About the ISLPR Test

The ISLPR®test is like no other English test available in Australia.

Why? Unlike other English tests, the ISLPR® is a personal, one-to-one English test. This means the content of the test is specific to your background and needs.

For example, if you are required to complete an ISLPR® test to become a registered teacher in Australia, the content of your ISLPR® test will be based on teaching-related topics. Similarly, if you need to do an English test to gain entry into a Bachelor
of Business, the content of your ISLPR® test will be based on business-related topics.

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”I found if you have some tricks and some fortune, you can pass other tests. ISLPR is different; you have to be good to get the score you need. For ISLPR you just have to improve your English. With other tests you don’t have to understand the texts; you just have to attempt to answer the questions…”

The ISLPR® test is a two-part test:

  1. One hour interview
    • You will be interviewed by an examiner who will test your speaking, listening, and reading skills during a 1-hour interview.
    • You will be given tasks that are related to your area of interest (e.g. teaching primary school children).
  2. One hour writing exam
    • Your writing exam is an individual and self-paced exam.
    • You will be given two short writing tasks and asked to complete these in one hour. Again, the writing tasks will be related to your area of interest.
    • You may be given an extra 15 minutes at the end of the exam to check your writing (i.e., a total of 75 minutes).

The ISLPR® test examines people of ALL levels of English proficiency fairly.

  • The ISLPR® test only takes about two hours to complete.
    • This reduces fatigue and means you are in a better position to perform well
  • The ISLPR® test has a large portion of human interaction as this best reflects the nature of human language.
  • The ISLPR® focuses on real language, rather than test-taking tricks.
Download an ISLPR Information Sheet
 

The Content:

An important principle of the ISLPR® is that the test should give a direct indication of the candidate’s ability to use English for practical purposes. Tasks are designed to reflect real-life language use.

For more information on the content of each part of the test, read our guidelines posts here:

The Interview:

The interview begins with a conversation about everyday topics and the particular areas of need or interest of the candidate.

In the second part of the interview, there are Listening and Reading tasks in which candidates are asked questions about authentic texts such as news stories and public announcements and give spoken answers (generally using their own words to prove that they have understood the texts).

Throughout the interview, the candidate’s fluency, range of language, and appropriateness of language as well as the accuracy of their grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation are important.

Writing Tasks

Writing tasks reflect the kinds of writing that candidates do in their daily lives.  The candidate will be asked to complete two tasks within the 60-minute time frame. The first task is 150 words and the second is 250 words.

For more information on the writing test, click here.

Part Tests

Part tests (e.g. just a Writing test) are also offered, but you must check with the end-user (e.g. University or registration board) if they will accept a part-test.

Results from tests completed on two separate occasions will never be combined.

The Results

Test results are reported as a profile, e.g. S:2, L:2+, R:2+, W:2.

Brief summaries of each of the levels of the scale are given on the page ‘Summary of ISLPR’.

 

The ISLPR Online Test

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we developed an online version of the ISLPR test. The overall format of the online test is similar to the face-to-face test, however, the interview is conducted via video conferencing software and the writing test is completed electronically within our custom made software. Given the difference in the way the test is administered, the rules, terms and conditions of the online test differ from the face-to-face test. To learn more about the online test, click here.

At present, the ISLPR Online Test is accepted by the following organisations:

  • New Zealand Teaching Council – accepts the full ISLPR online test.
  • NESA – accepts the ISLPR online writing test only until March 2022.