FRONT DESK ADMINISTRATION

CLIENT OVERVIEW

PEIC is a division of Pearson PLC. The functional objective of this program is to offer the following six tests to test takers who need to prove their English Proficiency skills for education and work purposes:

PEIC-A1
PEIC-A2
PEIC-B1
PEIC-B2
PEIC-C1
PEIC-C2

In addition, there is an accommodated version of the test for those eligible which offers 25% extra time to candidates:

PEIC-A1E25
PEIC-A2E25
PEIC-B1E25
PEIC-B2E25
PEIC-C1E25
PEIC-C2E25

The tests are entirely computer-based and assess the Speaking, Writing, Listening, and Reading skills of test takers by using a combination of human scoring and an automated scoring system.

IDENTIFICATION

Identification Requirements	Primary ID required; do not seat a candidate for an exam unless he or she provides a valid form of ID.
Primary ID	Candidates are required to present at least one original (no photocopies), valid (unexpired) form of government-issued ID from the candidate's country of citizenship. IDs are considered to be valid (non-expired) as long as they do not contain an expiration date that has passed. If there is no expiration date on an ID, it is considered to be valid. Each valid identification must include: Candidate's full name Candidate's full date of birth Recent and recognizable picture of the candidate
Secondary ID	n/a
Local Language ID	The ID can be in any language (e.g., Arabic or Chinese) so long as all required elements (name, DOB, expiry date, signature, and photo) can be identified by the TA and the name itself is printed in Roman characters.

NAME-MATCHING GUIDELINES

PEIC candidates with minor name discrepancies may be admitted at the administrator’s discretion if all available IDs have been checked and it is believed the candidate is the same person shown on the IDs. Acceptable discrepancies include:

Discrepancies due to technical limitations – A long name truncated (shortened) to fit into the name field.
Typographical errors – Minor misspellings (two-letter differences or less only) due to a typo.
Traditional or cultural variations (for example, abbreviated or shortened names, missing middle names, and so on).
Candidates may present an original or certified copy of a marriage certificate or divorce decree to document differences between married and maiden names.

When multiple first or last names appear due to a regional cultural tradition (for example, the candidate has both a Westernized and traditional first name, both the father's and mother’s last names are shown, and so on), at least one of the multiple names must appear both on the ID and in Admissions Manager in order to admit the candidate. Use standard techniques to confirm the identity of the candidate, including studying the photograph and signature on the candidate's ID.

It is necessary to create a case if a candidate's ID contains a name discrepancy, date of birth discrepancy, mismatch, or if the candidate is turned away. Be sure to attach a copy of the candidate's ID in the case.

Note: If the candidate's name needs to be updated, create a case, and include what the candidate's family and given name is and what it should be updated to. The passport or identification must be attached to the case. You do not need to contact the Customer Service Centre (CSC) regarding updates.

DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES

If the candidate has any demographic changes to make including home address, email address or telephone number these can be amended by the candidate on PEIC’s Test Hub portal.

If the candidate's name is spelt incorrectly by more than two letters, then documentation (passport or license) must be attached to the case.

ADMISSIONS DATA

Digital signature and photograph must be captured at test centres that have the necessary admissions equipment to capture the data.

ADMISSIONS DATA WAIVERS

If the candidate requests an admissions data waiver and has not received prior approval, turn the candidate away and create a case.

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED TO TEST

None

LATE ARRIVALS

Candidates are advised to arrive 30 minutes prior to their test.
If the candidate is more than 15 minutes late, turn the candidate away and do not seat the candidate for the exam. Create a case if a candidate is turned away.

Note: If candidates from other clients have appointments that begin one hour after the PEIC candidate begins, do not seat them early. This will ensure that the speaking portion of the exam is complete before the other candidates are seated.

INVIGILATING

START TIMES

PEIC candidates should begin their exam together. Candidates should not be started at different times as this will deviate from the exam policy. If a candidate experiences any technical difficulties when starting their exam, all other candidates should be started together while the issue(s) is/are resolved.
If a candidate experiences any problems in starting, please ensure you make a note of the time the problem occurred by checking your watch or the test centre clock and follow the processes below:

Contact VSS, if required, to assist in resolving the issue.

Refer to the Policies & Procedures Guide for details on technical problems.

ITEMS ALLOWED IN THE TESTING ROOM

Personal Items	Pearson VUE standard policy
Noteboard/Booklet	Not permitted – there is a ‘notes’ function built into the exam that candidates can use
Calculators	Not permitted
Exhibits	None
Headphones	Plantronics 655 with microphone or Andrea 445 with microphone- (Equivalent models may also be accepted) Unplug the standard headphones and store them in a safe place. Plug the Plantronics or Andrea headphones into the delivery workstation using the USB port located at the front of the delivery workstation. If your test center is equipped with headphone models other than those listed above, a case explaining which model of headphones to use will be assigned to your test center. Note: The Plantronics headphones have been discontinued and the Andrea headphones are being distributed in their place. If candidates ask about the difference, assure them that they are of the same quality.

BREAKS

Scheduled	An optional scheduled break is available to all candidates 10 mins after the second (Reading) section. Candidates are advised on the break screen that they must return to their seat within 10 minutes, or they will begin to lose time from the upcoming section of the test. The intention of this document is to cover the agreed upon processes regarding candidates using the break. If a candidate wishes to take the break, they must leave the testing room. The candidate must get the attention of the Test Administrator before leaving the room and take the break. If the candidate returns within the 10 minutes The candidate's ID should be checked and the candidate should be readmitted to the testing room as quickly as possible to continue with the test. No further action is required. If the candidate is readmitted after more than 10 minutes have passed Check their ID and readmit the candidate as quickly as possible, making no comments regarding the late return. When the test has resumed, the candidate might question why they have less time than specified for the upcoming section of the test. In those circumstances, one of the following scripts should be used by the Test Administrator: [Candidate late] “The break in the test is timed at 10 minutes. The break screen informed you to return within 10 minutes to allow sufficient time for readmission to the testing room. Unfortunately, we cannot add any additional time to the test in place of the time lost by returning late.” [Other reason] “Please continue with your test as soon as possible so you do not lose any further time. This incident will be documented, but unfortunately, we cannot add any time back to the section.” Full details should be documented in a case, including the reason for the late readmission of the candidate and an estimate of how much time was lost. In the event the candidate wishes to make a complaint afterwards, provide the candidate with the case number. If the candidate does not return: Manually change the candidate's test to Unscheduled Break mode and allow it to time out. Theoretically, the candidate may return at any point during the remainder of their scheduled appointment to complete the test.
Unscheduled	May take as often as is necessary but is strongly discouraged due to the audio portions of this test. Be aware that if the candidate takes a break during the Audio and Recording sections of the exam, the candidate will not be able to replay or record the question they missed while on break. Put exam in unscheduled break mode, do not temporarily stop the exam or add time to the exam using the Administrator Override options. Exam clock does not stop. Verify candidate's identity on return. It is imperative the candidate is seated with the headset on and ready to proceed with the test prior to resuming it. It is not necessary to create a case when the candidate returns from an unscheduled break and the exam is resumed.
Leave Building	Candidates are not permitted to leave the building at any time during the test or during the scheduled break. If a candidate leaves the building it will be classed as misconduct and the misconduct process must be followed.
Access to Personal Belongings	Candidates must not access study guides, cellular or mobile phones, or any other personal items stored in their locker with the normal exceptions of taking medication or eat food at a specific time only if necessary.

EXAM EVENTS/RESULTS

Exam	PEIC exams differ in length, however, all seat slots are set to 120 minutes. PEIC assess listening, reading, speaking, and writing all via computer in a single exam session. Each section has an introductory screen which prepares the candidate for the upcoming section. Note: If you are having issues with technical errors, or TA difficulties, call VSS and create a case.
Non-Disclosure Agreement	Untimed - may click through
Welcome	Untimed
Equipment Check	Untimed Headset check Microphone check Keyboard check
Test Introduction	Untimed
Survey	No
Item Review	Candidates use the Next button to move to the next question. Candidates are not required to provide an answer before moving to the next question. However, if the candidate does continue without answering the question, the candidate will not be able to navigate back or review any missed items at the end of the test.
Results	Official: The exam result will be provided a later time, the candidate will receive a score report available notification via email once the scores are available. Candidates’ official score report typically be available within 10 business days. See additional detail in the supplementary information section of this guide. Onscreen: Confirmation exam has ended Printout: No

CANDIDATE MISCONDUCT

Misconduct during exam/Leaving the building

If misconduct (including candidate leaving the building during a scheduled or unscheduled break) is witnessed while an exam is in progress, please allow the candidate to continue with their test and create a case under the topic ‘Candidate error or misconduct’. PEIC will then review the case and take any appropriate action. The PEIC exam is not to be stopped mid exam delivery if misconduct is witnessed.

Misconduct prior to admission

Follow standard procedure, please refer to Policies and Procedures Guide

ADMINISTRATOR RESTRICTIONS

A PEIC certified administrator at a test centre can sit a PEIC test but must do this at a different centre to the one they work at.

TECHNICAL ISSUES

Power Outage – Note: If a power outage or if technical issue occurs that results in lost exam time due to a system issue and a candidate wishes to wait, please contact VSS for instructions. Create a case.

There are some unique things to be aware of.

Fire drill happens and TA does not have time to stop the test and candidate is on a spoken responses item. The microphone is only open for a defined period. Candidates may not get the chance to speak their response. The candidate will just need to move on when they return to the test.
Fire drill happens and TA doesn’t have time to stop test and candidate is on Audio play/video play, candidate may not hear what the audio was saying or view the video, this cannot be replayed. The candidate will just need to move on.
All the other items work normally where the candidate will pick up where he or she left off.

Issues with headsets

The candidate has an “equipment check” item at the beginning of the test to make sure that the microphone and headphones work. If the headphones and microphone don’t work during the equipment check, replace it with a new set. It is not necessary to stop the exam or create a case during this time. However, if the candidate says the headset does not work during the exam, stop the exam, unplug the headset, locate a new set, plug the new set into the USB port on the front of the computer, resume the exam and navigate to the next item. A candidate case report should be written documenting the reason for the resume and should include the item number on which the test was stopped. The exam will resume at the same point it was stopped and no time will be lost.

Issues with exam volume

If the volume level is too low on the machine, the TA should stop the exam and adjust the volume on the computer to the maximum level. This normally happens during the “equipment check” item but can also happen at any time during the exam. The TA should contact VSS if they have any questions about how to do this. Once the volume is adjusted, the exam should be resumed, and a candidate case report should be created documenting the reason for the resume. Be sure to also include at what point in the exam the resume happened. The exam will resume at the same point it was stopped and no time will be lost.

Workstation Issues

If a workstation goes down or is not working properly, please contact VSS for instruction.

Note: If VSS is unable to resume the exam within 30 minutes, stop the exam and reschedule a new exam at no charge. Create a case.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

Additional Information

Additional information

Candidates use the Next button to move to the next question. Candidates are not required to provide an answer before moving to the next question. However, if the candidate does continue without answering the question, the candidate will not be able to navigate back or review any missed items at the end of the test.
The test proceeds to the next section automatically when a section’s time expires.
Each section has an introductory screen which prepares the candidate for the upcoming section.
The copy, paste, cut, and undo functions are only enabled when a candidate is working on an exam item that contains a response box. These functions only work on the text candidates type into the response box themselves, the functions cannot be used on any of the text that appears outside of the response box.
The exam contains an audio recording component where candidates will be required to read a passage, view, and summarize a video or listen to and repeat an audio clip while speaking into a microphone. The microphone is provided by Pearson VUE and will be part of the headset. We recommend that candidates wear the headset for the entire duration of the test to help minimize distractions.
Once results are available, candidates will be able to see their score report on their Test Hub account in the My Results tab. The score report provides insights about overall performance and at the skill level. This digital score report can be easily downloaded and shared as a PDF. In addition to the score report, candidates who pass the test will also receive a printed certificate with watermark delivered by secure post, approximately one week after scores are available. For tests taken as part of a professional training or language course, these will be sent to the relevant school or institution.
Retake policy: Candidates can book their next test as soon as the Score Report from the current test is available. Candidates can only book one test at a time. They can take a test of the same level up to 3 times within a 12 month period.
Accommodations: Candidates requiring more time or other accommodations for a disability must request special arrangements several weeks in advance of testing. The following test accommodations are currently available to test takers who are able to demonstrate their requirements using valid medical evidence:
Separate room
Wheelchair access
Additional equipment: e.g. lamp, magnifying glass
Adjustable workstation and chair
Adjustable monitor brightness
Extra time (25%) added to each section of the test.
An accommodation for extra time will only be granted if the candidate provides medical evidence to Pearson in advance of testing and it is deemed reasonable by Pearson personnel.
If contacted by individual candidates, please advise of the following link for test bookings: https://www.pearson.com/english/assessment/international-certificate/learners.html