TOEIC Test Research Articles

Vocabulary Tests to Increase Student TOEIC Scores

This article will introduce three free vocabulary tests and other vocabulary tools that will enable teachers to offer students focused vocabulary study on the most frequent words in English. This in turn will empower students to improve their TOEIC score and overall fluency. To help raise TOEIC scores, teachers must first start with diagnosing their students’ vocabulary knowledge with vocabulary tests, and then give them as much exposure to high-frequency vocabulary words as possible at an appropriate level of challenge. There are three valid and research-based free tests available for teachers to diagnose the amount of vocabulary their students already know: including the popular Vocabulary Size Test (VST) (Nation & Beglar, 2007), the Vocabulary Levels Test (VLT) (Webb et al., 2017) and the New General Service List Test (NGSLT) (Stoeckel & Bennett, 2015). Especially the New General Service List (NGSL) and the TOEIC Service List (TSL) (Browne et al., 2013, 2016) and their associated test, the NGSL Test (NGSLT) (Stoeckel & Bennett, 2015), provide a comprehensive list of high-frequency words and offer students and teachers measurable milestones towards increased TOEIC test scores.

Influence of enhanced self-efficacy on English performance through English medium instruction: a mixed methods research

The adoption of English-Medium Instruction (EMI) has gained global traction, spurred on by higher education internationalization trends. Despite the widespread usage of EMI, its influence on students’ language development remains relatively unexplored. This study investigated the impact of EMI instruction on the self-efficacy and English performance of Taiwanese English as a Foreign Language (EFL) undergraduates. The research aimed to discern whether EMI courses improve EFL undergraduates’ self-efficacy and how this self-efficacy can predict English performance. 272 Taiwanese EFL undergraduates were recruited for the study, and all of them joined the EMI courses for at least one semester. Data collection instruments included a revised questionnaire and TOEIC test, and a mixed approach was applied for data analyses. Quantitative analyses of repeated measure of ANOVA revealed a significant enhancement in the students’ self-efficacy across all four English skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) following EMI instruction. Moreover, the regression analysis established a moderate to strong positive relationship between English self-efficacy and English performance. The qualitative analysis of structured interview specifically elaborated on what participants’ attitudes were toward the implementation of EMI. These findings underscore the positive influence of EMI instruction on EFL undergraduates’ English self-efficacy and performance, substantiating the role of self-efficacy as a significant predictor of performance. These insights offer valuable implications for curriculum design, learner motivation, and academic success in EFL contexts.

INTERNAL FACTORS INFLUENCING STUDENTS' SPEAKING ACHIEVEMENT

The purpose of this study was to discover and provide a descriptive description of the internal elements that influence the high speaking achievement of the students. To gain additional knowledge regarding the elements that contribute to the student's high speaking performance, this research utilised a case study approach supported by quantitative and qualitative data. The data resources included two kids from SMKN 8 who had achieved high success in speaking English, their parents, teachers, classmates, and the headmaster of SMKN 8 Makassar. Observation, interviews, inventories, the TOEIC test, and documentation reviews were the instruments that were utilised in this study. Analysis of the data was performed according to its nature. A qualitative analysis was performed on the information gathered through observation, interviews, and the reading of documents. According to the findings, the internal factors that contributed to the student's high achievement were as follows: (a) a highly positive attitude; (b) a high level of motivation; (c) a high level of interest; (d) a learning style that was very high and positive in both visual and auditory terms; (e) a metacognitive learning strategy; (f) a very low level of anxiety; and (g) a high level of English proficiency as well. After considering all of these elements, it became clear that the student's great accomplishment in speaking was unquestionably due to factors that were internal to the kid.

The Study of the English Preparation Course to Enhance Students’ English Proficiency for the Standardized Test “Your Score is High; my Score is Low. How to Make it Higher?”

“Your score is high; my score is low. How can I make it higher?” The author heard this in students’ conversations after they received their pre-test scores in the TOEIC training course. This is the major reason the author decided to conduct this study. Using the TOEIC score as part of the graduation requirements, the university designed and provided an English preparation course, namely EG1001: English for Proficiency Preparation, for students before taking the test. This small-scale research aims to investigate the effectiveness of the test preparation course in enhancing students’ English language proficiency and to explore which specific skills non-English major students need to improve for the TOEIC test. The study used pre-and post-tests to collect the language proficiency outputs of 57 higher education students in this course. Additionally, the study used their mini-test scores from each unit of the learning material to track their progress. The findings revealed that the post-test mean score (48.96) was higher than the pre-test mean score (40.58), indicating that after participating in this course, the participants improved their English proficiency. The results also suggested that students needed to practice more on the listening part of the TOEIC test.

Training with, about, for Metaverse: A Mixed Methods Research on Training Pre-Service Teachers as Metaverse-Certified Practitioners

This mixed-method research aims to examine transformative affordances of the metaverse for pre-service teachers and investigate support mechanisms for technology-enhanced teacher training. Specifically, 40 pre-service teachers were involved in training <i>with, about, for</i> metaverse (TM) to convert high-stakes TOEIC test items into virtual content. Upon completion of the TM, participants were eligible to apply for nationally accredited private metaverse certificates to mark them as certified practitioners. To capture their multifaceted TM experience, this research employed surveys based on UTAUT (Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology) 2 constructs, as well as reflective journals and advanced analytics. The collected data were analyzed using quantitative techniques (<i>t</i>-tests, multiple regression analysis, and structural equation modeling) and qualitative methods (sentiment and content analysis) to offer a more comprehensive understanding of the technological training for pre-service teachers. The findings revealed that the overall reception of the TM experience among pre-service teachers was highly positive. Notable improvements were observed in facilitating conditions, effort expectancy, and hedonic motivation. Textmining results also revealed how the TM framework transformed pre-service teachers’ perspectives on teaching, testing, and learning. Based on the findings, the study contributes to the ongoing dialogue on effective technology integration in education.

SMK MUHAMMADIYAH BANDA ACEH STUDENTS' PERCEPTION ON THE TOEIC COMPETENCY TEST

The purpose of this study is to describe how students at SMK Muhammadiyah Banda Aceh feel about the TOEIC competency test and pinpoint any obstacles they may have encountered while taking the test. Using the purposive sampling technique, 30 children from class 2 at SMK Muhammadiyah Banda Aceh were chosen as the sample for this study. Two questionnaires were used to gather data. The analysis findings suggest that most students have a favorable opinion on the TOEIC test. They believed that taking the test helped them improve their English, and they would suggest it to others. However, they also struggle to read test texts, comprehend challenging terms and settings, and respond to questions. Additionally, some students lacked confidence and were unfamiliar with the test question styles. This study found that the TOEIC test has a good effect, but also highlights the difficulties that students experience. The recommendations include improving students' comprehension of exam instructions, addressing issues by understanding challenging terms and circumstances, and offering assistance to increase students' confidence. The TOEIC test and more efficient methods of English language instruction were predicted to benefit from the findings of this study.

STUDENT’S DIFFICULTIES IN LISTENING TOEIC TEST OF SEMESTER II (MECHANICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS) AT THE STATE POLYTECHNIC BENGKALIS

Toeic test is one of the requirements to graduate at State Polytechnic Bengkalis. To pass in Toeic test, some of students get difficulties to pass the passing grade. The aim of this study is to find out students’ difficulties in listening to Toeic tests and how to overcome the problem. This study found that students’ ability in listening comprehension on Toeic test was average category from 11 students by 36.7%. Then students ‘difficulties in Toeic tests Picture description (used similar sound answered agree by 50%), question response (the speech rate answered agree by 53.3%), short conversation (unfamiliar word answered strongly agree by 53.5%), short talks (can easily miss the text answered agree by 43.3%).

AN ANALYSIS OF TOEIC TEST PREP APPLICATION ON THE STUDENT’S LISTENING COMPREHENSION AT STATE POLYTECHNIQUE OF BENGKALIS

In the era of industry 4.0, most of human’s activities cannot be separated from digitalization. The digitalization has collaborated with the educational institution. The Language Centre of Politeknik Negeri Bengkalis usually holds a TOEIC test (online and offline) to fulfill the industrial world in preparing qualified alumni. The TOEIC instructor or lecturer used a TOEIC application while teaching in TOEIC intensive class where it is a preparation class for the students. This study investigated the problem faced by the students during listening through application which is called TOEIC Test Prep in learning TOEIC materials in the TOEIC intensive class and also investigated the challenges faced by them during the use of application. The participants of the study were 43 non-English majoring students (the fifth semester) of State Polytechnique of Bengkalis. The study used questionnaires to collect the data and the data were analyzed based on three categories; students’ background, the general difficulties on TOEIC listening, the challenges during listening through the use of TOEIC Test Prep application. The result of the study showed that the non-English majoring students in Politeknik Negeri Bengkalis felt the application had helped them in listening practice. Key words: TOEIC, TOEIC Test Prep Application, Listening Comprehension

Android Application for Testing English Proficiency


 
 
 
 English, the official language of many states and international organizations, serves as the standard for instruction globally. English proficiency is another prerequisite from some employers for employment in the working world. To determine a person's level of English proficiency, the TOEIC exam is employed. Several companies use a candidate's TOEIC score as a proxy for their level of English ability. A series of assessments, including listening and reading tests, make up the TOEIC. It is imperative for someone to conduct independent study in order to improve their TOEIC score given the comparatively expensive cost of the TOEIC course and exam. The layout of this TOEIC test simulation application makes it simple to practice whenever you want, wherever because it can be utilized offline on a smartphone. The TOEIC test simulation application, which contains four main menus: tips and tricks, TOEIC simulation, solutions, and about, was made using the Eclipse editor and Java programming. The questions under the tips and tricks section can be answered in a snap using easy methods. The right or wrong answers to the exam questions that are shown in the simulation menu can be found by selecting the solution option. 
 
 
 

The Factors Having Influence on Learning Listening Skill in TOEIC- A View from Readability in A Case Study

This paper discusses the factors having influences on learning listening skill in a case study non-English majored student at Saigon Techology University (STU), Vietnam. Five main factors, including 18 elements, were identified: texts, listeners, speakers, tasks, and environment. The data were collected through questionnaire, including multiple choice questions and open questions, from 319 students. The results show that the texts and the listeners are 2 factors having close relation and influence each other with different rankings of different features; interesting, “physical and psychological states” is not the important element in this case. Based on statistical results, from a view of readability, the paper deeply analyzes these features to find the solutions in designing course syllabus, selecting materials, proposing teaching methods and improving the listening learning environment to meet the learning outcome; especially, achieving the outcome standard “B1”, shown the scale by the international TOEIC test, being trained at the school.

PERANCANGAN SISTEM LATIHAN SOAL DAN UJIAN TOEIC (TEST OF ENGLISH FOR INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATION) BERBASIS WEB UNIVERSITAS WIDYATAMA

TOEIC which stands for Test Of English for International Communication is one of the well-known English proficiency tests and can be an indicator of participants' ability to use English. In general, this test is divided into two parts, namely listening and reading comprehension tests, where participants fill in their answers on an answer sheet according to the questions they hear in voice and writing. Media The formulation of the problem described in this study is how to build an online and web-based TOEIC exam application so that it can optimize exam and learning activities through TOEIC exercises to be more flexible, effective, and efficient. The focus of the research is how to optimize the evaluation and assessment process. In this case, it makes it easier for performance management (administrators) to make questions, streamline time for correcting answers and examinees know the results quickly, precisely, and accurately. The test results show that the application of practice questions and web-based TOEIC can process data that has been inputted by the administrator and presented to participants in following performance standards in general. The test results can also be used to provide a quick assessment and analyze the results of the scoring system assessment. Suggestions that can be put forward for the development and improvement of this web-based TOEIC test are to think of a better input mechanism to make it easier for users to process data input problems.

ASSISTANCE OF ENGLISH TEACHERS IN TOEIC TEST PREPARATION FOR 12TH CLASS STUDENTS WITH ONLINE LEARNING STRATEGIES

To improve the competence of vocational students, the Ministry of Education and Culture provides free TOEIC test facilities for vocational students through the SMK ENGLISH CHALLENGE program: FACILITATION OF INTERNATIONAL CERTIFICATION OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE CAPABILITIES WITH TOEIC FOR SMK STUDENTS. SMKN 1 Kadipaten is one of the schools in Majalengka Regency that utilizes facilities from the Ministry of Education and Culture. To improve students' competence in order to obtain satisfactory TOEIC scores, English teachers at SMKN 1 Kadipaten are committed to implementing various mentoring methods for test-taking students. However, the test faced at least two obstacles, namely, coincided with school holidays and also the implementation of field work experience program so that direct guidance through face-to-face became impossible. This is certainly a problem that requires a good solution. This PKM program aims to assist English teachers at SMKN 1 Kadipaten to find effective ways to increase the TOEIC scores achieved by students. The method of implementing this program is carried out with a Forum Group Discussion approach to English teachers and is applied to students by utilizing social media and the online meeting application, Google Meet. At the end of the program, students are able to prepare themselves optimally both from a technical point of view, motivation and knowledge of the TOEIC test.

AI-integrated Mobile-assisted Language Learning: Is It an Effective Way of Preparing for the TOEIC Test in Classroom Environments?

The purpose of this study was to examine the impacts of AI-integrated MALL on Korean students’ TOEIC preparation, by comparing with AI-integrated CALL. A total of 496 freshmen students participated in this study. They were arbitrarily assigned to AI CALL (n = 190), AI MALL (n = 164), and the control (n = 132) groups. During a 2021 academic semester, the two experimental groups studied TOEIC through computers or mobile phones, integrated with AI technology. The control group was taught by a human teacher, in a traditional classroom setting. Before and after the treatment, TOEIC listening and reading tests were administered. Paired samples t-tests and one-way ANOVAs, were used to analyze collected data. Findings show that all groups significantly increased listening and reading test scores. Group comparison results show that the AI CALL group outperformed the control group for both tests. This group also outperformed the AI MALL group for the reading test. Based on this, pedagogical implications are invaluable

Bringing AI into the Classroom: The Impacts of Gender and Major on English Proficiency

The purpose of this study is to determine whether the use of artificial intelligence (AI) improves English listening and reading proficiency. It focuses on whether its impacts differ by gender and major. The study was conducted in 2020 with 340 freshmen students in Korea. There were 182 male and 208 female students. The participants majored in different areas: 139 students majoring in aeronautics, 130 students studying policing and safety, 121 students studying in the arts department. The TOEIC test was adopted as pre- and post-tests to explore the impacts of using AI on English learning. To analyze the data, two-way ANOVAs were administered. The study found no interaction effects of gender or major on either listening and reading proficiency. However, gender and major, respectively, had significant impacts on listening. Regarding reading proficiency, major alone affected the students’ performance. Based on these findings, pedagogical implications are considered.

Thai High Achieving Lecturers and Their Language Learning Strategies and Motivation: A Case Study of Kalasin University

The purposes of this study were to (1) investigate the language learning strategies used for improving English language skill of the high achieving non-English major lecturers at Kalasin University and (2) investigate the motivation used for improving their English language skills. The sample comprised eight non-English major lecturers. They were purposively selected according to their high TOEIC test scores. Semi structured interview was used as a research tool. The interview was on using the language learning strategies and motivation to develop the English-speaking ability as the main instrument. The modified interview adapted from the Semi-Structured Interview Guide of Paredes (2010). The qualitative data were analyzed through using axial coding technique. The majors finding were as follows: (1) metacognitive, social and cognitive strategies were frequently used respectively by the sample, while compensation and memory strategies were least used equally and (2) the most motivations employed were attitude and competence motivation, the motivations moderately used were achievement, affiliation, and fear motivation equally, and the least motivation used were power and incentive motivation respectively.

STUDY OF ENGLISH COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE AT THE TERTIARY LEVEL OF EDUCATION BASED ON EUROPEAN FRAMEWORK OF REFERENCE

CEFR has become a very significant framework for the design of language curricula and the assessment of language learning outcomes. The purpose of the study is to know the CEFR level of the graduate candidate at the Tertiary Level of Education. This research used descriptive qualitative method. The researchers took the data from Computer Science Faculty graduate candidates Universitas Duta Bangsa Surakarta in the academic year 2021/2022. There were 359 participants, 346 participants took the test, and 13 participants did not take test. The participant took TOEIC-Like test written by Shin’s book (2015) titled Pre-Intermediate Level Taking the TOEIC: Skills and Strategies, practice test one. The study showed that the highest TOEIC score was 930, and the participant was from the Technical Information study program. Based on TOEIC Test Mapping on the CEFR, the participant was at C1 level or mastery level. There were 12 participants at the B2 level or Vantage Level, and there were 35 participants at the B1 Level. Most participants were at the A2 level or Basic user because 241 participants got a 225-545 TOEIC score (A2) and there were 57 participants at the A1 level.

Analyzing the Influence of Technology-utilizing Instruction on Korean College Students’ Motivation Toward English Learning

The purpose of this research was to examine how Korean college students’ motivation toward English learning has been changed over time as they took technology-utilizing classes. In order to accomplish this, two research questions were proposed; First, how has the students’ motivation changed over the whole school year? Second, how has the students’ motivation changed in terms of their English proficiency levels? Sixty college students were required to take a simulated TOEIC test for their English proficiency levels, and to respond to the ARCS questionnaire developed by Keller (2008a, 2008b) to measure their motivation levels. An independent samples t-test was employed to compare the statistical means from the samples, specifically to find out the relation of students’ motivation and t he e ffect o f t echnology-utilizing c lasses. The r esults o f d ata analysis found out that the longer the treatment period of technology-utilizing instruction, the greater the effect on the learner’s motivation; second, the technology-utilizing instruction has a significant effect on the students’ motivation regardless of their proficiency levels, but it turns out to be more effective in improving the upper group students’ motivation toward learning. Based on these findings, practical implications for the implementing technology-utilizing instruction in the EFL classroom were suggested.

EVALUATING ENGLISH TEXTBOOK CURRENTLY IN USE AT “ENGLISH BITES” (ENGLISH EXTRACURRICULAR PROGRAM EXISTED IN CIVIL AVIATION POLYTECHNIC OF SURABAYA)

Facing global competition in aviation Industry, the cadets of Politeknik Penerbangan Surabaya (Aviation Polytechnic of Surabaya) are suggested to take English extracurricular program held by POLTEKBANG language unit. It is in line with the institution’s policy for the cadets to pass TOEIC test as one of requirements before graduating from the college. The textbook used at the course is one of the key elements for the success of the program. Considering its importance, textbook should be carefully evaluated and selected before being used. Textbook evaluation helps the teaching staff to identify the strengths and weaknesses of a particular textbook that is already in use. This research seeks to evaluate the suitability of the book, “New Headway”, towards students’ needs. For this purpose, 25 students and 1 instructor were selected and data were gathered by using questionnaire. An additional component of the study consisted of a student’s “needs analysis”. After analyzing data, it was shown that although the textbook had some drawbacks, it had met the students’ need.

Revealing the Needs of College Students Studying English in an Extracurricular Program

This study examined the needs of various College students who are participating in an extracurricular program called “English Clinic.” In this program, students can ask questions about their English study and get help from English professors on an individual basis. The content of the questions was analyzed and compared according to both the majors and the years of the students. The most frequent questions asked by these students were those involving advice for preparing and planning for a public certification test, such as the TOEIC test. General study methods to improve their English skills and help with grammar learning were the second most frequently asked questions. Interestingly, there were quite a number of questions concerning the effectiveness of the study method regarding the course that they were currently taking. Their majors and years showed a difference in the frequency and content of each question category.</br>The study concluded that English Clinic should provide help of a more comprehensive nature, assisting the students not only by giving them writing feedback--which is all too common with such English Clinic programs―but by helping them with their very study process as well. Based on the results, this study makes suggestions regarding the development of certain programs and methods in order to better help those students who are in need of specific skills.

TOEIC LISTENING AND READING JAKO SOUČÁST HODNOCENÍ STUDENTŮ TECHNICKÉ UNIVERZITY V LIBERCI

The first part of the article presents the characteristics of the TOEIC test in the context of testing students at the Department of Foreign Languages of the Technical University of Liberec. The analysis of the test results obtained in the period from 2015 to 2020 is described in the next part. The analysis was focused on the comparison of the scores that the candidates achieved in the reading and listening sections of the test. The results of the survey are meant to give a stimulus to propose a modification of the syllabi of language courses so that they focus on the balance of learning activities and support of weaker skills of students, i.e., problems in reading comprehension. The opinions of students who took the TOEIC test and the language course in 2019 are another source of information serving to update the syllabi.