Nowadays, there is an increasing expectation for children to begin learning English as soon as possible. This notion is exemplified by the fact that many middle and high schools oblige their pupils
What is the APTIS for Teens?
The APTIS for Teens is an English language proficiency test designed by the British Council. It serves as a more specific variant of the APTIS General Test. In this way, it follows the same format as the original. There are 5 components to the exam: Grammar and Vocabulary, Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking, each with an allotted time limit. Within each section, there are a variety of question-types and tasks to complete.
While the complete test’s duration is approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes, educators can make the choice of offering a shorter modified exam to their students, which would only evaluate a student’s Grammar and Vocabulary plus one, two, or three of the skills.
How does the APTIS for Teens differ from the APTIS General?
The APTIS for Teens utilizes themes and topics that are suitable for adolescents aged 13-17. The exam focuses on topics that teens would instantly recognize including social media, school life, hobbies etc. By doing so, test-takers are not penalized if they are unable to understand certain subject. Accordingly, teenagers are able to focus on the skills and sub-skills necessary to complete each task knowing that their results can depict an honest reflection of their actual language ability.
How is the APTIS for Teens scored?
Upon receiving a Candidate Report outlining their results, students are presented with several different scores. Each skill, Reading, Listening, Writing, and Speaking is graded out of 50 points. A Final Overall Score out of 200 is also given based on the sum of these numbers. Alongside this, a CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference) level is assigned to each skill, as well as to the total score. It is important to note that comparisons between skills should be made by using the CEFR levels, not the numerical values, because each skill is weighted differently. The APTIS for Teens measures candidates’ levels from A1(Basic User) to a C (Proficient User)
In addition to these figures, a score is also given out of 50 for a student’s performance in the Grammar and Vocabulary section. While this numerical figure does not contribute to the Overall Final Score, it is a helpful tool in determining the candidate’s overall CEFR ranking if they fall in the ‘grey area’ of two levels.
Given the nature of the question types (multiple-choice and matching), the scores for Reading and Listening are calculated by a computer. Nevertheless, the Writing and Speaking tasks are divided up and graded by a set of professionally-trained examiners to ensure the utmost accuracy of results.
What are the benefits of taking the APTIS for Teens?
There are benefits of taking the APTIS for Teens for both the educational institutions that offer them and for the students alike.
For institutions
- Providing a better categorization of students’ English levels, allowing them to be sorted into appropriate classes
- Effectively monitoring improvement throughout a student’s course of study
- Evaluating students’ abilities before taking higher-stake examinations or programs abroad
- Confidence in the reliability and accuracy of a British Council examination
For test-takers
- Improving self-confidence of their English level, supported by an official examining body, the British Council
- Being able to understand personal strengths and weaknesses on a deeper level
- Earning a professional certification to support internship, college and university applications
