TOEFL iBT: Philosophy and content

• The exam is quite different from the CBT (Computer-based Test) and PBT (Paper-based Test) versions
• Focuses on a person’s ability to use spoken English
• Measures one’s ability to learn and integrate information from more than one source
• It is not a new mode of delivery
• It is a different test measuring communicative competence in an academic setting with breakout scores for listening, reading, speaking, and writing

Focuses on the ability to communicate

• Measures not only how much the student knows about English, but how well he or she can use it
• Uses integrated tasks that reflect how students actually use language in a university classroom

What are integrated tasks?

Questions that require use of more than one skill at a time

• Read/listen/speak
• Listen/speak
• Read /listen /write

They give us a better picture of how well the student can communicate in English.

New Generation TOEFL iBT

• Linear, not computer-adaptive
• Note taking allowed in all sections of the test
• No separate tutorial – instructions throughout the test
• Test time: 4.0 hours
• All four sections taken in one day
  • Reading
  • Listening
  • Break
  • Integrated Speaking
  • Integrated Writing

Reading Section (3 academic reading passages with questions)

• Some familiar TOEFL CBT question types
• Some new question types
  • Fill in a table or prose summary
  • Paraphrasing
  • Questions worth more than one point
• New glossary and review features

Listening Section (2 conversations with 2 speakers, 4 lectures, 2 include classroom dialogue)

• Will use a variety of native English accents
• Some familiar TOEFL CBT question types
• Some new questions measure understanding of a speaker’s attitude or purpose

Integrated Speaking Section (6 questions in total)

2 independent tasks about familiar topics

• Responses based on personal experience or opinion
• No additional information needed to answer

For example:
“Some students study for classes individually. Others study in groups. Which method of studying do you think is better for students and why?”

4 integrated tasks that require more information to answer

• 2 Reading/Listening/Speaking tasks
• 2 Listening/Speaking tasks
• Responses based on what was read and heard
• Academic and campus-based material
• Short listening and reading material

Integrated Writing Section (2 writing questions)

• 1 independent task
  • Response based on personal experience or opinion
  • Similar to essay on current TOEFL CBT & PBT tests
• 1 Reading/Listening/Writing task
  • Short academic listening and reading material
  • Response based on what was read and heard

Integrated Writing Section – Scoring

• Each essay is scored on a 0 – 5 scale
  • total section score is 0 –30
• Trained raters evaluate ability in:
  • topic development – demonstrate understanding, make clear connections, and convey relevant information
  • organization – present a well-organized response
  • language use – control of grammar and word choice

Scoring

The IBT score range is 0 to 120. An IBT score of 80 compares to a 213 CBT or 550 PBTscore

The New Scores

The score report sent to universities will show:

• Four skill scores
  • Reading 0 – 30
  • Listening 0 – 30
  • Integrated Speaking 0 – 30
  • Integrated Writing 0 –30
• A total score: 0 – 120

When your scores will be available in your ETS account depends on how you took your TOEFL iBT® test.

• Taken at a test center: 6 days after your test date
• TOEFL iBT® Home Edition: 6–10 days after your test date
• TOEFL iBT® Paper Edition: 11–13 business days after your test date

The New Scores – More Than Just a Number

Student score reports will contain:

• Four skill scores
• A total score
• Feedback on their performance to help them improve in the future

This information can be useful to students and their English teachers.

Test Delivery

• Administered via official Internet-based testing (iBT) network – More access than ever before
• Security measures to ensure test integrity and score authenticity
• Fixed administration dates at test centers, not continuous testing

Test at a Test Center

The TOEFL iBT test is offered more than 60 times a year at authorized test centers around the world.

Test At Home

TOEFL iBT^® Home Edition testing is available 24 hours a day, 4 days a week, with appointments available as early as 24 hours after you register. It’s available worldwide, except Iran.

To be able to take the test at home, one must meet the Equipment and Environment Requirements.

Test Dates

• The IBT has set test dates; it is not administered on demand.
• Note that not all testing sites may offer the IBT on all test dates

Find test centers and dates

TOEFL iBT Authorized ETS Test Centers

• Sofia
• Plovdiv
• Varna
• Rousse
• Blagoevgrad

TOEFL iBT Test Fee

The fee for TOEFL iBT testing in Bulgaria is USD 245.
There is a late registration fee of USD 40 less than 5 days prior to the test date.

Registration

For registration information, visit www.ets.org/toefl

Improving Service

Good news!

• New TOEFL scores reported online free of charge 14 days after the test – no need to wait for mail delivery
  • paper score report will also be mailed
  • printable
• Universities can view scores online in 14 days

For More Information visit: www.ets.org/toefl и www.toeflgoanywhere.org.