ESL learning , testing and teaching methodologies The comparison between TOEFL iBT & CBT to figure out the pros & cons

1. ESL LEARNING

2. TOEFL
iBT vs. CBT

3. During the time some
improvement plans have been
considered for TOEFL

4. Addition of a direct.2 
measure of writing ability
(Test Of Written English)
as a separate component in
1986
Introduction of. 3 
computer-based version of
TOEFL in 1998
Internet –based version. 4 
of TOEFL as the latest
version intended to
support the design and the
proposed test score
interpretations in 2005

5. :Purpose of TOEFL TEST
To measure 
English language
proficiency and the
students’ abilities to use
English effectively in
academic language
settings

6. iBT
New developments in 
:TOEFL
Addition of Speaking section 
Elimination of grammar part 
Integrated tasks(to test more 
(than one language skill
New scale for reporting writing 
section
Availability of performance 
description

7. Pitfalls of CBT and strong points of iBT
CBT
Listening
it was
underrepresente
d because oral
input was too
inauthentic
iBT
Listening
More and longer
samples of
spoken
discourse and
complex tasks
for assessment

8. CBT
Writing
•Narrowly defined
due to limitations
of tasks to consider
just ability to write
argumentative
discourse
iBT
Writing
1.Pragmatic consideration
2.Additional rhetoric
function
3.Multiple writing samples
complex task: use of
several lang skills

9. CBT
Speaking
Limitations in
using the
computer to
deliver the
speaking
component
iBT
Speaking
The method of
assessment in
terms of:
Knowledge, control
of important
phonological and
syntactic features,
vocabulary and
discourse patterns

10. some evidences to support the theoretical basis in iBT
According to several researches in different universities 
such as North America colleges, we have come up with
:these results
test content was relevant and representative of what.1 
examinees encounter in the universities
test content approximacy with TL use. 2 
empirical evidences to support the fact that test items.3 
functioned as intended
inclusion of both independent and integrated tasks in. 4 
.speaking and writing com
examinees responded to R.T in a way test designers. 5 
intended


11. Construct validity of iBT
Validity: always refer to the degree to
which that evidence supports the
inferences that are made from the
scores. The inferences regarding
specific uses of a test are validated,
(not the test itself(APA 1985:9
Note: The previous versions of 
TOEFL didn’t include a theoretical
rationale to support the
interpretation and uses of test
.scores

12. Reliability construct
definition: consistency of test scores or as the absence of error in test
.scores

Reliability of iBT in speaking assessment: different speaking tasks 
were highly correlated. All the obtained coefficients were above .80
and many were over .90

Reliability in writing task: as the same as that of speaking component. 
Raters didn’t seem to have a large impact on reliability but the
.number and type of test had greater impact on total scores

Generalizablity were used to show constructed responses involve a 
degree of judgment
ETS used multiple raters to evaluate performances on a daily basis 
monitored by means of OSN system

13. Authenticity in iBT
degree of correspondence of characteristics of a given lang 
test task to the features of TLU
Authenticity in listening defined in 
Classroom lecture 
Conversation similar to common campus encounters 
Inclusion of repetition, false starts, pauses and self corrections 
in cd

reading: selection of different topics on various disciplines 
texts

speaking and writing: integrated tasks representing the same 
authenticity found in above

14. interactiveness
The extent of involvement of examinees' knowledge
and interest and their communicative language
strategies in doing tasks

Inter. In . listening: pragmatic knowledge questions
Inter. In . reading: reading to learn and paraphrasing
the questions
Inter. In. writing and speaking: integrated tasks that
require the use of multiple language ability





15. iBT
impact
practicality
The consequences of using a  The adequacy of available 
resources for design, use and
test and scores it produces
evaluation of test
Positive 

Negative 
practical implications: the 
The addition of speaking 
choice of test
component increased the
method(computer delivered)
and task design(lack of
congruency between what
interlocutor) used in
examinees do on test and
speaking made it practical to
lang used in real context
collect speech samples

16. iBT
Notes :
1.it offers better
representation of L2 in
general
2.It uses longer samples of
discourse in reading and
listening than PBT and
CBT
3.With addition of
speaking compo. It
provides more exhaustive
assessment of lang
proficiency