The Development and Implications of the Global Scale of English for Professional English

doi:10.12002/j.bisu.301

Abstract

Abstract:

Professional English refers to English used in occupational settings by native speakers of different languages as a common communication medium to meet professional or business needs, whereas the professional English scale is the characteristic profiles of learners’ language performance at different stages in the process of learning professional English. Most influential language scales in the world are designed to assess language ability for general purposes, which are not fully suitable for assessing language ability for specific purposes. The paper uses the Global Scale of English for Professional English (GSE-PE) developed by the Pearson Education Group as an example to introduce the background and principles of developing GSE. And then it focuses on the method for constructing GSE-PE descriptors based on GSE job profiles driven by the O*NET database as well as the two unique features of GSE-PE. Finally, the problems of GSE-PE are analyzed, and the implications for developing language scales for professional English are discussed.

Keywords: Global Scale of English for Professional English (GSE-PE); O*NET database; GSE job profiles; language proficiency scales; language testing; professional English

摘要：

职场英语指在国际职场环境中讲不同母语的工作人员为满足工作或商务交际需要所使用的英语(①参见Council of Europe,2001。),职场英语能力量表则是对职场英语学习者语言运用能力不同发展阶段典型特征的描述。目前国内外较有影响力的语言能力量表均为通用用途语言能力量表,不能完全适用于特殊用途语言能力的测评。本文以培生教育集团研发的《全球职场英语能力量表》（GSE-PE）为例,介绍了其研发背景和研制原则,重点论述了基于O*NET职场数据库和GSE工作档案库的GSE-PE描述语的研制方法,并阐释了该量表的两大特色,最后分析了GSE-PE量表中存在的问题以及对未来我国职场英语能力量表研制的启示。

关键词: 全球职场英语能力量表, O*NET职场数据库, GSE工作档案库, 语言能力量表, 语言测试, 职场英语

CLC Number:

H319

Kong Wen, Li Di. The Development and Implications of the Global Scale of English for Professional English[J]. Journal of Beijing International Studies University, 2020, 42(5): 57-70.

孔文, 李迪. 《全球职场英语能力量表》的研制及其启示[J]. 北京第二外国语学院学报, 2020, 42(5): 57-70.

Figures/Tables 4

References 21

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Skill	CEFR	GSE-PE	Learning Objectives
Reading	B1	44	Can scan short texts to locate specific information.
	B1	49	Can understand standard documents related to the daily activities of a company or institution.
	B1+	53	Can understand the main information in technical work-related documents.
	B1+	56	Can understand the details of a product or service well enough to make a purchasing decision.
	B2	59	Can understand instructions for making financial transactions online.
	B2	65	Can understand specialized terms used in reports in their field.
	B2+	69	Can extract key details from a complex business report in their field.
	B2+	74	Can extract key details from quantitative data in complex business documents.
	C1	78	Can extract information,ideas and opinions from highly specialized sources within their field.

Skill	CEFR	GSE-PE	Learning Objectives
Reading	B1	44	Can scan short texts to locate specific information.
	B1	49	Can understand standard documents related to the daily activities of a company or institution.
	B1+	53	Can understand the main information in technical work-related documents.
	B1+	56	Can understand the details of a product or service well enough to make a purchasing decision.
	B2	59	Can understand instructions for making financial transactions online.
	B2	65	Can understand specialized terms used in reports in their field.
	B2+	69	Can extract key details from a complex business report in their field.
	B2+	74	Can extract key details from quantitative data in complex business documents.
	C1	78	Can extract information,ideas and opinions from highly specialized sources within their field.

Business Skill	CEFR	GSE-PE	Learning Objectives
Negotiating	B1	47	Can negotiate a change in price in a simple business transaction using basic language.
	B2+	70	Can compare the advantages and disadvantages of possible approaches and solutions to an issue or problem.
	C1	78	Can explain the main points of a negotiating position with precision. Can carry out complex business transactions with vendors and suppliers.

Business Skill	CEFR	GSE-PE	Learning Objectives
Negotiating	B1	47	Can negotiate a change in price in a simple business transaction using basic language.
	B2+	70	Can compare the advantages and disadvantages of possible approaches and solutions to an issue or problem.
	C1	78	Can explain the main points of a negotiating position with precision. Can carry out complex business transactions with vendors and suppliers.