All Glion students are required to enter their respective programme with an English level of either B2 or C1 on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), the international standard for describing language ability. Alternatively they can take the intensive English course before starting their studies. All English course participants take the Linguaskill Reading and Listening module at the beginning and at the end of the six-week course. The aims are twofold: to measure students’ progress and to make sure they have reached the required language level before starting their degree programme.
Two test versions
Of the two available versions, Linguaskill General or Linguaskill Business, the management school has chosen to work with the latter option. ‘The Business English module content is extremely valuable for our hospitality and business management students, and offers something different from the standard English courses they’re often used to,’ says Andrew Keohane, Senior Learning Support Manager at Glion. Powered by artificial intelligence technology, both Linguaskill options test all four language skills – reading, listening, writing and speaking – in three separate modules. The test’s modular format means Glion can choose which combination of language skills is right for them, in this case using just the Reading and Listening module.
Flexibility and ease of use
‘We also appreciate having an external test with instant results, as they’re impartial and not subject to debate,’
Linguaskill doesn’t have any set dates or venues, so Glion can run and invigilate the test at their own site, whenever they want. ‘We need to be able to administer the English tests flexibly and to choose the date and time of the tests ourselves, which the ease of administration of Linguaskill allows,’ explains Andrew. This can be done simply and quickly online via the Cambridge English Test Portal. Candidate details can be uploaded in bulk, which saves time in setting up the test.
Fast results and international recognition
‘We also appreciate having an external test with instant results, as they’re impartial and not subject to debate,’ says Andrew. Linguaskill provides accurate, CEFR-aligned results within 48 hours, with clear Group Reports. Individual Test Reports show a Cambridge English Scale score for each language skill to provide a more detailed understanding of performance. This helps Glion easily make informed decisions and compare student performances.
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