Chinese Universities Drop English Requirement
Chinese universities drop English exam requirement
Some top universities in China are no longer requiring an English test as part of their recruitment exams, according to a report by Xinhua, the state news agency.
At some universities, engineering and science applicants now are required to take only mathematics and physics examinations, while arts applicants will need to take only tests in Chinese and mathematics, Xinhua reported March 16, the same day that many universities held their own recruitment examinations.
Those tests take place about three months before official national college entrance exams.
A Tsinghua enrollment officer, Yu Han, told Xinhua that the English requirement had been removed to favor students who excelled in their specific fields of study, and to lighten students’ workloads. — CALVIN YANG
Japan considers using Toefl to screen students
The governing party is considering using the Test of English as a Foreign Language, commonly known as Toefl, as a way to screen applicants at universities across Japan, according to the Japanese new media.
Newspapers like The Yomiuri Shimbun and Sankei Shimbun reported that the majority Liberal Democratic Party is considering introducing Toefl, which is administered by ETS, a nonprofit group based in the United States, as a criterion for university admissions.
They would take the place of the current English-language examination system, which has been criticized for focusing too much on grammar and rote memorization.
The idea comes on the heels of similar initiatives. In March, the National Personnel Authority said it would adopt an English test as part of the recruitment process for elite government officials, starting in 2015.
Officials of the Liberal Democratic Party would not confirm the news reports about Toefl but said that the party would propose changes as part of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s initiative to improve education. — MIKI TANIKAWA
Charity to study potential of chess in primary schools
The Education Endowment Foundation, which provides financial support for British students from low-income families, said last week that it would set aside a grant of a £689,000, or $1.05 million, for a charity to study the effectiveness of a structured chess program in primary schools.
Six thousand 10-year-olds from 100 primary schools in Bristol, Liverpool and Manchester will participate in the 30-week study, in which they will learn how to play the game, as well as develop problem-solving skills through chess.
A trial that was conducted by a British charity, Chess in Schools and Communities, will compare the progress of students who take up chess with that of students who do not.
The foundation is also organizing the funding of seven other new projects, including a joint initiative with the University of Oxford to test ways to enhance mathematical reasoning and the understanding of spelling rules in children.
Source: New York Times