The thing with the English language testing, it not the testing itself, but rather the classification of the results as well as the consequences it has.
It is fairly easy to determine whether somebody is able to communicate in English sufficiently well, but it is far far more complicated to accurately rate that person's ability on a score from 1 to 6.
To obtain a level 6, you basically need to speak English correctly, fluently and without repeated hesitations nor disturbing accents.
The thing is however, many native English speakers won't be able to hide their accent (some of which ARE disturbing, even to other native speakers) nor will many be able to speak fluently either if you give them a randomly selected topic to talk about.
And how many native speakers won't make small grammatical errors in their spoken language? I am definitely not always perfectly fluent in my own language either, at least not when using the same criteria used to get to a level 6 in some of the tests being used!
If however you're taking the test as a non-native speaker, all these 'errors' are detected by the automated system and make you end up with 'just' a level 5 at best, meaning you have to take the test again every so many years which is totally ridiculous really, given the fact I am convinced half of the native speakers woudn't get a level 6 either if they were to take the same automated test, nor is it making any sense to assume non-native speakers would suddenly completely forget how to speak English correctly after a few years!
As such, the evaluation system should be fully reworked, IMHO, although I have a feeling test centres will be opposing any change that makes it easier to get 'life-long proficiency'. After all, what's better for them, you think: give non-native speakers who can communicate without any problems in English but who obviously show their origin life-long proficiency, or give them just a level 5 and have them come back every so many years to take the test again?
That many native speakers aren't at level 6 standards either, yet are automatically assumed to be so just because they happen to be a UK citizen, is conveniently disregarded in all this, although it actually means those non-native speakers with a level 6 rating, are often more proficient in English than the average pilot from the US or the UK!
