Issues in the Development of Standardized Proficiency Tests for Vocational
Purposes: Language Skills and Components
By: Agus Eko Cahyono and Jumariati

Standardized tests for vocational purposes are developed for the need of assessing test-takers ability in using English in business area. The development is also made by following careful design and steps to ensure the validity and reliability. The first type is the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) which is developed by the Education Testing Service (ETS) to measure the ability in using English in business setting. The TOEIC listening and reading test consists of the multiple-choice. In the listening section, the test-takers are to listen to picture description, question or statement, conversation, and monologues. For reading section, the comprehension on reading passages is measured. The contents of listening and reading test are about those materials related to today’s international market. This test, also known as the “paper and pencil test”, validates abilities to listen and read in English in everyday workplace scenarios. Each section of the TOEIC is scored with specific scale. To ensure the reliable results, the test results are sent to secure online system then scored by trained and certified raters.

The TOEIC speaking and writing test is computer-based which is added to complement the TOEIC listening and reading. The speaking section is designed to assess test-takers ability to use English. The test includes reading aloud, describing pictures orally, responding to questions, proposing solutions, and expressing opinion. The contents cover English for routine (typical daily life) and occupational interactions (workplace). Meanwhile the writing section measures the test-takers ability in writing from sentence writing based on picture, response writing, to opinion essay writing focusing on the content, vocabulary, grammar and organization. These two tests are administered using the standard English-Language (QWERTY) computer keyboard (The ETS Handbook on TOEIC, 2012).
Another version is the TOEIC Bridge for beginner to intermediate levels which tests the test-takers ability in using English for work or travel. The test consists of 100 multiple-choice items divided into two sections: listening and reading comprehension. For listening section, the test-takers are to listen to short talks and short conversations while the reading section measures the test-takers’ comprehension on incomplete sentences and reading texts.  The contents of both the listening and reading sections are about English for daily and workplace settings just like the other types of TOEIC tests but this type is easier.    
The BULATs test is designed by the University of Cambridge, England. This test is specially designed for Business English and it is appropriate for those who have been working and have the intention to improve their English communication skill. There are two versions of the BULATs: the paper-based and computer-based. The test measures the listening and reading skills. For the listening section, the test-takers listen to short talks, monologues, gist, and extend speech. The reading section measures the test-taker reading comprehension on advertisement, notice, newspaper articles and the ability in grammar and vocabulary usage. It also measures the speaking skills through interview and presentation focusing on fluency, pronunciation, vocabulary. It measures the writing skills on two pieces of business writing: writing letter and report.  As the developer of the BULATs is the University of Cambridge, there is a tendency that the BULATs contain British English.
The last type is the Test of English Proficiency (TOEP) which is designed by the Association of Teaching English as a Foreign Language in Indonesia (TEFLIN). The test is for anybody who wants to know the proficiency level in the listening and reading of English. For this time being, the main focus is on assessing these two receptive skills. Previously the test is in the form of paper-and-pencil but since the year 2013 it is computer-based. There are 100 multiple-choice items divided into two sections listening and reading. To ensure the validity and reliability, the Standard Operational Procedures are made for both the center and local administrators which involve TEFLIN members and partnership-universities. The scoring is done using computer system based on the total correct answers; there is no penalty for the wrong answer.

References:
Direktorat Jenderal Pendidikan Tinggi. 2013. Prosedur Operasi Standar (POS): Uji
Kompetensi Bahasa Inggris TOEP. Kementerian Pendidikan Nasional.

Educational Testing Service. 2012. Examinee Handbook: Speaking and Writing. Retrieved on
March, 10, 2015 at http://www.ets.org/toeic

http://www.bulats.org