 Hello everybody, so Liz is here and I'm super glad to welcome you to the ITTT weekly live session. So today's session is devoted to international exams and the reasons to take them as a non-native ESL teacher. And before we begin, please let me know if you see me and hear me clearly. Just because I want to make sure my equipment works smooth. So we've got this comments section and you can basically communicate with me. So please let me know that you hear and see me well. And in addition, while waiting for some more people to join, I see that everything works. Thank you so much for letting me know. And in addition, while waiting for some more people to join me, let me know where are you tuning in from. So as for me, I'm located in the Euro region of Russia in the city called Yekaterinburg. It's pretty nippy today, but really sunny. And it means that spring is just around the corner, I hope so. And what about you guys? So let me know where are you from. And I'll show some of your answers on the screen. And well, just other people will be able to know that we are actually a global community. Okay, so let me know guys. By the way, thanks a lot for joining me today. It means everything to me because I'm still a little bit nervous every time I do these streams. So, okay, so Joe says he's currently teaching in Vietnam. That's great to know. I used to teach in China and then I lived in Thailand for a while. And I love Southeast Asia. These countries are just so sunny and people are really kind there. Okay, Yanishe is from Panama. That's so cool. What time is it there? I believe it's like early morning or even yesterday, maybe like Monday evening. Okay, cool. And by the way, I'd like also to draw your attention to this QR code at the top right corner. It's here somewhere here. Of the screen. So, if you scan it with your cell phone now, because at the end of the session, I'll remind you about this incentive. So, but if you want to scan it, you can do it at any time at any point. So, and one more time. If you guys are willing to communicate with me, I'll be absolutely happy. We have this comments section and you can send your questions. I don't know some remarks and stuff like that. So, if you like, you can use them. And coming back to the main point of today's discussion. Let me just quickly change the slide and the size of the screen so you could see it clearly. So, let me just know if you guys, if any of you have already taken any English level tests. So, if you did, why did you do it? And on this slide, you can see some of the most popular English level tests among English teachers. So, of course, there are many more English level tests aimed at different levels. But these four are widely recognized by English teachers, particularly. And as for me, I took IELTS in 2019 to find out where I was at my English learning path. Plus, at that time, I was really eager to enroll into a university. And I really needed the evidence of my English proficiency for the application. So what about you? Have you taken any of these exams or you're willing to take one of them? Let me know, please. Let's have this discussion because I feel like if I'm not just speaking, it's much more interactive and more interesting for you to watch. Okay. And as I have already said, there are several options English teachers prefer to take. So, for example, TOEFL, CAE, CPE, all of these exams are aimed to some higher levels of English proficiency. That's why we English teachers, non-native speaking English teachers, choose these exams. And when it comes to international language tests, we are dealing with the common European framework of reference for languages. You can clearly see it here on the right side of the screen. But as for the framework itself, it is an international standard for describing language ability. So it describes language ability on a six-point scale from A1 for beginners up to C2 for those who have mastered a language. And this also makes it easy for anyone involved in language teaching and testing, such as teachers or learners to see the level of different qualifications. It also means that employers and educational institutions can easily compare our qualifications to other exams in their country. So when you really want to work for somebody in another country, they will probably need you to prove that your language ability can be comparable to their local one. Okay. All right. So Mahmood said that he has taken PTE. All right, that's cool. So am I right to understand that it was a preliminary English skills test, right? P1 level or something. Okay. And the next thing I want to mention is that if you look at this scale, you can see that IELTS, for example, is a multi-level test. So it means you can take it at whatever stage you like. However, its main drawback is that it expires after like two years. Unfortunately, my IELTS will get expired in December 2021, which is really pity because I haven't gone to any university yet, but I'm still hoping that I'll do that one day. So probably I'll need to pass IELTS again. But it's not a problem because it's just a test and that's all. And also it requires some investment. And by the way, right now, I'm preparing for the C2 level Cambridge exam. It is called Proficiency English Test and I am really, really willing to take it maybe in the beginning of 2022 or even in the end of this year. Alright. And as for some other exams, they are actually aimed to test a set of particular skills related to a specific level. For example, as Mahmood has already mentioned, PTE is a preliminary English test which tests some B1 skills. So when you prepare for this language test, you know for sure what skills are required. Or for example, you help your students to prepare. So it has some particular amount of things to teach. Alright. And let's see some of the reasons to take these English tests if you are a non-native English speaker. So as for me, the first thing to consider when you prepare for English level exams, it's your extensive language skills training. So when you are committed to taking a language level test, your main point is to show the skills you've already acquired. And it means that while constantly, while preparing, you're constantly working on various abilities like speaking, reading, use of English, writing, etc. And for non-native English speakers, particularly non-native English teachers, it's extremely important because we want to guarantee our students learn from the best. And that they have chosen us not just in vain. Okay. And another reason to take IELTS, for example, or some Cambridge exams, is to continue your education because for enrolling to some teacher development courses, for instance, Delta, they require to show the higher levels of English. And before this session, I have checked one training center requirements where you can like take Delta, module one or module three, they require to have C2 level with grades from B to A. If you, for example, have scored grade C at the proficiency test, they won't probably let you go through Delta. So something like that. And let's see some other ideas which I consider the most important. So having a language level certificate opens a lot of doors to career development as well. So most of the international exam, international exams are recognized around the world and valued by employers. So for example, when I worked in China, back in 2016-17, my school asked me if I had a level certificate. And it was not a must actually, but they wanted to make sure my English was good enough. Unfortunately, at that time, I didn't have IELTS and I couldn't prove it. I couldn't prove that I was worth it. However, they just like ignored it, but said that like recommended me to pass IELTS. So I believe it's important for employers around the world. And right now, knowing my level and having this experience of going through the test, I can help students to prepare. And in fact, I stopped teaching general English and focused on international exams because it's more interesting for me as a teacher. And I feel like my students are more motivated to learn English when they prepare for an English test. So I think that choosing this career path is also really fulfilling for English teachers. And last but not least, when you have a proof of your English proficiency, you can raise your rate per hour. And believe me, students are willing to learn from the best teachers, but they won't be sure if you don't show it. So plus exam preparation is a great demand these days. And there is a slim chance you'll struggle finding students because so many people are willing to pass IELTS or Cambridge exams or TOEFL. So it's really important to have the skill. And right now I would like to know about your experience, guys. Let's have this conversation. I can see your comments and I'll go through it right now. But while I'm dealing with some of the comments, please, the rest of you who are watching right now, share your stories. Have you taken an English level test or you are willing to do that? And if you have taken IELTS, for example, or CPE, why did you do it and how have you benefited from it? So I would really like to know your experience and I'd like to show other people that this experience is actually vital. Okay, so there are some people from India glad to know that we are from different parts of the world here. We are a really global community, as I have already mentioned. And Mohammed, sorry, Mahmood asks, according to the framework, which is considered as employee to hire non-native B2 or C1, please. Could you please give me some more details? Like, are you an employer and are you willing to hire a teacher? Or what? I'm not completely sure if I understand your question. But if, for example, you are an English teacher and you're willing to work abroad as a non-native English teacher, then your employer will probably consider you to have the higher level of English, which is actually like C1. Okay, all right. Yeah, so I have already mentioned that IELTS is just a two-year certificate. So, for example, I took my IELTS in December 2019 and it will expire this year in December. So it's a really, really short-term certificate and it is quite pricey, but you still can take it. However, I'd recommend you to take a Cambridge exam instead because their tests are more affordable and they do not expire. So if you, for example, get, well, let's say CAE, it won't expire in three years or four years, so you will be able to use it during your life. Okay. All right, so Joe says that currently in Vietnam they have a requirement of having C1 to get this work permit. By the way, Joe, where are you from? What's your country of origin? Okay. Yeah, that's right. So if you want to teach or work in another country, most of the embassies and employers require you to provide these documents. That's right. Okay. Hello, everybody. Hi, Moses. I can recognize you by your picture. Nice to see you again. Today we're talking about language level certificates, for example, IELTS or CPE, and we are sharing our experiences of taking this level test. Have you had this experience? Please share with us if you have. Okay. So if you ask about the English level tests, I would say that Cambridge tests are more affordable than IELTS or TOEFL. However, TOEFL is less pricey than IELTS, but if you want to have a certificate that won't expire, you'd better to look at the Cambridge exams. For example, B2 level exams, C1 and C2. So proficiency, advanced and FC. So those level tests won't expire. Those level certificates won't expire and they cost less. So if you are really eager to show your English level or just to know it for yourself to work on your English skills, it's a great idea to choose between multi-level exams and Cambridge exams. And for example, as for me, right now I'm preparing for CPE, which is the highest English test in Cambridge. And the reason I chose it is that it won't expire first, but secondly, the exam is more interesting compared to IELTS. Because this exam, when you're preparing for it, you practice different types of skills like communication skills, extensive writing, not only writing essays or writing some specific reports, but also reviews, proposals and stuff like that. So I think it's more important for you personally because it helps to build these life skills, not just to pass the English test, but also to use it during your own life and for your career purposes. Okay, so, okay, sorry. Amitava has said that they have already taken a taffle certificate. Okay, so when we talk about taffle and language level certificates, they are not equal. The taffle certificate is aimed at building teaching skills rather than language skills. But if you are thinking of building the language skills as well as a person as a non-native English speaker, then I'd recommend you to consider CAE, which is C1. Yes, the C1 level exam or CPE. Because I have figured out that you're already proficient, quite proficient, quite skilled in English, and it's a great idea to show that you can do more. Okay. Oh, so look, Linda is watching us as well. Linda is my colleague and she also has her streams weekly on Fridays, I believe. Okay, so are IELTS general and academic both acceptable for non-native EL team? Again, IELTS and taffle are not equal, so taffle is more about teaching skills. IELTS is just to check your English level. That's why it's just up to you which version of IELTS to choose. If you want to show that you are more like academically skilled, then choose academic. If you want to show your general ability, general use of English, then choose general. But the main difference between IELTS academic and general is that academic is for study. For example, you want to go to a university and if you choose general, you're probably going to move to another country to get a visa or, I don't know, like a green card, something like that. So, but as for IELTS and taffle, they are not equal, they are different. How much is the cost of CPE? I'm actually not sure, but let me check. I know the amount of money in my local currency, but I don't actually know how much is it in US dollars. So let me just quickly check it. Yeah, so it's about 160 dollars, which is really, really cheap compared to IELTS because IELTS was about 260 or 270 at that time. So it's a pricey exam, especially when you know that it will last not forever, just for two years. Yeah, so that's it, Moses. That's the main problem of taking a language level test if you choose between IELTS and taffle. But if you want to, if you still want to take a language level test, then Cambridge exams are really beneficial from this perspective. Okay. Yeah, it's a quite expensive certificate, that's right. So basically, if you want to prove your English level, it's better choosing some less expensive options, which are Cambridge exams, I believe. Okay, so do you guys have any other questions related to English level tests or taffle? Let me know. And by the way, I wanted to mention that if you want to enroll into a taffle course, you don't need to prove your English level. So you can do this course with any level you have. So that's absolutely normal. Okay. And let me see. Okay, so I would like to mention that this QR code will give you a nice bonus to all of our courses. If you want to take a taffle course with ITTT, you can scan it or let me send you a link if you are watching from your desktop. So if you copy this link from the chat box, you will be able to get the same incentive. So make sure you click on the link and go to our website and you will get this 30% discount. However, no pressure here. If you want to take a taffle course a little bit later, it's absolutely okay. You don't need to worry that it will expire because it will be stored on your computer on your browser up until next month or something. So it will be stored for 30 days. Okay. Any other questions related to taffle or I don't know, IELTS or other exams, let me know quickly. And also, if you guys have already taken any of this language level certificates, please let me know and I'll show your answers to everybody because this experience is really vital. And I believe it's so cool to exchange. So I cannot recommend you any website because English level tests are taken locally. For example, I found a test center in my city and I found it when I visited an international education fair. So I believe it's quite local so it's better to check just on Google if you have any test centers in your city or in your country. Okay. But I feel like if you want to find a Cambridge level test, then you can check the Cambridge website. Okay. If you want to join any of our taffle courses, you need to click on this link. Yeah, here you need to click on this link, get a 30% discount and then choose whatever course appeals you and just pay and start working on your taffle certificate. That's all. Or you can scan this QR code on the screen here. It will also give you the same 30% discount. Okay. So do you guys have any further questions on taffle or language level certificates, please let me know. And by the way, if you could suggest me any other ideas for our future screens, what would you like to know about what would you like to learn from me? Let me know as well, because if you suggest me a particular topic, it would be easier for me to prepare and it would be more interesting for you to learn more about the topic you like. So let me know please. If you have any special suggestions, I'd really appreciate it. Okay. Oh, and don't forget about this QR code as well. All right. And let me also mention that I TTT. Oh, no, it's actually a different one, but still worth it. So we Linda and I are presented on Clubhouse. We have profiles on Clubhouse. And if you have already gotten to Clubhouse, follow us and let's have a chat sometime. We are thinking to create a room one day related to English teaching and taffle. So let's keep, let's keep in touch. And the last thing to mention is that I TTT is presented on various social networks. So if you want to stay connected and get updates, please follow us on your favorite social media. And I hope that we will hear from you soon. Okay. Okay, so Mahmood has said that he has been in English language and literature. This is awesome. Great to know that this much educated people are coming to this. Screams. He has already said that he finished the professional diploma at I TTT. That's awesome as well. How could you apply to teaching abroad? You basically need to choose a country. You would like to go to and then the second thing is to look for the local employers who are currently hiring English teachers. For example, when I taught in China, we had a very, very popular service for English teachers to look for jobs. It was called each China cities. Let me send it something like that. And yeah, they post different job offers from various employers, and you can just easily apply from their website. But you could also check out our ITTT job section because we also post different job offers there. And I believe on Facebook, there is like a regular rubric to post job offers as well. So make sure you go, you visit our website and check out the job section there. And then what you have to do is to send your CV, send your resume. Okay. Hello Joel. I hope or Joel. I'm not sure how to pronounce your name. I'm so sorry. But to prepare for online English teaching, I would recommend you to check out our newest course for teaching online. And you could also take a tuple course as well, like a general one 120 hours or more. And then you can also think of taking a language level test. We have, we have talked about it a lot today. So if you are not sure about your English level, and you would like to improve your English skills, it's a great idea to take an English level test. But if you are willing to focus on your teaching skills, then take tuple. Yeah, it's these are just the main options. And let me send you a link to our teaching online course. It's a really cool course. By the way, I have been taking it as well right now, but I don't have much time to go through all of the units. So I often postpone and don't work on it. But it's a really good one. Let me find it. Okay, so just one moment. Yeah, it's in the specialized section. So if you want to start teaching online, this course would be great for you. Thank you for your question. And if you have any further concerns, just let me know. I hope to be as useful as it is possible. Okay. Okay, thank you, Moses. I'm I really appreciate your feedback. And I'm so so welcome to see you every time. That's so great that you visit like every week. Some familiar faces are always great. Okay, Mohammed asks, how can they improve improve my English speaking skills? Well, the the general suggestion would be speak as much as it is possible. There is a nice application for for your smartphone. It is called Elsa Speaks. You need to check it out. It helps to improve English pronunciation. But generally, if you want to speak fluently, it's, it's a great idea to communicate more. For me, it's a great idea to join a speaking group, a speaking club or something like that. And by the way, I am currently working on my project related to speaking clubs. So stay tuned. And I hope it will be useful for you as well. Okay. Okay. Yeah, the job section is on our website. And there are more job offers, I believe they are listed in like different country sections. It's right here. Copy this link and go to it. Check it out. All right, so I feel like these are the only questions. Yeah. So I'm a Tava. Make sure you click on the last link, and you will be able to see different job offers placed in different countries sections. For example, if you want to teach in, let's say, Africa, you can click on it and see the job offers there. And there are also online jobs. And by the way, as for online jobs, I have done, I have already done a stream related to different platforms, online English teaching platforms. For example, italki is the most popular one. And many teachers are willing to get into italki, but they don't, they don't accept new teachers right now. So in that stream, I am referring to, I talked about some other options which are less popular, but they still provide a high quality of like website, and they also show different useful. They also have different useful things for teaching. And you can basically look for students on those websites, and it's quite easy to work through them. Right. Okay, so guys, it's actually the end of the live session, I believe, because we have already covered all of the things related to English level tests. And some of you has also asked me about different TEFL courses and other things. I'm really, really grateful for you coming here today. Thanks a lot. And I hope to see you next time. Still, if you have any suggestions on the topics, please let me know in the comments. So I'll finish this live stream right now, but you will be able to send your comments still. So if you have any particular suggestions on topics, let me know and I'll try my best to be as useful as it is possible, and to make a new live stream related to your, to the topic of your choice. Okay. Thanks a lot. And I hope to see you next time. Right. Thank you and bye bye.