TestMagic Forums - View Single Post

knok · 07-02-2007, 04:43 AM

Hi wish to pass,

We already finished the letters and started to send both of them since last Wednesday. We included what you are mentioning. Please click on the attachment and read both the letters carefully.

Here is the copy of page 3-4 on the first letter, TOEFL iBT Complaint:

"Test takers have 15 seconds to think and 45 seconds to speak. It is really difficult for test takers to think and formulate their thoughts in 15 seconds and organize and speak in 45 seconds, particularly when the questions are not familiar in their daily lives.

For the rest of the questions, candidates are required to summarize the conversations, lectures, and reading provided. In some tests, the topics are too difficult or are not in the interest of test takers. This test is unrealistic for measuring speaking ability of test takers. It is the test that puts more focus on organizing speech in the time limit. ETS mentions on its ETS official guide that test takers may not finish the tasks but can still get a high score and, in the meantime, those who can speak fluently may not get a high score in the Speaking section test if they cannot answer intelligibly and sustainably.

Not surprisingly, after asking many test takers, even though they can speak fluently, most of them are very nervous during the test and cannot finish answering the questions, none of them can get a score higher than 24. ETS informs institutions that a score of 26 is a score that is equal to a score of 50 on the Test of Spoken English (ETS official guide, p. 350). However, a score of 26 on the speaking section of TOEFL iBT is currently a minimum score for professionals to fulfill their requirements for their professional licenses.

According to TOEFL® Test and Score Data Summary for TOEFL Internet-Based Test: September 2005-December 2006 Test Data (ETS, page 9-10), the mean score of the candidates from the United States on the Speaking section of TOEFL iBT was only 22 whereas the mean score of the candidates from countries in which English is their primary language is 23. Even though some of these Americans may not have grown up speaking English in America, it is important to recognize the relatively low score for those who have been in an English speaking country for their entire lives.

This result indicates that the test is invalid and unrealistic in the real world. This test seems to measure intelligibility or other aspects rather than the language ability. This seems to be unfair for test takers when it is obvious that getting a high score on the Speaking section has nothing to do with the ability to speak English fluently. "

In my opinion, anyone who receives 20 on speaking section is able to communicate clearly. We just have problem with topic development. That's why we asked NABP to accept the score of 20 on the speaking section.

We are going to send 2 different letters, TOEFL iBT and Petition to NABP, to State Boards next week, tomorrow. I am searching the addresses and lists of State Boards, House of Representatives, and Senators since they are the group of people who will make changes to legislature of each state.

Please see another thread on, Let's get together all pharmacists.

Knok

07-02-2007, 04:43 AM	#21 (permalink)
knok TestMagic Guru Moderator Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: USA Posts: 3,076	Hi wish to pass, We already finished the letters and started to send both of them since last Wednesday. We included what you are mentioning. Please click on the attachment and read both the letters carefully. Here is the copy of page 3-4 on the first letter, TOEFL iBT Complaint: "Test takers have 15 seconds to think and 45 seconds to speak. It is really difficult for test takers to think and formulate their thoughts in 15 seconds and organize and speak in 45 seconds, particularly when the questions are not familiar in their daily lives. For the rest of the questions, candidates are required to summarize the conversations, lectures, and reading provided. In some tests, the topics are too difficult or are not in the interest of test takers. This test is unrealistic for measuring speaking ability of test takers. It is the test that puts more focus on organizing speech in the time limit. ETS mentions on its ETS official guide that test takers may not finish the tasks but can still get a high score and, in the meantime, those who can speak fluently may not get a high score in the Speaking section test if they cannot answer intelligibly and sustainably. Not surprisingly, after asking many test takers, even though they can speak fluently, most of them are very nervous during the test and cannot finish answering the questions, none of them can get a score higher than 24. ETS informs institutions that a score of 26 is a score that is equal to a score of 50 on the Test of Spoken English (ETS official guide, p. 350). However, a score of 26 on the speaking section of TOEFL iBT is currently a minimum score for professionals to fulfill their requirements for their professional licenses. According to TOEFL® Test and Score Data Summary for TOEFL Internet-Based Test: September 2005-December 2006 Test Data (ETS, page 9-10), the mean score of the candidates from the United States on the Speaking section of TOEFL iBT was only 22 whereas the mean score of the candidates from countries in which English is their primary language is 23. Even though some of these Americans may not have grown up speaking English in America, it is important to recognize the relatively low score for those who have been in an English speaking country for their entire lives. This result indicates that the test is invalid and unrealistic in the real world. This test seems to measure intelligibility or other aspects rather than the language ability. This seems to be unfair for test takers when it is obvious that getting a high score on the Speaking section has nothing to do with the ability to speak English fluently. " In my opinion, anyone who receives 20 on speaking section is able to communicate clearly. We just have problem with topic development. That's why we asked NABP to accept the score of 20 on the speaking section. We are going to send 2 different letters, TOEFL iBT and Petition to NABP, to State Boards next week, tomorrow. I am searching the addresses and lists of State Boards, House of Representatives, and Senators since they are the group of people who will make changes to legislature of each state. Please see another thread on, Let's get together all pharmacists. Knok _ _ _ _ SIG _ _ _ _ "Every reason that tells you that things will never change disappears." "I did what I had to do because it is the right thing to do."