The Test of Interactive English (TIE) is an Irish ELT exams developed by a group of Irish EL professionals under the aegis of the Accreditation and Co-ordination of English Language Services (ACELS). The test is task-based, requiring each candidate to carry out a number of pre-specified tasks prior to taking the test. Assessment if given according to the Council of Europe Common European Framework of Reference for Languages(CEFRL).The test is offered in two formats:

The Junior TIE: for English language learners of 12- 18 years old

The TIE: for English language learners of 18+ (post secondary).

It's an amazing examination! It is recognised here in Greece and in many European countries!!! 

Dear Issac,

Approaching the interactive pole in language testing should focus primarily on the authenticity factor. To what extent do the items on the test reflect real life or life like target situations? Faraday's (1980) Functional language testing can be a good starting point. However, you can make use of communicative tasks operationalizing the intended variable. For instance, Using natural settings ans actual communicative settings you can use discourse completion tasks verbally engaging the learners in playing actual roles.

Lots of good luck with your endeavor.

Best regards,

R. Biria

I would be very cautious about using the term 'amazing', in support of an examination, and would be interested to know exactly what warrants such a superlative commendation. 

From what I have anecdotally gathered, from conversations with my old students who have been employed as examiners, and from EFL professionals who have prepared students for this exam, the examination administration is a very hit-and-miss procedure, marking is at best unreliable, and examiner training is a farce. 

It would be interesting to see whether there are any reliability or concurrent validity data to enable us to make a formal judgment of the test, but until then, I remain unimpressed.