Michael Goodine's Blog, page 17

TOEFL Chat Tomorrow!

Tomorrow (June 4) I’ll host an “office hours” chat on Zoom to talk about the upcoming changes to the TOEFL.  Just like we had when the Test was revised in 2023!  If you want to hang out with some people in the test prep space this is for you!  There have been 128 registrations so […]

Who (still) Takes What in Canada

A recent article in the Waterloo Region Record has some stats that serve as a good postscript for my article about what English tests students use for admission to Canadian schools (and, more importantly, which schools testing fans ought to be paying attention to). It reports that in Q1 of 2025, Conestoga was issued 410 […]

NABP Lowers TOEFL Requirement for Pharmacists

The NABP has adjusted the TOEFL section scores that foreign pharmacy graduates must submit to get licensed in the USA (that is, to get their FPGEC certification).  The required reading, speaking and writing scores have been lowered.  The required listening score has been increased. The old requirements are: Reading 22, Listening 21, Speaking 26, Writing […]

Major TOEFL Test Changes – Coming January 2026

ETS has announced major changes to the TOEFL iBT that will roll out over the next few months.  Noteworthy changes include: The reading and listening sections of the test will be adaptive, starting January 2026. Test content will be adjusted.  According to ETS, “traditional content will be supplemented with modern, equitable topics.”  This will also […]

Didn’t get TOEFL ID Verification Email/QR

Many people have complained on social media (and via email) that they didn’t get the email from ETS with a QR code to verify their passport before taking the TOEFL Home Edition.  This makes them nervous, because apparently they are supposed to verify their ID via the IDVaas mobile app at least 48 hours before […]

ETS Seeks Competitive Intelligence

The Educational Testing Service is seeking to hire a Senior Manager for Competitive Intelligence. The manager will be responsible for “monitoring, analyzing, and reporting on industry, market, and competitor developments and the identification and evaluation of new business opportunities.” They will also “provide insights on competitor strategies, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats and strategic plans.” They’ll […]

You Should Read More – Part 57

Family concerns prevented me from reading much this month, but I did consume the 8 February issue of the London Review of Books.  There’s always one article in every issue that is just perfect for you TOEFL kids.  This issue’s story was a lovely piece about the Sumerian priestess Enheduana, who might be considered “the […]

Namwali Serpell, the College Board and ETS

The Washington Post recently published a story about how Goodreads and other sites have been flooded with one-star reviews of Namwali Serpell’s book “Stranger Faces.”  Reviews have mentioned that it is “RUINING HIGH SCHOOLERS’ LIVES.”  This comes four years after the book was released to a significant amount of praise. What gives?  Well, apparently the […]

Phishy Test for English?

For a few amusing hours, IDP Education ran a video parodying the PTE as the “Phishy Test for English.”  They removed the video shortly after I drew attention to it via LinkedIn. 

Pearson English Express Test: Coming Soon

Pearson has announced a new test for university admissions called the “Pearson English Express Test.” It is targeted at students seeking admission to American universities.  According to information published by Pearson this week, the test will take one hour to complete, results will be available in 48 hours, and the price will start at $70.  […]