New TOEFL scraps grammar section
Sari P. Setiogi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is to be reintroduced in September 2005 with a new assessment section on speaking skills, a seminar has announced.
"I am very positive about this, as it will be more valid in measuring English proficiency in academia," Diana Kartika Jahja, business development manager of the Indonesian International Education Foundation (IIEF), told The Jakarta Post.
Speaking on the sidelines of a seminar on Next Generation TOEFL, as it will be known, Diana said the speaking assessment would replace the TOEFL's current grammar section.
However, she said the new test might make everyone in the country -- test-takers and teachers both -- nervous.
"For the first time in TOEFL history, there will be an oral session. The speaker should be able to demonstrate some academic knowledge, so it will not only be conversational," Diana told the Post.
She said under the current system, test-takers do not have to master the language in order to get a high TOEFL score. "It is said that if you want to get a high score, just go for (more) mock tests," said Diana. "That is certainly what we are trying to avoid."
The Next Generation TOEFL will consist of four sections: reading, listening, speaking and writing.
The maximum time given to take the test will be 4.5 hours, and will be scored between zero and 120 points, said Diana.
The current scoring scale is set from zero to 300 for the computer-based test (CBT) and from 310 and 677 for the paper- based test (PBT).
In addition, unlike the current TOEFL, test-takers will be allowed to take notes during the test.
An advantage of the new TOEFL is a faster scoring system, and test-takers can obtain their scores online in 10 business days following their test date -- not the four weeks needed presently.
Further, the score report will include an analysis of errors, providing feedback to test-takers so they could improve, said Diana.
The Next Generation TOEFL will be similar to the existing CBT, which is only offered at one official TOEFL test center -- the IIEF headquarters in Kuningan, South Jakarta.
"Test-takers have to travel to Jakarta if they want to take the CBT TOEFL. Alternatively, they can take the PBT," said Diana.
She said the new TOEFL would cost around US$130, not much different from its current test price.
Several English teachers at the seminar said they had doubts as to the Next Generation TOEFL, as it was Internet-based.
"Many of our test-takers are not familiar with the Internet. As they do not have access to the Internet, how would they become familiar with the test?" said Herry Kartika, an English teacher from Padang, West Sumatra.
Others voiced concerns as to the date of the new TOEFL's introduction, as it did not provide enough time for related preparations.
"Teachers need workshops to understand what skills are being tested on the new TOEFL," said a teacher who declined to be identified.
However, an official at a government institute said it was about time that Indonesians, in particular the younger generation, were taught to be computer- and Internet-literate.