AsiaNet 89579

PRINCETON, N.J., May 19, 2021 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

- ETS launches the newest addition to the TOEFL(R) Family of Assessments,

available August 2021

ETS announced today the introduction of a brand-new English-language

proficiency assessment, the TOEFL(R) Essentials(TM) test. The TOEFL Essentials

test becomes the second high-stakes English-language proficiency test within

the TOEFL(R) Family of Assessments — joining alongside the TOEFL iBT(R) test

launched more than 15 years ago. In addition, TOEFL Essentials is the first

English-language test that offers the ideal combination of the convenient,

affordable access students want and the quality institutions trust.

Registration will open to test takers on Thursday, June 17 for administrations

beginning on Saturday, Aug. 21.

The TOEFL Essentials test is a versatile four-skills (listening, reading,

speaking and writing) English-language test designed for university admissions

and other high-stakes decisions. It measures a combination of academic and

general English skills — those that are needed for the classroom setting and

beyond (e.g., internships 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.

Key facts to highlight about the test include:

    -- Content: 50% academic, 50% general English

    -- Format: multistage adaptive format with short, fast-paced tasks that

       adjust based on skill level

    -- Length: about 1-1/2 hours long

    -- Location: at home with best-in-class human proctored security provided

       by ProctorU(R), similar to the established TOEFL iBT(R) Home Edition

       model

    -- Features: instant Reading and Listening scores upon test completion,

       MyBest(R) scores and free, unlimited score reports

    -- Price: varies by location; between 100–120 USD

    -- Scoring: Speaking and Writing sections scored by human raters to ensure

       accuracy and fairness

The TOEFL Essentials test and the TOEFL iBT test are similar in that they are

high-quality, valid and reliable four-skills English-language tests for

high-stakes decisions. They have distinct differences, however, in approach to

skills measurement, design and test-taking experience — and as such, can both

be used as standalone measures of English-language proficiency by institutions

within their portfolio of accepted tests.

"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," said Srikant

Gopal, Executive Director of the TOEFL Program. "Both the TOEFL Essentials test

and the TOEFL iBT test can help students get to where they want to go, and we

are thrilled to continue the TOEFL heritage of quality and fairness to help

advance the educational journeys of students around the world."

In the next few weeks, ETS will be publishing the TOEFL Essentials research

design framework, details pertaining to the score scale, score comparison

tables and score requirement recommendations so that institutions can make

informed decisions about acceptance and set score requirements based on their

individualized needs. In a recent survey of nearly 250 institutions around the

world, 95% indicated they would be likely to accept the TOEFL Essentials test,

and 90% consider the test to be beneficial in attracting new applicants to

their program.

To date, several universities have already indicated their acceptance.

"The past year drove our institution to consider convenient options for

English-language testing but concerns over validity and reliability made us

cautious," said Bryan Boudreau, Coordinator for International Student

Engagement, Office of Admission, Bob Jones University (South Carolina, USA).

"We have come to trust the TOEFL brand with many decades of proven student

success. We were delighted to see this new option that combines convenience

with reliability. Our academic faculty were highly enthusiastic and agreed

TOEFL Essentials will provide what they need to support student success."

According to Raffi Muroy, Director of International Admission at Suffolk

University (Massachusetts, USA), "We at Suffolk value access and opportunity —

it's part of our core mission and our goal statement — so anything that is able

to provide access and opportunity for applicants to be able to pursue higher

education is something that we admire tremendously. We trust TOEFL and ETS and

believe this is an excellent move by them to provide students with valuable

options."

To learn more about the test, including information on registration, test prep,

scores, FAQs and more, please visit www.ets.org/toefl/essentials.

About ETS

At ETS, we advance quality and equity in education for people worldwide by

creating assessments based on rigorous research. ETS serves individuals,

educational institutions and government agencies by providing customized

solutions for teacher certification, English language learning, and elementary,

secondary and postsecondary education, and by conducting education research,

analysis and policy studies. Founded as a nonprofit in 1947, ETS develops,

administers and scores more than 50 million tests annually — including the

TOEFL(R) and TOEIC(R) tests, the GRE(R) tests and The Praxis Series(R)

assessments — in more than 180 countries, at over 9,000 locations worldwide.

SOURCE  ETS

CONTACT: Stephanie Winters, 1-609-359-5789, mediacontacts@ets.org