the 'life in the uk' test: a critique

The British government has had in place for some years now its Life in the UK Test which, if passed, will enable people to become UK citizens.

There are lots of websites that ask if you “think you know Britain?” - and give you an example text to try out online. And when people who already have a British passport try it themselves, well, it's actually quite difficult, as with this journalist on the Daily Express realised last year: I took the Life in the UK citizenship test - it's not so simple.

Other commentators would say that the test is actually not relevant to life in the UK, with the Guardian recently suggesting: Forget Hadrian’s Wall. The UK citizenship test should ask about Corrie, bus queues and Greggs.

In fact, there is considerable criticism of the test.

In June 2022, the UK parliament's Lords Committee requested an urgent review of the Life in the UK Test:

The Committee found several problems with the Test:an official handbook full of obscure facts and subjective assertions (including offensive historical content),

• inaccessible test centres,
• poorly-phrased questions that trivialise the process, and
• costs that can be prohibitive for some, among others.

The Committee also stressed the need to reintroduce taught courses, known to promote social cohesion and gender equality, as an alternative for those who may find a test particularly challenging.

The Committee is astonished that the Government has not yet conducted its long-overdue review of the Test and of its associated handbook. The Committee calls on the Government to appoint an Advisory Group to conduct a review to be published by a set deadline.

Others feel very much the same, with this study from the Durham Law School asking The Life in the UK citizenship test:Is it unfit for purpose?:

The Life in the UK citizenship test was launched in 2005 and revised in 2007. The test must be passed by anyone applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) or naturalisation. Past editions were criticised for factual inaccuracies and their failure to include much information about British history and culture. The third edition was published in March 2013. It is a comprehensive departure in form and content from past tests that raises several serious concerns about the construction of the test. Its inability to meet its central goal as a test of knowledge about life in the United Kingdom renders it unfit for purpose and it is in need of urgent reforms. 

The UK Immigration Lawyers also ask:  Is the Life in the UK Test Fair? New Survey Raise Big Questions:

Our survey has exposed surprising gaps in historical and cultural knowledge among Brits. The findings raise questions about the fairness of Life in the UK Test for British citizenship or settlement applications.

This is not just the opinion of journalists, academics and lawyers, as Wikipedia notes in its piece on the Life in the United Kingdom test:

The test has been frequently criticised for containing factual errors,[1] expecting candidates to know information that would not be expected of native-born citizens[2] as well as being just a "bad pub quiz" and "unfit for purpose".[3][4]

In other words, if most British citizens were asked to complete this test, they would fail - which might question whether they should 'qualify' as being British citizens!

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what is 'merit'?

This is something most of us think is a good thing - but what is 'merit' exactly?

the quality of being good and deserving praise:

MERIT | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

And what do we mean by 'deserving' what you get?

to have earned or to be given something because of the way you have behaved or the qualities you have:

DESERVE | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

Most of us believe that 'merit' deserves recognition and should be rewarded:

In a meritocracy, the people are chosen who are thought to be the best.

Meritocracy - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

But do we really 'merit' or 'deserve' what we get?

Do you feel lucky? The answer, well known to psychologists, is that you probably don’t. You probably think you got where you are today through willpower and elbow grease. We chronically underestimate luck’s role, and this seems to get worse the richer we get; surveys show that the wealthiest are least likely to attribute their fortunes to, well, good fortune. They also seem to be meaner: one ingenious study found drivers of luxury cars were more likely to cut others off than those in cheaper vehicles.

It’s hardly surprising many such people oppose taxation and government spending: why should others get a handout if they didn’t need one? The ironic result is that they vote against the very policies that helped them get lucky to begin with. In a recent Atlantic essay, Robert Frank, an economist who has studied attitudes to chance, quoted EB White: “Luck is not something you can mention in the presence of self-made men.”

Yet to see this purely as a problem of the super-rich lets the rest of us off too easily. Anyone living in a highly developed economy in 2016 is already the beneficiary of stupendous luck – for example, not being born during the plague, or living in the modern-day Central African Republic (average life expectancy:about 50). Ponder that, and it’s easier to see why Buddhists speak of the incomparable luck of being born human at all. You might have been a battery hen, or a mayfly with a one-day lifespan.

Don’t think you’re lucky? Think again | Health & wellbeing | The Guardian

Jay Doubleyou: don’t think you’re lucky? think again

In other words:

Do Those on Top Deserve Their Success?

Many people who find themselves on the wrong side of growing inequality feel the system is stacked against them.
But who deserves to succeed?
Should we reward talent and hard work?
If so, what do we do about those left behind?
Do they deserve their fate, too?
And is talent, in fact, little more than luck?
Using a pioneering digital facility at Harvard Business School, Professor Michael Sandel is joined by 60 people from nearly 40 different countries.
Together they look for answers to these tough questions; questions which lie behind some of the biggest political stories of the moment.

The Global Philosopher - Do Those on Top Deserve Their Success? - BBC Sounds

Jay Doubleyou: meritocracy

Even the Financial Times is questioning this:

Architects of Meritocracy

Michael Sandel has written a book about this:

The Tyranny of Merit

And he makes a provocative statement:

Michael Sandel: 'The populist backlash has been a revolt against the tyranny of merit' | Michael Sandel | The Guardian

Here he is talking about this:

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Michael Sandel: The tyranny of merit | TED Talk

Jay Doubleyou: the tyranny of merit: we are not self-made or self-sufficient

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There are two new books out on this:

Inheritocracy | Biteback Publishing

The Art of Uncertainty by David Spiegelhalter review – a search for sense in probability and chance | Books | The Guardian

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On the radio:

Start the Week - Chance and fortune - BBC Sounds

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the cambridge exams are 110 years old

The most famous English exams are one hundred and ten years old this month:

110 years of Cambridge English exams

Yes, something to celebrate:

Celebrating 110 years of Cambridge English Exams - English Exam Centre

As covered by the ELT press:

Can you answer a 110-year-old exam question? - E L Gazette

And they've released one of the original questions:

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improve your speaking by listening to excellent english-learning podcasts

There are lots and lots of videos and podcasts out there promising to help you with your speaking skills. 

Here are a couple of quality places to go, with interesting subjects and good ideas to help you with your pronunciation and speaking.

One of the best out there is Luke's English podcast - with years of fun episodes on every subject to stimulate and entertain and learn:

Luke’s ENGLISH Podcast | Learn British English with Luke Thompson

Sharpening your exam skills is a great way to focus on specific areas - and Keith's Speaking Academy offers lots of free resources to help:

IELTS Speaking Resources, E-books, PDFs - Keith Speaking Academy

But the granddaddy of them all has to be BBC Learning English - and its 6 Minute English programme which has been running for years:

BBC Learning English - 6 Minute English

Here are some lists - all of which include Luke and the BBC!

Top 10 podcasts to help you improve your English | IELTS Australia

10 podcasts to improve your English | Sprachcaffe

22 English Podcasts Every English Learner Should Listen To | FluentU English

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spoken production vs spoken interaction

The CEF is the most common guide to determining level of language:

Common European Framework of Reference for Languages

This is controversial and not everyone is happy with it:

Jay Doubleyou: a critique of learning objectives

Jay Doubleyou: behaviourism >>> and learning objectives >>> and the common european framework

However, the division of speaking into the two separate skills of "spoken production" and "spoken interaction" is perhaps more helpful, to both learner and teacher

Spoken Language Features: Types & Examples - Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com

Here's a speaking diary from an English student:

Spoken interaction & production - My English Portfolio

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do the english speak english the best?

The Dutch are 'the best' speakers of English - according to rankings of 'students':

English Speakers in the World – Who Are the Best and Worst Students?

The Dutch are the best non-native English speakers in the world (again!) – DutchReview

In fact, it's now part of life in Holland and many other countries not part of the former British Empire:

English is no longer a foreign language in NL, but it has a unique character here - DutchNews.nl

There is of course 'international English' or English as a Lingua Franca:

Decades of research show that when a native English speaker enters a conversation among nonnative speakers, understanding goes down. Global communication specialist Heather Hansen tells us that's because the native speaker doesn't know how to do what nonnative speakers do naturally: speak in ways that are accessible to everyone, using simple words and phrases.
And yet, as Hansen points out, this more accessible way of speaking is often called "bad English." There are whole industries devoted to "correcting" English that doesn't sound like it came from a native British or American speaker. Try Googling "how to get rid of my accent," and see how many ads pop up.
It turns out that these definitions of "good" and "bad" English may be counterproductive if our goal is to communicate as effectively as possible.

Why Nonnative English Speakers Actually Speak The Best English : Goats and Soda : NPR

And you could also pick up the 'bad English' spoken by 'native speakers':

When we compare standard, correct English to what native speakers usually use in everyday life, there are plenty of discrepancies! Most people in the United States do not speak perfect English; in fact, many common mistakes are actually accepted forms of speech nowadays. Many native American English speakers break grammar rules, they use incorrect sentence structure, and they use vocabulary in what most people would consider the wrong way.

HOW TO SPEAK ENGLISH BETTER THAN MOST NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKERS 😃 | Go Natural English - YouTube

Finally, a nice little piece from Liz Granirer writing in the latest EL Gazette - with the latest research:

It will come as no surprise to anyone that in Europe, the country that speaks English the best and the most is the United Kingdom, though it’s not the only language here. Immigration has brought many other languages, so that, alongside other local languages such as Welsh and Cornish, 8% of the population speaks a language other than English (though, of course, they may speak English as well).
However, on the continent, the number one spot is taken by Sweden where, according to novinite.com, 91% of the population is fluent in English. The Netherlands is close behind with a whopping 90% of the population who can speak English. Proof of how fluent they are here is that English-language films aren’t shown with subtitles – which may go a long way in explaining why their accent leans towards North America.

Who speaks English best? | E L Gazette

a system of education so dictated and dominated by endless data gathering and exams is "ridiculous and absurd and sad"

Michael Morpurgo is very famous for his story 'War Horse':

War Horse (novel) - Wikipedia

And he has written other stories on the First World War:

Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo - BBC Teach

Jay Doubleyou: how is world war one seen in different countries

He has also been the Children's Laureate:

Michael Morpurgo - Wikipedia

Home - Michael Morpurgo Official Site

And he is passionate about the issues which are important to children:

"Every child has the right to a life-enhancing experience" - Michael Morpurgo

Here he is talking about how idiotic exams are - and how he's looking forward to telling stories and listening to stories at his old school in London:

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Thinking Otherwise

A Point of View

As children return to school, Michael Morpurgo questions whether we are educating our children....or programming them.
"The pandemic has found us out," Michael writes, "shown us how ridiculous and absurd and sad" is the rigidity of a system of education so dictated and dominated by endless data gathering and exams.
He argues that we must use this opportunity - where so much is up for grabs - to take a serious look at what needs to change.

BBC Radio 4 - A Point of View, Thinking Otherwise

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the homeschooling revolution

'Homeschoolling' has been around for a long time:
Jay Doubleyou: homeschooling more popular in uk
Jay Doubleyou: education happens beyond the classroom
Jay Doubleyou: the purpose of education: from china to prussia to the united states
Jay Doubleyou: schools as 'total institutions'

The BBC Education correspondent isn't impressed:
Coronavirus: The impossibility of home-schooling a nation - BBC News

And Deutsche Welle warns that "the digital playing field is anything but level. Access to education could leave a lot of people behind during the pandemic":
Learning revolution - but not for everyone? | DW News - latest news and breaking stories | DW | 22.04.2020

The longer-term effects are already being considered.

There'll be more interest in homeschooling itself:

Will coronavirus spark a homeschool revolution?

With children (and many parents) being forced to stay at home, homeschooling has suddenly become the norm. Whilst the situation is bleak, many parents will begin to see some of the benefits of homeschooling. Here’s what they’ll learn:

• There are thousands of resources for homeschooling parents on the internet
• Many of the resources are low cost or even free
• Learning can be done at any time during the day, taking breaks whenever is needed
• Spending quality time with your kids
• Siblings can learn together, when possible
• There’s less hassle getting ready for and traveling to school
• Kids are safe from bullying
• Kids can learn at their own pace
• You have complete control over what they learn

The Clever Tykes books, guidebook and activity packs have been a popular choice of resources amongst homeschoolers for several years. You can see and buy them on our homeschool resources page. Over the past few weeks, however, there’s been a noticeable increase in their demand. We believe that homeschooling can facilitate a broader base of learning and one that develops key personal skills such as resourcefulness, positivity and creativity – those we describe as ‘enterprising’.

Homeschooling in the long-term

Homeschooling in the long-term will not be an option for many parents. For some, however, it may now seem a more viable option than it once did, maybe even a preferable option. Some of the challenges those new to homeschooling will face include how to structure learning in the long-term, including developing a syllabus and working out how kids will sit examinations when the time comes. They’ll also need to ensure their kids get enough social interactions with other kids, which is something that the current situation restricts.

It’s a challenging situation for parents. This new homeschooling environment is not an ideal one. The home may be a stressful environment at the moment. It may not be set up well for remote working for parents and homeschool for the kids. Many of the freedoms we would have to take kids to places of learning have been restricted or even removed entirely.

The good news is that if you’re able to deliver great homeschooling in the current circumstances, you’ll be excellently placed moving beyond the crisis.

Will coronavirus spark a homeschool revolution? - Clever Tykes

The interesting thing will also be the longer-term effect on mainstream education:
Homeschooling during the coronavirus pandemic could change education forever, says the OECD | World Economic Forum

What Will Happen to the Education System When the Coronavirus Pandemic Is Over?

While virtual learning may surge, hybrid models with in-person elements may work best.

By Christian Barnard April 24, 2020

For the remainder of the school year, online learning is the new normal for most schools across the country. The coronavirus pandemic has caused nearly all schools to close and has created a captive, nationwide audience of families interested in exploring alternative online platforms to keep their kids occupied and on track.

Online groups such as Learn Everywhere were quickly created and immediately attracted thousands of members who are sharing resources with each other, from online music classes for young children to free engineering lessons to empanada recipes.

While this could be a revolutionary moment in K-12 for virtual learning and homeschooling, it’s hard to know at this point. Here are three possibilities for what comes next.

Substantial numbers of students leave in-person schools and begin a virtual or home-based education full-time...

Online education and homeschooling remain only marginally influential...

Hybrid schooling becomes more widespread in every sector

...

What Will Happen to the Education System When the Coronavirus Pandemic Is Over? | Reason Foundation

The last word goes to the

Coronavirus lockdown: From the demise of GCSEs to technology and AI, how the crisis has changed education

At some point, schools will reopen — but many people think education in the UK may never be the same again

By Will Hazell Saturday, 18th April 2020

The impact of coronavirus on education has been unprecedented. Since last month, schools across Britain have been closed for most pupils and exams have been cancelled. In Scotland, it is the first time exams have not gone ahead since 1881.

At some point, schools will reopen – but many people think education in the UK may never be the same again.

Some people are already predicting the demise of high-stakes exams such as the GCSE. Others think coronavirus will lead to classrooms being revolutionised by technology. With exams not taking place, a new way of awarding grades using teacher assessment has been invented from scratch.

In England, teachers have been asked to predict GCSE and A-level grades, which will be moderated by the exam boards. It is a remarkable volte-face. Under reforms introduced when Michael Gove was education secretary, the majority of teacher-assessed coursework was scrapped, with grades awarded almost purely on the basis of exam performance.

Many teachers have been critical of this system, arguing that it puts too much pressure on teenagers.

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, believes the crisis could be a “transformational moment” for education, proving that putting children through 30-plus exam papers “was a whole paraphernalia of assessment that we really didn’t need”, he says.

Magnus Bashaarat, the head of independent Hampshire school Bedales, agrees. His school became so dissatisfied with GCSEs that it created its own alternative qualification, the Bedales Assessed Course. Mr Bashaarat thinks the Gove reforms were motivated by mistrust. “The reason why Conservative ministers moved away from coursework towards terminal assessment is because they haven’t really trusted teachers,” he says. Covid-19 has forced them to place their trust in the profession again – whether they like it or not.

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Perhaps the most profound legacy of coronavirus will be how we view schools. Teachers have come in over their Easter holiday to look after the children of key workers. Others have walked miles to deliver free meals. “In a crisis, schools have carried on doing what they’ve always done, which is being a major support hub,” Dr Bousted says. “The idea that we can go back to Government ministers saying schools are about academic excellence and nothing else, that’s really been shown for the lie it is.”

Coronavirus lockdown: From the demise of GCSEs to technology and AI, how the crisis has changed education | inews

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the future of social networks

A very nice FCE text here on the subject of social networks:
FCE - Free Reading Practice for the Cambridge English First exam

And the subject is always in the news:

Business:

How to Choose the Best Social Network for Your Business

Monetising:

As social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and Periscope get better at monetising, what should marketers expect? | City A.M.

Hacking:

171 million VK.com accounts stolen by hackers | ZDNet

Censorship:

Censorship-Free Social Network AKASHA Aims to Tackle Internet Censorship With Blockchain Technology | Bitcoin Magazine

The state:

Chinese officials 'create 488m bogus social media posts a year' | World news | The Guardian

Bad politics:

Jim Naughtie: Social media ruining political discourse

See also:
Jay Doubleyou: e-learning platforms
Jay Doubleyou: internet privacy
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describing processes

There's a lot of good stuff to describe processes:
Jay Doubleyou: processes and procedures

And:

Making an omlette:
BBC World Service | Learning English | How To


BBC How to... describe a process (transcript video) - YouTube

Manufacuring:
The EFL SMARTblog: Making Potato Chips - IELTS Describing a process / Passive

Waking up in the morning:
https://eslrightnow.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/english-for-engineering-describing-a-process.pdf

Stopping a burglar:
Main

Decorating a Christmas Tree:
bwernervocalise.edublogs.org/files/2013/06/ESL-Worksheet-Describing-a-Process-How-to-Decorate-an-X-mas-Tree-1zda4bz.pdf

Getting ready for your IELTS exam:
Diagrams, Maps & Processes | aquascript &c.
IELTS Process Diagram Explained

Improving your memory:
Process Description - Vocabulary Lesson Focusing on Describing Processes
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