Values in education 

The long years children spend at school are not only about acquiring key knowledge and skills. At school, children also learn to work together, share, exchange opinions, disagree, choose fairly, and so on. We could call these abilities social skills as they help children live and flourish in a wider community than their family circle.

Social skills are not necessarily the same as social values. Children acquire social skills from all kinds of settings. The tools they use to resolve problems will often come from examples. In the playground, children observe each other and notice behavior. They realize what is acceptable to the other children and which strategies are successful. Some of the things they observe will not reflect healthy social values. 

Part of a school’s mission is to help children learn social skills firmly based on a shared set of values. Many schools recognize this and have a program for education in values. 

What values are we talking about? 

Labeling is always tricky when dealing with an abstract concept such as social values. General ideas include:

• living in a community, collaborating together
• respecting others in all of human diversity
• caring for the environment and the surroundings
• having a sense of self-worth.

At the root of these values are ethical considerations. While it may seem that primary education is too early for ethics, children from a very young age do have a sense of fairness and a sense of honesty. This doesn’t mean that children never lie or behave unfairly. Of course they do! But from about three years old, children know that this behavior is not correct, and they complain when they come across it in others. 

In the school context, social values are too often reduced to a set of school rules and regulations. Typical examples are:

• 'Don't be late!'
• 'Wait your turn!'
• 'Pick up your rubbish!'
• 'Don't invent unkind nicknames'.

While all these statements reflect important social values, if we don’t discuss them with the children, the reasoning behind each statement gets lost. They become boring school rules. And we all know that it can be fun to break school rules if you can get away with it. These regulations are not enough to represent an education in values.

School strategies

At a school level, successful programs often focus on a specific area of a values syllabus. These programs involve all members of a school community: students, teachers, parents, and administrative staff. 

Here are some examples of school programs:

Caring for the environment

Interest in ecology and climate change has led many schools to implement programs focused on respect for the environment and other ecological issues. Suitable activities could include:

• a system of recycling
• a vegetable garden
• initiatives for transforming to renewable energy
• a second-hand bookstore.

Anti-bullying programs

As bullying can have such serious consequences, many schools have anti-bullying policies to deal with bullying incidents. However, the most effective programs also have training sessions for teachers and a continuous program for the children to help them identify bullying behavior. Activities include:

• empathy activities to understand different points of view
• activities to develop peer responsibility about bullying
• activities aimed at increasing children’s sense of self-worth.

Anti-racism programs 

Combating negative racial stereotypes has, until recently, relied mainly on individual teacher initiatives. However, as racial stereotypes are constructed in society, it would be useful to have a school-wide program. This could include:

• materials focusing on the achievements of ethnic minorities
• school talks from members of ethnic minority communities 
• empathy activities to understand the difficulties of marginalized groups.
• study of the culture and history of ethnic minorities.

As children learn from observed behavior, it’s important that everyone in the school community acts consistently with the values in the program.

Managers and HR professionals have a global workforce at their fingertips – and now, nearly 50% of organizations plan to let employees work from home. This makes adopting a secure English language test for employment more important than ever.

An online English test enables organizations to assess candidates’ language proficiency from anywhere in the world, screen more applicants, and standardize the hiring process. They also help HR professionals and managers to save time – ensuring only people with the right language skills advance to the interview stage.

But how can employers be certain these tests are safe? And how easy is it for people to cheat? In this article, we’ll explore a few of the top security concerns we hear, and share what features make online language tests secure.

What is an online English test?

An online English test measures how well a job applicant can communicate in English, focusing on speaking, listening, reading and writing skills. They also assess a candidate’s specific English for business skills – for example, how clearly someone can communicate on the phone with clients, or understand what is being said during a conference call.

Online tests can be taken in a controlled environment – in a testing center with in-person proctors – but also from a job applicant’s personal computer or mobile phone at home. When tests are taken at home, they can be made more secure using virtual proctors or powerful AI monitoring technology.

Cheating, grading and data security

When many people think of taking a language test, they imagine the traditional way: students in a large testing center scribbling away with pen and paper. No mobile phones are allowed, and if test-takers are caught cheating, they’ll be flagged by a proctor walking around the room.

So when managers or HR professionals consider the option of an online English test – taken digitally and often without human supervision – it’s no surprise that many have questions about security. Let’s take a look at some common concerns:

Is cheating a problem?

A large number of test takers admit to cheating on their tests. According to research by the International Center for Academic Integrity, 68% of undergraduate students say they’ve cheated on a writing assignment or test, while 43% of graduate students say they have.

But how easy is it to cheat during a Versant test?

The truth is, not very. With Versant, exam cheating is actually quite difficult, and test takers would have to outsmart a range of AI monitoring technologies.

If a verified photo is uploaded to the platform, HirePro’s face recognition technology can compare the live test taker with it. This ensures test takers are who they say they are, and haven’t asked someone else to sit the exam for them. It is the institution’s responsibility to verify the original photo.

And since Versant tests are monitored using specialized AI algorithms – without a human present – even the slightest suspicious behaviors are flagged for review. For example, Versant notices if a different face appears in the video, or if the camera goes dark. With video monitoring, our platform also flags if the test taker moves from the camera, or looks away multiple times. And we’ll see if someone changes tabs on their computer.

Finally, the entire test is recorded. When suspicious behavior arises, HR professionals will decide whether to accept or reject the results – or have the candidate retake the test.

Are scores accurate?

We’ve all had frustrating experiences with AI. Chatbots don’t always understand what we’re trying to say, and speech recognition technology sometimes isn’t up to par. This leaves many wondering if they should trust AI to grade high-stakes tests – especially when the results could be the difference between someone getting the job, or not.

Versant uses patented AI technology to grade tests that are trained and optimized for evaluating English language proficiency. It evaluates speaking, listening, reading, writing, and even intelligibility.

Our AI is trained using thousands of fluent and second-language English speakers. With these models, we’re able to not only evaluate how someone should be assessed but also understand when they’ve mispronounced words or have made another mistake. Using all this information, a candidate’s final score is evaluated based on more than 2000 data points.

Do online tests follow GDPR standards?

HR professionals and managers deal with sensitive personal information every day. This includes each job applicant’s name, full address, date of birth, and sometimes even their social security number. The HR tools they implement therefore must also keep this data secure.

Most importantly, it must follow GDPR standards. The data must be gathered with consent and protected from exploitation. With Versant, test-taker data is securely stored and follows all GDPR guidelines.

All our data is encrypted at rest and in transmission. Versant assessment data is stored in the US and HirePro, our remote monitoring partner, stores the proctoring data in either Singapore or Europe, depending on customer needs. Both systems are GDPR compliant.

Versant: a secure English language test

The Versant automated language test is powered by patented AI technology to ensure the most accurate results for test takers and employers alike. Even better, our remote testing lets HR professionals securely and efficiently assess candidates worldwide, 24/7 – and recruit top global talent to help more companies scale.

In today's commercial world, proficiency in English can significantly set a successful business apart from those challenged by communication barriers. English acts as a bridge to international markets, enabling businesses to establish worldwide partnerships and connect with a broader audience.

Effective use of English can amplify marketing strategies, enhance customer engagement, and simplify and manage the complexities of legal and financial dealings across different countries. Let's explore an example where English proficiency has been instrumental in a business's success.

Max Kortrakul, the dynamic CEO and co-founder of the company StockRadars, has become a pivotal figure in the business world spearheading innovation within Thailand's thriving stock investment scene. His mobile application, a beacon for stock investors in the region, encapsulates the surge of technology start-ups that Southeast Asia is witnessing. With the prestigious Asia Pacific ICT Alliance Award under its belt in 2014, StockRadars exemplifies the caliber of start-ups emerging from this vibrant corner of the world.

In 2015, Southeast Asia's tech industry saw an unprecedented influx of deals, and as projected by a fascinating report by Temasek and Google Singapore, the internet economy is poised to soar, potentially amassing a staggering US$200 billion annually over the course of the next decade. Amidst this digital gold rush, Max unearths his entrepreneurial saga – from seducing investors with a mere concept, to architecting a budding enterprise with English as a critical cog in reaching an impressive valuation of US$15 million.

The genesis of a pioneering app for stock investors

Eager to democratize the daunting task and practice of stock investing, Max identified a crucial void in the market – intuitive and user-friendly analytical tools. "Investment should be accessible. My vision was to demystify the stock market terrain for both myself and the wider audience in Thailand" he reflects. StockRadars embodies this ethos, distilling complex market data into streamlined, actionable insights, accessible right from your smartphone.

From sleepless nights to a sound business proposition

Max was burning the midnight oil when inspiration struck - that unshakable idea that jolts you awake at 3 a.m. Consumed by potential, he channelled all his energy and focus into writing and crafting the app. "It's about conviction and the audacity to give life to your concept," Max states. "Some ideas propel you into the celebrated Unicorn list; others are stepping stones to the next big venture."

The art of engaging investors

Successful fundraising transcends mere numbers. For Max, it hinged on substantiating his commitment and the sweat equity he poured into StockRadars. "Investors bet on people, not just ideas" he states. Presenting the app as a tool that could help alleviate risk and simplify stock market investment was key to unlocking investor confidence.

Tackling pitchroom anxieties

"I shunned the notion of insignificance," Max admits. Being from a region sparse in tech success stories, he focused on his personal goals and conviction to succeed rather than his country’s size.

Navigating the pitch in English could intimidate, but Max was a proponent of simplicity over jargon. His prior stint in an IT firm in Vietnam had polished his own English skills and vocabulary, a skill he used to his advantage.

Multicultural mindsets driving innovation

Working in diverse environments has broadened Max's horizons, teaching him the value of "English variants" in seamless communication. "Diversity shapes our business ideology" notes Max. Interns from Nepal and England have enriched StockRadars, bringing distinct perspectives to the table and fuelling innovation.

The language of opportunity

"English is the connective tissue in the global business landscape" Max asserts, underscoring its significance in multiplying prospects and fostering networks. With Southeast Asia becoming a fertile ground for tech start-ups, English proficiency is not just an asset; it's a gateway to turning start-up visions into tangible successes.

Why is English so important in business?

In today's global economy, where over 1.5 billion people speak English, it serves as a crucial tool enabling cross-border collaborations and partnerships.

For successful entrepreneurs, like Max, proficiency in English is not merely an academic accomplishment but a strategic business tool that enables effective communication across diverse cultures and geographic boundaries. It breaks down barriers, allowing businesses to access and engage with international clients, partners and investors effortlessly.

In settings where colleagues of diverse nationalities meet, English is the shared language that promotes effective communication and understanding, boosting workflow efficiency and fostering workplace inclusivity. Whether it's negotiating deals, drafting contracts, or conducting marketing campaigns, English proficiency is essential, enhancing professional capabilities across various sectors.

Therefore, speaking and mastering English is not merely a skill but a critical asset, increasing occupational prospects and driving careers and business success in a world where many professionals consider it the language of global business.

This linguistic skill enhances understanding of global market trends and consumer demands, fostering opportunities for collaboration and innovation. Furthermore, English is the predominant language of the Internet, digital marketing and global trade agreements, making it indispensable for businesses aiming to develop and capitalise on e-commerce and digital platforms.

In essence, for many business professionals, English is more than a language; it is a catalyst for business expansion, innovation and competitive edge in the increasingly interconnected global economy.

Ensure your own business success

Are you an aspiring business maverick? Amplify your reach, unlock investment opportunities, and join the ranks of elite companies and start-ups like StockRadars. The trajectory to success starts with a single step - and sometimes, that crucial step is mastering the English language.

Unlock the doors to global success with Pearson's Business English Courses. Whether you're an emerging entrepreneur keen to pitch your next big idea with confidence or a seasoned professional looking to enhance your own knowledge and communication in the international market, our courses are designed to refine you or your students business English language skills.

Read our other posts on workplace English, such as 'Cutting through corporate English: Clearer alternatives to business jargon' and 'Ways language training can transform your business'.

As with all tests, adequate preparation is crucial. For many aspiring migrants needing to take an English test, it may have been several years since they took an official exam. Knowing how to prepare effectively and what to expect on the day are key when it comes to securing a successful outcome. Use these five exam preparation tips below to improve your English test results.

1. Familiarise yourself with the type of test questions you will be asked and know what to expect on the day

The official guides published by the testing bodies are an excellent source of information to help you fast-track your learning. They offer materials that replicate the real test questions as well as guidance and strategies for dealing with every task set. Taking a practice test in exam-like conditions helps to improve time management skills and set realistic expectations on your potential performance.

As with all high-stakes tests, security arrangements at the test center are strict. Test takers need to prove their identity via a passport or similarly approved document, so it’s a good idea to arrive at least 30 minutes before the test time and have your documents to hand.

2. Give yourself enough time by setting clear, measurable and achievable goals. This will help keep your motivation up and your end goal in sight

Start with a detailed understanding of your current English proficiency. That makes it easier to focus on any weaker areas ahead of taking the test and plan how long you’ll need to study for to bring your skills up to the required level.

3. Seek English instruction that works for you and matches your specific needs and learning goals

Coursebooks are a good option if you have a little more time to study in the run-up to the test. A rigorous preparation course structure will take you through a series of normally class-based lessons designed to prepare you for the test. Sometimes, however, the best way to prepare for a test is to join a class and receive tuition face-to-face. There is a multitude of courses and they offer class-based or individual tuition, from intensive week-long courses to six-month programs to help brush up on your English skills.

4. Choose quality materials that are at the right level for you – they should stretch you a bit to help you progress so you stay motivated

Digital learning can be very useful, providing opportunities to study at a time that suits and giving lots of feedback opportunities. Many test-takers take advantage of the large amount of free preparation material that includes everything from print and digital course guides to practice tests. A huge amount of information is also posted on YouTube, including tutorials and advice covering the range of different tests on offer.

5. Be persistent – keep practicing at every opportunity

Make the most of those spare minutes to practice your skills. Every workday includes a little downtime so try to incorporate a few short 5 or 10 minute practice activities each day to keep building your knowledge.

IELTS has long been the standardized test approved by the Australian government and the test of choice for visa applicants both for work and study. Since November 2014, in an effort to make it more convenient for applicants, the DIBP has approved a number of additional tests that can be used as proof of English language skills, including TOEFL iBT, Cambridge English Advanced (CAE) and the Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic).

Bonus tip just for PTE Academic test takers

PTE Academic offers a wide range of free and paid materials online that help test takers prepare for their migration visa English test. Of particular note is the Scored Practice Test which gives test takers an indicative score – so they know how close they are to their goal. 

What keeps people from exercising their creative potential? From negative past experiences to the way we see ourselves, there are many things that can hold us back, no matter how old we are. As teachers, it’s our job to help each individual find out what their creative barriers are, whether internal, external or imagined.

Our classrooms, therefore, need to become places where we nourish emotional safety and welcome mistakes. As such, we should encourage a culture that promotes failing as part of learning.  

Here are three activities to help nurture creativity in the primary classroom.

Activity one: My whole self

In this activity, students express themselves in words and images, using a life-sized drawing of their bodies. The aim of this is to help them share their feelings and ideas. With a little adaptation, it can work just as well with teens and young learners. 
Before the lesson, ensure you have enough cardboard or paper for each student. Each piece will need to be approximately 2m long. If you’re using paper, roll it into tubes, so it’s easier to distribute to each student later.

In class, hand out the paper/cardboard to each student. Tell them to draw a life-size outline of themselves on the paper. Students working online can copy the outline you share onto a large piece of paper. They can do this in their notebooks if they don’t have any paper to hand. 

In teen classes

Tell the students that they are free to use their creativity. They should draw, write, and express themselves however they want. If they are stuck for ideas, ask them:

• How do you feel? 
• What are your ambitions? 
• What are you worried about? 
• What do you enjoy?
• What are you looking forward to?

Note that questions should be adapted to your students’ age and level of English. 

During the activity, your students can use colors, stickers, magazines – and anything that will help them express what is in their minds and hearts. 

A note on using this activity in elementary classes

Primary-aged students will need more support. Here are some example instructions:

• In your right hand, write what you do when you feel frustrated. 
• In your right foot, write your favorite song. 
• In your left leg, write the name of the person you get good advice from. 
• In your right arm, write what makes you happy. 
• In your left hand, write your greatest dream. 
• In your left foot, write which cartoon character you would like to be. 
• In your left leg, write what you like to do in your free time. 
• In your left arm, write things you value the most. 
• On your stomach write your favorite meal.

Afterwards, students should explain what they’ve included in their silhouettes to the rest of the class. Encourage students to ask each other respectful questions. 

Activity two: Message in the box

The aim of this activity is to establish a routine where students can share their ideas, thoughts and feelings on a regular basis. 

Have students bring an old box into class (of any type). Encourage them to personalize their boxes with decorative paper, markers, crayons, stickers, etc. 

Instruct students to write an idea, feeling, thought or question down. The complexity of the task will depend on the grade you teach and their level of English. Topic ideas include:

• What are you grateful for today? 
• How do you feel today?  
• What do you wish for? 
• What do you do when you’re angry? 
• What do you like most about yourself?

Have your students write their answers and put them in the box. When everyone has finished, they should take turns to choose a piece of paper at random and read it out loud to the group. 

Wrap up this activity by asking the class, “What things do we have in common as a group?”. This way students will see that everyone has similar worries and dreams and hopefully they’ll be more willing to talk about their feelings in future classes.

Keep the box in a safe place and review the notes after a month to see if peoples' thoughts and feelings have changed since they did the activity.

Activity three: Activity story board

The ideal class environment is one where students feel challenged, but not overwhelmed.  The aim of this activity is to have students reflect on the challenges they have faced in their day-to-day learning and think about what they need to do to improve. 

On a blank piece of paper, ask students to draw two vertical lines and one horizontal line to form six boxes. They should number each box from 1 to 6. Students should then write a challenge or objective in box number six. It should be something that they would like to improve, for example, studying habits, reading skills, doing homework, getting better at exam results, etc. Then encourage them to think of five things they can do to help them reach their objective and write them in boxes 1-5. 

1. Read at least two paragraphs every day
2. Draw what I think is the main idea on paper. 
3. Look up the meaning of words I don´t understand. 
4. Try to increase the number of paragraphs I read each week. 
5. Make a monthly progress chart  to see if I have improved. If not, I need to work on another strategy.
6. My objective:  Ex. Get better at reading comprehension quizzes.

Provide students with your support and constructive feedback. Have them share their objectives with the rest of the class and every couple of weeks check how they are doing. 
Remember to praise their ideas and efforts to improve. Students are more motivated when they feel their teachers are invested in their success.

Here, we look at what some of the strangest English phrases mean – and reveal their origins…

Bite the bullet

Biting a bullet? What a strange thing to do! This phrase means you’re going to force yourself to do something unpleasant or deal with a difficult situation. Historically, it derives from the 19th century when a patient or soldier would clench a bullet between their teeth to cope with the extreme pain of surgery without anesthetic. A similar phrase with a similar meaning, “chew a bullet”, dates to the late 18th century.

Use it: “I don’t really want to exercise today, but I’ll bite the bullet and go for a run.”

Pigs might fly

We all know that pigs can’t fly, so people use this expression to describe something that is almost certain never to happen. It is said that this phrase has been in use since the 1600s, but why pigs? An early version of the succinct “pigs might fly” was “pigs fly with their tails forward”, which is first found in a list of proverbs in the 1616 edition of John Withals’s English-Latin dictionary, A Shorte Dictionarie for Yonge Begynners: “Pigs fly in the ayre with their tayles forward.” Other creatures have been previously cited in similar phrases – “snails may fly”, “cows might fly”, etc, but it is pigs that have stood the test of time as the favored image of an animal that is particularly unsuited to flight! This phrase is also often used as a sarcastic response to mock someone’s credulity.

Use it: “I might clean my bedroom tomorrow.” – “Yes, and pigs might fly.”

Bob’s your uncle

Even if you don’t have an uncle called Bob, you might still hear this idiom! Its origin comes from when Arthur Balfour was unexpectedly promoted to Chief Secretary for Ireland by the Prime Minister of Britain, Lord Salisbury, in 1900. Salisbury was Arthur Balfour’s uncle (possibly his reason for getting the job!) – and his first name was Robert. This phrase is used when something is accomplished or successful – an alternative to “…and that’s that”.

Use it: “You’re looking for the station? Take a left, then the first right and Bob’s your uncle – you’re there!”

Dead ringer

This phrase commonly refers to something that seems to be a copy of something – mainly if someone looks like another person. The often-repeated story about the origin of this phrase is that many years ago, people were sometimes buried alive because they were presumed dead – when actually they were still alive. To prevent deaths by premature burial, a piece of string would supposedly be tied to the finger of someone being buried – and the other end would be attached to a bell above ground. If the person woke up, they would ring the bell – and the “dead” ringer would emerge looking exactly like someone buried only a few hours ago! Other stories point to the practice of replacing slower horses with faster horses – “ringers”. In this case, “dead” means “exact”.

Use it: “That guy over there is a dead ringer for my ex-boyfriend.”

Off the back of a lorry

This is a way of saying that something was acquired that is probably stolen, or someone is selling something that’s stolen or illegitimate. It can also be used humorously to emphasize that something you bought was so cheap that it must have been stolen! “Lorry” is the British version – in the US, things fall off the back of “trucks”. An early printed version of this saying came surprisingly late in The Times in 1968. However, there are many anecdotal reports of the phrase in the UK from much earlier than that, and it is likely to date back to at least World War II. It’s just the sort of language that those who peddled illegal goods during and after WWII would have used.

Use it: “I can’t believe these shoes were so cheap – they must have fallen off the back of a lorry.”

Automated assessment, including the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), is one of the latest education tech solutions. It speeds up exam marking times, removes human biases, and is as accurate and at least as reliable as human examiners. As innovations go, this one is a real game-changer for teachers and students. 

However, it has understandably been met with many questions and sometimes skepticism in the ELT community – can computers really mark speaking and writing exams accurately? 

The answer is a resounding yes. Students from all parts of the world already take AI-graded tests. PTE Academic and Versant tests – for example – provide unbiased, fair and fast automated scoring for speaking and writing exams – irrespective of where the test takers live, or what their accent or gender is. 

This article will explain the main processes involved in AI automated scoring and make the point that AI technologies are built on the foundations of consistent expert human judgments. So, let’s clear up the confusion around automated scoring and AI and look into how it can help teachers and students alike. 

AI versus traditional automated scoring

First of all, let’s distinguish between traditional automated scoring and AI. When we talk about automated scoring, generally, we mean scoring items that are either multiple-choice or cloze items. You may have to reorder sentences, choose from a drop-down list, insert a missing word- that sort of thing. These question types are designed to test particular skills and automated scoring ensures that they can be marked quickly and accurately every time.

While automatically scored items like these can be used to assess receptive skills such as listening and reading comprehension, they cannot mark the productive skills of writing and speaking. Every student's response in writing and speaking items will be different, so how can computers mark them?

This is where AI comes in. 

We hear a lot about how AI is increasingly being used in areas where there is a need to deal with large amounts of unstructured data, effectively and 100% accurately – like in medical diagnostics, for example. In language testing, AI uses specialized computer software to grade written and oral tests. 

How AI is used to score speaking exams

The first step is to build an acoustic model for each language that can recognize speech and convert it into waveforms and text. While this technology used to be very unusual, most of our smartphones can do this now. 

These acoustic models are then trained to score every single prompt or item on a test. We do this by using human expert raters to score the items first, using double marking. They score hundreds of oral responses for each item, and these ‘Standards’ are then used to train the engine. 

Next, we validate the trained engine by feeding in many more human-marked items, and check that the machine scores are very highly correlated to the human scores. If this doesn’t happen for any item, we remove it, as it must match the standard set by human markers. We expect a correlation of between .95-.99. That means that tests will be marked between 95-99% exactly the same as human-marked samples. 

This is incredibly high compared to the reliability of human-marked speaking tests. In essence, we use a group of highly expert human raters to train the AI engine, and then their standard is replicated time after time.  

How AI is used to score writing exams

Our AI writing scoring uses a technology called latent semantic analysis. LSA is a natural language processing technique that can analyze and score writing, based on the meaning behind words – and not just their superficial characteristics. 

Similarly to our speech recognition acoustic models, we first establish a language-specific text recognition model. We feed a large amount of text into the system, and LSA uses artificial intelligence to learn the patterns of how words relate to each other and are used in, for example, the English language. 

Once the language model has been established, we train the engine to score every written item on a test. As in speaking items, we do this by using human expert raters to score the items first, using double marking. They score many hundreds of written responses for each item, and these ‘Standards’ are then used to train the engine. We then validate the trained engine by feeding in many more human-marked items, and check that the machine scores are very highly correlated to the human scores. 

The benchmark is always the expert human scores. If our AI system doesn’t closely match the scores given by human markers, we remove the item, as it is essential to match the standard set by human markers.

AI’s ability to mark multiple traits 

One of the challenges human markers face in scoring speaking and written items is assessing many traits on a single item. For example, when assessing and scoring speaking, they may need to give separate scores for content, fluency and pronunciation. 

In written responses, markers may need to score a piece of writing for vocabulary, style and grammar. Effectively, they may need to mark every single item at least three times, maybe more. However, once we have trained the AI systems on every trait score in speaking and writing, they can then mark items on any number of traits instantaneously – and without error. 

AI’s lack of bias

A fundamental premise for any test is that no advantage or disadvantage should be given to any candidate. In other words, there should be no positive or negative bias. This can be very difficult to achieve in human-marked speaking and written assessments. In fact, candidates often feel they may have received a different score if someone else had heard them or read their work.

Our AI systems eradicate the issue of bias. This is done by ensuring our speaking and writing AI systems are trained on an extensive range of human accents and writing types. 

We don’t want perfect native-speaking accents or writing styles to train our engines. We use representative non-native samples from across the world. When we initially set up our AI systems for speaking and writing scoring, we trialed our items and trained our engines using millions of student responses. We continue to do this now as new items are developed.

The benefits of AI automated assessment

There is nothing wrong with hand-marking homework tests and exams. In fact, it is essential for teachers to get to know their students and provide personal feedback and advice. However, manually correcting hundreds of tests, daily or weekly, can be repetitive, time-consuming, not always reliable and takes time away from working alongside students in the classroom. The use of AI in formative and summative assessments can increase assessed practice time for students and reduce the marking load for teachers.

Language learning takes time, lots of time to progress to high levels of proficiency. The blended use of AI can:

• address the increasing importance of formative assessment to drive personalized learning and diagnostic assessment feedback 

• allow students to practice and get instant feedback inside and outside of allocated teaching time

• address the issue of teacher workload

• create a virtuous combination between humans and machines, taking advantage of what humans do best and what machines do best. 

• provide fair, fast and unbiased summative assessment scores in high-stakes testing.

We hope this article has answered a few burning questions about how AI is used to assess speaking and writing in our language tests. An interesting quote from Fei-Fei Li, Chief scientist at Google and Stanford Professor describes AI like this:

“I often tell my students not to be misled by the name ‘artificial intelligence’ — there is nothing artificial about it; A.I. is made by humans, intended to behave [like] humans and, ultimately, to impact human lives and human society.”

AI in formative and summative assessments will never replace the role of teachers. AI will support teachers, provide endless opportunities for students to improve, and provide a solution to slow, unreliable and often unfair high-stakes assessments.

Examples of AI assessments in ELT

At Pearson, we have developed a range of assessments using AI technology.

Versant

The Versant tests are a great tool to help establish language proficiency benchmarks in any school, organization or business. They are specifically designed for placement tests to determine the appropriate level for the learner.

PTE Academic

The Pearson Test of English Academic is aimed at those who need to prove their level of English for a university place, a job or a visa. It uses AI to score tests and results are available within five days. 

Pearson English International Certificate (PEIC)

Pearson English International Certificate (PEIC) also uses automated assessment technology. With a two-hour test available on-demand to take at home or at school (or at a secure test center). Using a combination of advanced speech recognition and exam grading technology and the expertise of professional ELT exam markers worldwide, our patented software can measure English language ability.