Michael Goodine's Blog, page 5

On Assessment Literacy

OK, here’s version 1.0 of Goodine’s Guidelines for Gaining Assessment Literacy. It’s a work in progress. An English test is not a scholastic aptitude test. It has limited power to predict how a student will fare at your institution.  If you want to know about the scholastic potential of an applicant, make them take a […]

HOELT Shocker: Mostly Remote?

The UK Home Office has published a fifth request for information regarding the Home Office English Language Test (HOELT). This one is a shocker.  It notes that “the Home Office is exploring a ‘Digital by Default’ service, with remote proctoring as the primary mode of delivery and physical test centres available where remote solutions are […]

TOEFL and its Futures

I want to cycle back to that pre-print from Maggie McGehee and Daniel Isbell  which I wrote about a few weeks ago. Take a quick look at the data in Table 1. In the period under review (Fall ‘22 to Fall ‘23) 100 undergraduate students submitted ELP scores to the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. […]

How Testing Works in China (NEEA, etc)

The Oxford Test of English will soon be offered at test centers in China and Thailand. Congratulations to the team at OUP! That’s one step closer to my backyard! China is an interesting case. Regular readers know that the two big English tests in that country – IELTS and TOEFL – are administered in partnership […]

Duolingo Question Descriptions

The Duolingo English Test’s Zendesk was recently updated to include notes about all of the question types which appear on the test. Each type is given a separate page with a description (including timing), tips for managing the user interface, and general notes about how to respond/answer. There is also a separate page titled “How […]

Comparing TOEFL and DET Section Scores

Earlier this month the Duolingo English Test score comparisons page was updated. It now includes charts which compare DET and TOEFL subscores. This is useful information, but note that TOEFL subscores will switch to a new scale in January.

Too Much Testing in Australia?

Here’s a video from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) about English tests in Australia and recent changes. Among other things, it touches on the fact that many visa holders in Australia test and re-test and re-test and re-test. Indeed, the recent financial results from IDP Education Ltd touched on how this kind of on-shore testing […]

Fun with Libraries

My most recent “picture of the week” over on Substack was a shelf of test prep books at the Alderney Gate branch of the Halifax Public Library.  A fun way to do some boots-on-the-ground research into testing trends is to see what test prep books are checked out of your local library. For instance, right […]

TOEFL Bulletin Updated for 2025/26

The TOEFL Bulletin has been updated for the 2025/26 testing season. Just a couple of things are notable: The bulletin now confirms that certain test takers must pay a fee to update their address after taking the test. I’ve already heard from a few test takers that don’t like this fee. The bulletin indicates that […]

New Substack for August

Here’s my latest roundup of news from the world of English testing. All the news that’s fit to print, I think.