Koreans show world’s fastest improvement in TOEFL scores

Koreans’ average score for the Test of English as a Foreign Language, or TOEFL, rose the fastest in the world from 2006 to 2011, data showed Thursday.

Out of a total score of 120, Koreans’ average results increased to 82 in 2011 from 72 in 2006. The country’s ranking jumped to 70th among 150 test-taking countries from 111th out of 147 countries, according to Lee Ik Hoon Language Institute.

The private language school analyzed six-year data published by the Educational Testing Services, a U.S.-based test developer which administers TOEFL.

Korea is the only nation to record a double-digit increase in that period.

“The improvement in the language proficiency test results shows Korea’s English education moves in the right direction despite some concerns. Learning English abroad at an early age and ‘English fever’ in public and private education have probably worked as the major factors in the result,” said Kim Sun-sook, president of Lee ik-hoon Language Institute, which released the data.

In 2011, the Netherlands topped the list with an average score of 100 followed by Denmark and Singapore with 99 and Belgium and Austria with 98.

Hong Kong ranked the same as Korea. North Korea ranked 80th with a 78-point average, with China and Taiwan both at 92nd with 77.

TOEFL, which measures reading, listening, speaking and writing skills, is one of the most widely recognized English language assessments and is used for admission to 8,500 universities in more than 130 countries.

Test-takers in Korea also seem to be taking advantage of the Internet-based test, which started six years ago, Kim said.

TOEFL has three different types: paper-, computer-, and Internet-based. The Internet-based test has been replacing the first two since 2006 and is widely used.

The Korean government developed its own English test for college admissions, National English Ability Test, to reduce Koreans’ dependency on the popular U.S. tests such as TOEFL and Test of English for International Communication, or TOEIC, also administered by the ETS.

More than 600 high school students took the national English test for the first time in June. The government has invested 18 billion won ($16 million) in developing the test over the past four years.

More than 2 million people take the TOEIC test and 120,000 people take the TOEFL test each year in Korea.

A TOEIC or TOEFL program at a private language school costs 300,000-500,000 won or more per month at some language institutes.

By Kim Young-won (wone0102@heraldcorp.com)