an update on using toefl ibt for course - neas · ets —listening.learning.leading.®. an update...

ETS — Listening. Learning. Leading.®

An Update on using

TOEFL® iBT for course

entry

Helen Cook


Overview

• The TOEFL iBT test

• TOEFL research

• TOEFL standard setting for various levels

Copyright © 2009 by Educational Testing Service. All rights reserved. ETS, the ETS logo, LISTENING. LEARNING. LEADING. and TOEFL are registered trademarks of Educational Testing

Service (ETS) in the United States and other countries. 11196


‘TOEFL scores are valid for making

decision about the test takers’ language

readiness for academic study at English-

medium universities’

2008 Chapelle CA Enright MK, Jamieson JM

Building a Validity Argument for the Test of

English as a Foreign Language Routledge New

York P320




Educational Testing Service (ETS)

• Largest private not-for-profit testing

organisation in the world

• Based in Princeton, New Jersey since 1947

• ETS designs, develops, administers and

scores more than 50 million tests annually

in over 180 countries






Which TOEFL test?

• 95% of students take the TOEFL iBT

• TOEFL PBT offered in countries with

poor internet coverage, unreliable

electricity supply or occasional

insufficient test center space

• CBT is obsolete

• www.ets.org/toefl

http://www.ets.org/toefl


A convenient student test centre?

4500 test centres in 160 countries

• 20 test centres in Australia

• Testing in 40 cities in China , 50 cities in

India, 15 cities in Russia, 6 cities in

Chile

• www.ets.org/toefl/centre



http://www.ets.org/toefl/centre


What is the applicant’s experience

• Online registration www.ets.org/toefl

• On arrival at test centre, ID check, photo and

handwriting sample. Personal items stored

separately. Computer allocated.

• Photo appears on computer when first seated

and again after break to ensure identity

• 2 subtests - 10 min break – 2 subtests

• Online and mailed paper copy of results



http://www.ets.org/toefl


What does the TOEFL iBT measure?

• Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing

• Emphasizes communicative skills

• 100% academic material

• Integrated questions require students to

combine skills and formulate responses to

summarise, evaluate, compare and

synthesize information




What scoring scheme is used?

• Four subtest skill scores

• 0-30 for each skill

• A total score of 1-120

• Raw scores from each task are added and

scaled

• A large number of score points better

distinguishes language skills




TOEFL iBT Reading Test




TOEFL iBT Reading – 60-100 mins

• Reading involves 3-5 passages from

academic texts

• Texts are approximately 700 words long

followed by 12-14 questions

• Question types include: categorize

information by filling in a chart; complete a

summary; paraphrase information




TOEFL iBT Listening Test




TOEFL iBT Listening test



Speaking%20Item%203%20sound%20files/S3_Sculpture_3.ogg


TOEFL iBT Listening – 60-90 mins

• 2-3 conversations of 2 speakers of 3

minutes followed by 5 questions

• 4-6 authentic lectures: some followed by

classroom discussion with 3-5 minutes

each followed by 6 questions




TOEFL iBT Writing Test




TOEFL iBT Integrated writing item



Speaking%20Item%206%20sound%20files/S6_CountingBaabies_2.ogg


TOEFL iBT Writing – 50 mins

• 1 ‘integrated’ assignment –

reading>listening>writing

• Short academic listening and reading material

used - 20 mins to write

• 1 ‘independent’ essay based on experience

or opinion - 30 mins to write

• Requires some experience with QWERTY




TOEFL iBT Integrated Writing sample

• Read passage for 3 minutes on screen

• Listen to part of a lecture on the topic you

have just read about

• Reading passage reappears on screen

• Task - Summarise the points made in the

lecture...




Scoring of writing – standard setting

• Integrated task - quality of writing -

organisation, appropriate and precise use of

grammar and vocabulary along with

completeness and accuracy of content

• Independent writing – quality of writing -

development, organisation and use of

grammar and vocabulary




TOEFL iBT Speaking Test




The TOEFL iBT Speaking test



Speaking%20Item%203%20sound%20files/S3_Sculpture_1.ogg


TOEFL iBT Speaking – 20 mins

• 6 items

• Test takers speak into microphone and

are digitally recorded

• Candidates given time to prepare and

compose their response to each task

• Note taking allowed throughout test




TOEFL iBT Speaking (cont)Two speaking tasks about familiar topics

Two speaking tasks involving campus

situations

• 1 Listening/Speaking

• 1 Reading/Listening/Speaking

Two speaking tasks involving academic course content

• 1 Listening/Speaking

• 1 Reading/Listening/Speaking




Scoring of speaking

• Topic development – has the task been

addressed and relevant information conveyed?

Synthesis and summarization of information in

integrated items?

• Is delivery clear and smooth?

• Is delivery consistent with overall intelligibility?

• Range and accuracy of vocab and grammar?




How is consistent scoring achieved?

• Test is not scored by invigilator

• All written, spoken and multiple choice

responses sent via Internet to ETS in

Princeton

• Written and spoken responses broken up

and distributed to ETS’ online network

of scorers





• Several anonymous raters each score

speaking and writing questions

• Raters hear and see worldwide

responses – not just from one country

• Raters are trained then tested each

time they score or change questions





• 3-6 raters for each test taker’s spoken

responses

• 4 raters for each test taker’s written

responses

• Ensures fair, objective scoring




‘The ability to verify the authenticity of a

TOEFL iBT test report via the TOEFL

verification service provides us with the

assurance that an applicant meets the

university’s English language requirement

in a timely and efficient manner.’

Karen Gould, General Manager, International

Admissions, University of Melbourne




Coming in July 2009

• Improved score verification system

– Includes photo

– Easier to use - requires only test taker registration

number and date of birth

• Or send TOEFL scores with test taker name,

date of birth and registration number to

[email protected]

– Verification of scores by Princeton staff within 24

hours



mailto:[email protected]


Coming in July 2009

• Speaking sample for those who test beginning

June 24, 2009

– Register with ETS to listen to the sample online

– Scored response to an integrated speaking question

– One minute in length

– Response posted online will be median response of

the test taker – neither best nor worst response

• Scores available online to test takers two

weeks after the test




Test security

• Fixed time zone test dates not continuous

testing so test material is carefully

managed

• Integrated test questions deter

memorization of text and coaching

• Extensive ETS experience in security for

high stakes, academic testing




TOEFL Research




‘(The TOEFL iBT test) is without a

doubt the best-researched language

test in the world’

Tim McNamara

Professor Department of Linguistics &

Applied Linguistics, University of

Melbourne



nelle


TOEFL Research

A well developed test is expected to

yield a test score that reflects a person’s

real ability ... and to keep measurement

error to a minimum

• Reliability and Comparability

• Validity and Trustworthiness




TOEFL Reliability

• Standardized administration

• Detailed test specifications

• Monitoring of score generalizability

• Appropriate scaling of scores

• Statistical measures to ensure

comparable scores across test forms




TOEFL Research - Reliability

• Reliability of Reading, Listening,

Speaking are high

• Total score provides the best information

because it reflects four language skills

and is also most reliable (Coefficient of

.94)




TOEFL Research – Validity

• Test content representative of the kinds of

tasks and texts students meet

• Design of tasks, test structure and criteria

(rubrics) used to score appropriate

• Linguistic knowledge, processes and

strategies students use is reflected

• Positive consequences of score use




Comparing Scores with IELTS

A comparison chart was created by collecting

TOEFL and IELTS Academic Module scores from

more than 600 volunteers who had taken both

tests.

An equipercentile approach was used to

ensure the same proportion of candidates

meeting immigration standards as does the

current IELTS score cut off.




IELTS/TOEFL comparisonsIELTS Total Score TOEFL iBT Total Score

8.5 117

8.0 112

7.5 106

7.0 97

6.5 85

6.0 68

5.5 51

5.0 39




DIAC Application to include TOEFL

for visa use




DIAC Benchmarks

• Test Integrity

• Test content

• Test administration

• Test content

• Benchmarking with IELTS




DIAC Benchmarks against IELTS

• Student visa regulations required whole

test score comparisons with IELTS

• Skilled migration regulations require only

subtest score comparisons – no

whole test score required




How can you help students to prepare?

• Do you have a great tip for learning English?

You can put it on video and upload the file to

the TOEFL® TV Channel on YouTube

• Prep materials for students both free and for

sale: www.ets.org/toelf/practice

• For teachers: PD TOEFL Propell, TOEFL

Accelerator, Longman North Star:Building

Skills for the TOEFL iBT.



http://www.youtube.com/TOEFLtv

http://www.ets.org/toelf/practice




Questions?


THANK YOU

Helen Cook

Associate Director

Client Relations (Australia)

ETS TOEFL

[email protected]



mailto:[email protected]

an update on using toefl ibt for course - neas · ets —listening.learning.leading.®. an update...

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