Test Of English As A Foreign Language Research Articles

Pentingnya Meningkatkan Pemahaman dalam Belajar TOEFL Bagi Siswa/i Kelas XII IPS SMAS Umum Sentosa

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) has become one of the requirements for applying for jobs, continuing studies, and a standard for graduating students from college. The value of the TOEFL test has been recognized by 110 countries. The aim of this socialization activity is to increase the understanding of 20 students in class This socialization activity uses a lecture method in delivering material using PowerPoint, a question-and-answer session, and discussions regarding the extent to which they know about TOEFL and the obstacles they experience in understanding TOEFL. The location for this socialization activity is at Sentosa General High School, Jalan Benjamin BP. Mandoge, Huta Padang, District. Mandoge Sand City. And it will be held on November 1, 2023. In writing this article, the researchers used qualitative descriptive methods in collecting data. The result of this socialization activity is that students of class XII IPS SMAS Umum Sentosa can comprehend more about TOEFL with its benefit and some other important points to be prepared.

EXPLORING THE CORRELATION OF SOCIOLINGUISTIC COMPETENCE AND SPEAKING PROFICIENCY, AND HOW LEARNERS PERCEIVED THEM

This study aims to explore the correlation between sociolinguistic competence and speaking proficiency in language learners while examining their perceptions of these aspects. Conducted using a mixed-methods approach, the research gathered data from 65 participants across multiple universities in Lamongan Regency, East Java, Indonesia. Quantitative analysis involved Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores, structured surveys, and questionnaires assessing sociolinguistic competence. Qualitative insights were obtained from in-depth interviews, illuminating participants' experiences, beliefs, and challenges in diverse social settings related to language use. Quantitative findings indicate a strong correlation between sociolinguistic competence and speaking proficiency. The Pearson correlation coefficient for "Sociolinguistic Competence" was 1.000, confirming a perfect positive correlation, while the correlation between "Sociolinguistic Competence" and "Speaking Proficiency" was .688, signifying a robust positive correlation. Similarly, "Speaking Proficiency" exhibited a .688 correlation with sociolinguistic competence. Qualitative insights emphasized themes such as sociolinguistic norms, language preferences, and challenges in communicative contexts. Participants stressed the importance of adhering to sociolinguistic norms, showcased preferences for specific language styles in diverse contexts, and highlighted challenges in multilingual environments. The study solidifies the significant correlation between sociolinguistic competence and speaking proficiency among participants, emphasizing the pivotal role of sociolinguistic competence in enhancing speaking proficiency. These outcomes stress the reciprocal influence between these dimensions in language learning, emphasizing the need for tailored language learning strategies incorporating sociocultural dimensions. Future research may delve into implementing sociolinguistic approaches in language education to enhance learners' communicative skills and sociolinguistic awareness.

Local similarity and global variability characterize the semantic space of human languages.

How does meaning vary across the world's languages? Scholars recognize the existence of substantial variability within specific domains, ranging from nature and color to kinship. The emergence of large language models enables a systems-level approach that directly characterizes this variability through comparison of word organization across semantic domains. Here, we show that meanings across languages manifest lower variability within semantic domains and greater variability between them, using models trained on both 1) large corpora of native language text comprising Wikipedia articles in 35 languages and also 2) Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) essays written by 38,500 speakers from the same native languages, which cluster into semantic domains. Concrete meanings vary less across languages than abstract meanings, but all vary with geographical, environmental, and cultural distance. By simultaneously examining local similarity and global difference, we harmonize these findings and provide a description of general principles that govern variability in semantic space across languages. In this way, the structure of a speaker's semantic space influences the comparisons cognitively salient to them, as shaped by their native language, and suggests that even successful bilingual communicators likely think with "semantic accents" driven by associations from their native language while writing English. These findings have dramatic implications for language education, cross-cultural communication, and literal translations, which are impossible not because the objects of reference are uncertain, but because associations, metaphors, and narratives interlink meanings in different, predictable ways from one language to another.

Comparing TOEFL and teacher’s assessment scores in measuring student’s English skills

Standardized English tests have long been used to determine English learner’s level of proficiency. Tests such as TOEFL (Test of English as a foreign language) and IELTS (International English language testing system) are arguably the most popular English tests in the world. On the other hand, English learners are consistently being assessed by their teachers through a performance-based assessment which provides a comprehensive description of student’s learning achievement in learning English. The results of these two forms of assessments were hardly compared and correlated. Therefore, this paper investigates the correlation between student’s TOEFL score and teacher score. Moreover, this study explores how teacher uses washback effects of TOEFL and class tests. Investigating 42 grade 12 students in an English immersion school in Indonesia, the result of this study indicated a positive but weak correlation between TOEFL and teacher’s assessment scores (r = 0.246, p = 0.116). This weak correlation indicates that the two types of assessments measure student’s achievement and performance differently. The washback effect of TOEFL is mainly in the form of teacher’s encouragement to the students to be more serious when taking TOEFL test so that they will be about to get higher scores.

Pembelajaran TOEFL sebagai upaya peningkatan kompetensi guru di MGMP Kabupaten Muara Enim

In Indonesia, TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) learning has become crucial in enhancing English proficiency, particularly for English language teachers across various regions. Proficiency in the English language serves as a key factor in meeting educational quality standards. Therefore, TOEFL training has become a necessary endeavor to support teachers' English language mastery and elevate the quality of instruction in the pursuit of standardized schools. This community engagement aims to provide TOEFL training as an effort to enhance English language proficiency among English teachers in Kabupaten Muara Enim, South Sumatra. The training was conducted online via the Zoom Conference application, with a total of 77 teacher participants. The training curriculum encompassed fundamental TOEFL skills, including Listening, Structure and Written Expression, and Reading. The training process involved several stages, including pre-test assessments, presentations, discussions, mentoring, and post-test evaluations. The results of the training demonstrated a noticeable improvement in TOEFL scores among the teachers. The average initial TOEFL score was 426, with the lowest score at 286 and the highest at 536. After the training, the average final TOEFL score increased to 432, with the lowest score at 296 and the highest at 557. Although the score changes were not statistically significant, they indicate an enhancement in the understanding and English language proficiency of the participants. The training proved effective in elevating English language comprehension among English teachers in Kabupaten Muara Enim. The effective delivery of training materials and interactions with resource persons positively contributed to the teachers' English language proficiency. It is recommended to conduct follow-up activities to assess the application of acquired knowledge after the training. Such initiatives are expected to further enhance the positive impact of the training on the teachers' pedagogical practices. Moreover, similar training activities could be extended to a provincial level, involving a larger number of teachers, thus fostering improvements in the education sector within the region.

The Effectiveness of Immersive Language Learning: An Investigation into English Language Acquisition in Immersion Environments versus Traditional Classroom Settings

This is a comparative kind of study research about traditional classroom learning efficacy in the acquisition of English and immersion learning. What actually distinguishes immersion learning from the conventional classroom learning setup is that immersion learning includes learners having to be exposed to the practicalities of using the targeted language in day-to-day life and having to use the language in authentic communication with native speakers concerning its grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation. Using a very strong sample of 60 non-native English-speaking learners, the research set out to measure the impact of these two methodologies on language proficiency, as quantified by the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). This suggests that those in the group of immersion learning had improved post-training TOEFL scores that were significantly higher than their counterparts in the traditional classroom setting. Such findings help explain the fact that, while immersion learning will do much more in improving English language capability, it will also suggest that such an experience environment could be most useful for learners looking to acquire this language effectively.

Role of Motivation in English Language Learning: An Evaluation of the Correlation Between Student Motivation and Proficiency in English

This study investigates the relationship between student motivation and English language proficiency among high school students. Drawing upon seminal and contemporary models of motivation, including Gardner's Socio-Educational Model, Dörnyei’s Process-Oriented Model and L2 Motivational Self System, as well as the Dynamic Systems Theory, this study underscores the role of motivation in language learning. A total of 450 students aged 16 to 18 completed a modified version of the Attitude/Motivation Test Battery (AMTB) and their English proficiency was assessed using the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The results indicated a strong positive correlation between motivation and English proficiency (r = .68, p < .001), substantiating the claim that high levels of motivation can contribute to improved language proficiency. This study reinforces the importance of fostering motivation in English language teaching and offers valuable insights for educators and researchers in the context of a rapidly evolving language learning landscape.

Tahlil Ikhtibarat Al-Arabiyah ka Lughah Ajnabiyah

This study aims to determine the feasibility of TOAFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) items at Institut Agama Islam Negeri Metro, especially on reading tests, by calculating the questions' validity, reliability, difficulty level and distractors. This study uses a quantitative approach. Data collection techniques in this study were carried out in two ways: documentation and interview techniques. The results of the study found that there were 24 valid category questions and 21 invalid category questions; the reliability of the item was 0.8, which was interpreted as having a high or reliable correlation. The difficulty level could be concluded that were 3 items included in the difficult category, 39 items with moderate difficulty and 8 items in the easy category; the discriminating power produced was 2 questions in the very bad category, so they had to be replaced.

Revisiting the role of breadth and depth of vocabulary knowledge in reading comprehension

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of breadth and depth of vocabulary knowledge in reading comprehension at Debre Markos University. A quantitative approach was taken to gather and analyze the data. Out of 235 students learning at the college, 61 samples were taken randomly. To investigate their knowledge of vocabulary breadth, the Vocabulary Levels Test (VLT) was employed. The Depth of Vocabulary Knowledge (DVK) test was utilized to investigate the depth of vocabulary knowledge. The reading section of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOFEL) was used to determine the reading comprehension performance of the students. Pearson Product-moment correlation was used to examine the relationship between vocabulary knowledge (breadth and depth) and reading comprehension. In addition, to find out which aspect of vocabulary knowledge best explains reading comprehension, Standard Multiple Regression was employed. The data were analyzed using SPSS (version 21). The findings suggest that there was a significant strong positive relationship between knowledge of vocabulary breadth and reading comprehension (r = .73, n = 61, P, =.000 < 0.05). Besides, the result reveals that there was a significant strong positive relationship between knowledge of vocabulary depth and reading comprehension (r = .60, n = 61, P, =.000 < 0.05). The finding also shows that vocabulary breadth and depth together were able to predict respondents’ reading comprehension. However, vocabulary breadth (Beta =.58) had a more unique explanatory power than knowledge of vocabulary depth (Beta =.315).

A Comparative-Correlative Study of Test Rubrics Used as Benchmarks in Assessing IELTS and TOEFL Speaking Skills

The study focused on the comparative correlative study Test Rubrics Used as Benchmarks in Assessing International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Speaking Skills. To carry out this project, the researcher searched for IELTS and TOEFL candidates and recruited and finally selected 37 male and female candidates who took both standard tests for various reasons. The statistical results obtained (mainly Pearson&amp;#39;s correlation coefficient of correlation moments) showed significant joint variability between IELTS Speaking scores derived from IELTS test bars and frequency band description factors, TOEFL Speaking scores derived from TOEFL test bars, and assessment scores. criteria. The results show that there is a high correlation index (0.862**) between the two tests scoring systems for speaking. The results also reflect a high correlation index (.903**) between the two tests scoring systems, assessing general English proficiency and speaking ability using both tests rubrics.

Exploring the Views of EFL Students on Taking TOEFL: Lessons Learnt from an Indonesian University

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is one of the standardized competence examinations. Before taking the thesis examination, undergraduates at Universitas Negeri Gorontalo, in particular, are mandated to take the TOEFL. This research intends to examine how English majors in the English Department perceive the TOEFL exam. To collect data, semi structured interview protocols were done, and data were analysed qualitatively. Findings suggest that while it poses some challenges, TOEFL helps students in applying for jobs. This study implies that it is necessary to ensure that improvement in teaching the test in the classroom setting remains available.

English Language Exposure and Literacy Rate toward Language Proficiency: A Cross-country Analysis

Globalization has made English more important than ever. Through time, curriculum designers and teacher practitioners remain steadfast in finding ways to advance the quality of student learning. To ascertain the quality of language teaching and learning, parameters like standardized tests are set. This paper examined, at the cross-country level, the difference between the 2009 and 2013 Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) iBT scores and the effect of language exposure on the test takers’ scores. It further investigated the correlation between literacy rate and English language use in the scores obtained. Using paired t-test to determine the English proficiency of the test takers and Pearson r to test the correlation of the literacy rate and language use in the scores obtained, the findings showed a significant difference in the mean scores between 2009 and 2013 scores in TOEFL. The results also revealed a strong positive linear relationship between TOEFL scores and literacy rate, while no association exists between TOEFL scores and language exposure. The quality of comprehensible input is more important than the quantity of language exposure. Active immersion in a language is still an acknowledged fact that contributes to effective language learning. Literacy remains a foundational competency that is of primary importance to language learning. It is then imperative that schools revisit language learning curricula and emphasize quality instruction through authentic language tasks and activities.

Investigating the impact of self-pacing on the L2 listening performance of young learner candidates with differing L1 literacy skills

In online environments, listening involves being able to pause or replay the recording as needed. Previous research indicates that control over the listening input could improve the measurement accuracy of listening assessment. Self-pacing also supports the second language (L2) comprehension processes of test-takers with specific learning difficulties (SpLDs) or, more specifically, of learners with reading-related learning difficulties who might have slower processing speed and limited working memory capacity. Our study examined how L1 literacy skills influence L2 listening performance in the standard single-listening and self-paced administration mode of the listening section of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Junior Standard test. In a counterbalanced design, 139 Austrian learners of English completed 15 items in a standard single-listening condition and another 15 in a self-paced condition. L1 literacy skills were assessed via a standard reading, non-word reading, word-naming, and non-word repetition test. Generalized Linear Mixed-Effects Modelling revealed that self-pacing had no statistically significant effect on listening scores nor did it boost the performance of test-takers with lower L1 literacy scores indicative of reading-related SpLDs. The results indicate that young test-takers might require training in self-pacing or that self-paced conditions may need to be carefully implemented when they are offered to candidates with SpLDs.

World Englishes, Monolingual Bias, and Standardized Tests in a Multilingual World: Ideologies, Practices, and the Missing Link

As English continues to spread as an international lingua franca, there is a growing diversity in its use around the world. As a result, there are calls for embracing the diversity in the teaching, learning and assessment of the language. At the same time, there is a growing criticism against the widely taken language tests such as the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) for being guided by the pervasive ideology of monolingual native speakerism and devaluing the multilingual speakers and the multiple varieties of Englishers. Against this backdrop, this conceptual paper focuses on the influence of the World Englishes movement on these so-called standardized tests and critically examines how the existing assessment practices fail to represent the multilingual repertoires and actual language practices of the diverse range of test-takers around the world. Based on the critical analysis of relevant literature on World Englishes, the paper highlights the progress, challenges and possibilities for incorporation of more diverse models of language tests in a translingual world that we live in today.

A meta-analysis on the predictive validity of English language proficiency assessments for college admissions

For institutions where English is the primary language of instruction, English assessments for admissions such as the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and International English Language Testing System (IELTS) give admissions decision-makers a sense of a student’s skills in academic English. Despite this explicit purpose, these exams have also been used for the practice of predicting academic success. In this study, we meta-analytically synthesized 132 effect sizes from 32 studies containing validity evidence of academic English assessments to determine whether different assessments (a) predicted academic success (as measured by grade point average [GPA]) and (b) did so comparably. Overall, assessments had a weak positive correlation with academic achievement ( r = .231, p &lt; .001). Additionally, no significant differences were found in the predictive power of the IELTS and TOEFL exams. No moderators were significant, indicating that these findings held true across school type, school level, and publication type. Although significant, the overall correlation was low; thus, practitioners are cautioned from using standardized English-language proficiency test scores in isolation in lieu of a holistic application review during the admissions process.

TOEFL (TEST OF ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE) TEST PLUGIN UNTUK MOODLE

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is a test used to measure a person'sEnglish proficiency. Generally, the TOEFL test is used as one of the requirements to graduateat domestic universities, to enter universities abroad, or to work in a country. In this research,the LMS (Learning Management System) was used for implement the TOEFL. LMS is anapplication system that was developed specifically to manage online class (e-learning), andshare subject matter. Moodle (Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment) is anLMS that is usually used in online learning activities. The results of this research that theTOEFL was successfully created as a Moodle plugin and according to the SUS (SystemUsability Scale) test that has been calculated, it got a score of 89, indicating this application hasa high level of feasibility.

Omani EFL Learners` Vocabulary Learning Strategies

The knowledge of vocabulary can be considered the main factor of understanding the context in learning a foreign or second language process. This can be seen clearly in international exams such as TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) and IELTS (International English Language Testing Sysytem). This research aims to analyze the vocabulary learning strategies of 42 Omani EFL learners and measure the effect of gender in strategy selection among them. To collect the information, a questionnaire regarding VLS (Vocabulary Learning Strategy) was distributed among college EFL learners, and the paper results revealed insignificant relation between gender with vocabulary learning strategies. Determination strategies, among all other strategies, received the highest ranking among the users, while social strategies were at the bottom of the list. Omani colleges and universities are using English as the medium of instruction, so the current study can help the syllabus designers and teachers deal with the psycholinguistic level of books, materials, teaching methods, and strategies appropriately. To gain a more comprehensive map of learning strategies all over Oman, it can be suggested that a network of researchers try to distribute the questionnaire among all Omani EFL learners through some random sampling, and results can be beneficial for future analysis of the psycholinguistics map of the education in Oman.

Use of Linguistic Complexity in Writing Among Chinese EFL Learners in High-Stakes Tests: Insights From a Corpus of TOEFL iBT.

In studies on second language writing, linguistic complexity exhibited by learners has long been regarded as being indicative of writing proficiency. However, there are relatively scant studies focusing on the diversity and structural elaboration of complexity in L2 production data that are extracted from high-stakes tests [such as Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and International English Language Testing System (IELTS)]. Using a large-scale learner corpus collected from a TOEFL (internet-based test (iBT), this study aims to explore the extent to which the three dimensions of linguistic complexity, syntactic, lexical, and morphological complexity, are associated with human scoring in high-stakes tests. In addition, we also tend to tap into within-genre topic effects on the production of complexity measures by learners. To this end, a total of 1,002 writing samples were collected from a TOEFL11 corpus, and six automated-coding instruments were used to investigate the variations of complexity among Chinese English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. The results from the correlation analysis, multiple linear regression, and independent sample t-tests indicated that there was not a linear correlation between the majority of linguistic complexity and human-rated score levels and that proficiency among Chinese EFL learners did not signal a discriminative power in their language production. In the meantime, strong within-proficiency topic effects were found on the majority of measures in the syntactic, lexical, and morphological dimensions.

Questioning in TOEFL iBT speaking test: a case of washback and construct underrepresentation

Admission in English-medium universities or institutions of higher education depends on the results obtained by candidates in large-scale proficiency tests including Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) internet-based test (iBT). The structure and administration procedure of the TOEFL iBT speaking test leaves no room for carrying out reciprocal interactions and, consequently, examining applicants’ questioning ability. This study highlights the significance of non-native students’ skills to ask oral English questions in academic contexts as experienced by non-native graduates from English-medium universities and in the view of Iranian TOEFL iBT instructors. Further, the washback of the absence of the skill in the TOEFL iBT test was investigated in speaking preparation classes. Twelve non-native graduates and nineteen Iranian TOEFL iBT instructors participated in the study. They were all interviewed about the significance of oral questioning. The instructors’ views were also sought about the consequences of the disregard of questioning in the test. To triangulate the data, two classes of the instructors were also observed. Classroom observations and interviews were analyzed through content analysis. The results indicated that the participants generally assumed questioning as indispensable in academic interactions. Despite their acknowledgment of its significance, as both the interviews and observations unveiled, the instructors, however, tended not to work on their students’ questioning because of the absence of the skill in the test, the students’ reluctance, limited preparation time, and dependence of their professional reputation on the test results rather than target situation performance. The study further discusses the implications of the findings for the test construct representation and preparation courses.

The TOEFL as Exit Criteria in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Programs in Mexico: A Discourse Historical Analysis (DHA) Approach

The purpose of this article is to explore the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) assessment under its Institutional Testing Program (ITP) modality as it acts as a curriculum artifact along Mexican undergraduate degree programs considered within the exit criteria. A discourse historical approach (DHA) (Wodak, 2008; Wodak &amp; Meyer, 2009) is taken in analyzing the TOEFL ITP assessment to further understand its implementation. The analysis helps reveal the many linguistic and metalinguistic skills and elements that extend beyond what may be traditionally taught in English courses or programs. The analysis also calls for further questioning of how suitable the TOEFL ITP may be in aiming to assess the proficiency level or development of English learners along undergraduate degrees in Mexico. Alternative types of assessment may better aid in providing a different perspective on the knowledge or progress of these students.