Comparing International and National Language Assessments: Cambridge, Oxford, ÖSYM, and MEB within the CEFR Framework

Abstract

This study offers a comparative analysis of the internationally recognized Cambridge Assessment English and Oxford University Press assessment systems with all foreign language exams administered by the Assessment, Selection and Placement Center (ÖSYM) and the Ministry of National Education (MEB) in Türkiye. Within this scope, the Foreign Language Proficiency Exam (YDS), the Higher Education Institutions Foreign Language Exam (YÖKDİL), the Foreign Language Test (YDT), the English section of the High School Entrance System (LGS), and various school-based exams conducted by MEB at different levels have been examined. The aim of the study is to compare these exams in terms of exam format, skill-based orientation, validity and reliability principles, alignment with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), and assessment approaches. Designed as a qualitative study, the research employs document analysis as its methodology. The findings reveal that the Cambridge and Oxford systems are grounded in productive skills, performance-based tasks, and criterion-referenced assessment, whereas the ÖSYM and MEB systems predominantly rely on multiple-choice, centralized, and norm-referenced testing. This comparison provides significant insights for policymakers and practitioners regarding the assessment dimension of foreign language education.