-      Prepares Language Students for their English Speaking Exams

RendezVu, the NovaUCD elearning company, today announced the official release of ExamSpeak a next generation online language learning platform. ExamSpeak prepares English language learners for their speaking exams by replicating the exam in real time.

ExamSpeak is unique in that students can introduce themselves to the virtual examiners, answer typical exam questions, talk to other test takers and then receive feedback on their performance.

By using the ExamSpeak immersive environment, students develop their language skills by using English to answer and ask exam questions. ExamSpeak thus enables language students to develop and improve the language skills they need to succeed in their exams.

It is estimated that worldwide there are 2 million language students annually preparing to take internationally recognised English speaking exams such as Cambridge KET (Key English Test), Cambridge PET (Preliminary English Test) and IELTS (International English Language Testing System).

 
ExamSpeak Screen Shot 

However there is currently no convenient or practical way for most of these students to practise their English language skills. To solve this problem RendezVu developed ExamSpeak to allow students to experience the speaking exam, whenever they want, as often as they want, before actually sitting the exam.

Speaking at the launch, Paul Groarke, CEO, RendezVu said, “We are delighted to officially release ExamSpeak at www.examspeak.com after a highly successful beta release during which we helped to prepare hundreds of Cambridge KET Test students for their exams. This spoken English course builds confidence by allowing users to experience the KET test, under exam conditions but without the pressure.” He added, “We are initially targeting European markets, such as Italy and Spain where 300,000 language students annually take internationally recognised English speaking exams.”

 
Student Marthe Buisson and Paul Groarke, Founder & CEO, RendezVu

RendezVu, an Enterprise Ireland funded high-potential start-up company, was founded in 2008 by Paul Groarke who has over 20 years experience working within the technology sector, including Baltimore Technologies.

RendezVu, headquartered at NovaUCD, the Innovation and Technology Transfer Centre at University College Dublin, has already won a number of Awards including the NovaUCD 2008 Start-Up Award and the David Manley 2009 Emerging Entrepreneur Award.

Students, either at home or in school, can log into www.examspeak.com’s virtual test room and introduce themselves to the virtual examiners. Students then have the opportunity to take part in an English conversation by answering and asking the same questions which they will be asked in the actual speaking exam. As in a real exam, the examiner’s questions change depending on the answers given by students.

As students interact, the system shows them their mistakes and helps them to understand their errors so that they can improve their performance.

Students are awarded a score based on the respective English exam marking scheme. Points are awarded based on fluency, vocabulary, grammar, accuracy and ability to communicate.

Over time students can develop their responses to improve their test score and their ability to communicate in English and develop a deeper and more dynamic understanding of the English language, through using it in context.

To find out more visit www.examspeak.com

ENDS

15 November 2011

For further information contact Micéal Whelan, Communications Manager, UCD, e: miceal.whelan@ucd.ie, t: + 353 1 716 3712 or Paul Groarke, CEO, RendezVu e: paul@rendezvu.com, t: +353 1 716 3615.

Editor’s Notes

RendezVu’s ExamSpeak is a next generation English language learning platform which provides an immersive environment for English language students who are preparing for their speaking exams.

NovaUCD, the Innovation and Technology Transfer Centre, is the hub of innovation and knowledge transfer activities at University College Dublin. NovaUCD is responsible for the commercialisation of intellectual property arising from UCD research and for the development of co-operation with industry and business. NovaUCD as a purpose-built centre also nurtures high-tech and knowledge-intensive enterprises such as RendezVu. NovaUCD has been funded through a unique public-private partnership that includes AIB Bank, Arthur Cox, Deloitte, Enterprise Ireland, Ericsson, Goodbody Stockbrokers, UCD and Xilinx.