How Assessment Approaches Measure Up

With more international students than ever studying in the United States and other major destination countries, universities are faced with the task of ensuring that students from diverse cultural backgrounds arrive with the foundational knowledge they need to be successful in higher education. Institutions not only need to assess language proficiency, but also to help students in their adjustment to an unfamiliar educational system and culture. Questions of assessment and subsequent support involve many different offices on campus, ranging from admissions and enrollment management to academic advising and English as a Second Language (ESL) programs.

While assessments such as the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and International English Language Testing System (IELTS) have long dominated the English language testing market, an increasing number of alternatives are emerging. In addition, while still a requirement for university admission, these language proficiency tests are not always an accurate predictor of a student’s readiness to succeed in an English-speaking classroom. Many institutions are responding by adopting secondary placement tests once students arrive on campus and developing programs that provide both linguistic and cultural support.

Assessment for Admission Purposes

One of the initial assessment challenges faced by institutions is wading through the increased number of assessments available in the market. The market leaders are TOEFL in the United States and IELTS in the United Kingdom and Europe. According to the nonprofit assessment agency Educational Testing Service (ETS), the TOEFL is currently accepted by more than 10,000 colleges, agencies, and other institutions in