TOEFL, TOEIC, IELTS

 

The Differences

 

TOEFL

• The TOEFL itself was first administered in 1964 and has been taken by more than 23 million students since then.  There are two most common forms of the test, the Internet-based Test (iBT) and paper-based (PBT).  The iBT test is comprised of four sections: Reading, Listening, Speaking & Writing.  The PBT is made up of four sections, as well: Listening, Structure & Written Expression, Reading Comprehension & Writing.  The iBT has a total of 120 points, whereas the PBT ranges between 310-667 points. The TOEFL is often a requirement at most colleges and universities in the U.S., Canada and other English-speaking countries.  In addition, government agencies, licensing bodies, businesses or scholarship programs might also require the TOEFL.  At this present time, an individual’s TOEFL score is valid for two years and then subject for re-evaluation after the two-year period.

• The TOEFL is often a requirement at most colleges and universities in the U.S., Canada and other English-speaking countries.  In addition, government agencies, licensing bodies, businesses or scholarship programs might also require the TOEFL.  At this present time, an individual’s TOEFL score is valid for two years and then subject for re-evaluation after the two-year period.

TOEIC

• The TOEIC is an acronym for the Test of English for International Communication.  As quoted from the TOEIC website: “The TOEIC is an English language test designed specifically to measure the everyday English skills of people working in an international environment.”  The point system ranges from 10 to 990 points and the test itself is two hours in length, multiple choice, testing listening comprehension and reading comprehension.

• The TOEIC gives certificates to those who take the test, with different colors differentiating the range of advanced skills.  In 2006 a new TOEIC was released with longer reading passages and also British, Australian and New Zealand English-speakers, whereas the previous test only featured American speakers.

IELTS

• Otherwise known as the International English Language Testing System, the IELTS is administered by the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations, the British Council & IDP Education.  There are two primary versions of the IELTS: the academic version & the general training version.  Basically, the academic version is meant for students who want to enroll in universities and other higher education institutions, as well as for medical professions, such as doctors or nurses who need to work or study in an English-speaking country.  The general training version is meant for those looking to gain work experience or for purely immigration purposes.

• Similar to the TOEFL, an IELTS score is valid for two years.  While both the academic version and the general version differ in terms of content, their structure is the same, dividing the test into three parts: Listening (40 minutes), Reading (60 minutes) and Writing (60 minutes).  A brand is given along with a score, ranging form the high score of an “Expert User” to the lowest score of the “Non User.”  The top three countries the test is administered in are China, India and Pakistan.

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The importance of TOEIC, TOEFL, and IELTS

How should TOEIC, TOEFL and IELTS be used?

These commonly used tests of English are probably sufficiently objective to be useful as a minimum or qualifying standard when trying to evaluate the English language skills of a large number of people, such as employees in a large firm or potential students. An employer or university admissions officer should still do additional tests to determine whether English language communication skills meet their specific needs. It is not reasonable to expect these test results to fully reflect the ability to function in English at work or in an academic environment. There are simply too many other factors that come into play, including each applicant's full range of personal skills and the ability to continue to improve in English.

The widespread requirement for these tests serves as a catalyst for many people to apply themselves to the study of English. However the usefulness of this stimulus is reduced if the focus of English language study is on learning the techniques of taking the test. Studies have shown that the higher the level of the learner, the less benefit is obtained by "studying for the test". It would appear that some familiarity with the nature of these tests is useful, but beyond that the benefit of more and more "studying for the tests" is questionable.

The test-taker is usually better off trying to improve overall language competence. "Studying for the exam" often represents an inefficient use of time in terms of the eventual objective, English language fluency. People with good English skills will do well on standard tests. People with poor English skills, the greatest beneficiaries of "studying for the tests", probably should not be taking these tests in the first place.

What is the best way to prepare for TOEIC, TOEFL and IELTS?

The best way to prepare for these tests is to concentrate on learning activities which: Increase English reading and listening speed. Increase English listening comprehension. Increase English vocabulary. Create familiarity with English phrases. This will lead to improved results in TOEIC, TOEFL and IELTS. Not only will these input skills improve, but output skills will also improve.

Led by the pioneering work of Stephen Krashen there is a greater realization today that intensive practice in listening to and reading comprehensible and interesting English input has a powerful effect on increasing overall language competence. As pointed out by Yukio Noguchi in his best-seller, Choo Eigo Hoo (Super English Method) anyone who can easily comprehend English spoken at normal speed, will learn to speak well.

Listening, reading and vocabulary practice are mutually reinforcing. Reading English is an effective way to increase vocabulary. Listening to English audio material helps improve reading speed, if the learner practices reading the same content as he or she is listening to. Audio books are already used to increase literacy and reading speed even amongst English native speakers. See "A Bridge to Literacy" by Denise Marchionda.

Reading and listening speed is critical to success on these tests. Test takers complain that time constraints were their greatest challenge. For the listening questions, they are usually only given one chance to hear each excerpt. The written questions need to be read several times. Speed is of the essence. To improve reading and listening ability, learners should regularly read and listen to content that they largely understand, thereby developing fluency and confidence. They should read and listen often to the same content, focusing at times on meaning, and at other times on the construction of key phrases.

In addition to training reading and listening skills by focusing on content with few unknown words, it is also necessary to study content which contains key academic and specialized vocabulary. As is pointed out below, vocabulary level is a good indicator of success in these standard tests. New vocabulary is best learned from interesting and comprehensible content, especially on the computer and with the help of an efficient online dictionary and vocabulary acquisition system like The Linguist (www.thelinguist.com). The person wanting to take TOEIC or TOEFL or IELTS needs to do a lot of reading and listening on a wide variety of subject matter, including, in the case of TOEFL and IELTS candidates, academic content.

Who should take the TOEIC, TOEFL or IELTS exams?

Often an employer or university requires a learner to take one of these tests. However, many test takers simply want to have a high TOEIC or TOEFL score on their resume. It is not useful to take these tests if a poor result is anticipated. Anyone taking these tests should have a minimum goal in mind, and should only take the test if he or she is confident of achieving the desired level. Many learners in Japan and Korea take TOEIC more than 4 times according to the 2004 Report on TOEIC Test Takes Worldwide. This is wasteful of time and money and a distraction from the main task of improving basic English skills.

Results in TOEIC, TOEFL, and other tests correlate closely to vocabulary levels, see Measuring Vocabulary Levels of English Textbooks and Tests by Kiyomi Chujo. This correlation holds especially true if the vocabulary has been acquired through a sufficient volume of listening and reading, rather than just by cramming.

A system like LingQ is ideally suited to improve the skills required for success on these standard tests. There are hundreds of hours of listening and reading content. All content is available in both audio and text so that learners can read along as they listen and thus work on increasing reading speed. A statistical record is kept of vocabulary levels and this can be a good indicator of when a learner is ready to take a test like TOEIC or TOEFL with success. Learners can then just focus their energies on the most effective language learning activities and monitor the growth of their vocabulary and language skills. They can then proceed to take these standard tests with confidence, since they will know that the level of their language skills will assure them of a good result.

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