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Approximately 1.3 million students worldwide, from China to Brazil, take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) every year. This exam, used by the majority of American universities to determine whether students have adequate language skills to handle college- and graduate-level work, is available in a computerized and paper-based format.
One-third of the computerized TOEFL is a traditional "linear" format. Two-thirds of the exam is adaptive, an entirely new kind of testing in which the exam "adapts" to a test-taker's performance. Test-takers see one question at a time, and must answer each in order to move on to the next question. The first question is of medium difficulty. If the test-taker answers correctly, the next is more difficult. If the test-taker answers incorrectly, the next is easier. Eventually, the computer zeroes in on a test-taker's level of ability.
Performing well on the computer adaptive sections of the exam demands a different test-taking approach from that employed on a traditional paper and pencil exam. For example, Kaplan, a national organization that prepares students for the TOEFL and other standardized tests, suggests that students spend more time on the first five questions, which have the greatest impact on their score. The computer uses the early questions to establish a test-taker's baseline ability. On an adaptive test, students no longer have the luxury of warming up with the easier early questions.
Students who would like to familiarize themselves with the TOEFL can get The Official Guide to the TOEFL Test, available in both ebook and paperback. It includes two full-length tests, tips, and an explanation of scoring and measurement criteria. For more information visit www.ets.org.
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