An imperative of modern life is to be able to communicate effectively with those from other
countries and cultures. One of the results this creates is the desire to learn other languages.
Concomitant with this is language testing. This can be in the form of student achievement
assessments; diagnostic tests to find out what students need to learn; aptitude tests to judge
learner abilities to learn certain skills; and proficiency tests to analyze a person’s current
language ability.
This paper is concerned with the Test of English for International Communications (TOEIC),
which is one of the most widely used English language proficiency tests in Japan and South
Korea, and is utilized to a lesser degree in a variety of countries worldwide (ETS 2005: 4).
The TOEIC was designed to judge the proficiency of language learners in a business
environment. It is claimed to be applied “as a benchmark for employment, promotion,
overseas business travel, and transfer in workplaces” (In’nami and Koizumi 2011: 131).
Educational Testing Service (ETS) designed the TOEIC on commission from the Japanese
government to aid decision-making about Japanese workers (Stoyoff 2009: 28). It is widely
used there, and has become popular with South Korean companies, universities and other
organizations. Due to its popularity, a range of test-preparatory education has grown in both
countries.
In South Korea, numerous hagwons (private institutions) offer TOEIC test-preparation
courses for businesspeople, students and graduates seeking to increase their employability. In
addition TOEIC test-preparation or incorporation of TOEIC test scores is often a part of a
university’s curriculum. Colleges and universities possibly include the TOEIC or TOEIC
preparation classes for a multitude of reasons such as; advertising that the education provided
takes globalization into account; as a tool for furthering comprehension of English; or as a
method to improve student employability. Given the widespread use of the TOEIC in South
Korea, this paper will examine two pressing concerns of how studying for the TOEIC in
South Korean universities affects student motivation to learn English, and whether or not this
test-preparation affects test validity.
In order to understand TOEIC impact on Korean university student performance, this paper
begins with a review of current language testing research. It will then examine the