I’ve been following an interesting discussion on LinkedIn’s English Language Services Professionals group (you may need to request to join the group before you can access the discussion, not sure).  It is focused on a very common problem, the reluctance of learners to practice speaking in the classroom even when they have good skills. Nicholas Rowe, editor for the Writtenword.edu editing service, has been also been serving as volunteer teacher for a conversational language group in Lapland and is getting very frustrated.

We regularly get inquiries on strategies for using TOEIC tests in English language teaching, as well as on how quickly scores can be expected to improve. Therefore I was interested to learn of research conducted by TOEIC representative Pro-Match in Australia that responds to both questions.

Pro-Match had the opportunity to work with results from almost 750 students at  Pacific Gateway International College (whose English language centers have since been purchased by the Canadian company ILSC). Teachers in all Pacific Gateway's varied types of English language programs administered TOEIC Listening & Reading tests once each month throughout enrollment periods that lasted a minimum of four weeks and an average of twelve weeks—providing a wealth of data!

Whether you are at a business, English language center, or other organization, you can
help others and yourself by administering TOEIC tests.

Three of the many reasons you will want to do this are—
 

I don't know how the weather is where you are— for me, cold and clouds are making a permanent move to the sunny Caribbean sound like a very good idea. And beginning this year, TOEIC® testing can get you there.

The Cayman Islands Department of Immigration is now accepting scores from TOEIC tests to measure the English-language proficiency of persons from around the world wishing to work or settle in the Cayman Islands. 

The department expects to receive approximately 1,000 applicants annually who will take the TOEIC® Listening and Reading test and the TOEIC® Speaking and Writing tests to demonstrate their English-language skills. Scores will apply to workers from all sectors and are not based on a tier system or type of work.

As discussed in my previous post, lack of employee English proficiency at the levels needed for their jobs is a serious problem even in the United States (as well as other "English speaking" nations increasingly relying on non-native speakers).

 But what does this mean for the U.S. employers? How does it impact "cold cash" results? Not well. A few of the different impacts:

When I talk about TOEIC testing with businesses, many wonder why they would need such testing here in the United States. The U.S. after all is an English-language-speaking country. Isn't it?

Maybe not to the extent you would think.

According to the latest Immigration Outlook study from OECD, the United States is the world's top destination for permanent immigrants. By 2009, the most recent year for which census data is available, 13% of U.S. residents were foreign-born, and the percentage continues to grow.

Especially in large, insular immigrant communities and among those who immigate as adults, English is learned slowly. For example, one in three of all Asian Americans report problems communicating in English according to a recent report from the Asian American Center for Advancing Justice.

Despite required study in English from elementary school on and the country's stature as one of the world's leading exporters, Japanese professionals continue to have on average surprisingly poor English language skills.

One study by Japanese firm Recruit Agent cited in a recent Reuters article found that only 9 percent of over 1,100 white-collar workers surveyed claimed to be able to communicate in English at all, with most others rating themselves "Barely" able to function in speaking or listening.

2011 has been quite a year so far in terms of changes in government English language testing policies. Following recent announcements by France and the United Kingdom about alterations to their policies, Australia has now announced that it is broadening the range of tests accepted for student visas.

In the past, Australia has only accepted IELTS results. As of November 5, they will accept more tests, including TOEFL, according to this ETS news release (which also provides the announced TOEFL minimums). 

We've just learned that the government of France is changing its citizenship process, adding a requirement for non-native French speakers to provide results from an approved standardized test of French. The handful of tests approved include the Test de français international (TFI™), developed by ETS and distributed by AMIDEAST in the U.S. as well as the Middle East/North Africa.

English "for business or workplace" purposes brings to mind a world of cubicles, suits, and meetings of the board. And certainly TOEIC testing is prevalent in such environments.

However, I've been noticing a pattern in recent ETS news releases. Increasingly sporting events, cultural festivals, and other activities focused on large-scale public amusement are also using the TOEIC tests.

And perhaps more unexpectedly, the event sponsors are using TOEIC not with employees (who as tourism professionals have likely been already tested individually at the hiring stage) but to screen potential volunteers.

A few of the recent and upcoming activities using the tests for large-scale assessment of volunteers include—