TOEIC
Encyclopedia
The Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) measures the ability of non-native English-speaking examinees to use English
in everyday workplace activities.
consisting of 200 questions evenly divided into listening comprehension
and reading comprehension
. Each candidate receives independent scores for written and listening comprehension on a scale from 5 to 495 points. The total score adds up to a scale from 10 to 990 points. The TOEIC certificate exists in five colors, corresponding to achieved results:
(ETS) developed the TOEIC test to measure achievement in using English in a business setting. The Asahi Shimbun
national daily's evening edition http://sp.toeic.or.jp/square/nt/mission/np.html interviewed Yasuo Kitaoka (北岡靖男 Kitaoka Yasuo) who was the central figure of the Japanese team that conceived the basic idea of the TOEIC test.
According to an Aug. 11, 2009 Japan Times article, "In the 1970s, Kitaoka began negotiating with ETS to create a new test of English communication for use in Japan. ETS responded that it required a nonprofit organization to work with as their partner. Kitaoka tried to enlist the help of the Ministry of Education, but their bureaucrats did not see the need for a new test to compete with the STEP Eiken
, an English test already backed by the ministry. To overcome this opposition, Kitaoka received help from his friend, Yaeji Watanabe. Watanabe's influence as a retired high-ranking bureaucrat from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (renamed the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry, or METI) proved crucial to TOEIC's establishment.
Watanabe had remained in contact with his old ministry while working on the board of directors for the World Economic Information Services (WEIS) and as chairman of the Japan-China Economic Association, both public-interest corporations operating under MITI. Watanabe declined an interview request, but his memoirs describe how he overcame Ministry of Education opposition to the TOEIC by taking cover "behind the ministry of trade shield." Watanabe convinced his old ministry it should play the lead role in establishing a new English test, and formed a TOEIC Steering Committee under the WEIS umbrella. Members of the committee included other retired MITI bureaucrats and influential business leaders.
Government support secured, ETS began developing the test in 1977. In 1979, English learners in Japan filled in the first of many TOEIC multiple-choice answer forms."
ETS's major competitor is Cambridge University, which administers the IELTS
, FCE, CAE, and CPE
.
According to a survey conducted in 2006 by , 56.8% of the respondents who took both the older and the revised versions of the TOEIC test in Japan find the latter version more difficult. The lower the score the test taker achieves, the more marked this tendency becomes. As many as 85.6% of those who earned scores ranging from 10 to 395 points find the revised TOEIC test more difficult, while 69.9% of those who earned 400 to 495 points think this way, as do 59.3% of those who earned 500 to 595 points. Among those who achieved 600 to 695 points 58.9% agree with these findings. 700 to 795 points 48.6%, 800 to 895 points 47.9%, and 900 to 990 points 39.8%.
2006 also saw the addition of TOEIC Speaking & Writing tests. In 2007 there were additional changes to the TOEIC Reading & Listening test that decreased emphasis on knowledge of grammatical rules.
test organized by the . The TOEIC Speaking Test/Writing Test started on January 21, 2007 in addition to the TOEIC SP Test and the TOEIC IP Test.
In May and June 2009, articles in the Japanese weekly magazine FRIDAY accused the IIBC’s 92 year-old Chairman Yaeji Watanabe of nepotism when he appointed the son of his girlfriend to the position of Chairman of the IIBC Board of Directors. To force the appointment, half of the volunteers serving on the Board were forced out by Watanabe. The magazine article also questioned why Watanabe only showed up for work about one day a week.
In his defense, Watanabe claimed that he held a ceremonial title and was Chairman in name only. As a result Watanabe claimed that he had little to do with the decision to appoint the son of his girlfriend to the position. The magazine article concluded by asking why someone who is Chairman only in name and only working one day a week should receive an annual salary in excess of 25 million yen.
In August 2009, the online version of the English-language newspaper The Japan Times published a two-part series examining the TOEIC’s origins and early history as well as the use of test-taker fees by the IIBC on the internet. The August 18th article examined the questionable uses of test-fees, including, a fivefold increase in utility expenses in one year, 13 million spent annually on research about adapting to Chinese culture, sponsorship of poetry readings by the Chinese Poetry Recitation Association, and membership fees to join the Beautiful Aging Association, for which Watanabe also happened to be Chairman.
The article also questioned the relationship between the IIBC and its for-profit partner International Communications School with which it shared office space. International Communications School is responsible for selling the TOEIC Institutional Program Test given by companies and schools, and also publishes IIBC approved TOEIC preparation textbooks and administers the TOEIC Japanese language Web site. Also, one of International Communications School's subsidiaries is E-Communications, which administers the TOEIC’s online application system and provides online TOEIC study materials.
In 2009, Watanabe suddenly resigned from the IIBC, leaving the son of his girlfriend in charge of the non-profit. Watanabe received a 25 million yen retirement payment.
The IIBC lowered the price of the TOEIC Secure Program Test from 6,615 yen to 5,985 yen starting with the September 13, 2009 test. The price had to be lowered due to pressure from the Ministry of Trade, which instructed the IIBC to reduce the profits being generated by the test.
In July 2010, the Tokyo Tax Bureau announced that International Communications School, IIBC's for-profit partner, hid 100 million yen in income and had to pay 30 million yen in back taxes and fines.
, regarded as the second biggest consumer of TOEIC per capita. As noted in The Chosun Ilbo (조선일보; 朝鮮日報; Korea Daily Reports) national daily http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200512/200512040016.html, a number of major corporations have either removed or reduced the required TOEIC score for employment. An official from the Industrial Bank of Korea (IBK; Kiup Bank
; 기업은행; 中小企業銀行) says, "TOEIC isn't an appropriate indicator of actual English skills." However, a person's TOEIC score is still a major factor in hiring persons for most professional jobs in South Korea.
Starting in 2011, Korean universities will no longer be allowed to use TOEIC and TOEFL
scores as part of the admission process. This is apparently to discourage private English education (there are many private institutions that teach TOEIC-based classes). Another English proficiency test, TEPS
(developed by Seoul National University
, Chosun Ilbo), has been developed and may replace the status of TOEIC.
, some Grandes écoles
require a TOEIC score of at least 785 to award the diploma. This policy has been criticized, as it makes state-awarded diplomas dependent on a private institution—despite the fact that it was not the private institution that set the 785 mark but a recommendation from the Commission des Titres d'Ingénieurs indicating a B2+ level on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
.
If the student cannot achieve a 785 mark, he/she is offered to validate his/her diploma by other means in most of the schools. Some institutions delay the diploma for 1 year after the end of the studies in that case.
In Greece
, TOEIC is accepted by ASEP, the organisation responsible for hiring new employees to work for the government.
In Italy
, TOEIC is often used by universities as an exam to pass degree level qualifications. All universities require that students pass an English examination to be allowed to partake in degree courses and to receive diplomas. A TOEIC score of 450 is usually required to complete 3 years of study and a score of 600 is usually required to obtain the diploma. Many universities allow alternative qualifications to the TOEIC, such as the Cambridge certificate and TOEFL tests. Most universities do not offer either language preparation or language tests, requiring students to seek external preparation and examination for a requirement enforced by the department of education for all degrees.
.
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
in everyday workplace activities.
Overview
The Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) is "an English language test designed specifically to measure the everyday English skills of people working in an international environment."TOEIC Listening & Reading Test
The TOEIC Listening & Reading Test is a two-hour multiple-choice testStandardized test
A standardized test is a test that is administered and scored in a consistent, or "standard", manner. Standardized tests are designed in such a way that the questions, conditions for administering, scoring procedures, and interpretations are consistent and are administered and scored in a...
consisting of 200 questions evenly divided into listening comprehension
Understanding
Understanding is a psychological process related to an abstract or physical object, such as a person, situation, or message whereby one is able to think about it and use concepts to deal adequately with that object....
and reading comprehension
Reading comprehension
Reading comprehension is defined as the level of understanding of a text. This understanding comes from the interaction between the words that are written and how they trigger knowledge outside the text. ....
. Each candidate receives independent scores for written and listening comprehension on a scale from 5 to 495 points. The total score adds up to a scale from 10 to 990 points. The TOEIC certificate exists in five colors, corresponding to achieved results:
- orange (10–215)
- brown (220–465)
- green (470–725)
- blue (730–855)
- gold (860–990)
TOEIC Speaking & Writing Test
The TOEIC Speaking & Writing Test was introduced in 2006. Test takers receive separate scores for each of the two tests, or can take the Speaking test without taking the Writing test. The Speaking test assesses pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and fluency, while the Writing test examines vocabulary, grammar, and overall coherence and organization. The tests are designed to reflect actual English usage in the workplace, though they do not require any knowledge of specialized business terms. The TOEIC Speaking Test takes approximately 20 minutes to complete; the TOEIC writing test lasts approximately 60 minutes. Each test has a score range between 0-200, with test takers grouped into eight proficiency levels.Institutional TOEIC Test
In addition to the official TOEIC tests, there are also versions that individual businesses and educational institutions can purchase for internal use. These "Institutional" TOEIC tests can be administered at the organization's own choice of location and time to their employees or students.History
The Educational Testing ServiceEducational Testing Service
Educational Testing Service , founded in 1947, is the world's largest private nonprofit educational testing and assessment organization...
(ETS) developed the TOEIC test to measure achievement in using English in a business setting. The Asahi Shimbun
Asahi Shimbun
The is the second most circulated out of the five national newspapers in Japan. Its circulation, which was 7.96 million for its morning edition and 3.1 million for its evening edition as of June 2010, was second behind that of Yomiuri Shimbun...
national daily's evening edition http://sp.toeic.or.jp/square/nt/mission/np.html interviewed Yasuo Kitaoka (北岡靖男 Kitaoka Yasuo) who was the central figure of the Japanese team that conceived the basic idea of the TOEIC test.
According to an Aug. 11, 2009 Japan Times article, "In the 1970s, Kitaoka began negotiating with ETS to create a new test of English communication for use in Japan. ETS responded that it required a nonprofit organization to work with as their partner. Kitaoka tried to enlist the help of the Ministry of Education, but their bureaucrats did not see the need for a new test to compete with the STEP Eiken
STEP EIKEN
— informally, ; often called STEP EIKEN or the STEP Test — is an English language test conducted by a Japanese non-profit organization, the Society for Testing English Proficiency, Inc. , and backed by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology .-Format...
, an English test already backed by the ministry. To overcome this opposition, Kitaoka received help from his friend, Yaeji Watanabe. Watanabe's influence as a retired high-ranking bureaucrat from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (renamed the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry, or METI) proved crucial to TOEIC's establishment.
Watanabe had remained in contact with his old ministry while working on the board of directors for the World Economic Information Services (WEIS) and as chairman of the Japan-China Economic Association, both public-interest corporations operating under MITI. Watanabe declined an interview request, but his memoirs describe how he overcame Ministry of Education opposition to the TOEIC by taking cover "behind the ministry of trade shield." Watanabe convinced his old ministry it should play the lead role in establishing a new English test, and formed a TOEIC Steering Committee under the WEIS umbrella. Members of the committee included other retired MITI bureaucrats and influential business leaders.
Government support secured, ETS began developing the test in 1977. In 1979, English learners in Japan filled in the first of many TOEIC multiple-choice answer forms."
ETS's major competitor is Cambridge University, which administers the IELTS
IELTS
IELTS , or 'International English Language Testing System', is an international standardised test of English language proficiency. It is jointly managed by University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations, the British Council and IDP Education Pty Ltd, and was established in 1989.There are two versions of...
, FCE, CAE, and CPE
Certificate of Proficiency in English
The Certificate of Proficiency in English or CPE is the most advanced general English exam provided by University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations. The English level of those who have passed the CPE is supposed to be similar to that of a fairly educated native speaker of English...
.
The New TOEIC Tests
A new version of the TOEIC Listening & Reading test was released in 2006. The changes can be summarized as follows:- Overall, passages are longer.
- Part 1 has fewer questions involving photograph descriptions.
- The Listening Section hires speakers of English from BritainBritish EnglishBritish English, or English , is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the United Kingdom from forms used elsewhere...
, AustraliaAustralian EnglishAustralian English is the name given to the group of dialects spoken in Australia that form a major variety of the English language....
, New ZealandNew Zealand EnglishNew Zealand English is the dialect of the English language used in New Zealand.The English language was established in New Zealand by colonists during the 19th century. It is one of "the newest native-speaker variet[ies] of the English language in existence, a variety which has developed and...
and North AmericaAmerican EnglishAmerican English is a set of dialects of the English language used mostly in the United States. Approximately two-thirds of the world's native speakers of English live in the United States....
, and uses an equal distribution of the dialects. However all the voice actors for the speaking test have lived in the United States for an extended period. - Part 6 no longer contains an error-spotting task, criticized as unrealistic in a corporate environment, instead adopting the use of a task wherein the test taker fills in blanks in incomplete sentences.
- Part 7 contains not only single-passage questions but also double-passage questions wherein the test taker reads and compares the two related passages, such as an e-mail correspondence.
According to a survey conducted in 2006 by , 56.8% of the respondents who took both the older and the revised versions of the TOEIC test in Japan find the latter version more difficult. The lower the score the test taker achieves, the more marked this tendency becomes. As many as 85.6% of those who earned scores ranging from 10 to 395 points find the revised TOEIC test more difficult, while 69.9% of those who earned 400 to 495 points think this way, as do 59.3% of those who earned 500 to 595 points. Among those who achieved 600 to 695 points 58.9% agree with these findings. 700 to 795 points 48.6%, 800 to 895 points 47.9%, and 900 to 990 points 39.8%.
2006 also saw the addition of TOEIC Speaking & Writing tests. In 2007 there were additional changes to the TOEIC Reading & Listening test that decreased emphasis on knowledge of grammatical rules.
TOEIC in Japan
The operates the TOEIC test in Japan, where a total of nearly 1.5 million people take the test per year. There are two ways to take the TOEIC test properly. One is called the , in which one can take the test either individually or in a group on specified dates at a test centre specified by the TOEIC Steering Committee. The other is the , in which an organization can choose the date and administer the test at its convenience in accordance with the TOEIC Steering Committee. The TOEIC SP Test was renewed on May 2006, followed by the TOEIC IP Test in April 2007 in line so that it would be with the SP Test. More and more companies use TOEIC scores for personnel assessment instead of the homegrown STEP EikenSTEP EIKEN
— informally, ; often called STEP EIKEN or the STEP Test — is an English language test conducted by a Japanese non-profit organization, the Society for Testing English Proficiency, Inc. , and backed by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology .-Format...
test organized by the . The TOEIC Speaking Test/Writing Test started on January 21, 2007 in addition to the TOEIC SP Test and the TOEIC IP Test.
TOEIC Scandal in Japan
The Institute for International Business Communication (IIBC), the non-profit organization that administers the TOEIC in Japan, was the subject of a scandal in 2009.In May and June 2009, articles in the Japanese weekly magazine FRIDAY accused the IIBC’s 92 year-old Chairman Yaeji Watanabe of nepotism when he appointed the son of his girlfriend to the position of Chairman of the IIBC Board of Directors. To force the appointment, half of the volunteers serving on the Board were forced out by Watanabe. The magazine article also questioned why Watanabe only showed up for work about one day a week.
In his defense, Watanabe claimed that he held a ceremonial title and was Chairman in name only. As a result Watanabe claimed that he had little to do with the decision to appoint the son of his girlfriend to the position. The magazine article concluded by asking why someone who is Chairman only in name and only working one day a week should receive an annual salary in excess of 25 million yen.
In August 2009, the online version of the English-language newspaper The Japan Times published a two-part series examining the TOEIC’s origins and early history as well as the use of test-taker fees by the IIBC on the internet. The August 18th article examined the questionable uses of test-fees, including, a fivefold increase in utility expenses in one year, 13 million spent annually on research about adapting to Chinese culture, sponsorship of poetry readings by the Chinese Poetry Recitation Association, and membership fees to join the Beautiful Aging Association, for which Watanabe also happened to be Chairman.
The article also questioned the relationship between the IIBC and its for-profit partner International Communications School with which it shared office space. International Communications School is responsible for selling the TOEIC Institutional Program Test given by companies and schools, and also publishes IIBC approved TOEIC preparation textbooks and administers the TOEIC Japanese language Web site. Also, one of International Communications School's subsidiaries is E-Communications, which administers the TOEIC’s online application system and provides online TOEIC study materials.
In 2009, Watanabe suddenly resigned from the IIBC, leaving the son of his girlfriend in charge of the non-profit. Watanabe received a 25 million yen retirement payment.
The IIBC lowered the price of the TOEIC Secure Program Test from 6,615 yen to 5,985 yen starting with the September 13, 2009 test. The price had to be lowered due to pressure from the Ministry of Trade, which instructed the IIBC to reduce the profits being generated by the test.
In July 2010, the Tokyo Tax Bureau announced that International Communications School, IIBC's for-profit partner, hid 100 million yen in income and had to pay 30 million yen in back taxes and fines.
TOEIC in the Republic of Korea
Toward the end of 2005, there was a shift in South KoreaSouth Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, regarded as the second biggest consumer of TOEIC per capita. As noted in The Chosun Ilbo (조선일보; 朝鮮日報; Korea Daily Reports) national daily http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200512/200512040016.html, a number of major corporations have either removed or reduced the required TOEIC score for employment. An official from the Industrial Bank of Korea (IBK; Kiup Bank
Kiup Bank
Kiup Bank is an industrial bank company headquartered in Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea. The bank was established in 1961...
; 기업은행; 中小企業銀行) says, "TOEIC isn't an appropriate indicator of actual English skills." However, a person's TOEIC score is still a major factor in hiring persons for most professional jobs in South Korea.
Starting in 2011, Korean universities will no longer be allowed to use TOEIC and TOEFL
TOEFL
The Test of English as a Foreign Language, or TOEFL , evaluates the ability of an individual to use and understand English in an academic setting....
scores as part of the admission process. This is apparently to discourage private English education (there are many private institutions that teach TOEIC-based classes). Another English proficiency test, TEPS
TEPS
The Test of English Proficiency developed by Seoul National University or TEPS is an English proficiency test created by the Language Education Institute to evaluate Korean test takers' English language skills. TEPS has been administered nationwide since January 1999...
(developed by Seoul National University
Seoul National University
Seoul National University , colloquially known in Korean as Seoul-dae , is a national research university in Seoul, Korea, ranked 24th in the world in publications in an analysis of data from the Science Citation Index, 7th in Asia and 42nd in the world by the 2011 QS World University Rankings...
, Chosun Ilbo), has been developed and may replace the status of TOEIC.
TOEIC in Europe
In FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, some Grandes écoles
Grandes écoles
The grandes écoles of France are higher education establishments outside the main framework of the French university system. The grandes écoles select students for admission based chiefly on national ranking in competitive written and oral exams...
require a TOEIC score of at least 785 to award the diploma. This policy has been criticized, as it makes state-awarded diplomas dependent on a private institution—despite the fact that it was not the private institution that set the 785 mark but a recommendation from the Commission des Titres d'Ingénieurs indicating a B2+ level on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment, abbreviated as CEFR, is a guideline used to describe achievements of learners of foreign languages across Europe and, increasingly, in other countries...
.
If the student cannot achieve a 785 mark, he/she is offered to validate his/her diploma by other means in most of the schools. Some institutions delay the diploma for 1 year after the end of the studies in that case.
In Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, TOEIC is accepted by ASEP, the organisation responsible for hiring new employees to work for the government.
In Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, TOEIC is often used by universities as an exam to pass degree level qualifications. All universities require that students pass an English examination to be allowed to partake in degree courses and to receive diplomas. A TOEIC score of 450 is usually required to complete 3 years of study and a score of 600 is usually required to obtain the diploma. Many universities allow alternative qualifications to the TOEIC, such as the Cambridge certificate and TOEFL tests. Most universities do not offer either language preparation or language tests, requiring students to seek external preparation and examination for a requirement enforced by the department of education for all degrees.
TOEIC in the United States
Both the TOEIC Listening & Reading and the TOEIC Speaking & Writing tests are now available in the United States. While the TOEIC Listening & Reading test has been available for decades, the TOEIC Speaking & Writing test was introduced in the United States only in 2009. Registration for the TOEIC Speaking & Writing test is handled by the English4Success division of the nonprofit organization AmideastAmideast
AMIDEAST is a U.S. non-profit organization that works to strengthen mutual understanding and cooperation between Americans and the peoples of the Middle East and North Africa...
.
TOEIC Bridge
ETS also administers a simplified version of the TOEIC test called TOEIC Bridge. The TOEIC Bridge test targets beginning and intermediate speakers and consists of 100 multiple-choice questions, requiring about one hour of testing time.See also
- English language learning and teachingEnglish language learning and teachingEnglish as a second language , English for speakers of other languages and English as a foreign language all refer to the use or study of English by speakers with different native languages. The precise usage, including the different use of the terms ESL and ESOL in different countries, is...
- IELTSIELTSIELTS , or 'International English Language Testing System', is an international standardised test of English language proficiency. It is jointly managed by University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations, the British Council and IDP Education Pty Ltd, and was established in 1989.There are two versions of...
, International English Language Testing System
External links
- ETS - Educational Testing Service
- AMIDEAST English4Success, TOEIC USA
- ETS - Educational Testing Service Canada - TOEIC
- TOEIC Brazil
- TOEIC China(ATA)
- TOEIC Europe
- TOEIC France
- TOEIC GB
- TOEIC Germany
- TOEIC Israel
- TOEIC Japan
- TOEIC Korea
- TOEIC Poland
- TOEIC Spain
- TOEIC Taiwan
- TOEIC Hong Kong
- TOEIC Thailand
- TOEIC Turkey
- TOEIC Istanbul
- TOEIC Vietnam