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=__Computer Based Assessment Review- TOEFL__ =



__Test Identity__ __Title:__ TOEFL - // Test of English as a Foreign Language // __Publisher:__ ETS (Educational Testing Service)

__Provider:__ The provider of the TOEFL test is ETS. The specific organization is a nonprofit corporation. The work of the organization is supported through revenue of its products and services, and from contracts and grants from government agencies, private foundations, universities and corporations. The mission of ETS is to help in the advancement of quality and equity in education by providing fair and valid assessments, research and related services.

__Subject area:__ ETS offers a range of tests like TOEFL, TOEIC, SAT, GRE, AP etc. These tests do not cover only the topic of English. The tests also covers other areas. For example in SAT the participant is tested in three areas: critical reading, math, and writing.

__ Web addresses: __ ETS (Educational Testing Service): [] ETS-TOEFL: [] []

__Test overview__ __ What is it? __ The TOEFL test is a test which measures the ability of a person to communicate in English in colleges and universities. It is the most widely accepted English-language test in the world, which is accepted by more than 6,000 institutions in more than 130 countries. __ Why take it? __ There are a number of reasons why someone should take the TOEFL test.

1. First of all this test offers plenty of choices about where you want to study because it is accepted by more institutions than any other English-language test in the world. It is also accepted by the top colleges and universities all over the world. All these institutions that accept the test rely on its scores in order to admit an individual, to give scholarships or to take graduation decisions.

2. This test offers to somebody convenience and flexibility. The whole test can be taken in one day, and this saves time and money for the participant. The participant has the options to choose among 4,000 test centers world wide. The participant is also given the option to retake the test in just 7 days if he wants in order to have the ability to improve his/her scores.

3. The particular test can provide the skills to a person in order to be able to communicate in real-life situations within the academic environment. Within the academic environment he will be able to communicate his ideas effectively, listen to lectures, read textbooks and online research, write academic papers and e-mails, and speak with other students and professors.

4. Lastly the TOEFL test is fair and accurate. The test-taking experience is similar for all the participants and this eliminates the inconsistency of interviews that could negatively impact their scores. Scores are objective and unbiased. The tests are scored anonymously by ETS-certified experts.

__ What does it assess / measure? __ The TOEFL test is a test which measures the ability of a person to communicate in English at colleges and universities.

__ Who should take it? __ The test should be taken by individuals that intent to enroll in colleges or universities around the world in which English is the mean for communication within the academic environment. These individuals by passing this test they will be able to communicate effectively in the classroom setting or in the campus in general.

__ Where can one take it? __ The candidate can take the test in one of the 4,000 test centers world wide.

__ Who accepts it? __ The test is accepted by more than 6,000 institutions in more than 130 countries. __Types of TOEFL tests__ There are two types of TOEFL tests. The PBT (Paper-based Test) and the IBT (Internet-based test)

__TOEFL-PBT (Paper-Based Test)__ __ Test content __ The test consists of four sections which are: listening comprehension, structure and written expression, reading comprehension and writing (Test of Written English). Listening Comprehension measures the ability of the candidate to understand English as it is spoken in North America. Structure and Written Expression measures the ability of the candidate to recognize language that is appropriate for standard written English. Reading Comprehension measures the ability of the candidate to understand non-technical reading material. Writing tests the writing abilities of the candidate in English.

__ Duration __ The test takes approximately 140-150 minutes. The Listening Comprehension section takes 40-50 minutes. The Structure and Written expression section takes 25 minutes. The Reading Comprehension takes 55 minutes and the Writing (Test of Written English) takes 30 minutes.

__ Types of questions __ The whole test consists of 140 questions in the three sections of Listening Comprehension, Structure and Written expression and Reading Comprehension. The Writing (Test of Written English) section consists of 1 topic.

__Listening Comprehension__ In this section the questions test the ability of the participant to understand short and long conversations in English. This section comprises of recorded material that is similar to what the candidate might hear if he was with North American students at a college or a university. The language of this section includes vocabulary and idiomatic expressions common to spoken English and special grammatical constructions that are used in speech.

__ Link to sample activities on the Listening Comprehension: []__

__Structure and Written Expression__ This section contains sentences that test the knowledge of the participant on important structural and grammatical elements of standard written English. These sentences include a variety of topics and give no particular advantage to individuals in any specific field of study. When topics have a national context, they refer to the United States or Canadian history, culture, art, or literature. However, the participant doesn’t need to have a prior knowledge concerning these contexts in order to answer the structural or grammatical points that are tested. __ Link to sample activities on Structure and Written Expression: []__ __Reading Comprehension__ This section contains reading passages and questions about the passages. The questions are about information that is stated or implied in the passage and about some of the specific words in the passages. Because many English words have more than one meaning, it is important to remember that these questions concern the meaning of a word or phrase within the context of the passage. Here the candidate is test on his ability to read and understand short passages similar in topic and style to those that he is likely to encounter in North American universities and colleges. __ Link to sample activities on Reading Comprehension: []__ __Writing__ In this section the participant is given one topic and he has to write an essay on it. The duration of this task is 30 minutes. The participant must show his abilities on writing in English.

__Link to sample activities on Writing:__ __[]__ __IBT (Internet-based test)__ This type of the TOEFL test measures how well you read, listen, speak and write in English in order to use these skills effectively in the university environment. During the test you might read a passage or listen to a lecture, and then write or speak about what you have learned. In order to answer to a question in the test you’re required to use a combination of the language skills. The test can be taken online on a computer at the test center, and the keyboard that is used is the QWERTY computer keyboard. It is recommended to the candidate to practice his typing on the specific type of keyboard in order to be more acquainted with it during the exam. This test is also appropriate for test takers with disabilities due to the fact that ETS provides services and reasonable accommodations for those candidates. In addition nonstandard testing accommodations are available for test takers with disabilities who meet ETS requirements. If a candidate with disabilities is requesting nonstandard testing accommodations, he must register through ETS and have these accommodations approved prior to testing.

__ Test content __ The particular test consists of four parts (Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing).

__ Duration __ The reading section of the test takes about 60-100 minutes. The listening section takes about 60-90 minutes. After the first two sections there is a 10 minutes break. The speaking section takes 20 minutes and the writing section 50 minutes.

__ Types of questions __ The reading part contains 3-5 passages from academic texts; approximately 700 words long; 12-14 questions per passage. The listening part contains 4-6 lectures, some with classroom discussion; each 3-5 minutes long; 6 questions each. 2-3 conversations; each 3 minutes long; 5 questions each. The speaking part contains 2 tasks to express an opinion on a familiar topic; 4 tasks to speak based on what is read and listened to. The writing part contains 1 task to write based on what is read and listened to; 1 task to support an opinion on a topic.

__ Reading  __ The questions in the Reading section measure your ability to understand academic passages in English. You must read the passages and answer questions about them in the time given.

__Link to sample activities on__ __Reading____:__ [] __Listening__ The Listening section measures your ability to understand conversations and lectures in English. In this section, you will read one conversation and one lecture and answer questions after each conversation or lecture. The questions typically ask about the main idea and supporting details. Some questions ask about a speaker’s purpose or attitude. Answer the questions based on what is stated or implied by the speakers. Most questions are worth one point. If a question is worth more than one point, it will have special directions that indicate how many points you can receive.

__Link to sample activities on Listening:__ [] __Speaking__ The Speaking section in the test measures your ability to speak about a variety of topics. __ Link to sample activities on Speaking: []__

__Writing__ The tasks in the Writing section measure your ability to write in English in an academic environment. There are 2 writing tasks.

__ Link to sample activities on Writing: __[] __ Demo availability __ In the TOEFL website there are sample activities. Someone who is interested in taking the test he can review these activities in order to take a taste of how the test is like. The links to these activities are given above under the heading “Link to sample activities on……”.

__ Opinion __ After reviewing the TOEFL test I reached to the assumption that it is an excellent test which is thoroughly prepared in order to achieve its purpose. The test is structured in such a way in order to test effectively the participant in his knowledge of English regarding each one of the four language skills (Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing). The test is offered in two forms the PBT and the IBT. The two tests are structured in a different way but in my opinion both forms of the test reach successfully there aim. The IBT is also suitable for candidates with disabilities, and this is another successful parameter concerning this form of the test. In my opinion a successful candidate that was able to pass this test will be able in the future to perform effectively in the university classroom. It is certainly an important qualification for an individual to pass TOEFL, as this will prove his abilities in the English language. The success of the test is proven by its acceptability by thousands of institutions all over the world.

__ Resources: __ ETS (Educational Testing Service): [] ETS-TOEFL: [] []