Ascentis Entry Level 3 Certificate in ESOL International (B1)

Qualification Overview

The Ascentis Entry Level 3 Certificate in ESOL International (B1) aims to accredit learners who understand and make themselves understood clearly on regular issues in work, school, as well as leisure scenarios, and while travelling. They attempt to connect ideas in spoken and written language. They can use simple descriptive language to detail their plans, experiences, and hopes. They can use simple argumentative language to express their standpoints on topics of personal interest. They can understand the gist of longer texts on familiar topics. Learners are able to follow the key ideas in clear, everyday speech and in straightforward texts that relate to familiar areas of life, including work, study, leisure, and daily routines. They can also put together short, connected pieces of writing that describe events, experiences, and plans, and they are able to explain their views by giving simple reasons.

There are several features of this qualification that make it very appropriate for its target learners:

• Strong alignment between the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and the Ascentis designed task-based controlled assessments.
• Externally set assessments are marked internally by centre assessors and subsequently subject to external verification by Ascentis.
• Assessment criteria and mark schemes are designed to be accessible, user friendly and sufficiently detailed to support reliable and consistent assessment decisions
• Assessment scheduling is flexible with dates determined by individual centres to suit local delivery requirements rather than being fixed by Ascentis.

The qualification is divided into four units by skill:

• Reading
• Writing
• Listening
• Speaking

All units are mandatory for the achievement of the full qualification.