Test of English as a Foreign LanguageTM Internet-based Testing (TOEFL iBT) Speaking and Writing Online Scoring
Who is eligible to serve as a TOEFL iBT rater?
To be eligible, TOEFL iBT raters must
 reside in the continental U.S. or Hawaii
be a U.S. citizen, a resident alien, or authorized to work for remuneration in the U.S.
hold a B.A. or higher degree, (M.A. preferred), from an accredited college or university
have experience assessing non-native speakers' written or spoken English
be qualified in English language teaching (e.g., TEFL, CELTS, DELTA).
Additionally, raters who are non-native English speakers must submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), Test of Spoken English (TSE), and/or Test of Written English (TWE). Experience living in an English-speaking country for one year or more is preferred.
What is required of TOEFL iBT raters?
Raters must
be able to score from home or office locations and have the necessary Internet-based scoring equipment. (ETS provides no equipment. For security reasons, raters can't use shared office computers, or work in public areas where information may be accidentally viewed.)
meet agreed-upon commitments to the scoring schedule and devote their full attention to the scoring process during each session.
What do TOEFL iBT raters score?
Speaking test raters Test takers digitally respond to six different speaking tasks. These responses are transmitted to the Online Scoring Network, where they are scored by scores.
Writing test raters Test takers write one essay on an assigned topic, and one essay in response to a question they have listened to and read. Raters evaluate these essays.
Visit the TOEFL iBT test page for more information.
What scoring method is used?
Raters are trained to score responses holistically, evaluating the overall quality of thinking and writing against the Independent and Integrated Scoring Guides for Speaking and Writing. For speaking tests, raters assign scores ranging from 4 (high) to 0 (unscorable). For writing tests, raters assign scores ranging from 5 (high) to 0 (unscorable).
What steps are taken to provide accurate scoring?
Scoring leaders (highly experienced TOEFL iBT raters who supervise the scoring sessions) and TOEFL iBT online support materials help ensure that scoring is consistent and accurate.
How are prospective TOEFL iBT raters trained?
Approved applicants get access to an interactive tutorial Web site that provides
information on TOEFL iBT speaking assessments
instruction in the TOEFL iBT scoring process, including general principles of holistic scoring; specific criteria of the TOEFL iBT Scoring Guides; guidelines for applying the scoring criteria to individual responses; and the use of topic-specific reference materials
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