Change in speaking section 2012?

[cookie1424]

The first time I took the toefl exam, i got a 22, after doing pretty badly. Then, i took it again, and got a 23, then another 23, then a 24.

I took the exam 2 times in 2012, and got a 22 on each speaking part, however my total was 106. I was very confident the past 2 times i took it (in 2012), positive that they were the best jobs i have done on a speaking exam, but i somehow ended up with only a 22 both times.

Have they raised the bar for speaking exams? Any other ideas for why this has happened?

[TOEFL Corey]

No, cookie1424, ETS has not changed any of its speaking criteria or scoring standards. Unfortunately, with just a 4-point speaking rubric, I think it's possible to improve and still be at the same score level.

Since you are consistently scoring at around 22 - 24, you are basically getting 3/4 on almost every question. You may have improved somewhat on your most recent exams, but still are in that same 3/4 range (but higher). For example, you may be doing better in one or two of the 3 scoring criteria (delivery, language usage, and/or topic development) but still not quite hitting 4/4 level in one or two others. To earn a 4/4 on any speaking task, you must be at level 4 (as described in the scoring guide/rubric) in ALL THREE areas. Even if your delivery and language usage were outstanding, for example, you would still earn just a 3/4 if the rater determined that your "topic development" was not specific enough and you did not support your general ideas well.

My advice to you would be to take a class or find a trained teacher who can listen to you live or your recordings and point out why you are consistently scoring 3's on nearly all of your speaking tasks. Hopefully, that will help push you up into the 4 range.

Best of luck to you.

[Tino]

Corey explained very well why people seeking a 26 or higher in speaking need professional training. If you keep getting 22-24 and cannot break 26, you need a complete re-think of what you are doing, and you need professional assistance. Period. Or you can keep doing the same thing again and again and throwing away your time and money....

Tino

[cookie1424]

What doesn't make sense is how after improving completely after getting a 22 the first time I took it, only getting 23-24 afterwards, that I would suddenly sink down to 22's. The previous 2 times that i took it, when i got 22's, i believed they were my best works, even better than when I had gotten 23's-24. I don't understand how i'd get a low 22 the first time i took the test, when i knew i did terrible, then getting 23-24, doing better, then suddenly sinking to 22's at the time i was confident i did my best.

Since the sudden drop happened during 2012, I had come across the idea that the criteria might have changed a bit for the new year, because the score drop isn't making sense.

[ESymposia]

The criteria is set for the TOEFL pretty clearly. However, it is true that some of my students after scoring 22-24 in speaking have gotten their speaking and essays rescored. After rescoring, they received a 26 or higher. I assume this is because even with the criteria being straight forward, the scoring is at best subjective to the scorer. Thus, there is a differing of opinion. Now, if you have been scoring in the low 20's, there are many errors that you can consider. For example, accent, organization, fluency, and development are all issues that take place within the time frame. Since 2012, task 1 questions have been revamped. This may have changed your organization and development points. A professional tutor could help and we offer services. E-Symposia offers a free interview and a free class in the beginning that can help you pinpoint the problem, you can skype me at learn.english2

[Tino]

cookie1424: All I can do it repeat what I said before. It is clear to me you need a tutor.

ESymposia: Some of your data is wrong. You had students who got a 22 on speaking rescore with a score higher than 26? That is very rare. How many times did that happen? What was the exact final score? Note that accent is not a reason to lower a score, and this is specifically mentioned in the rater's guide from ETS. Finally, the speaking tasks 1 AND 2 have changed and it was since the end of 2010, not 2012.

Tino

[ESymposia]

Yes, they pose directly to me. Who am I to correct them? Or perhaps you go about correcting what your students say-- good or bad? The exact final score was 110. She was an Indian student who had immigrated to the United States and took the TOEFL to pass requirements for Pharmacology. This provides information on the student, but not on the exam. I don't think I would question who is an educated woman whether she would be able to read a straight forward document. Accent is a reason to receive a lower score because according to the rubric, it says:
Delivery (Score 3): Speech is generally clear, with some fluidity of expression, though minor difficulties with pronunciation, intonation, or pacing are noticeable and may require listener effort at times (though overall intelligibility is not significantly affected).
Delivery (Score 4): Generally, self-paced flow (fluid expressions. Speech is clear. It may include minor lapses, or minor difficulties with pronunciation or intonation patterns, which do not affect overall intelligibility.
For me, delivery is a combination of fluency and accent (pronunciation and intonation). Now, you may call it by a different name, but I know of no other manner as to work on these two skills except through accent reduction as a part of the training.

[MAndrew]

11. How will my accent and pronunciation affect my score?

All TOEFL iBT test takers speak with an accent to some degree or another, and your score will not be affected by your accent, unless your accent interferes with the intelligibility of your response. Minor and/or occasional pronunciation mistakes are also expected, even among the most proficient test takers, and, here again, as long as pronunciation mistakes do not interfere with the intelligibility of your response, they will not count against your score.

ETS Guide, 2009, p.193

[Tino]

Thank you Andrew, you saved me the time looking for it

Tino

[ESymposia]

Now, look at tutors that try to cheat the students in thinking about what the ETS website has said instead of what the rubrics says. Wow! Think about it people. We can agree that "occassional" and "minor" in the speaking rubrics under delivery. What is meant by "occassional" and "minor" well, lets see. If you pronounce ship as sheep, would you consider that wrong? If you are Spanish and constantly pull back,never pronouncing final -s on third-person singular verbs, would you consider that a problem? If you are Indian and consistently speak with a sing-song accent, would there be a problem with that? The rubrics says that, but ETS wants everyone to participate. What's the difference? Actually, there is no difference. From my perspective, as a teacher, I can help you speak clearly by fixing the underlying issue which is Accent Reduction. It is true that

" as long as pronunciation mistakes do not interfere with the intelligibility of your response, they will not count against your score."

But I am working with non-natives English speakers and usually a national accent is a source of the differences between clarity and confusion. We are talking about going from a 3 to a 4, so it can still be a source of point reduction.