Language Assessment
What is CLARS?
CLARS stands for Coordinated Language Assessment and Referral System. It is the Ontario system using standardized language assessment for entry into available second language training (SLT) programs in Ontario which are ESL and LINC.
CLARS is jointly funded by Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
CLARS and LT follow the standards set by the Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB). To take government funded LT in Ontario it is mandatory to have a CLB assessment before entering a course of study.
CLB assessment is provided at a CLARS centre by a licensed CLB provider and is delivered by trained, certified CLB assessors.
In the Upper Canada DSB region, it is the TR Leger School which houses the CLARS centre and carries the CLB licensed tools and CLB certified assessors.
Once a client has been assessed, certified assessors enter the client information and CLB levels into the provincial database. This opens the door to tracking training and achievement both provincially and nationally. Following a course of recognized study in ESL, LINC/LINC Home Study may result in issuing of a certificate with the achieved CLB levels of study in the four domains of listening, speaking, reading, writing.
This accountable and recognized process is important as a demonstration of a nationally recognized standard. The certificate generated is an important document for personal/professional use and is a document which, if showing level 4 or higher in listening and speaking, is acceptable in a Canadian Citizenship application package.
CLB 4 in listening and speaking is the minimum requirement of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, when applying for citizenship.