Liulishuo cooperates with CSE, China's Standards of English Language Ability. This is indeed a huge step towards a future of AI teachers.
Earlier this year an institution under China's Ministry of Education (MOE) and the British Council jointly released the results of their collaborative research on linking IELTS and Aptis to China's Standards of English Language Ability (CSE).
According to the results, a score of 5 in IELTS listening is equivalent to CSE level 4, a score of 5.5 in IELTS reading is equivalent to CSE level 5, while a score of 45 in Aptis writing is equivalent to CSE level 6.
On April 2, the online AI education giant announced that its AI teachers grading test will be now considered by China's Standard of English Language Ability (CSE).
Liulishuo is the first education company in China to join CES, previously international English language proficiency programs such as IELTS and Aptis, which come under the British culture and education department, cooperated with CES.
Founded in 2013, Liulishuo aims to redefine language learning in China’s online education market with innovative technologies, ushering a new era of AI-empowered linguistic learning. It offers a personalized and adaptive language learning experience to 50 million learners in 379 cities in China and over 175 countries around the world Crunchbase reports. Its self-developed artificial intelligence English teacher, based on deep learning technology, can provide personalized and adaptive learning courses for each user.
The development and improvement of CSE is an important step in the construction of the foreign language competency assessment system. CSE describes what Chinese learners and users of English can do with the target language. It defines language proficiency levels comprehensively by specific, accurate and easy to understand descriptors in terms of language communicative functions and language skills. It serves as one of the fundamental strategies to promote English learning, teaching, and assessment in China. It was released by the MOE and the National Language Commission in February 2018.
CSE divides language competence into 9 levels and 3 stages of development, with level 1 to 3 being primary, 4 to 6 being intermediate, and 7 to 9 as advanced.
Liulishuo said that the product submitted is provided by the company’s core app “English Liulishuo” product; “Grading test system”, which is an important part of the AI English teacher. This very system has helped nearly 40 million users to complete their English level grading.
The AI teacher is responsible for the whole process, from the test implementation to the resulting judgment, users listening, speaking, reading and writing skills, etc.
According to Liulishuo, this process will mainly use the improved Angoff method. The academic leader of the team is Professor LIU Jianda of Guangdong University of foreign studies and several other members with rich English teaching experience at top universities and colleges.
The report shows that the level of Liulishuo test is basically the same as the level of CSE: level 1 is equivalent to the 1-2 level of CSE, level 2 of Liulishuo is equivalent to level 2-3 of CSE, and level 3 of Liulishuo is equal. At the 3-4 level of CSE, Liulishuo's speaking level 4 is equivalent to the CSE's level 4, and Liulishuo's speaking level 5 is equivalent to the CSE's level 4-5. Liulishuo says that the level 6 or higher level of the level test is equivalent to the CSE's level 5 or above.