The English Job Test (also known as OET ) is an international English test for the health care sector. It assesses the language communication skills of health professionals wishing to enroll and practice in an English speaking environment.
OET is available for the following 12 professions: dentistry, dietetic, medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, optometry, pharmacy, physiotherapy, podiatry, radiography, speech pathology, and veterinary science.
Video Occupational English Test
History
OET was designed in the late 1980s by Professor Tim McNamara, under the guidance of the Australian National Office for Overseas Skills Recognition (NOOSR), which conducted the tests at the time. This test has been studied and developed continuously since then to ensure that this test has followed the latest theories and practices in language assessment. This work has been done primarily by the University of Melbourne's Language Testing Research Center and, more recently, also by the Cambridge English Language Assessment.
Since March 2013, the test has been owned by Cambridge Box Hill Language Assessment Trust (CBLA), an effort between the Cambridge English Language Assessment and Box Hill Institute.
Maps Occupational English Test
Recognition
OET is recognized by health and board of health agencies in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, recently in the UK and Ireland. Many organizations, including hospitals, universities and colleges, use OET as evidence of a candidate's ability to communicate effectively in a demanding health care environment. In addition, the OET is recognized by the Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection for a number of visa categories, including work visas and student visas.
Any organization that recognizes determines which class results mean that candidates meet the language competence standards to function in their profession. The full list of setting organizations that accept OET can be viewed on the official website.
Format
OET provides a valid and reliable assessment of the four language skills - Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking - with an emphasis on communication in the setting of medical and health professionals. OET consists of four sub-tests:
- Listen (about 50 minutes)
- Reading (60 minutes)
- Write (45 minutes)
- Talk (about 20 minutes).
Listen
The listening test consists of two parts. In Part A, the candidate listens to a simulation consultation (dialogue) between a professional and a patient and is asked to record under the heading. In Part B, the candidate listens to a health professional who gives a brief lecture on a health-related topic and is asked to solve open-ended and fixed-choice questions.
Reading
The reading test consists of two parts. In Part A, which lasts 15 minutes, the candidates are asked to read 3 or 4 short texts and fill out the summary paragraphs by filling out the missing words. It's designed to test reader's ability to scan text within the time limit, source information from multiple texts, and synthesize information. In Part B, which lasts for 45 minutes, candidates are required to read two sections on general health care topics and answer 8-10 multiple-choice questions for each text. It's designed to test readers' ability to read and understand longer texts.
Write
The writing paper asks the candidate to write a letter, usually a reference letter. For some professions, different types of letters are required, e.g. a transfer or debit letter, or a letter to advise patients, caregivers or groups. Candidates are given case notes that should be included in their mail.
Speaks
The speaking test is in the form of a one-to-one conversation with the other person. It starts with a short warm up interview about the candidate's professional background. This is followed by two role plays. Candidates have 2-3 minutes to prepare each role game. The role play lasts about five minutes and is based on the typical interaction between a health professional and a patient. Candidates adopt their usual professional role (eg as a nurse) and the interviewer plays a patient or sometimes a relative or caregiver. For veterinary science, the interviewer is the owner or guardian of the animal.
Scoring
Each of the four sub-tests that make up OET is rated A through E, where A is the highest value and E is the lowest. There is no overall value.
Listen and read
There are no fixed scores-to-class links for both listening and reading tests. Class boundaries are continuously rearranged because different test materials are used in every administration. The average percentage of candidates in each class for writing and speaking tests is applied to the spread of the show on a listening and reading test to set the class limit.
Write and speak
In writing and speaking, the score is generated through statistical analysis of two sets of scores from two independent appraisers. This is modified, following the established practice, to the final value.
Time and results
OET is available up to 12 times a year and can be taken at test sites around the world. The full list is available on the official website.
Results are published online about 16 working days after the exam. Official statement of the results sent in the post after the release of online results. There is no overall value - the candidate receives separate values ​​for each sub-test.
Most admitting organizations require candidates to have at least a B value in each of the four sub-tests and recognize the results as valid for up to two years. Most admitting organizations also require that candidates achieve the required values ​​for each sub-test in a single session. However, candidates should check with the organization that governs their profession to confirm the current requirements.
Scandal
The Occupational English Test is plagued by criticism from the Australian Government Parliament in 2013. The wider public makes negative statements about the conditions of testing and marks consistency on the Inquiry. One submission states that it is possible to get a pass by repeating the test many times as you will eventually be marked higher after 6 sittings of the OET test.
Research
OET is supported by over 30 years of research and these tests are regularly updated to keep up with changes in language testing in the context of health care. There is a strong emphasis on ongoing validity and test reliability. Leading academic language testing contributes to the continued development of the test, and subject experts are consulted to ensure that the task is based on a typical workplace situation and professional demands. The full list of studies can be viewed on the official website
References
External links
- Official website
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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