le assessing the value of the Test of English As A Foreign Language instrument is reviewed in this research. The article is summarized, and the relevancy of the article for the English as a second language (ESL) teacher is assessed.
The TOEFL instrument is administered to approximately 600,000 students each year (Raimes, 1990, p. 427). TOEFL scores exert a major influence on decision to admit non native English speakers to colleges and universities across North America. TOEFL is a standardized testing instrument, and as such has not been immune from the barrage of attacks launched against standardized tests generally. The TOEFL instrument also has been attacked specifically in the context of validity, reliability, and relevancy (Raimes, 1990, pp. 433 438).
Raimes (1990, pp. pp. 433 437) contends that inappropriate use is frequently made of TOEFL scores in making college and university admission decisions because many (perhaps most) of the people evaluating TOEFL scores lack the necessary qualification to correctly interpret the meaning of the scores. As a consequence, Raimes (1990, p. 439) recommends that ESL teachers acting in unison should demand more information from the Educational Testing Service concerning validity and reliability testing of the TOEFL instrument, and should frequently review the instrument for relevancy. Raimes (1990, pp. 439 440) contends that such actions will reduce the misapplication of TOEFL scores. Raimes (1990, p. 439) also recommends that ESL teachers emphasize the teaching of English as opposed to teaching students how to perform well on the TOEFL.
The recommendation that ESL teachers emphasize the teaching of English as opposed to teaching ESL students how to perform well on the TOEFL is both educationally and philosophically sound. The advice,
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