Aptis Exam
Preparation
A certificate in English is often necessary if you want to enter into certain types of employment or enrol on certain academic courses. For many members of the community this is an expensive and difficult process, so working with the British Council in Barcelona, El Nostre Anglès is working to make that process more accessible and affordable.
If it is true that English is a gateway to new employment, study and leisure opportunities, it is also true that not having a certain level of English can be an absolute barrier and prevents people from enjoying those opportunities. This situation is particularly complicated in the area of employment and education where employers and educational institutions demand an officially certified level of English before a person can apply for a job or course. Moreover, while the applicant may have a sufficient level of English to be able to cope or even prosper with the demands of the course or position, the practicalities and costs of taking an official exam leave them excluded.
At El Nostre Anglès we are gambling on the British Council's International Certificate of English, Aptis, to improve access to occupational and educational opportunities. The exam, which is on line, is recognised by the Local Government in Catalonia, it is practical, convenient and more affordable than other similar high quality exams.
El Nostre Anglès is currently working with Arep in Barcelona ( a service which includes pre-work training for people recovery from mental health problems) to run a pilot of up to 16 students preparing to take the exam in December 2017. The students have access to a moodle course of study and free weekly workshop in order to help them maximise their results. The British council are supporting the process through advice, flexibility and technical assistance. If the pilot is successful then it is hoped the scheme can be rolled out to other members of this community and other sectors of the population where taking English exams is neither particularly practical nor affordable.
Watch this space!