Issues of Debate

One issue taken with using language aptitude tests like the PLAB is that they are not directly helpful to individuals who are required to learn a language regardless of their language learning abilities. Language learning aptitude is relatively stable over an individual’s lifetime, so if an individual scores poorly on the PLAB, there is no proven method to increase their language learning aptitude if they must learn a language. One way the PLAB could be helpful in this situation is to indicate that more time learning the language will have to be spent relative to someone who received a high score on the PLAB. It can also assist them by showing which learning strategies that they use best.