[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":3,"doc-seo-488089-105":59,"doc-detail-488089-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,13,18,23,28,33,38,43,48,51,55],{"id":8,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":10,"show_sort_weight":11,"slug":12},1,"Document","Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":14,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":15,"show_sort_weight":16,"slug":17},2,"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":19,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":20,"show_sort_weight":21,"slug":22},4,"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":24,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":25,"show_sort_weight":26,"slug":27},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":29,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":30,"show_sort_weight":31,"slug":32},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":34,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":35,"show_sort_weight":36,"slug":37},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":39,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":40,"show_sort_weight":41,"slug":42},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":44,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":45,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":47},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":46,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":49,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":50},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":52,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":53,"show_sort_weight":52,"slug":54},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":56,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":57,"show_sort_weight":24,"slug":58},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":60,"data":61},"ok",{"site_id":62,"language":63,"slug":64,"title":65,"keywords":66,"description":67,"schema_data":68,"social_meta":123,"head_meta":125,"extra_data":127,"updated_unix":129},105,"en","a-weakness-in-english-language-learners-approach-to-toefl-independent-speaking-paired-choice-response-tasks-research-study","A Weakness in English Language Learners' Approach to TOEFL Independent Speaking Paired-Choice Response Tasks - Research Study","","The study investigates how test-takers perform in TOEFL iBT independent speaking paired-choice response tasks, focusing on the claimed weakness of English language learners. It reviews ETS-described learning objectives centered on comparing and contrasting, and analyzes recorded performances of native speakers and English language learners addressing TOEFL speaking prompts. Findings indicate that the main difficulty is not inability to use key grammatical structures, but limited awareness of what the speaking task requires, informing how paired-choice instruction should be structured.",{"@graph":69,"@context":122},[70,84,105],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":20,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/exam/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/a-weakness-in-english-language-learners-approach-to-toefl-independent-speaking-paired-choice-response-tasks-research-study/488089/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/a-weakness-in-english-language-learners-approach-to-toefl-independent-speaking-paired-choice-response-tasks-research-study/488089.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"Adam","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-11","2026-09-30",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":34},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"What skill does the TOEFL iBT independent speaking paired-choice task aim to test?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"The task targets the ability to verbally compare and contrast the two options offered, including expressing and justifying preferences and positions.","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"What do the study results suggest about learners' weaknesses?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"The results suggest the issue is less about not using key grammatical structures for comparison and contrast, and more about insufficient awareness of what the task demands.",{"name":119,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":120},"How does the study plan to assess native speakers and learners?",{"text":121,"@type":113},"It records and analyzes both native speakers' and English language learners' attempts to address TOEFL iBT paired-choice response topics to determine whether they approach the tasks in similar ways.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":124,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":126,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":128,"site_id":62},488089,1790899737,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":19,"category_name":20,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":34,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":139,"language":140,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":144,"read_time":145},1374404737137,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_155a257f0dc6eb9ab79c44ca47cae57d","| Language Education in Asia, Volume 1, 2010 |\n| --- |\n| A Weakness\u003Cbr>in English Language Learners ʼ Approach to TOEFL Independent Speaking Paired-Choice Response Tasks\u003Cbr>Alex Chirnside\u003Cbr>Soka University, Japan\u003Cbr>[alex@soka.ac.jp](alex@soka.ac.jp)\u003Cbr>Abstract\u003Cbr>The learning objectives for the TOEFL iBT independent speaking tasks, as described by the Educational Testing Service (ETS), and the inclusion of a paired-response task indicate that an essential skill to be tested in the iBT is the ability to verbally compare and contrast. Anecdotal evidence suggests that language learners are poor at using the key grammatical structures used to compare and contrast effectively. By recording and analyzing both native speakers’and English language learners’ attempts to address TOEFL iBT speaking task topics, this study seeks to identify how native speakers approach such tasks, and whether language learners approach the same tasks in the same way. Results show that an inability to use key grammatical structures when comparing and contrasting is less of an issue than lack of awareness of what the speaking task requires. This directly affects how instruction relating to paired-choice speaking tasks should be structured.\u003Cbr>The advent of the new TOEFL iBT (Internet-based test) into Japan in the autumn of 2006 presented TOEFL instructors with a radically altered test that included, for the first time, numerous speaking tasks. These were divided into two broad groups: integrated and independent speaking. The independent speaking tasks fell into the two categories of “free response” and “paired-choice response,” and it is with the latter of these that this paper is concerned. In the paired-choice response, the examinees are given two choices, one of which they have to support or explain a preference for. At a workshop held to introduce the new testing regime in early 2005, the instructional materials provided, produced by the ETS (ETS, 2004, p. 4), stated that the learning objectives of the independent speaking tasks include:\u003Cbr>• Express and justify likes, dislikes, values, preferences\u003Cbr>• Take a position and defend it\u003Cbr>• Make a recommendation and justify it\u003Cbr>All three of these learning objectives, in the context of the paired-choice response, seem to indicate a need for examinees to show competence in comparing and contrasting the choices offered. In a TOEFL class which dealt with the new iBT at a Japanese university, it became apparent that the students were not displaying what a TOEFL instructor would consider a necessary level of competence in this area. Students addressed this type of speaking task by simply concentrating on one side of the argument and extolling its virtues. This was a very\u003Cbr>Language Education in Asia, 2010, 1(1), 99-111. [http://dx.doi.org/10.5746/LEiA/10/V1/A09/Chirnside](http://dx.doi.org/10.5746/LEiA/10/V1/A09/Chirnside) |\n| Chirnside-Page 99 |\n\nResearch  \ncircumspect approach to a task which seemed designed to elicit an answer featuring comparison and contrast. The instructor’s discussions with colleagues revealed that some had noticed this, but many had not.  \nStill convinced that students preparing for the TOEFL test were unable to competently compare and contrast, the instructor spent considerable time and effort designing courseware and exercises specifically targeting this perceived weakness. Due to time constraints, it seemed more productive to devote resources to creating a “solution” rather than investigating the proposition. However, Chapelle’s (1998, p. 21) diagrammatic representation of one approach to research did seem to be highly relevant to the situation. Chapelle’s diagram could be adapted to find out how accurate this perception of students’weakness was and if the materials developed had been effective (see Figure 1) .  \nDesign activities based on perceived student weakness  \nFigure 1. Adapted from Chapelle (1998) .  \nEvaluate learning activities based on focused observation  \nThe focus","cbCair9nfLWNPF1Y","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCair9nfLWNPF1Y","pdf",421477,13,"English","# Abstract\n## TOEFL iBT independent speaking task design\n## Paired-choice response task requirements\n## Research questions and investigative premise\n## Evaluating learning activities and focused observation","[{\"question\":\"What skill does the TOEFL iBT independent speaking paired-choice task aim to test?\",\"answer\":\"The task targets the ability to verbally compare and contrast the two options offered, including expressing and justifying preferences and positions.\"},{\"question\":\"What do the study results suggest about learners' weaknesses?\",\"answer\":\"The results suggest the issue is less about not using key grammatical structures for comparison and contrast, and more about insufficient awareness of what the task demands.\"},{\"question\":\"How does the study plan to assess native speakers and learners?\",\"answer\":\"It records and analyzes both native speakers' and English language learners' attempts to address TOEFL iBT paired-choice response topics to determine whether they approach the tasks in similar ways.\"}]","A Weakness in English Language Learners' Approach to TOEFL Independent Speaking Paired-Choice Response Tasks - Research Study | PDF",1790810158,33]