Linguistic certifications are provided by external entities following the successful completion of the relative exams. Recognized all over the world, these Certifications are almost always required by Foreign Universities as pre-requisites for admission, while for Italian universities they allow for an easier access to certain faculties or they may substitute certain exams in the curriculum. Here are the tools, methods, and experiences that we utilize to prepare our students for the most commonly required Language Certifications:
The English classes are divided in 4 levels of ability based on an entry test that allows for a more precise and focused improvement; during the morning lessons, students are prepared for an external exam of their language abilities. They are offered the chance to take Language Certifications by University of Cambridge, specifically:
The FCE is accepted in many Italian and British universities.
Throughout the IV year the students in the Advanced levels (3 e 4) dedicate their class time to the preparation of the SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test) or the CAE – Certificate in Advanced English.
Malpighi is the only Italian high school that offers this opportunity and it is also an accredited test center for the SAT exam.
During the curricular morning lessons students are prepared for the following language certifications:
The certifications are provided by:
What are language certifications? What are they for? Language certifications are exams run by external entities that recognize the test taker’s linguistic level according to an international system. In regards to English, the main testing organizations are Cambridge Esol, British Council e College Board. The individual certifications declare that a student has obtained a certain level of language competency in that foreign language. The exams test all four competencies: reading, writing, comprehension, and speaking. The evaluation refers to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
What is the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages? It refers to a vast repertoire of descriptions for language competency that anyone who studies one or more languages develops throughput their years of learning. The Framework identifies six levels of language competency (A1/A2, B1/B2, C1/C2), divided further into three general levels: Elementary (A), Intermediate (B), and Advanced (C). There is also a self-evaluation grid available that describes specific competencies for the six levels.
I want my child to attend an English or American university in the future. What certifications would he/she need to apply? The exam required by American universities is the SAT. This test includes an English Reading and Writing section and a Math section. It is the test that American students take in order to apply to university. The minimum score varies from university to university.
To apply to British universities students may present one of the following certifications: Academic IELTS, Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (C1), Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (C2), GCSE/IGCSE English Language, GCSE/IGCSE English as a second language. Once again, the required score varies according to the university of choice.
These certifications are recognized as a credit for the access to Italian unviersities? Every Italian university adopts specific criteria for their selection process. It is therefore advised that every student informs themselves about the specific criteria required by the course of study they are interested in by visiting the relative websites. Several of the more important universities, such as the Polytechnic Institutes of Milan and Turin allow for students to skip their entry test if they have the SAT.
Bocconi University permits students who have taken the SAT to skip their Entry Test, which counts for 50% of the admissions procedure.
The Cambridge certifications, in particular the Cambridge First (B2), like the CAE are recognized as a substitute for the linguistic requirement in almost every Italian university system. It is predicted that over the next few years, even more faculties with recognize the SAT and CAE/IELTS as a credit for the access to study courses.
