The Visiting Scholar and Exchange Student Online English Language Assessments were
developed by the former English Language Institute (ELI) at Michigan Tech and are administered by qualified staff with expertise in Teaching English to Speakers
of Other Languages (TESOL). The assessments are conducted via Zoom (or similar app)
or face-to-face, when available.
The assessments must be requested through a department coordinator and paid for when scheduling. The assessments cost $25 each.
Visiting Scholar English Language Assessment
Purpose
The Visiting Scholar English Language Assessment is designed to help ensure that scholars
are able to use language at a level that would allow them to be self-sufficient in
the community while conducting their research. It is not intended to measure academic
language ability.
Format
Visiting Scholars are interviewed for approximately 15-30 minutes. They receive several pictures and are asked questions about each photo. The questions
range from descriptive to abstract. During the assessment, scholars may ask for clarification.
Two raters are present to ensure objectivity.
Exchange Student English Language Assessment
Purpose
The Exchange Student English Language Assessment attempts to measure a student’s level
of listening and speaking in a more academic context as well as basic communication.
Format
Students are interviewed for approximately 15-30 minutes. They are asked questions about one photo and other topics. The questions range from
descriptive to abstract. During the assessment, students may ask for clarification.
Two raters are present to ensure objectivity.
Procedure for Requesting Visiting Scholar and Exchange Student Online English Language
Assessment
- Provide the potential student or scholar’s name and email address to your department
coordinator. - The department coordinator will email [email protected] and provide the name and email address of the student/scholar.
- The Graduate School’s English Language Support Program Coordinator will email the
student/scholar with a link to pay for the assessment ($25) and arrange a time for
the assessment. The department coordinator and additional rater will be CCd. - The Graduate School will email the results of the assessment in pdf format to the
department coordinator, the student/scholar, and International Programs and Services
(IPS).
In an effort to make our assessment as transparent and useful as possible, a copy
of the rubric used to rate the scholar’s English proficiency is included below. This
rubric will also be included with the assessment results
