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TOEFL is a standardized test developed to measure English proficiency for non-native speakers who want to study in English-speaking countries. It tests four aspects of communication in English and is administered by Educational Testing Service (ETS). The test has been criticized for its speaking portion and limited seating availability.
The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) has been administered to non-native speakers of English since 1964. It was developed to measure English proficiency to determine whether or not a student will be able to succeed at the college level. Many educational institutions in English-speaking countries require TOEFL scores from foreign students who do not meet other requirements, such as studying in college in an English-speaking country for at least two years. Once the TOEFL is taken, scores remain on file for two years before being discarded.
English as a Second Language (ESL) learners are sometimes at a profound disadvantage in a college classroom. The TOEFL was designed to solve this problem by ensuring that all students achieve a basic level of English language skills. Like other standardized tests, the TOEFL is criticized by some educators for a variety of reasons, and the TOEFL alone should probably not be used as a measure of English ability.
TOEFL is a trademark of Educational Testing Service (ETS), a standardized testing company that administers exams such as the SAT for college students and PRAXIS for prospective teachers. ETS offers three versions of the TOEFL, although two of them were deprecated as of 2006, and it was expected that they would be discontinued altogether. The first is the paper-based test, a four-hour exam where students are given tests. The second is the computer-based test, which uses an interactive computer format to administer the test. The preferred method is Internet-based testing.
The four-hour, Internet-based TOEFL tests four aspects of communicating in English. The test taker must successfully defend a written argument indicating the ability to communicate in written English. In addition, the test taker will read the selections and answer the questions, demonstrating reading comprehension. The test taker will also listen to recorded English sentences and respond to them, and the test taker will record spoken English. The score combines performance on all four aspects of the exam and is believed to serve as an accurate reflection of the student’s abilities.
The speaking portion of the TOEFL has been criticized by test takers, who say it makes the test-taking environment quite chaotic. For the listening phase, test takers usually wear headphones so they don’t distract other test takers. The Educational Testing Service had difficulty resolving this issue, as the TOEFL is administered in standardized test centers, which would be difficult to reconfigure for TOEFL alone. Seating has become more limited, which helps but also frustrates participants as it can be difficult to apply for a TOEFL spot.
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