Purpose
• To establish policy surrounding the requirement for English language fluency as a part of the requirements for membership with the Canadian Massage and Manual Osteopathic Therapists Association (the Association) as described in CMMOTA Bylaw’s 3.2.1.8., 3.2.2.8., 3.2.3.8., 3.2.4.6., 3.2.5.5., 3.2.6.6., 3.2.7.7., 3.2.8.7., and 3.2.9.9..
Policy
1. All applicants must be able to speak and write English with reasonable fluency. Effective communication is essential for the provision of competent, safe, high quality Massage Therapy or Manual Osteopathic Therapy services. Language fluency enhances public protection by ensuring that members can communicate effectively with clients and other members of the health care team. Membership applicants are required to meet the Association’s language fluency requirement prior to acceptance into the Association.
2. An applicant may meet the language fluency requirement by providing proof which is deemed acceptable to the Association of any one of the following:
a. An applicant’s first and/or primary language is English; or
b. An applicant has completed a standardized English language test approved by the Association within the past two years and achieved the required scores set by the Association; or
c. The applicant has successfully completed an approved Massage Therapy or Manual Osteopathic Therapy program that had a minimum language fluency requirement for admission and the program’s curriculum included mandatory courses in English communications that were successfully completed by the applicant.
3. The following five methods are acceptable means of demonstrating that the applicant meets the requirement:
a. Signing a self-declaration indicating that their first and/or primary language is English; or
b. Signing a self-declaration indicating that their secondary school education was completed in English and indicating the name and location of the school; if the applicant completed their education outside of Canada in a country where English is not the primary language of communication and employment, they may be required to provide verification directly from the school regarding language of instruction
c. Providing test results from an approved standardized language fluency test demonstrating that they have achieved the minimum scores required by the Association. This report must be submitted directly from the language testing agency to the Association. An applicant must meet the Association’s approved minimum scores in each area of one test (i.e., multiple tests cannot be combined); test results will be considered valid for two years from the date the test was administered. The accepted tests and minimum scores are:
i. MELA
1. Writing 7
2. Speaking 8
3. Listening 8
4. Reading 8
ii. IELTS (GT or AC)
1. Writing 6.0
2. Speaking 6.5
3. Listening 7.5
4. Reading 6.5
iii. TOEFL (internet-based test – iBT)
1. Writing 20
2. Speaking 20
3. Listening 24
4. Reading 19
iv. CanTEST
1. Writing 3.5
2. Speaking 4.5
3. Listening 4.0
4. Reading 4.0
d. Providing evidence in the form of a diploma and transcript from an approved Massage Therapy or Manual Osteopathic Therapy school that includes acceptable information about the language fluency requirement of admission and the communications-related courses successfully completed by the applicant; or
e. Providing to the CMMOTA other compelling evidence of language fluency. This could be, for example, evidence that the applicant completed a university degree in English.
4. An applicant who provides acceptable evidence of fluency by way of one of the five methods listed above will be deemed to have met the language fluency requirement to allow them to register for membership. However, if the Association obtains reasonable grounds to indicate that the applicant may not in fact be reasonably fluent in English, the applicant will be required to submit proof that they have obtained the minimum scores determined by the Association on an approved standardized language fluency assessment in order to complete the registration process.
5. An applicant who cannot provide sufficient evidence of fluency will be notified that they cannot be accepted as a member until they have met the language fluency requirement.
Original Date of Policy Adoption: February 20, 2019
Date of Last Policy Revision: September 20, 2024
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