For International Graduate Students with the Versant English Speaking and Listening Test (VESLT) and the ACTFL Advisory Interview (AAI)
1. Background
The State of Ohio legally requires that programs verify the oral English proficiency of all teaching assistants. The primary way Ohio University does that is through official scores on the IELTS (min. 6.5 Composite plus min. 7.0 Speaking) or the TOEFL iBT (min. 80 Composite plus min. 24 Speaking). For students who do not have official speaking scores in that range, Ohio University uses another way to assure oral proficiency before a TA contract can be approved.
Students who are not cleared for oral English proficiency will be required to take the Versant English Speaking and Listening Test of English (VESLT), a Pearson product. The VESLT can be administered to students prior to and after their arrival to campus.
2. The Versant English Speaking and Listening Speaking Test (VESLT)
The VESLT (formerly the VET) is an online, computer-based test of approximately 25 minutes (15 min test + 10 min administrative time). View a Demonstration of the Test
The VESLT results are reported using the Global Scale of English (GSE) .
Students achieving a GSE score of 69 or higher are cleared to assume the duties of a Teaching Assistant. Students achieving a GSE score between 58 and 68 are provisionally cleared to assume the duties of a Teaching Assistant with concurrent enrollment in OPIE Oral Communication Class (5715D).
3. ACTFL Advisory interview (AAI)
Students unable to achieve a GSE score of at least 58 (GSE), will be administered an additional ACTFL Advisory interview (AAI) conducted by the Ohio Program of Intensive English (OPIE). Students achieving a score of ≥ 4 or above on the AAI will be cleared to teach. Students achieving a score of 3 on the AAI are cleared to teach with concurrent OPIE Oral Communication 5715D. Students achieving a score of < 2 on the AAI will not be cleared to teach.
4. End-of-Semester VESLT for Students Enrolled in OPIE 5715D
At the end of each semester, any student enrolled in the OPIE Oral Communication Class (5715D) will be administered the VESLT. Students unable to achieve a VESLT score of at least 70 (GSE) will be administered an additional AAI. Students achieving a score of 4 or above on the interview will be cleared to teach for the subsequent semester.
OPIE will notify the Graduate College and the academic department once a student has passed the VET or the AAI and the Graduate College will remove any pending checklist items and act accordingly, so a Teaching Assistant contract can be processed.
5. VESLT Session Information
The test is online. We will meet via Microsoft Teams. It is best if you have headphones that have a microphone for the test. You can use a computer or your cell phone.
I will send you a Microsoft teams invitation for the meeting for the test.
The test usually takes 30 minutes with instructions. However, please reserve 1 hour just to be sure.
Please have a photo ID with or passport to show me at the beginning of the test.
The VESLT costs $31.50
- Select the “Pay 4-Week Fees” button.
- Once you select it you will see the page to pay for the VESLT test.
6. Your Information
Email me the following information as soon as possible before the test.
- Your surname (family name) as written in your passport
- Your given name as written in your passport
- Your Ohio University Identification number with the P at the beginning
- Your Ohio University email
- Your Ohio University major, department and degree you are seeking (e.g., MA; PHD).
You will receive a Microsoft teams invitation for the meeting for the test.
Contact Gerard Krzic if you have any questions.