Touted as the “next generation” TOEFL/ TOEFL iBT, it assesses four basic language skills: Listening, Reading , Writing, and Speaking.

The new TOEFL test will be delivered via the Internet. Internet-based testing (iBT) allows ETS to capture speech and score responses in a standardized manner. It will also make it possible to increase access to test centers.

ETS has made several changes to the test with the goal of making the TOEFL a more accurate gauge of the English skills needed for academic success. The test material will have a more integrated context and is designed to more closely mimic the academic environment. For example, a test taker might read a passage of text and listen to a lecture, and then respond to it verbally or in writing.

The new format of the test has caused much confusion in the mind of the students. The introduction of Speaking section, Integrated Language skills section and the change in the scoring/grading is still very confusing to most of the students. ETS as always have kept the content of speaking and Integrated Language skills in dark.

The whole question of what is TOEFL iBT or the NG TOEFL, and how it is different from CBT is creating chaos in the student's mind.


What is different about the TOEFL iBT test?

1. It tests all four language skills that are important for effective communication: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. The emphasis will be on using English to communicate.

2. It will be delivered via the Internet in secure test centers around the world. Once the new test is introduced in an area, the computer-based and paper-based tests will no longer be offered there.

3. Some tasks require test takers to combine more than one skill. To succeed academically in English speaking colleges and universities, students need to be able to combine their language skills in the classroom. New integrated questions, or “tasks” help students build the confidence needed to communicate in the academic environments they plan to enter. The new integrated tasks will ask test takers to:
- read, listen, and then speak in response to a question
- listen, and then speak in response to a question
- read, listen, then write in response to a question


4. The new TOEFL test includes an independent Speaking section. This section includes six tasks, and test takers wear headphones and speak into a microphone when they respond. The responses are digitally recorded and transmitted to ETS's Online Scoring Network, where human raters evaluate them. The raters are carefully monitored for accuracy, so test takers and score recipients can be assured of the reliability of the Speaking scores.

5. The Writing section has been expanded. The new test requires test takers to write a response to material they have heard and read, and to compose an essay in support of an opinion. Human raters also evaluate the responses to the Writing tasks via ETS's Online Scoring Network.

6. The new test is approximately 4.0 hours long. All test sections will be completed in one day, so there is no need to travel to the test center twice.

7. Note taking is allowed. Test takers can take notes on any section of the test and they can use those notes when answering the questions. After testing, notes are collected and shredded before the test takers leave the test center.

8. The new scores will be reported online. Test takers will now be able to view scores online 15 business days after the test, as well as receive a copy of their score report by mail. Colleges and universities will also be able to view scores online, but they will also continue to receive scores via their current delivery method.


Why is the TOEFL test changing?

The old TOEFL or the CBT TOEFL's way of testing the language skills was not a holistic test of person's capability to communicate in English. The test was seen as more academic than anything else. The indirect way of testing spoken English was not seen as an accurate guage of a person's speaking capability.

In an endeavor t o measure holistically the ability to communicate successfully in an academic setting ETS new TOEFL will better measure what colleges and universities need to know: a prospective student's ability to use English in an academic setting. It is also, ETS strategy to build up the credibility of the test.

The new Speaking section evaluates a person's ability to use spoken English, and the new integrated Writing and Speaking tasks measure the ability to combine information from more than one source and communicate about it. The new integrated tasks that combine more than one skill are designed to reflect how we really use language. By preparing for the new TOEFL test, students will be building the skills they need in order to use language in an academic setting and communicate with confidence.

In the past, language learning focused on learning about the language (especially grammar), and students would receive high scores on tests without necessarily having the ability to communicate. Now teachers and learners understand the importance of learning to use English to communicate, and activities that focus on communication and integrating (combining) skills are very popular in many English language programs.


How the test is scored?

You will receive a "scaled" score from 0-30 for 1) Speaking, 2) Listening, 3) Reading, and 4) Writing. Your section scores will be added to get your total score of between 6 and 120 points. Theoretically, you can get a combined score of 0 points, but in ETS's field tests to date, the lowest combined score has been 6 points, and that looks like the realistic minimum. Also in ETS's field tests, the average (arithmetic mean) score for the Reading , Listening, and Speaking sections is about 17 points. The average score for the Writing section is about 16 points. The average combined score is about 68.5. The standard deviation for each section is close to 7 points.

The new TOEFL seems to represent a good-faith effort on ETS's part to bring the test into line with the needs of academic programs that want meaningful assessments of English ability. The result, however, includes multiple-choice questions (Reading and Listening) and student-response questions (Writing and Speaking), a hodge-podge of scoring scales, and new technological effects—all designed to make sure that no one's concerns are left out. As you can imagine, there's plenty of fudge room in there. The public relations warnings that score cutoffs should not be used, that the margin of error for scores may be wide, and that Writing and Speaking responses are judged "holistically" have already begun.

Suffice it to say that you want to practice until you're hitting your target score consistently. If the bad news is that the test structure is even more bewildering than before, the good news is that the content is still predictable.