Unproblematic and uncontroversial: the ELF element in an on-line test

This paper reports on a project to develop an entrance test for European university students which is more valid than the ones currently on the market, designed with an English native speaker environment (usually the UK or the US) in mind. In Europe, and notably since the Bologna Declaration of 1999, a minimum entrance level requirement (usually B1 or B2 of the CEFR) for all incoming university students has now become the norm, reflecting the need for English across a range of courses and curricula. But which English? Research carried out at the University of Venice, and sponsored by Trinity College London, suggests that much of the language students will be exposed to in their university careers – whether oral or written – is of a non native speaker variety. This includes listening to visiting professors, interacting with Erasmus students on mobility programmes, and using the Internet for research. Real life tasks such as these informed the construct of the online entrance test reported on, designed to have greater predictive value for student survival in a European academic environment in which ELF has become a daily reality for an increasing number of students, teachers, and administrative staff. The test (provisionally called TEEUS, Test of English for European University Students) was pre-trialled in Venice in 2011. As well as the rationale behind the test, the paper will look at the test structure and student feedback on the tasks (such as reactions to non-native accents), and conclude that a test with a strong ELF component may be seen by test takers as both appropriate and uncontroversial.