Colegio Jurista, one of the most prestigious law schools in Mexico, is known for its rigorous academic programme and its commitment to training lawyers who are ethical and socially responsible.
Colegio Jurista also places a strong emphasis on language skills and English is the language of international law and business, so it is essential for lawyers to be able to communicate it to a high standard.
We spoke to Professor Miguel Angel Naude, Language Coordinator at Colegio Jurista, to understand the journey he’s undertaken to enhance language assessment at the institution through the adoption of EnglishScore.
The challenge
Colegio Jurista offers a variety of English language courses including English for Law, English for Legal Professionals and English for Business. These courses are designed to help students develop the language skills they need to succeed in their careers.
Professor Naude was facing three challenges:
- Teaching and assessing English for general communication, but also for the professional development of students’ soft skills and future career prospects.
- Using traditional pen-and-paper exams, which had high administration costs.
- He feared that transitioning to a new test format could impact students’ scores and experiences.
The goal was to find a solution that accurately and efficiently assessed students’ language proficiency for the workplace while mitigating students’ concerns about testing.
The action
To address these challenges, Professor Naude integrated EnglishScore into its existing assessment framework, while also considering students’ busy and rigorous curriculum.
“We dedicated substantial efforts to find a testing solution that was sensitive to students’ reservations around English assessments.”
Colegio Jurista implemented EnglishScore quickly and efficiently using a two-pronged approach:
- Student engagement and preparation: To help students feel at ease with the test format, Colegio Jurista conducted mock EnglishScore assessments to familiarise them with the format, question types, and time management.
- Implementation strategy: EnglishScore’s support team collaborated with Colegio Jurista to strategise the implementation process. This involved scheduling exam days, providing timely reminders and technological preparations to ensure the tests ran smoothly.
The solution
Professor Naude explained that as a dedicated educator and coordinator, he has been “privileged to witness the transformative impact this initiative has had on students and the assessment process.”
With students able to take EnglishScore from anywhere, it meant:
- They were able to perform at their best
- More students wanted to engage in the assessment
- The faculty was able to save on external testing costs
“By addressing student concerns, enhancing accessibility and streamlining the testing process, we have created a more supportive and conducive environment for language education and assessment,” explains Professor Naude.
