Here’s something I’ve been meaning to post since forever. It’s a score report from the TEPS Test in Korea. This report is actually from a test taken by Mrs. Goodine, though I’ve replaced her photo with a picture of the comic strip hero Sally Forth.
The TEPS test has been offered in Korea since 1999, though nowadays it’s more interesting as a conversation piece than as a testing option. Basically, it was developed in the 1990s partly in response to concerns that the national craze for TOEFL and TOEIC scores was resulting in a significant outflow of currency to the USA (a concern exacerbated by the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis). The test was a hit in its early years. According to some reports, it was taken more than half a million times a year by the late aughts. But it has declined in popularity since then – Naver tells me that it was taken just about 83,000 times in the final pre-pandemic year. The decline is likely a result of the wide range of low and medium stakes exams now on the market. In recent years, for instance, the G-TELP has exploded in popularity.
What makes the test fun is that it bears quite a close resemblance to the TOEFL of the 1990s (and, to a lesser extent, the TOEIC). This is an English test with multiple choice grammar and vocabulary questions… but no speaking and no writing. The test format was revised (and shortened) in 2018, but otherwise this looks a lot like an old-school 1990s English test. That could have something to do with the decline as well, now that I think of it.
Homegrown tests are probably a good idea as foreign tests can result in significant amounts of cash taking a one-way trip overseas. But such tests probably need a bit more TLC than this one has gotten over the years. Speaking of this topic, I’d be happy to hear about the successes and failures of the VSTEP test out of Vietnam if anyone feels like sharing.
Anyway. There ya go. A quick look at the TEPS. If anyone should have any questions (why?!) I’ll be happy to answer them.
