To TOEFL or not to TOEFL

What is the TOEFL® test?
 

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is probably one of the most well-known standardized English proficiency test, originally created by the non-profit Educational Testing Service (ETS) to be given to non-native speakers intending to study or work in The United States.
 

The test itself has several incarnations. The first and also the oldest is the TOEFL® PBT (Paper-Baser Test), which was first administered in 1964. It consists of four sections: Listening, Structure, Reading, and Writing. The highest TOEFL® PBT score is 677 and the lowest possible score is 310 (if you got all the questions wrong). The PBT test is no longer used as worldwide standard for English competence and is only available in limited areas. There is a variant of the TOEFL® PBT called the TOEFL® ITP (Institutional Testing Program), which is licensed by a particular institution and is generally reserved for internal use only. The ITP test lists the writing portion as optional.

ETS then launched TOEFL® CBT (Computer-Based Test) which was basically the PBT but using a computer as its media. The main difference was that the questions that test-takers get in TOEFL® CBT would increase or decrease in difficulty based on whether or not a correct answer was given. This format would last a couple of years before it was replaced with TOEFL® IBT (Internet-Based Test) in 2005, and discontinued in 2006.

The latest format, the TOEFL® IBT, is a highly complex test that utilizes the multimedia capabilities of the computer technology and the connectivity of the internet. It is much more practical (clicking vs. pencil-shading an answer), and utilizes high quality images and audio. While this format tests all four language skills: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking, it also introduced the concept of integrated skills assessment. Answering a writing section, for example, might require that the test taker does a bit or reading or listening as well. In order to effectively complete the test, it is also often necessary to take notes, something that was explicitly prohibited in the TOEFL® PBT. The speaking and writing sections are recorded and sent straight to ETS’ Online Scoring Network.

In the TOEFL® IBT, there is generally no pass or fail marks. The highest score of each section is 30, and the maximum overall score is 120. The certificate of achievement will be mailed, and will be valid for a total of two years.

Why take the TOEFL® test?

Usually, when an Indonesian hears the phrase “standardized English test”, what will come to mind is The TOEFL® test, or, more specifically, the TOEFL® PBT. This familiarity is due to the test being widely used by high schools as the international English tests, and by various Indonesian academic and professional institutions (in admissions or as a job requirement). Some Indonesian universities in fact require students to submit a TOELF® ITP score to graduate. For all intents and purposes, the PBT or ITP test is still very much relevant within Indonesia itself.

Meanwhile, the TOEFL® IBT has generally taken over as the more reliable TOEFL® test. Most universities and scholarship institutions now accept either TOEFL® IBT score or the IELTS band score, though a few might still accept the PBT test. As PBT is significantly less challenging in comparison to IBT, it is wise to always check the entrance requirements before choosing which test to do.

TOEFL® is acknowledged by over 9000 institutions in over 130 countries. Though slightly shorter than the countries that recognize IELTS, the list still includes general favorites such as The United Kingdom, The United States, Australia, Canada, Germany, The Netherlands, France, Italy, etc. There are also numerous non-English-speaking countries where the TOEFL® certificate can be used. For more information on countries that accept the TOEFL® certificate, go here.
 

Students who intend to use their IBT scores to apply for a student’s Visa in the U.K. will have to meet certain conditions. Read more here.

When and where to take the test?

There are over 3,000 ETS-approved test centers and licensed ITP partners across the world. You can take the test on the 50 fixed dates each year, depending on the test center. To find your nearest center and check for formats offered, dates and fees, check the official ETS directory.

While the ITP test is relatively flexible, you are not allowed to take more than one TOEFL® IBT test in 12 days. The IBT test is also much more challenging, making adequate preparations and familiarizing yourself with the test software absolutely necessary before attempting the test.

How much does the test cost?

It is quite unheard of for ETS test centers to still offer The TOEFL® PBT test nowadays. The TOEFL® ITP, however, is offered by numerous institutions. The ITP test fee in Indonesia is also generally very low, often costing less than Rp300.000. The ETS test centers do offer regular IBT tests, and in Indonesia, the standard fee is US$190. For more information, check here . 
 

How does Ambassador Language Course help you prepare for the TOEFL® test?

The first thing to make sure is that students know which TOEFL® test, ITP (PBT) or IBT to take. This might seem trivial, but students are often unaware that there are two types of TOEFL ® test. Students preparing using PBT materials will find themselves absolutely overwhelmed by the IBT, especially with the speaking section. Vice versa, students studying using IBT materials will find a lot of the skills such as note taking, summarizing, or speech organization to be excessive for PBT.

People needing the ITP would get guidance on how to best deal with the particular PBT format of three sections: listening, structure, and reading. A large portion of the time will be dedicated to the comprehensive study of the English structure and how to effectively solve structure questions. Since students can opt out of the Writing portion, this section will generally not get a lot of emphasis, though students are free to ask questions regarding writing effective academic essays if they would like to.

Students requiring the TOEFL ® IBT test will receive much more balanced (and more intensive) instructions on the four language skills and how to utilize multiple skills to deal with integrated skills questions. They will also be trained to improve their note taking skills and idea summarization techniques essential for working out Listening, Reading, and Speaking sections.

Here at Ambassador Language Course, we will provide everything that students need to achieve language mastery: the right books, a capable TOEFL® tutor to provide guidance and effective test strategies, the use of multimedia, and a comfortable air-conditioned classroom to study in.

If you intend to take the either the PBT or IBT test, it is most recommended that you dedicate an adequate amount of time to prepare (and definitely longer if IBT) before actually registering for the test.

To Join our TOEFL Class you can contact us:
SMS/WhatsApp: 081905425007
Email: ambassador_english@yahoo.com
Or you can fill in our online registration form here.