I have a theory why undergraduate test-takers score low (see score) on the reading section: these test-takers rarely, if ever, read long passages in English or in their own native languages. This conclusion is not based on any evidence. It's simply anecdotal, a conjecture based on the typical undergrad test-taker's reading diet. What does it consist of? Emails, text messages, tweets, Facebook posts, most of which are, arguably, less than one hundred words. When a test-taker gets an email, does he/she read it through, from beginning to end? No. Test-takers (myself included) simply glance at the first line or two of an email, then move on. The same with tweets and other digital messages. In short, digital messages are turning undergrad test-takers (and everyone else) into readers who prefer quick-read, short passages. Think fast-food reading. How does this cause-and-effect relationship translate into lower reading scores not only for undergrads but for all test-takers? Let's work it through by way of analogy.
The reading section is long and hard, just like a marathon race. To train for a marathon, a runner must run long distances every day, ten miles, twenty miles. By analogy, because the reading section is like a marathon, test-takers should prepare by reading long English passages every day (ten pages, twenty pages). However, in my experience as a TOEFL author and instructor, this is not happening. Test-takers aren't reading long English passages (novels, magazines, journals). Instead, they are reading short, digital messages as quickly as possible. Therefore, by analogy, the test-taker is much like a sprinter. Question: If you are a sprinter, and you entered a marathon, would you win? Would you even finish? I think the conclusion obvious.
How do many test-takers prepare for the reading section? Instead of reading long passages, they memorize word lists. Why word lists? Because word lists are fast and easy, just like digital messages, just like Big Macs. Think about it: word lists take no concentrated brain power; word lists do not demand a lot of time; word lists convince the test-taker he/she is learning a lot (quantity over quality), when in fact they aren't. Don't get me wrong. Word lists are an essential TOEFL strategy when used properly. When used properly, word lists should support the passage the test-taker is reading. This, in turn, will create context. That said, to derive greater strategic benefit from word lists, test-takers should make word lists from material they read. That way the test-taker is contextualizing. Contextualizing is how advanced language learners acquire new vocabulary. Contextualizing is what the TOEFL reading section tests. If you (the test-taker) are reading only digital messages, you are not exercising the skill of contextualizing. The result? A low reading section score.
That, then, is my theory: the digital influence on TOEFL test-takers and reading section scores. What should test-takers do? Simple. Contextualize. How? Read long passages in English and make word lists.
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© Bruce Stirling 2010-11
