Naomi Waterhouse-Johnson

C&T 491 : May 26, 2016

Prof. Manuela Gonzales-Bueno
The Impact of EFL Testing on EFL Education in Korea by Choi Inn-Chull
Since the Chosun dynasty, Korean society has relied heavily on standardized tests to
measure proficiency and competence in a wide variety of academic subjects, from math and
philosophy to classic Chinese and more recently English. In his article The Impact of EFL
Testing on EFL Education in Korea, Choi Inn-Chull analyzes the array of English proficiency
tests offered to South Korean students and job-hunters, and considers the impact of said tests on
South Korean society.
The tests, of which Choi lists fourteen, are all similar in their content and are used to
gauge English skill for purposes such as entrance into private secondary schools, entrance into
colleges, consideration for government positions, and corporate jobs in South Koreas
international business market. The standardized tests are diverse concerning their target
audiences (career, potential job, etc.), acceptable age of test-taker (tests specifically for
elementary and middle school, and others for high school and college entrance exams), and lastly
focused area of English (speaking, writing, reading, listening). As mentioned above, during the
Chosun dynasty a similar phenomenon occurred, as one main test was offered to all classes
above serf (slave) as a qualification for government official positions and subsequently higher
status. This idea of upward mobility still courses strongly through the veins of South Koreas
educational system, causing widespread popularity of formal English assessments.
Choi discusses the negative impacts which the possibility of upward mobility is weighed
against. Among the most important, Choi stresses the tests inability to accurately measure the
takers overall proficiency within the English language. For example, the standardized tests
(while they do vary in content) do not always vary in format. This flaw makes it more possible

for a student or job hunter to study the format of the test and test-taking strategies instead of
focusing on the material and still receive a favorable score. In addition, the tests do not often
measure a takers speaking ability, e.g. practical usage of English. Due to this, much of the time
students will cram study, since they do not have to retain a satisfactory speaking level. Lastly, the
tests are often used for multiple purposes, meaning their importance is even higher than an ACT
or a career aptitude test in the United States, for example. This importance often leads to the
creation of curriculum for the sole purpose of test preparation, which limits the flexibility of
teachers to plan and students to learn.
As a temporary teacher at Kyunghwa, this article is particularly applicable. I have seen a
lot of college entrance exams as well as English exams, but this further confirms the reason 3rd
year high school students are exempt from participating in school events and study for several
hours a day, outside of school time. The pressure to do well, get into a good college or language
school, or be hired by a reputable company is incredibly heavy, and the only way to do so is to
score well. Being prepared for these outrageous tests requires time, but also money. Those who
do not have the money for a cram school or a private tutor are at a clear disadvantage to those in
higher income families with more money to spare. Now that I personally know students in this
exact situation, I sympathize even more with their struggle to succeed. Even though the tests are
meant to create an equal plane for all, it seems to me the opposite has come to be.