English Proficiency Tests

If you are an Indian student, then you are categorized as an ESL student by the Admission Committees, i.e. English as Secondary Language Student. The language tests have been designed to measure the English language proficien­cy of such non-native English speakers. Admission Committees officials are usually concerned whether a non-native English-speaking students would be able to excel in an International English environment. To clarify this issue, admission committees need scores on any one of the three tests - TOEFL , IELTS or PTE. In this section we will review these three tests: The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), Inter­national English Language Testing Sys­tem (IELTS), and Pearsons Test of English (PTE).

The Need for TOEFL, IELTS or PTE

The need for taking the tests arise since an undergraduate, graduate or postgrad­uate programme anywhere in the world does require students to demonstrate their ability to communicate in English as an admission requirement. These three tests are needed for admission process,  scholarships, fellowships, and/ or when you apply for residen­tial and work visas.

TOEFL

The test is administered by, the Edu­cational Testing Service (ETS), a private nonprofit organization and College Board. TOEFL has graduated from only paper-based test (PBT) initially to computer-based test (CBT) in 1998, to Internet-based test in 2005 (iBT). The paper-based version of the TOEFL (PBT) continues to be administered on specific dates in some countries, particularly in areas where accessibility to the TOEFL iBT is a concern. This includes select centers in Iran, Iraq, Kenya, Myanmar, Norway, Russian Federation, South Africa and even the US to name a few.

Taking the TOEFL

The first step is to decide where (the location) one should take the test. The decision would enable you to opt for one of the two formats: TOEFL iBT or PBT. All test centres in India offer the TOEFL iBT.

TOEFL iBT assesses all four language skills-reading, listening, speaking and writing-that are considered important for effective communication. According to the test administrators, the objective of Internet version emphasizes integrat­ed skills such that academic institutions are better informed about the test-tak­ers on their ability to communicate in an academic setting and their readiness for academic coursework.

Candidates have up to four hours to complete the test attempting all the four sections on the same day. You need to be familiar with certain features on the computer. For instance, on the computer screen, you are aided o by a tool bar which lets you know what question you are answering and how much time is left in the section. The 'volume' button enables you to adjust the volume of the listening material and 'Next' makes way for the next question. 'Help' gives you a way to get relevant help. But remem­ber, when you use the 'help' feature, the clock does not stop. In the Reading section, for some questions, you need to click 'view text' to see entire reading passage. You can also see all answers by clicking on 'review', which permits you to change your answer. In the Speaking section, wear headphones and speak into a microphone to respond. Responses are recorded on the computer and sent to ETS's Online Scoring Network

The Writing section has two tasks. Task 1: Type your answer in response to mate­rial you hear and read. Task 2: Compose an essay in support of an opinion.

Questions in these sections integrate two, three or all the four sections. This implies that you have to read a passage, listen to a short lecture about the topic, and then speak or write in response. Those who register to take TOEFL iBT also get access to a link (TOEFL iBT Sampler), when the registration is complete, which gives them access to questions from all four sections. While the Reading and Listening sections are interactive, sample responses are pro­vided for Writing/Speaking questions.

For the Paper-based Test (TOEFL PBT), the total test time is approximate­ly two-and-a-half hours. This consists of three separately timed sections: Lis­tening Comprehension, Structure and Written Expression and Reading Com­prehension. The questions in each sec­tion are multiple choice, with four pos­sible For those taking the TOEFL PBT test, the Test of Written English (TWE) is required.

Assessing the TOEFL and TOEFL scores

According to TOEFL administrators, the TOEFL score is more objective and reliable. This is because the candidate's speaking responses are recorded and evaluated by three to six ETS raters rather than only one rater from a local testing site. ETS adds that students choose TOEFL for "its reputation for quality, fairness and 100 percent aca­demic composition". Moreover, of the 7500 institutions that accept TOEFL scores, they are among the top 100 uni­versities in the world".

ETS uses both human raters and automated scoring methods. As per ETS administrators, "human raters are needed to attend to a wider variety of features, such as the quality of ideas and content as well as form. ETS raters are trained extensively; pass a certifica­tion test and are calibrated daily". The calibration includes task familiarization, guidance on scoring the task, and practice on a range of responses. When you finish taking the test, you can opt to cancel your score. But you cannot can­cel your score for one section and have scores for other sections reported. Can­celling the scores simply implies that they will not be reported to you or any institutions. In this case your test fee will not be refunded. You can also reinstate the cancelled score. One is able to view the scores online in about 14 hours after he/she takes the test.

Tips for TOEFL and IELTS

Read regularly, particularly textbooks, newspapers and/or materials that cover various subject areas. Increase your vocabulary using memory cards, skim quickly to identify important points in a passage and draw inferences. Watching movies and TV, listening to the radio and to the resources avail­able on the Internet, helps a lot. Also attend lectures and try to outline the key points. For Speaking, practice with native speakers of English or join a club whose members converse in English about travel, movies, music etc. Pre­pare salient points to start with and practice giving responses for a minute to gradually increase the time. For improving writing skills; list out familiar topics and practice writing about them. Increase your word power, knowledge of idioms and grammatical structures so you can use them naturally when writing. One must plan to take the test two to three months before the earliest application deadline, so that your scores arrive at your institutions in time. Ide­ally start preparing at least eight weeks before the opted test date to guarantee your success.

Resources for improving TOEFL scores

As part of the undergraduate and graduate admissions process, you will most likely be required to demonstrate your English language skills if English is not your native language. You can take the TOEFL test in half-a-day, not requiring a second day of testing and incurring additional travel and lodging expenses. ETS, the creator of the TOEFL test, has developed a TOEFL Toolkit to help you succeed! The resources are user-friendly, easy to access from your computer or mobile devices - and the best part is that they are all FREE!

1) TOEFL iBT ® Quick Prep (www.ets.org/toefl/quickprep): Students are always requesting more sample test questions from ETS! The TOEFL iBT® Quick Prep offers test questions that have appeared in past TOEFL tests to aid students with study preparation.

2) "Inside the TOEFL® Test" Video Series (www.ets.org/toefl/video_library/): The format of the Writing and Speaking sections of TOEFL don't have to be a mystery. A new five-part video series provides an in depth look at the Writing and Speaking sections of the TOEFL test to familiarise students with it.

3) TOEFL® Test Prep Planner (www.ets.org/toefl/planner): You've studied hard to learn English and now you will want to make sure you are comfortable with the format of TOEFL and available resources. The TOEFL® Test Prep Planner provides an eight-week calendar so you will be prepared in order to do your best on test day.

4) TOEFL® Go Anywhere website (www.TOEFLGoAnywhere.org ): This interactive website is constantly updated with new resources designed specifically for TOEFL test-takers. Through the site's multimedia platforms, students can benefit from various study resources, such as the Study Group video series, which provide specific strategies for the reading, writing, speaking and listening sections of the TOEFL test.

5) TOEFL® TV Channel hosted on YouTube ® (www.youtube.com/TOEFLtv): Have a few minutes on your daily commute? Watch a new video each day that shares best practices and study tips regarding the TOEFL test from English-language teachers, students who have taken the TOEFL test, as well as institutions around the world who accept the TOEFL test.

6) TOEFL® Go Anywhere India page on Facebook® (www.facebook.com/ toeflgoanywhereindia): Join the conversation with more than 130,000 students from India and learn the latest information pertaining to the TOEFL test and educational events taking place throughout India.

7) TOEFL Journey® Program (www.toeflgoanywhere.org/user/toefljourney): Thinking about studying abroad? The TOEFL Journey® program creates a personalised web page for students based on expressed study abroad interests and identified stage within the testing process. The programme also provides access to a wide spectrum of resources ranging from helpful hints for living in a foreign country, to a comprehensive listing of student visa requirements and available scholarship opportunities, as well as timely and helpful email and text messages customised for your journey.

8) Lexile ® Measures from MetaMetries® (http://lexile.com/toefl): Having difficulty finding interesting reading material at your skill level? Based on your TOEFL Reading score, a Lexile score can help you to select materials of interest that will provide an appropriate level of challenge to promote your reading development.

9) "Welcome to the TOEFL iBT® Testing Site" Video (www.toeflgoanywhere.org/content/what-expecttest-day): Curious to learn more about what to expect on testing day? View this six-minute video to become familiar with the registration, check-in and testing process. Knowing what to expect on test day can put you at ease.

10) TOEFL customer centres specifically for Indian students: The college admissions process is a busy time in a student's life. ETS has two resource centres available to answer your questions:

•    TOEFL Customer Call Center for Indian students will answer your pre-and post TOEFL questions and is accessible by phone toll-free directly from India, Monday-Friday from 9 am-5 pm ISD @ 000-800-100-3780, and by email atTOEFLsupport4India@ets.org.

•    The TOEFL Resource Center in India is available to answer your questions about the TOEFL test and available study resources by email at TOEFL@studyplaces.com or by phone at 91 9 7112 37111.

The TOEFL Toolkit makes preparing for the TOEFL test easier than ever! And remember, Indian students now have the option to pay for the TOEFL test in rupees when they register online for the TOEFL iBT® test.