As a member of Cambridge English Teacher, I often watch the videos they upload to CambridgeEnglishTV on YouTube.

Comparing IELTS to HSK

This video is about the IELTS Speaking test – an internationally recognised qualification in the English language. Whereas IELTS tests students ability equally across the four language skills, it is interesting to note that the Chinese language equivalent, the HSK, only tests three skills. The HSK speaking test is optional, which calls to question the importance of verbal communication from a Chinese language teaching perspective. I suggest that a forced divorcing of one skill from the rest, not only disrupts the language learning process, but may also disable the user’s ability to communicate effectively in the target language. That said, I’m sure there’s good reasoning behind this decision, and I hope that through some investigation, the meaning will come to light.