What is CEPA?

CEPA is designed as a criterion-referenced proficiency test to measure what test takers can do with the language in real-life tasks that they encounter in the workplace environment. CEPA utilizes CEFR s action-oriented approach to language use. To this end, CEPA defines communicative language competence as an interrelated integration of linguistic (grammatical and lexical), sociolinguistic, and pragmatic competences. CEPA assessment tasks aim to elicit the use of this communicative language competence both in the general English and business English use domains. CEPA has been designed after a long-term analysis of workplace communication domain including the identification of vital communication tasks that employees need to handle as part of their day-to-day operations. To design the assessment tasks in CEPA, communicative themes, tasks, and purposes, as wells the means (modes of communication) in which English is used in general and workplace domains have been analyzed through CEFR can do statements across six main levels, ESL/EFL general course books, ESL/EFL business English course books, and needs analysis survey with the Human Resources specialists across leading multinational corporates. The CEPA assessment tasks are situationally and interactionally authentic. This ensures that the test represents the language use activities in real-life workplace contexts and that they allow the test takers to interact with the tasks as naturally as possible.

What does the CEPA consist of?

CEPA has three interconnected components which intends to measure candidates communicative English proficiency both in general and workplace domains across the CEFR levels: CEPA Reading and Listening Comprehension Assessment measures test takers’ proficiency in the general and workplace English reading and listening comprehension. This assessment has an adaptive-release format in which the questions are presented in sets of pre-defined levels of difficulty and ongoing difficulty increases as test progresses. Test takers can see the questions in the next set only when they reach a certain threshold in the current set of questions that they respond to within the allocated time. The maximum number of questions that a candidate can respond is forty in each skill. CEPA Reading and Listening Comprehension Assessment consists of the following selected-response item types:

Single-response multiple-choice
Multiple-response multiple-choice
Match/Compare-contrast
Re-order
Drag and drop
Summarize written/oral texts

CEPA Written Communication Assessment measures test takers’ workplace English written communication proficiency. It consists of three independent writing tasks in which test takers need to use information from one or more multimodal inputs in order to complete the tasks successfully. The CEPA writing tasks simulate the real-life written language use in completing key workplace tasks. CEPA Written Communication Assessment tasks are as follows:

Writing an email message
Writing about a business enquiry or issue
Writing a brief report

CEPA Oral Proficiency Assessment measures test takers’ workplace English oral communication proficiency. It consists of three independent speaking tasks in which test takers need to use information from one or more multimodal inputs in order to complete the tasks successfully. The CEPA speaking tasks simulate the real-life oral language use in completing key workplace tasks. CEPA Written Communication Assessment tasks are as follows:

Stating opinions about a case/an issue/a business enquiry
Providing a verbal report
Giving a short presentation

How is the CEPA delivered and administered?

CEPA is delivered via a state-of-art online testing platform engineered specifically for the CEPA. The CEPA testing platform has been designed with strict security measures but at the same time provides the end users with the flexibility to optimize the use of it based on their pedagogical and technical preferences. Some key pedagogical affordances: The ability to enlarge, annotate, and highlight reading texts The ability to take and use notes throughout the test In-text glossary for unknown concepts and terms in reading texts The ability to preview question stems in the listening test Built-in MS Word and PPT affordances in writing and speaking tasks Built-in dictionary in writing and speaking tests Personalized performance feedback in writing and speaking tests Meaningful results summary indicating what test takers can do with the language

Test security and technical affordances?

CEPA testing platform has been designed with strict security measures to prevent potential cheating. CEPA utilizes the following test security affordances to ensure the test reliability: A state-of-art trend software coding programs Locking the testing screen Blocking access to other operations (e.g. applications, web sites, resources or other materials) Recording candidates test screen Video recording candidates and their surrounding Keystroke logging Blocking some functional keystrokes Detailed logging system