Changes to GL5 Exam

[johnfgolding]

Can anyone throw any light on the proposed changes to the GL5 examination.
I have heard the following:

"CHANGES TO FORMAT OF GL5 EXAM

Of mutual interest to examiners and instructors alike is news that part of this year’s GL5 exam will be different from previous years:

It is still 70 questions in length – BUT THE LAST 10 QUESTIONS WILL HAVE MORE THAN ONE ANSWER;

THERE MAY BE A CHOICE OF 5 ANSWERS;

CANDIDATES MUST CIRCLE A MINIMUM OF 2 ANSWERS, BUT IT COULD BE 3, 4 OR ALL 5;

THEY NEED TO GET THE CORRECT COMBINATION OF ANSWERS – TOO FEW OR TOO MANY WLL BE MARKED WRONG.

In the light of experience, the number of questions of this style could be up to half of the paper in future years."


One hopes that this will not make these 10 questions a lottery.
Also will those taking GL5 this year have the opportunity to see some example questions as part of there preperation.

Whilst I applaud the intention of testing for greater knowledge, the ACU&S need to be wary of putting potential candidates off. Qualified or Intermediate Umpires seem, to me, to be in short supply.

[wisden17]

Well I'm certainly in favour of these changes, although whether they go far enough, I'm not convinced (I still think at GL5 you need to have questions which requre written answers, at least in part).

I don't agree at all with the suggestion that these questions will create a lottery (if you know the answers, how can it be a lottery?) and I think that any suggestion that by making the, very easy, GL5 harder (albeit marginally) will put off candidates is wrong. I still feel that the GL5 should be harder.

I haven't taken any of the new GL exams, however I am an examiner for the GL4 (well essentially anyone can exmine/mark the GL5/6 exams so I don't count those!). I'm all in favour of the changes made to the Oral Exam to turn it into the GL4, however I think the Part II to GL5 changes have been very bad indeed.

[johnfgolding]

I agree with you that GL5 ought to require a more detailed knowledge. It is difficult to see much difference between GL6 and GL5 apart from their being more questions.

The 10 questions will be a lottery unless there are clear examples of what is required.

This whole matter needs to be handled with care to avoid negative reaction. Players deserve the best from their Umpires and they need Umpires.
So there is a difficult balancing act required to improve the capability of Umpires yet not putting off potential candidates.