The TOEFL® Test Launches Online Speech Sample Service For Admissions Officers

Contact:

• Becky Powell (Media Only)
  609-683-2092
  mediacontacts@ets.org

Princeton, N.J. (September 24, 2009) —

This press release is also available in Chinese.

ETS (Educational Testing Service), creators of the TOEFL® test, has launched a new Online Speech Sample Service. The service allows admissions officials at the 7,000 TOEFL score-using institutions worldwide to hear an actual scored speech sample for any applicant submitting TOEFL Internet-based Test (TOEFL iBT™) scores.

The speech sample is a 60-second audio clip taken from one of the four integrated tasks on the TOEFL iBT test, the most widely accepted English-language assessment worldwide. Integrated tasks require test takers to combine their English-language skills and are representative of their ability to communicate effectively in an academic setting. The TOEFL test is the first admissions assessment of its kind to offer scored speaking samples.

"Speaking well is critical for success in higher education, and score users at business schools and those admitting international teaching assistants will find this new service a valuable addition to their decision-making process," says Teresa Sanchez-Lazer, Executive Director of TOEFL product management. "We offer this service to help university officials get a clearer picture of a candidate's ability to communicate in English."

The Online Speech Sample Service is available free of charge to official TOEFL Institutions that have a four-digit Institution Code. Users must sign a confidentiality agreement to apply for the service. Institutions can sign up to become an official TOEFL Institution and sign up for the Online Speech Sample Service at www.ets.org/toefl/speechsample.

Colleges and universities can access speaking samples by logging on to an easy-to-use online interface and providing a candidate's TOEFL test registration number and date of birth. Speech samples are available for any test taken on or after June 12, 2009, and will remain available for two years after the test date. For more information, contact TOEFLNews@ets.org.

About ETS

At nonprofit ETS, we advance quality and equity in education for people worldwide by creating assessments based on rigorous research. ETS serves individuals, educational institutions and government agencies by providing customized solutions for teacher certification, English language learning, and elementary, secondary and post-secondary education, as well as conducting education research, analysis and policy studies. Founded in 1947, ETS develops, administers and scores more than 50 million tests annually — including the TOEFL® and TOEIC® tests, the GRE® test and The Praxis Series™ assessments — in more than 180 countries, at over 9,000 locations worldwide. www.ets.org