Pixel International Conferences

The Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) was first administered in Japan in 1979 as a tool to measure the English proficiency levels of businesspeople for hiring and promotion purposes. Soon after, it was adopted worldwide and utilized in educational institutions [1] to assess student progress and enhance employability rates. Previous research has questioned the validity and reliability of TOEIC as an instrument to measure students’ English communication abilities. Some authors argue that due to its limited scope, de-contextualized questions and heavy focus on business situations, the test fails to accurately assess students’ use of real language [2], [3], [4]. Despite many higher education institutions advertising their commitment to nurturing global communication competencies, students are demotivated to find that university courses rely more on the “teaching for the test” method employed in high schools than on teaching communication skills [5]. Teachers are faced with the difficult task of having to strike a balance between the university requirements and student expectations. In this paper, we propose several tactics and activities TOEIC teachers could use in addition to the traditional drills to offer a more engaging, collaborative, and ultimately beneficial learning experience.

Keywords: TOEIC, communicative strategies

References:

[1] Takahashi, J. (2012). An overview of the issues on incorporating the TOEIC test into the university English curricula in Japan. Tama University Global Studies Department Bulletin, 4(3), 127-138.

[2] Nicholson, J. N. (2015). Evaluating the TOEIC in South Korea: Practicality, reliability and validity. International Journal of Education 7(1).

[3] Toh, G. (2017). Provocative encounters reflecting struggles with change: Power and coercion in a Japanese university situation. Policy Futures in Education, 15(4) 512-525.

[4] Bachman, L. F. & Palmer, A. S. (1996). Language testing in practice. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

[5] Gurney, P., Michaud, M., & Richardson, J. (2023). A Policy Analysis of Compulsory English Classes in Japanese Universities. Journal of Educational Leadership & Policy Studies, 7.