Sorry… that’s a really cliched title for my latest blog. But it kind of sums up what I want to talk about. As a teacher, your goal is, naturally, to help your students progress in the English language. The end result is fluency and clear comprehension. I’ve been thinking about this because one of my most advanced students has registered to take the TOEIC exam this September.
What is TOEIC?
Before I entered the world of TEFL I was blissfully unaware of TOEIC. But, apparently, there are more than 4.5 million test takers per year worldwide. That’s a phenomenal number. So what is it? TOEIC is the Test Of English for International Communication, and it purports to be the ‘global standard for measuring English language skills for business’. Certainly, the reputation of TOEIC is well known worldwide in both academic and business circles. And a test that comprises of 200 multiple-choice questions is not to be taken lightly. However, it has also come under fire from some critics for relying on ‘question banks’, rather than any creative linguistic ability. In summary, it is argued that TOEIC is not a practical assessment.
Multiple-choice questions are, in my opinion, inherently flawed. As unlikely as it is, it is possible to guess your way through the exam and pass with a high score. Whether this is the case or not, I want to make sure my student does well in the exam so for the next few months we will be preparing for the exam with the help of such books as Bruce Rogers’ Complete Guide to the TOEIC Test.
Have you helped a student prepare for TOEIC? Have you taken TOEIC? Let me know about your experiences of this exam.
I completed one of my OU degree assignments on a random selection of the multiple choice tick boxes and scored 40% – a pass.
So I completely agree with you. It is folly.
Yes, it’s certainly flawed. I heard of one student who took the TOEIC exam and just selected option ‘B’ for every answer and was still able to achieve a respectable score!
I have already taken it, the test was very easy, but I was under presure when I was about to finish it because I was Suposed to start teaching 30 minutes before its completion. Is there a study that emphasizes on the emotional filter and the TOEIC?