The Business Language Testing Service

What is BULATS?

The Business Language Testing Service (BULATS) is a language assessment service specifically for the use of companies and organisations. BULATS is for organisations which need reliable ways of assessing the language ability of groups of employees.

The service is designed to test the language of employees who need to use a foreign language at work and for students and employees on language courses or business courses where foreign language ability is an important element of the course.

The service provides:

• relevant, useful and reliable language tests in work contexts

• test administration to suit the company's individual requirements

• rapid turn around of test results

• information to help the interpretation of test results

• advice to companies on appropriate strategies for language testing, assessing language needs and training.

Why use BULATS?

Language skills are essential to any company working in today’s global economy. The following are just a few of the ways BULATS can prove an indispensable tool for measuring and developing these skills:

1. Evaluating the language skills of staff within a company:

A company may decide it wants a complete language profile of its staff. BULATS can be used to test some or all employees. The service can also be used at regular intervals to monitor the company's language profile.

2. Evaluating the language skills of job applicants:

A company may be recruiting staff to work in its international departments. BULATS provides a simple way of testing prospective employees and providing the company with an up-to-date and accurate assessment of language ability.

3. Placing learners on suitable courses for language training:

Training colleges provide language training courses for employees and needs to place them in courses at the right level. BULATS can place the students in suitable courses. 

4. Screening learners who are unsuitable for the training courses provided:

A company wants to concentrate its language training on employees who have nearly advanced to the level of language required. BULATS can provide a test to screen off unsuitable candidates and so help make best use of resources available.

5. Evaluating language training given:

The training division of a company may need to assess the quality of language training being provided by an external training organisation. BULATS can be used to test people at the beginning and end of the course to monitor progress.

6. Recommending suitable standard examinations for learners:

An organisation might wish to motivate its staff by sponsoring them to take standard examinations which provide a certificate with international currency (such as the Cambridge First Certificate in English). BULATS provides a test to help advise which standard examination would be most suitable.

BULATS Tests                                      

BULATS provides a range of tests to meet different needs:

The Computer Test - a fast, accurate test of listening and reading skills
The Standard Test - a paper-based alternative to the computer test
The Speaking Test - face-to-face evaluation of speaking skills
The Writing Test- thorough evaluation of writing skills in a business context

Each of these tests is available in English, French, German and Spanish.

Each test can be used independently or in various combinations. This principle of flexibility allows BULATS to customize the service for different situations.

All the tests aim to be relevant to people using the language at work. They cover:

• Job descriptions

• Companies and products

• Travel

• Management and marketing

• Customer service

• Planning

• Reports

• Phone messages

• Business correspondence

• Presentations

The tasks in the test are generally practical ones, e.g. taking a phone message, checking a letter, giving a presentation, understanding an article or writing a report.

All the tests assess candidates across the six levels of the ALTE Framework i.e. the same test is used for all candidates whatever their level. (0-5 of the ALTE Framework corresponds to the Council of Europe Framework levels A1-C2.)

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is a computer-adaptive test?

This is a test where the computer selects questions according to how well you have answered previous questions. In other words the questions adapt to the level of the candidate. The Computer Test includes a large bank of test questions covering all levels of ability from basic to advanced.

Questions are displayed on-screen and candidates respond using the keyboard and mouse. As each question is answered the computer assesses the response and selects the next question. The questions are selected according to whether the candidate's previous answer was right or wrong; in this way the questions become progressively easier or harder until the system has a reliable assessment of the candidate's level.

2. Is there a demonstration version of the BULATS Computer Test?

A demonstration of the BULATS computer test is on the website. If you have difficulty accessing the test you can contact your nearest Agent for a copy of the Demo CD.

3. What languages are available?

There are tests in English, French, Spanish and German.

4. How is the overall BULATS score calculated?

The overall BULATS score is not simply an average of the two section scores. The programme uses encrypted look-up tables to calculate the overall score as there is different ability weighting attached to the two sections. If a result on the Listening section is 50 for example, and the score for the Reading and Language Knowledge section is 60, it will not necessarily follow that the overall result will be 55.

5. Should there be a set time limit for the Computer Test?

It is up to the discretion of the organisation delivering the test to decide whether to set a time limit, which can be set by the test administrator using the Supervisor programme. Each test will vary in length due to the adaptive nature of the test although tests should ideally be completed within 40 - 75 minutes. Any tests taking less than 40 minutes may be considered as invalid attempts.

6. Are the question types the same in the Computer Test and the Standard (pencil and paper) Test?

The BULATS Computer Test shares many of the same question types as the Standard paper test. The Standard test also includes a form-filling item type, an error correction activity and a multiple matching-listening task.

7. What if half the staff takes the Standard Test and the other half takes the BULATS Computer Test?

The two types of test are fully compatible. The results from the Computer Test mean the same thing as the results from the Standard Test. However organisations should also bear in mind that not all candidates get exactly the same result on both tests. There can be a number of reasons for this and this can affect their performance. Other reasons could be that the adaptive nature of the Computer Test reduces the likelihood of lower level candidates being overwhelmed by the difficulty of the test.

8. Does there need to be any supervision during the test?

It is the responsibility of the end user to determine the appropriate level of invigilation for the test. We would recommend non-specialist supervision to ensure that collusion has not taken place while tests are being run.

9. Can the BULATS computer test be run on a Network?

Yes, for details please download the BULATS Computer Test: Network Notes & Installation Instructions (PDF).

10. How long does the test last?

The Computer Test lasts about 60 minutes
The Standard Test lasts 110 minutes
The Speaking Test lasts about 12 minutes
The Writing Test lasts 45 minutes

11. Should there be a technical expert to install the BULATS Computer Test?

BULATS is simple to install on standalone workstations. To install BULATS on a network you should consult your network administrator. If you have any problems you will probably find the solution in the User Manual or the Technical FAQs page of the website. If not you can call your BULATS Agent for further help.

12. Should staff take Standard, Speaking& Writing Tests on the same day?

BULATS offers an organisation the flexibility to assess their staff, trainees or applicants in whichever way they like. They can use just one test (e.g. the Standard Test) or they can use all three tests. They can make their staff take all three tests in one day or on three different days. The client organisation is able to choose whatever strategy they think most useful - though of course the Agent will advise the client on what options are most likely to meet the client's requirements.