Details about this new format were shared on 17/5 by Sidnei De Souza, CEO of Global Partnerships and Business Management at the Educational Testing Service (ETS), the American organization that owns the TOEFL exam.
Specifically, with the adaptive testing model, all test-takers still receive the same number of questions, overall length, and total time. However, the difficulty of questions in the reading and listening sections will be adjusted based on AI's quick scoring of previous sections.
Sidnei De Souza noted that many test-takers have responded positively to the new format, finding that it reduces pressure and more accurately reflects their language proficiency and real-life usage ability.
"A person at B1 level will not receive C1-level questions that cause stress or pressure", Sidnei stated.
Vietnam, along with Indonesia, is currently a leading market for TOEFL test-takers in Southeast Asia. Chuong Nguyen, ETS Southeast Asia Channel Manager, reported that the demand for certification in Vietnam is increasing for university admissions, studying abroad, and overseas employment, though specific figures were not disclosed. Currently, over 50 universities nationwide accept TOEFL scores for entrance.
The exam assesses English users across four skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing, with a total duration of 116 minutes. The reading section requires answering 20 questions, and the listening section 28 questions. The speaking section has four questions, requiring test-takers to express their opinions and respond based on information from the reading and listening passages. The writing section is similar, with two questions.
Scores remain valid for two years, and results are typically available three days after the exam. The TOEFL iBT test fee in Vietnam is 182 USD (approximately 4,8 million VND).
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An English certificate exam room. Photo: IIG
Le Nguyen
