Linking the

Malaysian University
English Test (MUET)
to the CEFR
Prepared by the MUET Revision Committee
Presented by Zuraidah Mohd Don, Chair
Adjunct Professor Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris &
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
Email: zuraidah.don@gmail.com
MUET in the Context of English
Language Education Reform
 Pre-sch Primary Sec Post-sec Tertiary
The MoE’s Moving
A2 B! B2 B2/C1

comprehensive
towards A1

plan for a EL education Teacher education – C1

aligned to the
sustainable Common European
transformation Framework of
Reference (CEFR)
of Malaysia’s
education
system through
to 2025 The MUET exam must be reformed to
internationals standards , and that the results will
be reported accurately in terms of the CEFR
 CEFR-aligned EL education: The transformation plan and its implementation

Staged targets -Pre-school – moving

towards A1; Primary – A2; Secondary –
B1; Post-secondary B2;University -
B2/C1; Teacher education – C1
2025 2025 Impact Study
2021-2025

END OF WAVE 3 (MEB)

PHASE 3
2021 Impact study to measure effectiveness

2014–2019: Evaluating MUET and linking to

2017-2020 the CEFR
. MoE-CE-MPM

PHASE 2
2015-2016
2017 Evaluation
Study 2013
PHASE 1
2013 BASELINE
MUET 2015 Evaluation STUDY
Study
WAVE 1 (MEB)
 The CEFR Framework
The CEFR framework describes language ability at six reference levels

Advanced - Proficient User

Intermediate – Independent User

Beginner - Basic User

5
Able to fully
participate in
professional and
academic life

Able to express views

and holds one’s own
in social discourse

Able to carry out “real

life” tasks of a
touristic nature
The CEFR Alignment Project With Cambdrige English

Provided a report and

recommendations
Undertook an initial - changes required to
evaluation of the MUET enable the MUET exam to
report results in terms of
the CEFR

to link the MUET tests to the CEFR.

the CEFR aligned MUET will have a common reference point, and this
will enable comparison with other CEFR-aligned tests.
7
CEFR Guidelines for
Linking Tests

8
 Four sets of interrelated activities
Familiarisation  Training activities to ensure participants in the linking process are familiar with the
Training CEFR and CEFR levels, and have information about the MUET test and test
development and alignment

Specificatio  Developing the specification of the content of MUET to support a linking

n claim of how it relates to the CEFR - performed before standard-setting,
involving internal and external validation of the test.
Involved the
description of the
content of the  Workshop meetings of expert judges - the judges try to reach
MUET test to be Standard
related to the
consensus about setting cut-off-scores (or cut-scores)
CEFR first in its
setting between performance levels by application of standardized
own right and then methods (standard-setting methods).
in relation to the
CEFR levels.

Standardisation involves
 Involves all steps of validating the complete
achieving a common Validation process of CEFR-linking and also validating the
understanding of the CEFR levels test itself.
illustrated by examples of actual
learners’ performance. The
outcome is the reinforcement of
the previous claim. 9
 Familiarisation

A CEFR-familiarisation workshop for Familiarisation of the MUET Committee

MUET committee members (4 – 7/12/16) members with the assessment of the 4
language skills (4 – 9/02/17)

To ensure that the MUET committee members were familiar with the content of
the CEFR and its scales, and assessing L, S, R & W in accordance with the CEFR.
 Production and Quality Control

Construct definition and Trialling of new test The development of a

production of initial test design  monitoring and quality
specifications  • trial paper trialled, assurance plan 
1. Revision of the MUET construct analysed and
definition (04-09/02/17) reviewed  
2. Revision of the MUET test  
specifications (20-24/02/17)

Finalisation of test
specifications:
3. sample and trial papers
amended and finalised;  
4. test specifications and item
writer guidelines amended and
finalised. 
Menjana MAJLIS PEPERIKSAAN
Menjana MAJLIS PEPERIKSAAN
 Training 1. Sample and trial test papers produced
and vetted 
2. Item writers trained 
3. Revised item writer guidelines 

1. Test production and administration

1. Training of item writers and production of team trained 
2. Revised test production and
item writer guidelines administration process 

2. Training of test production and 1. Reading and Listening marking master

trainers trained 
administration team 2. Speaking and Writing examining
master trainers trained 
3. Examining and marking management
3. Training of examiners and markers  team trained
4. Revised examining and marking
process 
4. Training of test analysis, results and 5.  Revised assessment criteria and
grading team  mark schemes 

1. Test analysis, results and grading

team trained 
2. Revised test analysis, results and
grading process 14
Menjana MAJLIS PEPERIKSAAN
Menjana MAJLIS PEPERIKSAAN
Menjana MAJLIS PEPERIKSAAN
Menjana MAJLIS PEPERIKSAAN
 Revising the
Existing MUET
Syllabus
 The Current MUET
1. A test of language proficiency taken by
post secondary test takers seeking
entry into higher education.
2. The MUET test assesses ability in the
four skills- listening, speaking, reading
and writing - across a number of
proficiency levels. There are six MUET
Bands – 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, ranging
from very limited user to highly
proficient user.
The Revised MUET
1. A test of English proficiency for admission to
higher education, measuring the ability of
test takers to listen, speak, read, and write
English in real situations in specific
communicative contexts.
2. The tasks set are of the kind students are
expected to perform in the university in
formal and informal contexts, and the
content is tailored to the requirements of the
purpose of the communication.
3. A multilevel test ranging from CEFR levels
A2 to C1. The items/tasks progress in level
of difficulty
20
Current
(2008 Syllabus)

Revised
(2020
Syllabus)

21
Menjana MAJLIS PEPERIKSAAN
Menjana MAJLIS PEPERIKSAAN
 STAGE 6

Dissemination (Engagement)

Familiarising teachers/instructors with the

revised 2021 MUET Test Specifications

2019 2019 2021

Dissemination at state level
26 July – 29 July
November First live test
Menjana National level MAJLIS PEPERIKSAAN
Session 1
Thank you