Transcript An Overview of Different Required Tests

An Overview of the
Required Tests
SAT, ACT, TOEFL, IELTS
February 2008
Doha, Qatar
Admission Tests
SAT
ACT
English Language Proficiency Tests
TOEFL
IELTS
Presenters
 Carol Blythe – SAT
 Patrick Bourgeacq – ACT
 Terry Axe – TOEFL
 Craig McWilliam - IELTS
SAT
Carol Blythe
Interim Director
Office of International Education
Washington, DC
Overview
 The SAT is a university admission test that
measures the critical thinking and problem
solving skills that are learned in high school and
important for success in college.
 It is made up of 3 parts:
•
Writing
•
Mathematics
•
Critical Reading
Overview
 There are 6 International test dates per year
•
October, November, December, January, May and June
 Fees
•
SAT Reasoning Test………………$45
•
International Processing Fee……..$25
•
Register on the Web………...……..FREE
www.collegeboard.com
Format
Section
Content
No. of Items
Time
Critical Reading
Extended reasoning
36-40
Literal comprehension
4-6
70 minutes (two 25-minute
sections and one 20minute section)
Vocabulary in context
4-6
Sentence completions
19
Total
67
Number & Operations
11-14
Algebra & functions
19-22
Geometry & measurement
14-16
Data analysis, statistics, &
probability
5-8
Total
54
Essay
1
Improving sentences
25
Identifying sentence errors
18
Improving paragraphs
6
Total
50
Mathematics
Writing
70 minutes (two 25-minute
sections and one 20minute section)
60 minutes (one 25-minute
essay and one 25-minute
multiple choice section and
one 10-minute multiple
choice section)
Format
The SAT has 10 total testing sections.
• The first section is always a 25-minute essay
• The last section is always a 10-minute multiplechoice writing section.
• Sections two through seven are 25-minute sections.
• Sections eight and nine are 20-minute sections.
• Test-takers sitting next to each other in the same
session may have test books with entirely different
content orders for sections two through nine (math,
critical reading, and writing).
Format (Writing Section)
The writing section:
•
The SAT begins with an essay. You'll be asked to present and
support a point of view on a specific issue. Because you have
only 25 minutes, your essay is not expected to be polished—it is
meant to be a first draft.
•
The SAT writing section also includes three types of multiplechoice questions:
• Improving sentences (25 questions)
• Identifying sentence errors (18 questions)
• Improving paragraphs (6 questions)
Format (Writing Section)
 Time
•
60 min.
 Content
•
Grammar, usage, and word choice
 Item Types
•
Multiple choice questions (35 min.) and student-written essay (25
min.)
 Score
•
200-800
Format (Critical Reading)
 Time
•
70 min. (two 25-min. sections and one 20-min. section)
 Content
•
Critical reading and sentence-level reading
 Item Types
•
Reading comprehension, sentence completions, and paragraphlength critical reading
 Score
•
200-800
Format (Mathematics)
 Time
•
70 min. (two 25-min. sections and one 20-min. section)
 Content
•
Number and operations; algebra and functions; geometry;
statistics, probability, and data analysis
 Item Types
•
Five-choice multiple-choice questions and student-produced
responses
 Score
•
200-800
Format (Time)
 The total testing time for the SAT is 3
hours and 45 minutes—not including
breaks, check-in time, and preadministration activities. The total time you
should plan on being at the test center is
approximately five hours.
Format (Time)
 The total testing time for the SAT is 3
hours and 45 minutes—not including
breaks, check-in time, and preadministration activities. The total time you
should plan on being at the test center is
approximately five hours.
When should you take the SAT?
 Students need to plan to take the test so
that the results reach the university by the
university application deadline.
 Many students take the test in May or June
of their Junior year (Grade 11)
 Students might also take the test in
October, November, or December of their
senior year (Grade 12)
Why do colleges value the SAT?
 Helps them overcome the challenges of unequal
opportunities, variable standards and grade
inflation.
 Provides a valid, nationally consistent measure
of what students have learned and how well they
apply that knowledge.
 Helps colleges match the right student with the
right institution to maximize student success.
Colleges’ Use of Scores
 SAT adds more value to student transcripts and
other admission information
 High correlation between SAT scores and college
success
 SAT writing section used in admission and
placement
Preparation Tips
 Become familiar with the test
 If available take PSAT or PSSS
 Challenge yourself with a rigorous high school
curriculum.
 Take an official SAT practice test (on-line, preparation
booklet…)
•
Reinforce your test-taking skills
•
Learn which areas need additional study
•
Practice with the same directions found on the actual
SAT
•
Understand how to complete the grid-in, studentproduced response section
Free Test Preparation Tips
 www.collegeboard.com
 Official SAT Practice Questions
 The Official SAT Question of the Day™
Practice with a daily question, hint, and explanation.
 Official SAT Practice Test
Print and take a practice test, then get a score report and
answer explanations.
Other Test Preparation Tips
The Official SAT Online Course™
The online course features:
 Six official SAT practice tests
 Answer explanations for every question
 Interactive instruction
 Immediate essay scoring

Price $69.95
The Official SAT Study Guide™
 Price $19.95
Coming soon in May 2008
SAT Skills Map
 The SAT Skills Map is a free, online resource that shows
students exactly the types of skills that are tested on
the SAT.
 The SAT Skills Map shows students how specific
academic skills yield specific scores, and provides
sample SAT questions and answers for skills that are
taught in high school and measured on the SAT.
 The SAT Skills Map shows students which skills they can
sharpen to do better in school, on the test, and in college.
Scores
•
The SAT has three scores, each on the scale
of 200 to 800.
•
Your score includes writing (W 200-800),
mathematics (M 200-800), and critical reading
(CR 200-800).
•
Two subscores are given for the writing
section: a multiple-choice subscore on a scale
of 20-80, and an essay subscore on a scale of
2-12.
Scores
The SAT Online Score Report
 The SAT online score report is available free to every student who
takes the SAT—all you need is a free collegeboard.com account.
 While you'll still receive your SAT score report in the mail, the SAT
online score report contains additional features to help you
understand your SAT scores.
 Fall 2007: the SAT online score report now shows you more about
how you performed on each section of the SAT Reasoning Test™. It
gives you the types of questions, level of difficulty, and how many in
each group of questions you answered correctly, incorrectly, or
omitted. Percentile information has also been enhanced to give you
better comparisons with other groups of test-takers.
Student’s Score Report
Scores
Sending SAT Scores

In addition to the score reports you chose to send when you registered for the SAT, you can send
scores to other colleges and scholarship programs for an additional fee. We will report scores that
are available and reportable at the time your request is received.

Only score reports from completed and scored tests will be sent. You can only send scores that
appear next to test dates on your SAT Status page. Scores from future tests for which you have
registered, but have not yet completed, will not be included.

Scores are mailed to you, and the additional colleges and programs requested, approximately four
weeks after we process your request. Please remember that an additional week may be needed for
the score recipients to process your scores, once they receive them.

Rush reporting is available for an additional fee. Rush scores are sent two business days after your
request is received. Be sure to check with the institutions before requesting this service: not all
colleges can accept rush reporting.

Remember, most colleges and universities require official score reports sent from the College
Board.
Additional Information
Your official printed score report will be mailed to you, your high school, and to colleges and scholarship
programs designated on your Registration Form about five weeks after the test.

You may also get your SAT scores with Scores by Phone. An additional fee applies.
Contacts
 www.collegeboard.com
 [email protected]
 212-713-3389 (phone number)
College-Entrance Exam
For Entry into U.S. Colleges
and Universities
Patrick Bourgeacq
Director, International Service Relationships
ACT, Inc.
Iowa City, Iowa USA
Overview
What is “the ACT”?
• The ACT is a college-entrance exam.
• It is used by colleges and universities in the United
States and elsewhere.
• They use it to evaluate applicants to their institutions, as
well as to place incoming students in first-year courses
of appropriate difficulty.
Overview
What Does the ACT Measure?
• The ACT measures a student’s ability to perform university-level
work.
• It contains five curriculum-based tests: English, Mathematics,
Reading, Science, and Writing.
• Because the ACT is curriculum based, performance on these five
tests has a direct relationship to a student’s educational
achievement.
• In short, the ACT measures what students are learning in high
school and what they are expected to know when entering
university.
Overview
Philosophy Behind the ACT
The ACT is based on the philosophy that the best way to measure
students’ readiness for postsecondary education is to measure as
directly as possible the knowledge and skills students will need to
perform university-level work.
ACT chose to focus on the curriculum for the exam because these
are skills that students can learn.
Format
The ACT has Two Parts
1.
2.
The Multiple-Choice Exam
The Optional Writing Exam
Exam Duration
• Total testing time for the multiple-choice exam is 2 hours and 55
minutes.
• Total testing time for the optional Writing exam is 30 minutes.
Format
Cost to Take the ACT
• The ACT (just multiple choice) – US$30.00
• The “ACT Plus Writing” – US$44.50
Note: If taken outside the US and Canada, an
international surcharge of US$22.00 applies.
Format
Multiple-Choice Exam
•
The multiple-choice exam covers the following content areas:
1.
2.
3.
4.
•
•
English
Mathematics
Reading
Science Reasoning
The four multiple-choice tests are scored individually (1-36) and
as an overall Composite score (also 1-36)
The Composite score is the average of the scores from the four
individual multiple-choice tests.
Format
ACT English Test
• Measures understanding of standard written English (punctuation,
grammar & usage, sentence structure).
• Measures rhetorical skills (strategy, organization, style).
• Spelling, vocabulary, and rote recall of rules of grammar are not
tested.
75 questions, 45 minutes
• Usage/Mechanics
–
–
–
•
Punctuation (10 questions)
Grammar and Usage (12 questions)
Sentence Structure (18 questions)
Rhetorical Skills
–
–
–
Strategy (12 questions)
Organization (11 questions)
Style (12 questions)
Format
ACT Math Test
•
•
•
•
Measures the math skills students typically acquire in courses taken up to
the start of their last year in secondary school.
Requires students to use reasoning skills to solve practical problems in
math.
Assumes knowledge of basic formulas and computational skills, but does
not require memorization of complex formulas or extensive calculation.
Calculators are permitted.
60 questions, 60 minutes
–
–
–
–
–
–
Pre-Algebra (14 questions)
Elementary Algebra (10 questions)
Intermediate Algebra (9 questions)
Coordinate Geometry (9 questions)
Plane Geometry (14 questions)
Trigonometry (4 questions)
Format
ACT Reading Test
• Measures reading comprehension as a product of referring and
reasoning skills.
• Requires students to derive meaning from texts by (1) referring to
what was explicitly stated in the text, and (2) reasoning to find
implicit meanings.
• Uses four prose passages representative of the level and types of
writing encountered in first-year university study.
40 questions, 35 minutes
–
–
–
–
Prose Fiction (10 questions)
Humanities (10 questions)
Social Studies (10 questions)
Natural Sciences (10 questions)
Format
ACT Science Test
• Measures the student’s interpretation, analysis, evaluation,
reasoning, and problem solving skills required in the natural
sciences.
• Four content areas are covered: (1) Biology, (2) Earth/Space
Sciences, (3) Chemistry, and (4) Physics.
•
•
40 questions, 35 minutes
Three stimulus formats are used to present information for students to react
to:
– Data Representation (15 questions)
– Research Summaries (18 questions)
– Conflicting Viewpoints (7 questions)
Format
ACT Writing Test (Optional)
• In addition to the standard multiple-choice exam, students also have
the option of taking the ACT Writing Test.
• Measures writing skills emphasized in high school English classes
and in entry-level university composition courses.
•
•
•
One prompt, 30 minutes
The prompt defines an issue and describes two points of view on that issue.
Students are asked to write in English about their position on that issue.
Format
Why is the ACT Writing Test Optional?
• It’s optional because not all colleges and universities use it.
• Before deciding whether to take the ACT Writing Test, students can
go to www.actstudent.org to find out if the institutions they are
applying to require or recommend it.
Importance of
the ACT to Universities
The ACT is used by every 4-year college and university in
the United States. In addition to admissions, the ACT is
used for—
–
–
–
–
–
–
Student recruitment
Academic advising
Freshman course placement decisions
Awarding course credit, especially for English and Math courses
Awarding scholarships
Talent identification
When Should Students
Take the ACT?
• Students should consider taking it during the Spring
semester of their 11th grade, as they will likely have
taken the necessary ACT subject material in school by
that time.
• Testing in 11th grade gives them enough time to re-test if
their scores aren’t what they had hoped for.
• Spring ACT test dates are in February, April, and June.
• Also note that the optional Writing test is currently
offered internationally in April and in October.
When Should Students
Take the ACT?
Available International ACT
Test Dates
• The ACT is offered internationally in October, December, February,
April, and June.
• Students wishing to take the ACT should go to www.actstudent.org
to see exact dates and locations.
How to Prepare
for the ACT
General Preparation
Since the ACT is a curriculum-based exam, it is ACT’s belief that the best way to prepare
for the test is to take challenging courses in school and to work hard in those courses
to learn the material.
Specific Preparation
•
•
•
•
Students will also find it helpful to take a practice test to familiarize themselves with
the structure and organization of the ACT and the types of questions they will see.
ACT offers a free sample test in the booklet “Preparing for the ACT,” which we send
to all guidance counselors who request it, free of charge. Students can also
download it at www.actstudent.org/testprep/index.html.
Students can find many free sample questions for each of the four multiple-choice
tests by going to www.actstudent.org/sampletest/index.html.
Students can find a free sample Writing prompt and sample responses by going to
www.actstudent.org/writing/sample/index.html.
How to Prepare
for the ACT
ACT Prep Materials for Purchase
In addition to the free materials described in the earlier slide, ACT also
offers the following two additional test prep materials for purchase:
– “The Real ACT Prep Guide”
– “ACT Online Prep”
“The Real ACT Prep Guide”
• Three practice tests used in previous actual test administrations—
each with an optional Writing Test
• Explanations for all right and wrong answer choices
• An in-depth look at the optional Writing Test and how it is scored
• Valuable test-taking strategies for each test section: English,
Mathematics, Reading, Science, and the optional Writing
• All you need to know about the ACT—formatting, structure,
registration, and how colleges interpret your scores
• A review of important topics in English, math, science, and writing
• How to prepare—physically, mentally, and emotionally—for test day
• Price: $25.00
“ACT Online Prep”
• Practice tests with real ACT test questions
• Practice essays for the new optional ACT Writing Test,
with real-time scoring
• Comprehensive content review for each of the ACT's
four required tests—English, Math, Reading, and
Science
• Diagnostic test and personalized Study Path
• Anywhere, anytime access via the Internet
• Price: $19.95
ACT Test-Taking Tips
• Pace yourself – don’t spend too much time on a single
passage or question.
• Answer the easy questions first, then go back and
answer the more difficult ones.
• Answer every question. Scores on the ACT multiplechoice tests are based on the number of questions you
answer correctly. There is no penalty for guessing.
• Go to www.actstudent.org/testprep/tips/index.html for
many more test taking tips.
Understanding
Your ACT Scores
Understanding
Your ACT Scores
The composite score is the average of your scores on the four multiplechoice subject area tests, rounded to the nearest whole number. (If
you left any multiple-choice test completely blank, no Composite
score is computed.) Your rank is expressed in numeric and graph
form as the percentage of ACT-tested students the same as or lower
than your score in your state and in the U.S.
Understanding
Your ACT Scores
This section shows your scores on each of the multiple-choice subject area tests and your
associated subscores. Subscores give you information about your specific strengths and
weaknesses in the areas these tests cover. The subscores are computed separately;
there is no arithmetic relationship between subscores and a test score (i.e., the test score
is not the sum of the subscores). If you left any multiple-choice test completely blank, that
test score is reported as a dash (--).
The graph represents your ranks, expressed as the percent of ACT-tested high school
students in the U.S. who scored the same as or lower than your scores on the multiplechoice subject area tests and your subscores. These ranks allow you to compare your
scores to others.
Understanding
Your ACT Scores
•
•
•
If you took both the English Test and the optional Writing Test, this section shows two
additional scores: (1) a Combined English/Writing score and (2) a Writing subscore. Taking
the Writing Test does not affect your Composite score.
The Combined English/Writing score takes into account your English Test score and your
Writing subscore from the same test date.
The Writing subscore is the sum of the ratings from 1 (low) to 6 (high) given to your essay by
two trained readers. Your report also provides some comments about your essay. One of the
readers who rated your essay selected these comments to give you feedback on the
strengths and weaknesses of your essay.
Understanding
Your ACT Scores
This section provides information
about each of your first four
college choices that you listed at
the time you registered or tested,
along with your self-reported
information. You can compare
information colleges provided
about the profile of the colleges'
enrolled first-year students.
The <<Your GPA>> field is calculated
based on the grades that you
provided when you registered.
Understanding
Your ACT Scores
This section allows you
to compare important
factors about your
college choices you
listed at the time you
registered, such as the
availability of your
program of study,
college costs, and
percentage of students
receiving financial aid.
Career-Planning with the ACT
• As part of the registration process for the ACT, students
answer 72 questions about their likes and dislikes. Students
answer whether they would Like, Dislike, or Are Indifferent To
certain activities.
• Sample activities among the 72 asked:
–
–
–
–
–
–
Help someone make an important decision
Teach people a new hobby
Discuss a misleading advertisement with a salesperson
Present information before a group
Develop new rules or procedures
Find errors in a financial account
• When students receive their ACT scores, they also receive
information about careers and occupations that match to their
interests using our World-of-Work Map.
World-of-Work
Map
•
•
All college majors and
occupations differ in how much
they involve working with four
basic work tasks: working with
People (care, services), Things
(machines, materials), Data (facts,
records), and Ideas (theories,
insights). These four basic tasks
are the compass points on the
World-of-Work Map.
The map is divided into 12
regions, each with a different mix
of work tasks. The map shows the
locations of 26 Career Areas (AZ). Each Career Area contains
many occupations that share
similar work tasks.
Education & Career
Planning Report
Education & Career
Planning Report
The ACT Interest Inventory measures
preferences for working with four
basic work tasks: working with
people, things, data, and ideas.
The Interest Inventory results are
shaded on the World-of-Work
Map.
This section lists Career Areas in line
with your preferences. Students
can use these results to explore
educational and career options.
Education & Career
Planning Report
This section shows the college
major the student you
indicated when registering or
testing. Because many
students consider several
options before selecting a
major, this section lists related
majors for the student to
explore.
Education & Career
Planning Report
This section shows the
occupation the student
indicated when registering or
testing. Because many
students consider several
options before making definite
career plans, this section lists
related occupations for the
student to explore.
Education & Career
Planning Report
The student’s interest inventory
results are expressed as
shaded regions of the ACT
World-of-Work Map.
The world of work is huge, so
ACT makes career
exploration easier by dividing
the map into 12 regions.
The map regions contain groups
of Career Areas in line with
the student’s interests.
Registering to Take
the ACT
Three Simple Steps:
1. Visit www.actstudent.org
2. Establish your free student Web account
3. Register for the ACT
TOEFL iBT … Go Anywhere
®
Terry Axe
Associate Director, TOEFL
ETS, Princeton, NJ USA
What is the TOEFL Test and Who
Takes It?
• The Test of English as a Foreign
Language™ measures the ability of
nonnative English speakers to use and
understand English as it is spoken, written,
and heard in college and university settings
• Primary reason to take TOEFL –
Application for admission into universities
or colleges where English is the language
of instruction
• Also used for immigration, licensing,
scholarships, and placement
63
Confidential. Copyright © 2008 by Educational Testing Service. All rights reserved. ETS, the ETS logo, TOEFL and TSE are registered trademarks of
Educational Testing Service (ETS) in the United States of America and other countries throughout the world. Propell and TOEFL Accelerator are trademarks of ETS.
The World’s Leading Academic English
Proficiency Test
• 20 million test takers since 1964
• Nearly 1 million registrations in 2007
• Available in more test centers in more
countries than any other English
language proficiency test
• Recognized by more agencies and
institutions than any other English
language proficiency test
64
Confidential. Copyright © 2008 by Educational Testing Service. All rights reserved. ETS, the ETS logo, TOEFL and TSE are registered trademarks of
Educational Testing Service (ETS) in the United States of America and other countries throughout the world. Propell and TOEFL Accelerator are trademarks of ETS.
TOEFL Internet-based Test (iBT)
Overview
• Delivered via the internet
• Administered in official, secure test centers
• Four sections taken in one session:
– Reading
– Listening
– Speaking
– Writing
• All sections reflect academic English
communication skills
• Note taking allowed
65
Confidential. Copyright © 2008 by Educational Testing Service. All rights reserved. ETS, the ETS logo, TOEFL and TSE are registered trademarks of
Educational Testing Service (ETS) in the United States of America and other countries throughout the world. Propell and TOEFL Accelerator are trademarks of ETS.
TOEFL iBT Reading Section
• 3 to 5 reading passages
– Reading passages approximately 700
words long
– Followed by 12 to 14 questions for
each reading passage
– Includes multiple-focus passages
(e.g., cause/effect, compare/contrast)
• Glossary feature to define words not
commonly used
• Review feature
66
Confidential. Copyright © 2008 by Educational Testing Service. All rights reserved. ETS, the ETS logo, TOEFL and TSE are registered trademarks of
Educational Testing Service (ETS) in the United States of America and other countries throughout the world. Propell and TOEFL Accelerator are trademarks of ETS.
TOEFL iBT Listening Section
• 4 to 6 lectures; 2 or 3 with classroom
dialogue
– 3 to 5 minutes long
– Each has 6 questions
• 2 or 3 conversations with 2 speakers (1
is student)
– 2 to 3 minutes long
– Each has 5 questions
67
Confidential. Copyright © 2008 by Educational Testing Service. All rights reserved. ETS, the ETS logo, TOEFL and TSE are registered trademarks of
Educational Testing Service (ETS) in the United States of America and other countries throughout the world. Propell and TOEFL Accelerator are trademarks of ETS.
TOEFL iBT Speaking Section
Reflects the kind of academic speaking you’ll
need to do at a college or university
• Six different questions
– Independent speaking
• Speaking about familiar topics
– Integrated speaking
• Speaking about campus situations
• Speaking about academic course content
• Responses scored by 3-6 different raters
who do not know the test taker
68
Confidential. Copyright © 2008 by Educational Testing Service. All rights reserved. ETS, the ETS logo, TOEFL and TSE are registered trademarks of
Educational Testing Service (ETS) in the United States of America and other countries throughout the world. Propell and TOEFL Accelerator are trademarks of ETS.
TOEFL iBT Writing Section
• Independent writing
– 30 minute essay
– Response based on personal experience or
opinion
• Integrated writing
– Reading/Listening/Writing
– Short academic listening and reading
material
– 20-minute response
• Typing is required
• Each response scored by 2 different raters
who do not know the test taker
69
Confidential. Copyright © 2008 by Educational Testing Service. All rights reserved. ETS, the ETS logo, TOEFL and TSE are registered trademarks of
Educational Testing Service (ETS) in the United States of America and other countries throughout the world. Propell and TOEFL Accelerator are trademarks of ETS.
TOEFL iBT Scores
• Four skill scores
– Reading 0-30
– Listening 0-30
– Speaking 0-30
– Writing 0-30
– A total score: 0-120
• Scores available 15 business
days after test
70
Confidential. Copyright © 2008 by Educational Testing Service. All rights reserved. ETS, the ETS logo, TOEFL and TSE are registered trademarks of
Educational Testing Service (ETS) in the United States of America and other countries throughout the world. Propell and TOEFL Accelerator are trademarks of ETS.
SAMPLE
ONLY
71
Confidential. Copyright © 2008 by Educational Testing Service. All rights reserved. ETS, the ETS logo, TOEFL and TSE are registered trademarks of
Educational Testing Service (ETS) in the United States of America and other countries throughout the world. Propell and TOEFL Accelerator are trademarks of ETS.
Taking TOEFL iBT in Qatar
• 6 Test Locations
– Higher Education Institute
– Qatar Foundation
– University of Qatar
– Al-Attiyah Training Centre
– Cisco Training Center
– HumanSoft, Expression
72
Confidential. Copyright © 2008 by Educational Testing Service. All rights reserved. ETS, the ETS logo, TOEFL and TSE are registered trademarks of
Educational Testing Service (ETS) in the United States of America and other countries throughout the world. Propell and TOEFL Accelerator are trademarks of ETS.
How to Prepare for TOEFL iBT
• TOEFL iBT Tips
– Download for Free www.ets.org/toefl
• TOEFL Sampler
– Free with Registration
• TOEFL Practice Online
www.ets.org/toeflpractice
• The Official Guide to the New
TOEFL® iBT, book/audio CD
73
Confidential. Copyright © 2008 by Educational Testing Service. All rights reserved. ETS, the ETS logo, TOEFL and TSE are registered trademarks of
Educational Testing Service (ETS) in the United States of America and other countries throughout the world. Propell and TOEFL Accelerator are trademarks of ETS.
Why Do Universities Value TOEFL iBT?
• 40 years of experience using TOEFL
scores
• Objective, valid and reliable scores
• Simulates actual university
communication
• More authentic academic material
• Provides information universities want
about your ability to communicate in
English
74
Confidential. Copyright © 2008 by Educational Testing Service. All rights reserved. ETS, the ETS logo, TOEFL and TSE are registered trademarks of
Educational Testing Service (ETS) in the United States of America and other countries throughout the world. Propell and TOEFL Accelerator are trademarks of ETS.
What TOEFL iBT Offers You
• More convenience
• More flexibility
• More relevant academic
communication
• More fair and objective testing and
scoring
• More feedback
• More opportunities
75
Confidential. Copyright © 2008 by Educational Testing Service. All rights reserved. ETS, the ETS logo, TOEFL and TSE are registered trademarks of
Educational Testing Service (ETS) in the United States of America and other countries throughout the world. Propell and TOEFL Accelerator are trademarks of ETS.
“Truly an International Test of English…”
Because of “the coordination of
marking for all tests…done
centrally, rather than in individual
countries”
Jeffrey Smart, Director of International Admissions
at Swinburne University of Technology,
Melbourne, Australia
76
Confidential. Copyright © 2008 by Educational Testing Service. All rights reserved. ETS, the ETS logo, TOEFL and TSE are registered trademarks of
Educational Testing Service (ETS) in the United States of America and other countries throughout the world. Propell and TOEFL Accelerator are trademarks of ETS.
“The Most Important Beneficiaries Are the
Test Takers…
Who will now have the confidence of knowing
they have the skills they need to
communicate effectively on campus.”
“The integration of skills provides a realworld foundation from which score users
can make admissions decisions with more
certainty and clarity.”
Fred Davidson, University of Illinois at
Urbana Champaign
77
Confidential. Copyright © 2008 by Educational Testing Service. All rights reserved. ETS, the ETS logo, TOEFL and TSE are registered trademarks of
Educational Testing Service (ETS) in the United States of America and other countries throughout the world. Propell and TOEFL Accelerator are trademarks of ETS.
TOEFL iBT – Gold Standard in
English Language Testing
• Evaluates language skills in the way you will
use them at colleges and universities
• Authentic test content – Based on actual
materials and activities used in universities
• Standardized test delivery - Fair to all test
takers
• Most objective and valid scoring
• Used by universities for over 40 years to
select qualified international students
78
Confidential. Copyright © 2008 by Educational Testing Service. All rights reserved. ETS, the ETS logo, TOEFL and TSE are registered trademarks of
Educational Testing Service (ETS) in the United States of America and other countries throughout the world. Propell and TOEFL Accelerator are trademarks of ETS.
Show What You Know
Impress universities with your ability to
communicate in English
Take the test universities know and trust
Take TOEFL iBT and Go Anywhere!
79
Confidential. Copyright © 2008 by Educational Testing Service. All rights reserved. ETS, the ETS logo, TOEFL and TSE are registered trademarks of
Educational Testing Service (ETS) in the United States of America and other countries throughout the world. Propell and TOEFL Accelerator are trademarks of ETS.
For More Information
• TOEFL iBT
– Website: www.ets.org/toefl
– Take the online tour
• Contacts:
– Abu Einain Ibrahim:
[email protected]
– [email protected]
80
Confidential. Copyright © 2008 by Educational Testing Service. All rights reserved. ETS, the ETS logo, TOEFL and TSE are registered trademarks of
Educational Testing Service (ETS) in the United States of America and other countries throughout the world. Propell and TOEFL Accelerator are trademarks of ETS.
IELTS – Opening doors and creating
opportunities for students worldwide
Craig McWilliam
Regional Development Manager –Middle East and North Africa
University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations
Cambridge, UK
What is IELTS?
•
IELTS is the International English Language Testing System
•
Designed to assess the English language ability of people who
intend to study or work where English is the language of
communication
What is IELTS?
•
Original four-skills English language test – since 1989. Covers all
four skills – listening, reading , writing, speaking - and includes a
face-to-face speaking test to ensure that candidates can really
communicate effectively in English
•
Test of communicative proficiency in English – not a test of grammar
What is IELTS?
•
Close to one million people rely on IELTS every year to access
opportunities in study, careers and migration throughout the Englishspeaking world and beyond
The increasing popularity of IELTS
1000000
900000
800000
700000
600000
500000
400000
300000
200000
100000
0
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
A global test for a modern world
IELTS is a truly international test in every aspect
•
The IELTS international partnership
Council
• British
Australia
• IDP:IELTS
• University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations
•
Test production - item writers in Australia, New Zealand, UK and the
U.S.
•
Test content – sourced globally, covering all the main national
varieties of English
•
•
Test delivery – Available in over 120 countries
Test recognition- recognised by over 6,000 institutions
Fair and Reliable
•
Every aspect of the IELTS test - from test design and
administration, to the marking and reporting of results – is
subject to the highest quality controls, security procedures
and integrity management practices
•
The rigorous processes used to produce the test materials
ensure that every version of the test is of a comparable level
of difficulty
•
IELTS Quality Assurance and Examiner Management
Systems assure that results are consistent wherever and
whenever the test is taken
•
Fair to anyone who sits the test, regardless of nationality,
background, gender or lifestyle
Proven
•
Since 1989, it has been trusted by both candidates and institutions to
provide a secure, global, authentic test which measures true to life
ability to communicate in English
•
Trusted by institutions worldwide to provide a true indication of
candidates English language proficiency
•
Trusted by students worldwide to take them where they want to go
Face-to-face Speaking
•
•
Realistic interactive conversation
Shows your real life communication skills
... interview is the top advantage of IELTS…
said Andrea Scott, director of graduate admissions and
recruiting for the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities…
In IELTS, the person is trained to gauge the student’s ability,
and to increase or decrease the difficulty of the
conversation to tell more,” Scott said.
– Inside Higher Ed, 7 August 2006
Accessible and convenient
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Available in over 300 locations across 120 countries worldwide
You can choose from up to 4 test dates each month
Results available 13 days after the test
Test fee payable in local currency
Wide range of practice materials to help you prepare for the test
One personal copy of your Test Report Form
Up to five Report Forms sent free to receiving organizations
Personal and friendly service from our test centre staff
Global acceptance – one test for
many countries and many purposes
IELTS is trusted and accepted by over 6,000 education
institutions and organizations worldwide.
•
Institutes of further and higher education:
Canada, Germany, France, Hong Kong, New Zealand,
– Australia,
South Africa, the United Kingdom, United States and many other
countries worldwide
– In the USA, IELTS is accepted by close to 1,400 institutions
including Harvard, Yale and Princeton
– Exit test at Hong Kong universities
• Professional bodies:
– Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK and USA
• Immigration authorities:
– Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the UK
• Government agencies and departments:
– Australia, Canada, Europe, New Zealand, UK, USA
Fit for purpose test – IELTS is available
in two formats
• Academic Test
For entry to universities, colleges
For professional registration
• General Training Test
For immigration
Check before you enrol
IELTS Test Format
Listening
30 minutes, 4 sections, 40 items
Academic Reading
General Training Reading
60 minutes, 3 sections, 40 items
60 minutes, 3 sections, 40 items
Academic Writing
General Training Writing
60 minutes, 2 tasks
60 minutes, 2 tasks
Speaking
11 - 14 minutes, 3 parts
Listening
•
•
30 minutes
•
Each question is worth one mark
•
No penalty for wrong answers
•
•
Spelling is important – can use both British and American spelling
40 questions, 4 sections
Candidates listen to a number of recorded texts. Includes
monologues and conversations in a variety of English accents
Academic Reading
•
•
•
•
•
•
60 minutes
40 questions in 3 sections
Each question is worth one mark
No penalty for wrong answers
Spelling is important- can use both British and American spelling
Texts are taken from books, magazines, journals and newspapers,
all written for a non-specialist audience
•
At least one of the text contains a detailed argument
Academic Writing
•
2 Tasks in 60 minutes
•
Allocate about 20 minutes Task 1
40 minutes Task 2
•
Task 2 is worth more marks
•
Task 1: write description of at least 150 words based on material found
in a chart, table, graph or diagram
•
Task 2: essay of at least 250 words in response to a statement or
question
Speaking
•
11- 14 minutes face to face Speaking Test with a trained and
certified Examiner which is as close to real life situation as possible
•
Part 1: introduction and interview
•
Part 2: Candidate speaks uninterrupted for 2 minutes on a given topic. 1
minute preparation time.
•
Part 3: a two-way discussion where the candidate is asked to participate
in a discussion of a more abstract nature. Discussion is related to topic in
part 2
IELTS Test Results
•
Candidates receive scores on a scale from 1 to 9 – these are
called Band Scores
•
A score is given for each skills (Listening, Reading, Writing and
Speaking). They are reported in whole bands or half bands
•
Scores in each skill are combined to produce an ‘Overall Band
Score’ between 1 to 9
IELTS
Test Report Form
The IELTS 9 Band Scale
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Band 9 - Expert User
Band 8 - Very Good User
Band 7 - Good User
Band 6 - Competent User
Band 5 - Modest User
Band 4 - Limited User
Band 3 - Extremely Limited User
Band 2 - Intermittent User
Band 1 - Non User
Preparing for the Test
•
On-line practice www.ielts.org
•
Published preparation materials
-Official IELTS Practice Materials
-IELTS Scores Explained DVD
•
Preparation courses
How to Apply?
•
An application form
•
A copy of your valid passport or national ID
•
2 photos (passport size) which have been taken within the last 6
months
•
The IELTS test fee
Visit www.ielts.org for
•
Global list of test centres and test dates
•
IELTS Handbook
•
•
Information for Candidates
•
•
Application Form
Practice Materials
List of universities, colleges and other institutions worldwide
accepting IELTS scores
For more information regarding
IELTS in Qatar contact:
British Council
PO Box 2992
93 A: Sadd Street
Doha
College of North Atlantic
Bldg 3-278
Box 24449
Doha
Tel: 974 495 2745 / 974 495-2741
Tel: 974 425 1888
Email:
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
Web: http://www.britishcouncil.org/qatar
Register now for your IELTS
test -
THE WORLD IS WAITING
Questions?