Presentation of the new Certificate of English created by the 12 Catalan Universities, 2013.

1. EL CLUC d’anglès, el nou certificat de les
universitats de Catalunya
Universitat de Barcelona - Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona - Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
Universitat Pompeu Fabra - Universitat de Lleida - Universitat de Girona - Universitat Rovira i Virgili
Universitat Ramon Llull - Universitat Oberta de Catalunya - Universitat de Vic
Universitat Internacional de Catalunya - Universitat Abat Oliba CEU
Sònia Prats, APAC 2013

3. Why?
 Need for our own exam in Catalonia
 To serve the specific requirements of the university community
 Other interuniversity projects working well: CIFOLC, ComComunicar, ...
 To support the good work carried out at our university language centers in
terms of assessment

4. How?
 PUC (Prova universitària de competència en anglès)
 Interlingua grants, from the Consell Interuniversitari de Catalunya
 February 2012, meeting of the university language-centre directors;
March 2012, proposal and commission

5. What’s in it for me?

6. What?
 Levels
 Addressed to
 Cost
 When
 Who gets involved in the project
 What will be assessed
 What can be reused from the old PUC exam

7. Steps
 Specifications for writing & speaking & reading tests
 Elaboration of the different parts
Reading & text-mapping
Writing
Speaking
 Assessment criteria
 Writing
 Reading
 Speaking: holistic and analytic

8. Steps
 Piloting
The sample that participated in the study comprised 433 students of English at B1, B2 and C1 levels
taking courses at five Catalan universities: the UAB, the UdL, the UPC, the UPF and the UVic.
Distribution of participants according to university of study:

9.  Piloting
Data processing (statistical, feedback questionnaires,...)

11.  Piloting: consequences and improvements made
 Cut-off points and selection of texts (oral & reading)
 Rewording of instructions
 Eliminate certain items (reading and Simtest)
 Timing confirmed
 Reordering different parts of oral text
 Video recordings and writing samples for future reference and use, to
establish gold standard
 More scripting (and more detailed) needed for examiners and invigilators

12. Essential
 Assessors: qualities and experience needed
 Training (norming sessions)
 Collect all feedback
 Documents created and storage
 Final results: excel and instructions

13. Also important
 Administrative regulations of the different tests
 Administration guide: procedures, issuing of certificates,...
 Publicity: transparency of information, quality standards
 Certification / ACLES
 CLUC and the media

16. And what next?

17. Bibliography
Council of Europe (2011). Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment.
Rita Green, Statistical Analysis for Language Testers (Palgrave Macmillan, 2013)
Fulcher, G. and Davidson, F. Language Testing and Assessment (Routledge, 2007)
Bachman, L.F. and Palmer, A.S. Language Testing in Practice: Designing and Developing Useful Language Tests.
(Oxford University Press, 1996)

18. ille! Mer
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Grazie auco
up!
Moltes gràcies!
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has you
¡Muc very
muc
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sonia.prats@uab.cat
Coordinació CLUC, 2012-2013