CaMLA Certificaties

The Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB) evaluates advanced-level English language competence of adult nonnative speakers of English. The MELAB is intended for

• Students applying to United States, Canadian, British, and other educational institutions where the language of instruction is English
• Professionals who need English for work or training purposes
• Anyone interested in obtaining a general assessment of their English language proficiency for educational or employment opportunities

The MELAB is a secure test and is administered only by authorized official examiners. Many educational institutions in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and other countries accept the MELAB as an alternative to the TOEFL.

However, registration for the MELAB is different than for the other exams.

REGISTRATION

To register for the MELAB, complete the MELAB Identification Form. Print the form and mail it or take it to your MELAB test center.

• Your completed identification form, your passport photo, and the test fee must arrive at your selected test center by the registration deadline as specified by the center. An incomplete identification form without a passport photo and the accompanying test fee will not be processed.
• The MELAB Speaking Test cannot be taken alone. Speaking test scores are reported only in conjunction with the most recent written MELAB examination scores.
• Contact your nearest MELAB test center for the dates of upcoming MELAB administrations.

FORMAT

The MELAB is designed to measure your proficiency in the four basic language skill areas: writing, listening, reading, and speaking.

The entire MELAB lasts 2½ to 3½ hours (including check-in at the examination site) and consists of three required parts:

• A written composition
• A listening comprehension test
• A multiple-choice test containing grammar, cloze reading, vocabulary, and reading comprehension problems

OPTIONAL SPEAKING TEST

The speaking test is not automatically included in every MELAB administration.

• The speaking test is not offered at every test center
• The speaking test may not be taken separately; it may be taken only in conjunction with the written MELAB exam
• If you are applying at the graduate level to a university in the United States and want to be considered for a teaching assistantship in order to receive financial aid, it is strongly recommended that you include the speaking test

MELAB FEES

ECCE

The Examination for the Certificate of Competency in English (or ECCE) is a standardized high intermediate-level English as a foreign language (EFL) examination. The ECCE certificate is recognized in several countries as official documentary evidence of high-intermediate proficiency in the English language and can be used for academic and professional purposes.

The ECCE is regularly updated to ensure that the examination reflects current research in language teaching and assessment and also continues to provide test takers with a test that helps them to demonstrate their language proficiency.

TEST DESCRIPTION

The ECCE is a standardized high-intermediate level English as a foreign language (EFL) examination and is administered at authorized test centers around the world. New test forms are developed for each administration.

TEST PURPOSE

The ECCE is administered internationally and is appropriate for teenagers, young adults, and adults residing in any country where the common language is not English. The ECCE assesses all four component skills of listening, reading, writing, and speaking through a combination of tasks in order to certify high-intermediate English language proficiency. The examination focuses on skills and content at the B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).

TYPICAL TEST TAKER

Language users at the B2 proficiency level:

Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialisation. Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party. Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.

(Council of Europe, 2001: 24)

Therefore, ECCE certificate holders are expected to communicate at a high level on topics with which they are familiar. In such contexts they are interactive oral English speakers; they contribute to the development of a discussion, can understand conversational questions, can grasp both the gist and details of a conversation delivered in Standard American English, and can understand extended spoken discourse. They should also have a well-developed vocabulary as well as a sound grasp of English grammar. They can understand many different kinds of written materials. Additionally, they are able to communicate in standard written English with good expression and accuracy.

TEST CONTENT

Stimuli in the ECCE reflect a range of situations likely to be met in most countries. The CEFR identifies four basic domains, namely personal, public, occupational, and educational (Council of Europe, 2001: 48–49). The ECCE presents topics situated across all of these domains.

TOPICS

Test takers should require no specialized knowledge or experience to understand the content of the items or prompts. Topics should be equally accessible to a range of ages and should represent a variety of opinions. In addition, the input should not present controversial, emotionally upsetting, or unrealistic scenarios.

A concerted effort is made to make sure topical content in the ECCE is not biased. Hambleton and Rodgers (1995, para. 1) define bias as “the presence of some characteristic of an item that results in differential performance for two individuals of the same ability but from different ethnic, sex, cultural, or religious groups.” They further note that another characteristic related to bias is offensiveness, which can obstruct the purpose of a test item. They explain that “while the presence of such material may not make the item more difficult for the test taker, it may cause him or her to become ‘turned off,’ and result in lowered performance” (op. cit., para. 7). Consequently, ECCE material is scrutinized to ensure that it is not inflammatory, emotionally upsetting, or controversial. This is meant to decrease the potential for bias.

SCORE REPORTING

ECCE section scores are reported in five bands. The levels of performance, from highest to lowest, are:

ECCE test takers who achieve an average score of 650 or higher will be awarded a certificate. Additionally, those who achieve a score of 840 or higher in all four sections will be awarded a Certificate of Competency with Honors. An ECCE qualification is valid for life.