Bridging Language Proficiency and Scientific Knowledge: Integrating Government Science Content into TOEIC-Based Summative Listening Tests

Badriyah Ulfah, Nur Mukminatien

Abstract


To meet the demand for effective content integration in summative listening tests for English Specific Purpose classes catering to Government Science majors, this development project aims to create an engaging and immersive listening test. Drawing on the TOEIC-based framework, the test incorporates government science content as the thematic foundation of the questions. The development process comprises three key stages: exploration, development, and preliminary field testing. The test product was rigorously validated through expert assessment and a try-out test involving 50 students was conducted for preliminary field testing. The try-out test demonstrated a high reliability coefficient of 0.828. It encompasses 50 listening questions, spanning four sections: Photograph (10 questions), Questions-responses (16 questions), Conversation (12 questions), and Talks (12 questions). By seamlessly blending language proficiency with scientific knowledge, this innovative approach promises to enhance learning outcomes and bridge the gap between language acquisition and subject-specific competence for Government Science students. Based on the positive results obtained from the preliminary field testing and the validation process, it is recommended that the integrated TOEIC-based listening test be implemented in English Specific Purpose classes for Government Science majors.


Full Text:

PDF

References


Almanasreh, E., Moles, Rebekah.,M., & Chen, T.F. (2019). Evaluation of methods used for estimating content validity. Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy, 15(2), 214-221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sapharm.2018.03.066

Bui, H.P. (2022). Students' and teachers' perceptions of effective ESP teaching. Heliyon, 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e10628

Bunch, G.C & Martin, D. (2021). From “academic language” to “language of ideas”: A disciplinary perspective on using language in K-12 settings. Language and Education, 32(6), 539-556. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500782.2020.1842443

Daza, C., & Suzuki, M. (2004). A review of the reading section of the TOEIC. TESL Canada Journal, 22(1), 16–24. https://doi.org/10.18806/tesl.v22i1.163

de Jong, N.H. (2023). Asessing second language speaking proficiency. Annual Review of Linguistics, 9, 541-560. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-linguistics-030521-052114

Djellol, K.H. & Melouk, M. (2022). Meeting students’ needs: ESP teaching at the department of political sciences. African Education Research Journal, 10 (2), 150 – 160. https://doi.org/10.30918/AERJ.102.22.001

Doan, L.D. & Hamid, M. O. (2021). Economics of English: Examining the demand for English proficiency in the Vietnamese job market. RELC Journal, 52(3), 618-634.

Educational Testing Service. (2013). User guide – Listening and reading. Retrieved from www.ets.org/Media/Tests/Test_of_English_for_International_Communicatio

n/TOEIC_User_Gd.pdf.

Educational Testing Service. (2015a). Examinee handbook – Listening & reading. Retrieved from www.ets.org/Media/Tests/TOEIC/pdf/TOEIC_LR_examinee_hand

book.pdf.

Educational Testing Service. (2015b). Sample questions of reading comprehension. Retrieved from http://exam.ybmnet.co.kr/toeic/info/sample_rc5.asp.

Education Testing Service (2016a). Examinee handbook– Listening & reading. Retrieved from www.etsglobal.org/content/download/15388/261514/version/5/

file/TOEIC+LR+and+SW+Examinee+Handbooks.pdf.

Educational Testing Service. (2016b). The TOEIC® tests – The global standard for assessing English proficiency for business. Retrieved from www.ets.org/toeic/succeed.

Educational Testing Service. (2017). Examinee handbook – For the updated version of the TOEIC® listening and reading test. Retrieved from www.ets.org/s/toeic/pdf/examinee-handbook-for-toeic-listening-reading-test-updated.pdf.

Gaffas, Z.M. (2019). Students’ perceptions of the impact of EGP and ESP courses on their English language development: Voices from Saudi Arabia. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2019.100797

Huang, Q. & Yu, Q.J. (2023). Towards a communication-focused ESP course for nursing students in building partnership with patients: A needs analysis. English for Specific Purposes, 70, 57-69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esp.2022.11.006.

Hutchinson, T & Waters, A. (1989). English for specific purposes: A learning-centred approach. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

Im, G. (2021). What do international business professionals say about the TOEIC. Journal of The Korea English Education Society, 20(1), 1-37.

Iswati, L & Triastuti, A. (2021). Voicing the challenges of ESP teaching: Lessons from ESP in Non-English departments. Studies in English Language and Education, 8(1), 276-293. https://doi.org/10.24815/siele.v8i1.17301

Kareva, V. (2013). English for specific purposes: Public administration and political sciences. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 70, 1477 - 1481. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.01.214

Kim, M. & Haneda, M. (2020). The disconnect between English tests and English proficiency: Two South Korean jobseekers’ perceptions and performances. In Mirhosseini, S. & Costa, P.I, (Eds), The socio politics of English language testing (pp.147-164). London: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Knoch, U. & Macqueen, S. (2016). Language assessment for the workplace. In Tsagari, D. & Banerjee, J. (Eds.), Handbook of Second Language Assessment (pp 291-308). De Gruyter Mouton

Lee, J. S. (2020). The role of informal digital learning of English and a high-stakes English test on perceptions of English as an international language. Australasian Journal od Education Technology, 36(2),155-168. https://doi.org/10.14742/ajet.5319

Mora, J. (2020). Checklists for validating an English test in the pre-testing stage. The 11th Hatyai National and International Conference (pp. 2032-2041). Retrieved from https://www.hu.ac.th/conference/proceedings2020/doc/G13/G13-4-[I006Ed-OP]%20(P-2032-2041).pdf

Oliveri, M.E & Tannenbaum, R.J. (2017). Insight into using TOEIC® test scores to inform human resource management decisions. ETS Research Report Series, 1(1).

Park, J.S. (2011). The promise of English: Linguistic capital and the neoliberal worker in the South Korean job market. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 14(11), 443-455.

Poedjiastutie, D. (2017). The pedagogical challenges of English for specific purposes (ESP) teaching at the university of muhammadiyah malang, Indonesia. Educational Research and Reviews, 12(6), 338-349. https://doi.org/10.5897/ERR2016.3125

Powers, D.E & Powers, A. (2015). The incremental contribution of TOEIC® listening, reading, and writing tests to predicting performance on real-life English language tasks. Language testing, 32(2), 151-167.

Rao, P.S. (2019). The effective use of authentic materials in the English language classrooms. International Journal of Arts, Science and Humanities, 7(1), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.34293/sijash.v7i1.556

Schmidgall, J. & Powers, D.E. (2020). TOEIC writing test scores as indicators of the functional adequacy of writing in the international workplace: Evaluation by linguistic laypersons. Assessing Writing, 46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asw.2020.100492

Sirikanjanawong, N & Wasanasomsithi, P. (2018). Relationship between the ICAO language proficiency requirements (LPRs) and test of English for international communication (TOEIC) scores of flight attendants in Thailand. LEARN Journal: Language Education and Acquisition Research Network, 11(1), 64–86.

Tong, M & Gao, T. (2022). For sustainable career development: Framework and assessment of the employability of business English graduates. Frontiers in Psychology,13, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.847247

Ulfah, B., Petrus, I., Mirizon, S. (2021). ESP Needs-based course design for the employees of government protocol department. English Language in Focus, 3(2), 143-158. https://doi.org/10.24853/elif.3.2.143-158




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.30870/jels.v8i2.20014

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2023 Journal of English Language Studies

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Creative Commons License
Journal of English Language Studies is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Copyright @ 2024 Journal of English Language Studies.

View My Stats