 Ahn Byong-man |
Staff Reporter
The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology Tuesday reported to President Lee Myung-bak, reform measures concerning the nation's education system, including its plan to significantly increase the listening portion of the English language test in the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT).
The plan is creating confusion not just among students and teachers but even among ministry officials, because it conflicts with the ministry's development of a three-tiered standardized English test to replace TOEFL or TOFIC tests, which will be used as part of the CSAT and provide a proficiency test for children. The new test, when implemented, will be a pass-or-fail test.
The Korea Times asked officials what exactly Minister Ahn Byong-man had in mind.
They said that the proposals reported to President Lee were a temporary measure before a full-scale change wholesale change.
Under the current CSAT format, an applicant has to answer 50 questions in the English test ― 17 of them to test the applicant's listening comprehension ability.
The ministry intends to increase the number of these to 25 in 2014.
However, this shows the move will likely be temporary because the ministry's three-tiered system will be completed by 2012.
Under pertinent regulations, the newly-developed exam will be subject to a three-year test period, meaning that it will be used as early as 2015.
In addition, the newly-developed system will take the format of the TOEFL test.
The computer-based TOEFL test is composed of four portions - reading, listening, writing and speaking, with each accounting for 30 points out of a perfect score of 120.
Ministry officials say the increased portion of listening comprehension questions will help correctly assess students' English proficiency, although experts think that it will add to the after-school tutoring market.
Keum Yong-han, the ministry director in charge of the project said, "We don't think the increased portion of the listening test will cause increased private education costs because many students learn reading skills, not listening at hagwon."
"I don't think more listening questions will improve the current English education at schools. Speaking tests should be added sooner to strengthen verbal English education," said Han Joing-im, an English education professor at Ewha Womans University.
"Reading skills are more important as we can get quality information written in English. It may not be desirable to reduce reading questions," she added.
"Many are confused by the government's plan with the English tests for college admissions. Teachers have been expecting the government to replace the CSAT with new state-certified tests, but have been caught off guard by the latest measure to increase the listening portion of the English exam in the CSAT," said Song Jung-sun, an English teacher at Suwon Academy of World Languages in Gyeonggi Province.
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