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The ECL is the Department of Defense test for assessing the
English language proficiency of international military students
being considered for assignment or training in the United
States. It is used in more than 110 countries, as well
as the United States. The required ECL score for course entry
is set by the military service and school which conducts the
course, not by DLIELC. The test is scored on a scale of 100,
and most requirements fall between 65 and 85.
The ECL is also used for US military personnel who are non-native
speakers of English, as a prerequisite qualification for entry
into the military services. This testing is generally conducted
by Military Entrance Processing Stations (MEPS).
The ECL test is a four-option, multiple choice test of listening
and reading comprehension. The emphasis is on informal American
English, the kind of language that might be used in a military
training environment. It does not have an academic (university)
focus as the TOEFL does, and it does not test specialized technical
terminology but rather general English proficiency. All sites,
except the DLIELC campus, use the traditional paper-and-pencil
version of the test with the listening items on audio CD or cassette tape.
Administration of the test takes about 75 minutes, and it
can be easily scored using an answer key. To take the Sample ECL Test,
click on "Sample ECL Question" and follow the instructions."
Since June 1999, a computer-adaptive version of the ECL (CAT ECL)
has been in use at the DLIELC campus. Use of the CAT ECL has helped
reduce test compromise as, basically, students get their own
test. It has also shortened testing time from 75 minutes to an average
of 17 minutes, and it has enabled us to better discriminate among students
at the higher levels.
The ECL can be obtained and administered only by authorized
ECL Test Control Officers, who are US citizens or US Government personnel.
The test is given at approximately 225 sites worldwide. The
overall ECL testing program is controlled by DLIELC. For more
information, contact the DLIELC Test and Measurement Branch at
DLITesting@lackland.af.mil.
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FAQ
DLIELC Student Profile
In-Country Testing
Procedures
Procedures
for Entry Testing at DLIELC
Direct-Entry Testing
Procedures at US Installations
ECL Test Guidelines and Procedures
for TCOs
Sample ECL Questions
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