The Educational Testing Service (ETS) has recently introduced an English language proficiency assessment or the TOEFL Essentials test, which is a listening, reading, speaking, and writing English language test designed for admissions to university and higher education institutes. Registrations for the test will open from June 17 and classes will begin from August 21.
The course will offer a combination of academic and general English skills required for the classroom setting and interviews. “In addition, the test provides institutions with expanded insights through writing and speaking samples from the test, additional measures of foundational skills, and a unique Personal Video Statement — a short, unscored, video recording which provides an opportunity for applicants to showcase their unique personalities,” it stated. The test fee for each student would be Rs 7,300.
The one and half hour long test will be held online remote proctored mode. The format for the test will be a “multistage adaptive format with short, fast-paced tasks that adjust based on skill level”. Scores of the listening and reading test will be available as soon as the test is completed. The results for the speaking and writing sections will be scored by experts from ETS to ensure accuracy and fairness.
Apart from the TOEFL Essentials test, ETS also offers another test on English language proficiency – the TOEFL iBT test. The two tests have different approach to skills measurement. “While the TOEFL iBT test has cemented its place as the gold standard in the international admissions space, we are expanding the portfolio with the innovative and versatile TOEFL Essentials test to allow students to choose a TOEFL test that best meets their testing style and preferences,” says Srikant Gopal, Executive Director of the TOEFL Program adding that both the tests will help students in cracking the admission test at overseas institutes.
ETS will soon be publishing the TOEFL Essentials research design framework, details pertaining to the score scale, score comparison tables and score requirement recommendations, as per the official release. To date, several universities have acceptance the TOEFL test.