Professional LPR Certification Coaching for Hong Kong Teachers

Specialized coaching for teachers pursuing LPR/LPR4 certification for career advancement. Individual sessions designed for the specific demands of teacher language requirements—not generic test preparation.

Education Bureau Circular Memorandum No. 74/2024

“All teachers of English holding a regular post in aided schools, as well as teachers of English in government schools, caput schools, Direct Subsidy Scheme schools and private primary / secondary day schools offering a formal curriculum who are comparable to teachers holding a regular post in aided schools should have met the LPR.”

Achieving the LPR

By Exemption

  • Serving and aspiring teachers who hold a relevant degree in English and have received relevant teacher training with specialism in English will be deemed to have attained the LPR, and may apply for exemption from the LPR.

  • Applications for exemption from the LPR are accepted all year round as usual. Starting from the 2024/25 school year, new / newly deployed teachers of English holding a regular post should submit applications to EDB before 30 September of the corresponding school year for verification of their eligibility.

By Assessment

  • IELTS: Teachers should attain an overall band score of 7.5 or above with no individual band scores (i.e. the Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking band scores) below 7.0 in the same Test Report Form.

  • CLA: Teachers should obtain the “attained” result in the Classroom Language Assessment.

Achieving the LPR4 Standard

For an English teacher to be “accorded priority for consideration of promotion/direct appointment to an English Panel Chair (EPC) post in an aided primary/secondary school, he/she should have [attained] ….

  • an overall band score of 8.0 or above with no individual band scores (i.e. the Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking band scores) below 7.5 in the same Test Report Form in the Academic Module of IELTS; AND

  • within the same sitting of the Classroom Language Assessment, … at least Level 4 or above on three out of the four scales and Level 3 or above on the remaining one scale.”

LPR Certification Coaching Packages

  • IELTS 7.5 Coaching for LPR

    Professional IELTS coaching for Hong Kong English teachers pursuing LPR certification. Coaching focuses on the specific writing and speaking competencies needed for the 7.5 band requirement.

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  • IELTS 8.0 Coaching for LPR4 and Career Progression

    Specialized coaching for experienced teachers pursuing LPR4 certification for promotion to English Panel Chair positions. Coaching emphasizes the precision, coherence, and consistently high-band performance required for LPR4 standards.

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  • Classroom Language Assessment Coaching

    Professional coaching for the Classroom Language Assessment component of the Language Proficiency Requirement. Coaching sessions address classroom discourse, lesson delivery language, and the specific assessment criteria used in observed teaching contexts.

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FAQs

What is a “relevant degree in English” for purposes of the LPR?

It is a recognized degree or higher degree with substantial components on the study of English and its use. In the main, this includes degrees specifically in the study of the English language (including English studies, English literature, and linguistics), degrees in education with specialism in English, degrees in the communicative use of English and degrees in translation with English as one of the principal languages studied. Holders of a non-relevant degree who subsequently completed the Post-graduate Programmes in Subject Knowledge for English Language Teachers will be considered as having a relevant degree in English for LPR exemption. Link

What is “relevant teacher training” for purposes of the LPR?

Relevant teacher training' means recognized initial teacher training with specialism in English and supervised practicum in English teaching. As of February 2024, certain programmes were available so that people who are already holders of a PGDE / PGCE / BEd or equivalent and majoring in subjects other than English, will be considered to have fulfilled the SCOLAR requirements on English subject knowledge (PGSK) and relevant teacher training, and will be considered for exemption from the LPR. Link

IELTS test results are only valid for two years. Does this mean I need to resit the IELTS test every two years?

IELTS (Academic Module) test scores remain valid for up to two years after the test date. New or newly deployed English teachers holding a regular post / EPCs who possess valid test results will be deemed to have met the LPR. If teachers have attained the specified results as stated above in the Academic Module of IELTS which are still valid when taking up teaching the English Language subject, they are not required to resit the test.

I didn’t reach the required standard in one skill after my IELTS test. Do I need to resit the whole test?

If you do your One Skill Retake within 60 days of your full computer based IELTS test, you will be issued with a new results slip including your updated IELTS One Skill Retake score as well as the results for the other three skills in the original test. This new results slip appears to meet the LPR requirement that all four skills are reported in the same Test Report Form.

There are a lot of options for taking the IELTS test (computer or paper based at a test centre, or remotely). Which one should I use?

Due to the limitations of the One Skill Retake system, we strongly recommend that you attempt the computer based assessment at an IELTS test centre.

All IELTS coaching for teacher certification is provided by Michael May, MA in English Language Teaching.