The Certificate of Proficiency
in English (COPE) comprises a series of tests which are described below. These
tests are designed to assess your level of proficiency in the English language
in order to demonstrate that achievement level to universities where the
language of instruction is English. COPE 2010 is currently accepted by the
University of Toronto for graduate and undergraduate admission consideration.
Transcripts can also be provided to other universities.
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Quick Links for Frequently Asked Questions: What are ELDA/COPE, ELDA/TOP,
ELDA/TOW? What is the format of each
test? How do I prepare for
ELDA/COPE, ELDA/TOP, ELDA/TOW? What do the results mean? Choose: COPE, TOP or TOW |
Test dates for 2010 are
as follows: January 9, 2010 - Marks February 13, 2010 – list of
receipts March 13, 2010 – list of receipts April 10, 2010 May 8, 2010 The 2010 COPE tests are
complete tests. They are not in two stages. The tests take place at the
Bahen Centre at 40 St. George Street at the downtown University of Toronto
campus. There is no COPE office at the Bahen Centre. The University of Toronto campus map Please read the following
policy statements before contacting us. We will not respond to questions
answered here. Also, use the links on the
left to read our explanations and instructions. We will not explain these to
you in individual emails. Transcript request forms
can take us two weeks to process. We cannot answer questions on behalf of the
receiving department or institution. You cannot transfer your
application to anyone else and you cannot request a refund. We cannot combine COPE and TOW scores into one transcript. However, Admissions will take both results into account. |
Frequently
used forms:
1. What are ELDA/COPE,
ELDA/TOP, ELDA/TOW?
ENGLISH LANGUAGE DIAGNOSIS & ASSESSMENT
(ELDA) is the name of a group of ESL experts who develop and administer English
Proficiency tests. The results of these tests are currently accepted by the
University of Toronto for graduate and undergraduate admission
consideration. Transcripts can be sent to other institutions on request.
The ELDA Certificate of
Proficiency in English (ELDA/COPE)
The ELDA Test of Oral
Proficiency (ELDA/TOP)
The ELDA Test of Writing
(ELDA/TOW)
2a. What is the format of
each test?
What is the format of each
test? PLEASE READ THIS CAREFULLY.
ELDA COPE tests three areas
of language proficiency: Reading, Writing and Listening.
Reading: Reading Text 1
(fact-based) of approximately 850 words followed by a comprehension free
response question worth 10 marks and multiple choice questions worth 10 marks.
There is also Reading Text 2 in which words have been deleted. Students must
choose or add the missing words. This part is worth 15 marks. Reading Text 3
(opinion based) of approximately 450 words where students must state the main
idea and supporting arguments in a brief summary. This is worth 10 marks.
The Writing Test follows, a
35 minute essay based on a topic related to the ideas in Reading Text 3. The
essay is written after the summary has been collected. It is scored out of 45.
Listening: the first module
involves a series of short monologues and dialogues followed by multiple choice
or fill in the blank questions. This is designed to test the student’s
understanding of informal communication in an academic setting. This is worth
15 marks. This is followed by a fact-based lecture in which comprehension
questions are inserted. This is worth 30 marks.
We have no preparation
materials or courses.
2b. The ELDA Test
of Oral Proficiency (TOP) consists of a 15-20 minute interview which is
analyzed by two ESL experts. If you just taking TOP you will be given an
appointment on your receipt. If you are just taking TOP, you will be given an
appointment for TOP on the day of the test.
ELDA/TOP is required by the University of
Toronto for consideration for admission in the following special situations:
2c. The ELDA Test of Writing
(ELDA/TOW) consists of a one-hour summary/essay test which is marked by two ESL
experts.
ELDA/TOW may be required by the University of Toronto for consideration for
admission in the following special situations:
N.B. The ELDA/TOW cannot be used to replace the whole
COPE test battery.
3. How do I prepare
for the tests?
The best way to prepare for the COPE test is
to take an ESL course (particularly one that includes writing and grammar) to
improve your overall proficiency. You may find courses which combine reading
and writing or speaking and listening. Check with your local college for
specific details. We do not provide recommendations.
If you live in a situation where you use your
native language most of the time, it is very important to seek out other
situations where you can practise the English language in a real environment.
Read real materials in English (newspapers,
school textbooks, magazines etc.) rather than ESL textbooks but buy a good ESL
grammar book to use for yourself. You may find some in the ESL section of the U
of T bookstore.
Listen to radio broadcasts, TV documentaries
etc. (particularly programs in which the speaker is not seen). Take notes.
Ask friends and colleagues to correct your
speaking errors which cause mis-communication: normally they will not do this
in case they offend you but explain how important it is to you.
Do not depend on friends and relatives to
monitor your written work. Unless they are trained ESL teachers, they can only
tell you what you have done wrong but only a trained person can explain how to
correct the mistake on a systematic basis.
COPE, TOP & TOW are accepted by the
U of T at both graduate and undergraduate levels. TOW results can be used
to replace TOEFL Writing scores in some cases.
Step One: Complete the appropriate registration form online.
Our mailing address is: COPE Testing Ltd. 7B Pleasant Boulevard, Box 957,
Toronto, Ontario, M4T 1K2. We no longer accept hand written forms.
Step Two: Print out and complete the Identification form which
you can download from this website. Do not use the COPE registration form to
apply for TOP & TOW or you may be sent to the wrong test.
Two recent passport size colour photos
showing your head and shoulders are required. One should be attached to Part A
and signed by a Canadian Citizen (not a relative). The second should be
attached to Part B which you bring to the test.
In each case, send your form(s) with payment
to the COPE Testing Ltd. mailbox address. Please ensure that the spelling of
your name is the same on all forms submitted.
Step Three: Payment of Fees
Fees are NON-REFUNDABLE. You may transfer
your payment to the next test if you contact us at least four days before the
test and pay an additional $30.00. You will need to use the Transfer Form in that case.
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ELDA/COPE Fee: $180.00 |
ELDA/TOP & TOW Fee: $150.00 |
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ELDA/TOP Fee: $70.00 |
ELDA/TOW Fee: $80.00 |
Payment:
You may pay by money order, personal cheque or credit card.
Credit card details should be written on your identification statement NOT
ON-LINE.
NSF cheques will incur an additional fee of $30.00 and results will be
withdrawn and not released until this fee is paid.
Deadline:
Ensure that your COPE Identification Statement and your payment are received by
us before 5 pm on the Friday that is eight days prior to the test date. If we
receive your payment late (after the deadline) we will require a further $20.00
for any of the above tests. If there are still spaces available in the week
before the test, applicants may be accepted. However, any late payments will
incur the additional fee stated above and must be made by money order or
by credit card. Personal cheques will not be accepted unless they are received
by the deadline.
Your Official Registration number for the ELDA/COPE
will be posted online. We do not send individual receipts. You will need to
write this number on your test answer sheets. We post your registration number
after we have received your registration form, identification form and payment.
We do not normally acknowledge an on-line registration form until we receive
the ID statement & fee. You must bring this registration number on the test
day OR YOU WILL NOT BE ADMITTED TO THE TEST. Please write it on Part B of your
identification statement.
You will keep the same
registration number for all 2010 tests. You must use it each time you apply.
Your Official Receipt for the ELDA/TOP and
ELDA/TOW will be posted online.
7. When do I get my results?
7a. Results of the ELDA/COPE test will be
posted online within 10 days of the test. Check your registration number and
birthdate.
Your results for the test will normally be
sent online to the University of Toronto within 10 days of the test. Please
note that it takes at least four days for our information to be processed
through the Admissions and Awards system. This means that your results may not
be immediately accessible to you even though we have already sent the
information.
Results from all tests will be valid for two
years from the date of the test.
After you have received your COPE test
results, if you then want an official transcript sent by mail to your home
address, please complete the Transcript Form by downloading it from the website & mailing it to
us with a $10.00 fee.
Results can be sent to additional
institutions after the test if you complete the Transcript Form by down loading
it from the website & mailing it to us with a $20.00 fee.
Please note that Transcript Forms may take us
up to two weeks to process. We have no control over or information about how
long the receiving institutions take to process the transcripts.
ELDA/TOP & TOW tests
When you register for TOP and TOW (and you
have applied, or intend to apply, for Additional Qualifications for Teachers,
or for the Bachelor of Education courses at OISE/UT) we recommend that you
checkmark the selection To OISE/UT on the registration form. When you do this
your results will be reported electronically direct to the University of
Toronto, and an official transcript, bearing the seal of Cope Testing Ltd.,
will be mailed to you and also delivered to OISE/UT. Please let us know whether
you want your results sent to Additional Qualifications OR to the B.Ed
programme or we cannot guarantee delivery.
TOW can also be used by applicants to replace
the TOEFL writing test if approved by Admissions & Awards.
8. What do the results mean?
Please note that ELDA does not provide
individual discussion of any of our tests.
Undergraduate applicants to the University of
Toronto must achieve a minimum total of 86. The three tests must combine to at least 86 and your
writing score must be at least 32
and your Reading and Listening scores must both be at least 22.
Graduate students should check with their
departments.
If you feel that your mark does not reflect
your proficiency, you have the following options:
Complete a Recheck/Rescore Form and mail it
to our mailbox address with the appropriate fee – within 30 days of the test
date.
A recheck of the test costs
$20 (refundable if we made a clerical error) and each score on the test is
double-checked in case of any mistake in compiling or recording your results.
A rescore of the test costs
$50 and an ESL expert reads all your answers and decides whether or not the
original score was fair. If the total mark changes, the new mark will be
sent to the University of Toronto Admissions and Awards (whether it is higher
or lower). There is no refund of this fee under any circumstances. If
changes are made, you will receive an amended transcript which will become your
new official transcript.
Extra transcripts can be requested for two
years from the date of your test. They can be sent to an institution of your
choice for a fee of $20.00 per transcript (complete Transcript form)
There is no limit on the number of times you
may attempt COPE tests in one academic year (September to August), but, as
significant progress requires time, we advise you to take appropriate ESL
courses before trying again.
The ELDA/TOP is scored using a banding system
which is reproduced for you below.
OISE/UT candidates are expected to reach at least level 7.
Oral Proficiency Assessment Bands for
non-native speakers of English
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7+ Approaches bilingual competence. |
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7 Presents complex ideas clearly and without help. Interacts
effectively and easily. Can independently and fluently expand and develop the
point being discussed. Mis-pronunciation and minor language errors do not
interfere with communication. Speakers in this band are still perceived as
non-native speakers of English. |
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6 Expresses complex ideas comprehensively and
without major difficulty despite some stumbling and hesitation. Is able to
maintain a complex discussion with some fluency, but may need some prodding.
Mis-pronunciation, errors and inappropriate language are noticeable, but do
not significantly impede communication. |
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5 Expresses simple ideas well but has difficulty
coping with complex discussions without a great deal of help. Beyond a simple
discussion may need to ask for repetition or clarification, and similarly be
asked to clarify or repeat. Interviewer must make an effort to maintain
relevance or flow of discussion. Mis-pronunciation and errors are
obvious. |
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4 Cannot cope with complex discussions but expresses
simple ideas comprehensibly. Can maintain a simple discussion with some help,
but hesitation, errors and inappropriate language are obvious. Has difficulty
following English at normal speed. Demonstrates major problems with grammar
or pronunciation. |
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3 Has difficulty coping with simple discussions.
Cannot express simple ideas without help. All dialogue is a struggle
punctuated with hesitations and severe misunderstandings. Comprehends
fragments of normal speech only and has difficulty communicating ideas
comprehensibly. |
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2 Cannot cope with simple discussions. Uses single
words or stock phrases. Little ability with normal speech. |
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1 Cannot communicate in English at all. |
8c. ELDA/TOW Writing
Assessment for non-native speakers of English.
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Papers that
score between 46 and 60 demonstrate a superior ability to communicate
effectively: |
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Papers that score between 32 and 45 demonstrate a
clear ability to communicate effectively: |
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Papers that score between 22 and 31 demonstrate some
ability to communicate effectively: |
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Papers that score between 0 and 21 demonstrate
little ability to communicate effectively: |
Remember to bring the following to the test:
- your passport (if your passport is out of date, we may allow a driving licence
plus health card with recent photos but you must check with us before the
test).
- Section B of the ID statement.
You will not be admitted to the
test without these documents and no refund will be given.
9a. What happens at the COPE?
Registration begins 45 minutes before the
test time indicated on the website. Test room numbers will be displayed in the
front hall of the Bahen Centre.
You will be divided into alphabetical or
numerical groups which are displayed outside the test room. You will then be
sent to registration officers inside the room where you show your official
identification documents. You will be asked to leave coats and bags at the back
of the room. Mobile phones must be switched off. We cannot accept
responsibility for lost or stolen items.
A monitor will then show you to a seat in the
test room. When everyone is ready, the Test Supervisor will explain the order
of the test.
9b. What happens at the TOP?
The interview will be recorded, (you will
notice a tape recorder between you and the interviewer) so that another ESL
expert can listen later and give you a second mark. The interviewer will begin
by asking you some informal questions before going on to a more detailed
discussion. WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TEST
YOU AS PART OF A SMALL GROUP AS THIS TELLS US MORE ABOUT YOUR ABILITY TO
COMMUNICATE.
There is no pre-planned topic for discussion.
Based on the introductory questions, the interviewer leads you into a
discussion that becomes more complex or academic. Throughout the discussion,
the tester encourages you to develop and support your ideas.
Do:
Try to ignore the tape recorder: look at the tester, not the tape recorder.
Try to answer with more than 'yes' or 'no'. Remember that this is a talking
test; you need to develop your ideas with details and / or examples.
Feel free to ask the interviewer to explain a question in different words if
you don't understand the question.
Do Not:
Do not memorize a prepared speech. If you do, the tester will interrupt you.
Do not bring a dictionary or any notes into the room to help you.
Do not worry about the time. You will be informed when the interview is over.
9c. What happens at the TOW?
You will be emailed specific instructions as
to where and when the test will take place. TOW tests generally take place at
10 am on the same Saturday as a COPE Test at the Bahen Centre.
After reading an opinion-based one page text
you are expected to summarize the main argument. This is meant to stimulate
your thinking so that you can write a better essay. The writing test consists
of an essay which is related to the ideas in the summary text. Your essay is
meant to be an argument for or against a statement of opinion. You may take
either side, or even argue for both sides as long as you come to a conclusion.
Aim for an essay of 4-5 paragraphs, and take time to read through your essay
and make changes and corrections. Such corrections are treated as evidence of
language development, not as errors. You will be allowed 40 minutes to complete
your essay.
The topics in ELDA/TOW are all related to
current trends in society which can affect us all. The topic will take a stand
for or against these trends, but you should make up your own mind and support
your own argument.
Sample topic:
Write a brief (4-5 paragraph) essay on the following topic. Time: 40 minutes.
North Americans are encouraged to spend too
much on personal automobiles, and not enough on supporting public transport
systems. Do you agree or disagree with this opinion? You should support your
answer with your own ideas and information. You can also use examples from the
summary text if you wish.
10. Important advice and
warnings
Do not bring translation aids, dictionaries
or other printed or electronic aids into the test room.
All communication devices must be switched off while in the test room. If they
are not switched off and disturb the test, you will be asked to leave the test
and will not receive a result for that test module.
When the test begins, listen carefully to the Room Supervisor’s instructions.
You will be given time to scan the whole test paper before you begin. Read the
instructions and times carefully.
There are no choices in the test. You will be expected to complete each part.
Use pencils rather than pens and bring an eraser.
Behave quietly in the test room so no other candidates are disturbed.
At the end of the test, stop writing immediately the supervisor instructs you
to do so. Otherwise you will be asked to leave the test and receive no refund
or results.
N.B. CHEATING IS A SERIOUS OFFENCE. IT CAN
INVOLVE IMPERSONATION, COPYING FROM ANOTHER CANDIDATE, OR BRINGING MATERIALS OR
AIDS INTO THE TEST ROOM. ANYONE CAUGHT CHEATING WILL RECEIVE NO RESULTS OR
REFUND. FURTHER, THE OFFENCE MAY BE REPORTED TO THE ADMISSIONS DEPARTMENTS OF
ALL CANADIAN UNIVERSITIES.
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Information line
416-962-2673. Please do not leave a message as we are unable to reply. |
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