Abstract
Canada is a very attractive destination for hopeful students and hosts the third-highest number of international students in the world (CBIE, 2020). For those who are non-native English speakers (NNES), gaining admission to an institution where English is the language of instruction involves taking a test to gain proof of English language proficiency. Because of their life-changing impact, these high-stakes tests operate as gatekeepers, and the pursuit of sufficient scores can lead to fraud. The main argument of this chapter is that relying on a single language proficiency test score to determine an individual’s readiness is problematic, and also problematic is the lack of related academic research and data to help guide admissions decision-making. Media reports have alerted the public to suspected or confirmed test fraud, and this chapter includes examples from three countries: the United Kingdom (UK), United States (US) and Canada. The cases demonstrate how fraud can be instigated through cultural differences, family pressure, and a desire to gain citizenship, and they also show a diversity of responses towards the students involved. Media reports and a lack of data serve to promote distrust of the language testing process and the test scores that institutions receive. This chapter examines different factors affecting test score use and presents institutional stakeholders with ways to become better informed about these tests and their impact and approaches to help international NNES students succeed within their new academic disciplines and new academic cultures.
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Clark, A. (2023). Examining the Problem of Fraudulent English Test Scores: What Can Canadian Higher Education Institutions Learn?. In: Eaton, S.E., Carmichael, J.J., Pethrick, H. (eds) Fake Degrees and Fraudulent Credentials in Higher Education . Ethics and Integrity in Educational Contexts, vol 5. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-21796-8_9
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