TOEFL® Research Insight Series, Volume 10 - Using TOEFL iBT® Test Scores for Selecting International Teaching Assistants

Sep 28, 2026

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TOEFL® Research Insight Series, Volume 10 presents how TOEFL iBT® test scores can be used to select international teaching assistants. The document outlines the TOEFL iBT® assessment’s development, including major revisions and integrated tasks that reflect real academic communication. It explains how the TOEFL Family of Assessments supports decisions for students worldwide and why rigorous research substantiates claims about test takers’ abilities. It also describes the research-driven processes, contributors, and the series’ goal of offering user-friendly evidence for reliability, validity, and fairness.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages14

Reading Time35 min

AccessFree to download

Preface

Purpose and research rationale

TOEFL Family of Assessments and score use

Research base and quality assurance

Series goals and topic coverage

TOEFL® Research INSIGHT Using TOEFL iBT ® Test Scores for Selecting International Teaching Assistants VOLUME 10 TOEFL® Research Insight Series, Volume 10: Using TOEFL iBT® Test Scores for Selecting International Teaching Assistants Preface The TOEFL iBT® test is the world’s most widely respected English language assessment and used for admissions purposes in more than 150 countries, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States (see test review in Alderson, 2009) . Since its initial launch in 1964, the TOEFL® test has undergone several major revisions motivated by advances in theories of language ability and changes in English teaching practices. The most recent revision, the TOEFL iBT test, was launched in 2005. It contains a number of innovative design features, including integrated tasks that engage multiple skills to simulate language use in academic settings and test materials that reflect the reading, listening, speaking, and writing demands of real-world academic environments. In addition to the TOEFL iBT test, the TOEFL® Family of Assessments was expanded to provide high-quality, English proficiency assessments for a variety of academic uses and contexts. The TOEFL® Young Students Series features the TOEFL Primary® and TOEFL Junior® tests, which are designed to help teachers and learners of English in school settings. In addition, the TOEFL ITP® program offers colleges, universities, and others affordable tests for placement and progress monitoring within English programs as a pathway to eventual degree programs. At ETS, we understand that scores from the TOEFL Family of Assessments are used to help make important decisions about students, and we would like to keep score users and test takers up-to-date about the research results that help assure the quality of these scores. Through the publication of the TOEFL® Research Insight Series, we wish to communicate to the institutions and English teachers who use any/all of the TOEFL tests the strong research and development base that underlies the TOEFL Family of Assessments and demonstrate our continued commitment to research. Since the 1970’s, the TOEFL test has had a rigorous, productive, and far-ranging research program. But why should test score users care about the research base for a test? In short, it is only through a rigorous program of research that a testing company can substantiate claims about what test takers know or can do based on their test scores, as well as provide support for the intended uses of assessments and minimize potential negative consequences of score use. Beyond demonstrating this critical evidence of test quality, research is also important for enabling innovations in test design and addressing the needs oftest takers and test score users. This is why ETS has established a strong research base as a fundamental feature underlying the evolution of the TOEFL Family of Assessments. This portfolio is designed, produced, and supported by a world-class team of test developers, educational measurement specialists, statisticians, and researchers in applied linguistics and language testing. Our test developers have advanced degrees in fields such as English, language education, and applied linguistics. They also possess extensive international experience, having taught English on continents around the globe. Our research, measurement, and statistics teams include some of the world’s most distinguished scientists and 2 TOEFL® Research Insight Series, Volume 10: Using TOEFL iBT® Test Scores for Selecting International Teaching Assistants internationally recognized leaders in diverse areas such as test validity, language learning and assessment, and educational measurement. To date, more than 300 peer reviewed TOEFL Family of Assessments research reports, technical reports, and monographs have been published by ETS, and many more studies on the TOEFL tests have appeared in academic journals

FAQs

What is the main focus of TOEFL® Research Insight Series, Volume 10?

It focuses on using TOEFL iBT® test scores to select international teaching assistants and explains the measurement and research basis behind score quality.

Why does the document emphasize TOEFL’s research program?

It argues that only a rigorous research program can substantiate claims about what test takers know or can do, support intended score uses, and reduce negative consequences of score use.

What kinds of validation evidence and recommendations does the series cover?

It covers evidence for reliability, validity, and fairness of test scores, along with research-based recommendations for best practices in test use and design.

Sep 28, 2026

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