to complete two tasks. In task 1 candidates are asked to look at a diagram or table, and to present the information in their own words with at least 150 words. In task 2 candidates have to respond to a given point of view or an argument or a problem and offer adequate solutions. This task requires at least 250 words. Speaking The Speaking Module assesses whether candidates have the necessary knowledge and skills to communicate effectively with native speakers of English. It consists of an oral interview, a conversation, between the candidate and an examiner.
When and where is the TOEFL test given ?	When and where is the APIEL Exam offered ?	When and where is the IELTS test administered ?
The TOEFL test is administered worldwide 12 times a year at more than 1,200 test centers.	APIEL is currently offered on one date in May at selected secondary schools in Germany and France. Students from other countries around the world will join.	The IELTS test is readily available at test centers around the world who arrange test administrations according to local demand. In Germany it is administered in Berlin, Cologne and Hamburg.
How is the TOEFL test scored?	How is the APIEL Exam scored ?	How is the IELTS test scored?
TOEFL examinees receive a scaled score for each section of the test (range 20-68) and a total scaled score (range 200-677). TOEFL scores indicate an examinee’s performance in relation to all others who have taken the test. In general, schools consider a total score of 600 or above to be excellent and a score of 400 or below to be inadequate.	APIEL grades are reported on a five points scale (1-5) – with grades of 3 or higher considered "qualifying". The multiple-choice section is scored by computer, while the essays and audiotaped responses are scored by High School, College and University English teachers.	A score in each of the four modules, and an overall score are recorded as levels of ability, called bands. There are 9 bands from band 1 (= Non User) to band 9 (= Expert User). Reliability of marking is assured through the training, certification and continuous monitoring of examiners.
When are TOEFL scores reported ?	When are APIEL grades reported ?	When are IELTS bands recorded ?
Score reports are mailed approximately five weeks after each test administration.	The exams are scored in mid-June, and grades, along with a diploma, are released to students at the beginning of August.	Results are issued two weeks after candidates have taken the test and recorded on the Test Report Form.
How much does the TOEFL test cost ?	How much does the APIEL Exam cost ?	How much does the IELTS test cost ?
The 1997-1998 fee for the TOEFL test in Europe was US $ 63.- For the Test of Spoken English there was an additional fee of US $ 100.-	The 1998 exam fee was DM 140.-	The 1998 fee was DM 230.-

Further information can be found on the College Board website:

http://www.collegeboard.org/ap/international-english-language/

Test booklets are available at our Secretarial Office – V.U.B. – Room D 1.33 – Pleinlaan 2 – 1050 Brussel.

Comment of Susanne Freisen Std., Educational Trainer for Teachers in English in Nordrhine-Westfalia :

"The APIEL test may offer new inspiration to teachers and give them an evaluation from the outside of the strenghts and weaknesses of their teaching methods. To students it is a marvelous opportunity to test their skills in a worldwide context and possibly even make sure of it for their studies abroad. What a positive launch into life in the global village!"