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kdynamic
Joined: 05 Nov 2005
Posts: 562
Location: Japan
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 Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 4:58 am Post subject: Changes to TOEIC |
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In today's Japan Times (source)
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Thursday, July 20, 2006
December to see TOEIC speaking, writing tests
By KAHO SHIMIZU
Staff writer
Responding to growing demand for tools to assess English speaking and writing abilities, U.S.-based Education Testing Service said it will launch speaking and writing sections of the Test of English for International Communication here in December.
TOEIC currently has listening and reading sections to test English proficiency and is a major English qualification test in Japan. About 1.5 million people took TOEIC in fiscal 2005.
"As globalization continues to drive growth of English language use in the international workplace, the need for a productive skills measurement was encouraged by our score users," Bhaskar Pant, managing director for the Asia-Pacific region at ETS, told a news conference in Tokyo. "We designed tests that would assess spoken and written English, the kinds of English used in the international workplace."
The speaking test will assess pronunciation, intonation, grammar, vocabulary and content of the responses. Test candidates will be required to read a text aloud, describe a picture, respond to questions and express an opinion. The test has 11 questions and takes about 20 minutes.
The writing test consists of eight questions that require the candidate to describe a picture, respond to a written request and write an opinion essay.
Grammar, vocabulary and organization of the essay will be assessed in the 60-minute test.
The speaking and writing tests have a maximum combined score of 200 points and include a written evaluation. The two exams come as a set and cost 9,975 yen. People will be able to take the new tests once a month online.
The Institute for International Business Communication, the Japanese administrator of TOEIC, said it hopes 30,000 people take new tests.
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So, what do you think? |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 12:48 pm Post subject: |
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I've seen what the TOEFL speaking tests are like. I'd hate to be the one to grade such a qualitative assessment.
And, to assess a WRITING section will be equally vague. Good luck. |
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Brooks
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 1369
Location: Sagamihara
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| Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 1:22 pm Post subject: |
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people are worried so lots of people have taken the TOEIC lately, before the test format is changed.
In Korea, I think it is much the same. |
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PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
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| Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 1:25 pm Post subject: |
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| Brooks wrote: |
people are worried so lots of people have taken the TOEIC lately, before the test format is changed.
In Korea, I think it is much the same. |
wont make a hell of a lot of difference. the only country below Japan in median scores is North Korea. |
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kdynamic
Joined: 05 Nov 2005
Posts: 562
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 12:47 am Post subject: |
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| I think you guys are missing the major reprecussion for Japan: they currently teach to the test. High school students take TOEIC (oftentimes). If the test changes, so will the teaching focus. Isn't a major complaint about English education in Japan that it doesn't give enough weight to speaking and productive skills?? |
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PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
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| Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 1:20 am Post subject: |
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| kdynamic wrote: |
| I think you guys are missing the major reprecussion for Japan: they currently teach to the test. High school students take TOEIC (oftentimes). If the test changes, so will the teaching focus. Isn't a major complaint about English education in Japan that it doesn't give enough weight to speaking and productive skills?? |
I think they teach Eiken or STEP in Japan as that is what Monbusho mandates as the proficiency goal for students
Moreover you stll need native japanese teachers who can speak and understand spoken English and they still need to be trained to teach productive skills. A recent survey by Benessee showed that only 4% of junior high school japanese teachers use spoken Japanese in class. |
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blondie10
Joined: 12 Aug 2006
Posts: 40
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| Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2006 3:16 am Post subject: |
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PaulH
Is that like taking a poll to see how many people smoke pot in a retirement home or a college campus? The results would be low or high depending on what they wanted to prove. That poll result is very suspect from what I have seen in Japan. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2006 12:31 pm Post subject: |
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Blondie,
I worked in a private JHS/SHS for 4 years. Even the J teachers who can use good spoken English don't use it more than 10% of the time in their solo classes. I've watched them. The only time they seem to use it more is when they have to team teach with a native speaker. Just my experience. |
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