English Speaking Board (International) Ltd

Category: Language

  • Join ESB International at NATECLA: a Smarter Approach to ESOL Assessment

    English Speaking Board (International) Ltd. (ESB International) is proud to be attending this year’s NATECLA National Conference, taking place from 27th–28th June. As a long-standing supporter of the ESOL community, we’re excited to connect with professionals across the sector to demonstrate how our approach to ESOL assessment not only enhances learner outcomes but also reduces tutor workload, improving overall wellbeing. 

    As part of our involvement, ESB International is pleased to sponsor the delegate badges at this year’s event. We will be well-represented throughout the conference at our stand in the exhibition area, where we’ll be sharing how our externally assessed ESOL Skills for Life qualifications can deliver real value to your provision. Whether you’re considering a shift from internal assessments or looking to improve your current external approach, we welcome the opportunity to speak with you. 

    Come and meet our team, including Tina Renshaw (Chief Executive) and Alan Brierley (Business Strategy Manager), and learn how we can support your organisation in delivering high-quality, meaningful assessments that work for learners and educators alike. 

    Don’t miss our practical ESOL workshop

    We’re also excited to be delivering a workshop that offers direct takeaways for classroom practice.

    This workshop is open to all interested ESOL practitioners. 

    Workshop: Assess your Learners’ Reading Skills 
    Presenter: Anthea Wilson, ESB International’s Chief Assessor
    Date & Time: Saturday 29th June, 10:45–11:45am 
    What to Expect: A hands-on CPD session that guides ESOL tutors in creating effective reading assessment materials—practical, ready-to-use content that can be applied in the classroom right away. 

    If you’re unable to attend the conference or would prefer to explore our qualifications in a more personalised setting, we also offer informal one-to-one introductions with our team. To arrange a conversation at your convenience, simply click the button below to book a meeting.

    Book a meeting

    We look forward to seeing many of you at NATECLA and continuing to support the incredible work being done across the ESOL sector. 

  • Welcome back to all of our UK based centres – Academic Year 2021-22

    Thank you so much to all our centres that booked assessments with us last year. We all worked hard so that your learners could achieve, in spite of the continuing challenges. I want to thank the head office team, our assessors and markers for their part in making that happen for you and your learners.

    As we are starting the new academic year, I wanted to update you on our position for face to face assessing for all our Skills for Life and Speech qualifications occurring in the UK. It is our intention that for the academic year 21-22,face to face assessing will return for all these speaking and listening assessments. However, should public health guidance change, or a local situation emerge ESB will be able to consider using adapted assessments again (remote assessing) as Ofqual has allowed us to adapt in this way, if necessary.

    We will be releasing an ESB News later in the term so we can share all the activity that is happening in the ESB English language and Oracy world.

    I earnestly hope that this year is a year full of potential and positivity for you at your centre.

    Best wishes,

    Tina Renshaw, CEO

  • New Academic Year Welcome!

    A Message from our Chief Executive, Tina Renshaw

    I know that this year will continue with challenges and I wanted to let you know that we are open for business, including taking new bookings and supporting you with any queries you might have. I was in direct contact with a number of you over the summer term as were many of our team. You told us you really appreciated our personal contact and our straightforward processes in difficult times.

    For those who were involved in certificating learners in the spring and summer as part of Ofqual’s Extraordinary Regulatory Framework (ERF), I am sure you will agree, it was a great success (as you can see from these learners below taking their ESB assessments during lockdown). We managed to award almost 10,000 certificates to our learners, so they have the opportunity to progress their oracy and English language skills in this new academic year.

    As you may know Ofqual are currently consulting on an Extended  Extraordinary Regulatory Framework (EERF), with the outcomes due to be published imminently. The focus of the EERF is to allow assessments to take place in circumstances where ‘normal’ assessment protocols cannot be implemented due to social distancing restrictions, for example, or if there was a local lockdown. This means that you can make assessment bookings with confidence that they will be able to take place. Some of our learners used an adaptation model for their assessments in the summer term so we are well placed and practised to manage any adaptations that we may need this academic year.

    If you would like to discuss these proposals in more detail, please contact the Product Development team at product@esbuk.org. otherwise do please book as usual and communicate with our team if your centre has any restrictions that we need to manage with you to ensure your learners have their assessment.

    Tina Renshaw
    Chief Executive
    English Speaking Board (International) Ltd.

  • Welcoming our new centres

    Earlier in the year we welcomed two new exclusively licensed centres to our ESOL International family; Bulgaria and North Macedonia.

    Over the last few weeks, we have held webinars for over 60 teachers to introduce them to ESB International and our assessments.

    Our fabulous ESB representative internationally Fabiana Pica has led the webinars, hosted by our in-country colleagues Charlie Zdravchev in Bulgaria and Vesna Milevska in North Macedonia. Teachers have been given techniques for excellent classroom activities to enhance candidates’ speaking skills in these webinars.

     

     

     

     

    Tina Renshaw, Chief Executive, said:

    “Despite these difficult times, ESB International continues to support all our centres, as well as welcoming new international ones. Focusing on the future, we are currently piloting online ESOL international assessments.
    This work, with international e-assessment developers, will broaden the opportunities for learners accessing our assessments. Congratulations to all our colleagues leading ESB International’s implementation in Bulgaria and North Macedonia.”