Canada Updates English Rules: Impact on TOEFL

In this episode of the TOEFL Speaking Prep Podcast, we explore Canada’s recent policy shift on English language testing and how it’s leveling the playing field for students around the world. With the removal of Canada’s Student Direct Stream (SDS), new tests like the Duolingo English Test (DET) are competing with established giants like TOEFL and IELTS.
Join us as we break down the impact of this shift on students’ options and discuss how AI-powered tools, such as My Speaking Score, are revolutionizing English test prep by making it more accessible and personalized. We also dive into the ethical questions surrounding AI in education, touching on data privacy, fairness, and how to responsibly embrace these new technologies.

Source

Free TOEFL Speaking practice:

• My Speaking Score

Free resources:

• TOEFL Speaking Course
• SpeechRater Blog
• SpeechRater Knowledge Base

Social:

• Follow us on Facebook
• Subscribe on YouTube

My Speaking Score serves 000s of users across the globe by helping them data-power their TOEFL Speaking prep.

Transcript

So how AI is changing everything like it's making high-quality learning accessible no matter who you are or where you are That's really powerful. So it sounds like this is just the beginning for AI in education. Oh, this is just the tip of the iceberg This is the TOEFL speaking prep podcast for the AI era. 

Hey everyone and welcome to another deep dive today We're talking all about English language tests. Yeah exciting stuff, you know, the big names, of course your TOEFL and IELTS, right? Those are the classics but things are changing and fast like really fast Yeah, especially after a recent policy shift up in Canada, which has kind of shaken up the whole testing scene Definitely. So what exactly happened in Canada? I mean, why should we even care? Well Canada decided to drop their student direct stream program. 

You might know it as SDS SDS Okay, and this program basically made it So certain English tests were like preferred for students who wanted to get a study permit Oh, so it gave some tests an advantage exactly But now with the SDS gone all those English language tests are on a level playing field when it comes to Canadian student visas Interesting. So no more preferred tests. Nope. 

Everyone's got to compete now. Wow, that's got to be huge. Oh, yeah, this is major It means we're gonna see all kinds of new tests getting recognized and all sorts of competition We'll take the University of Toronto for example, okay They're now accepting seven different English tests for their undergrad admissions Plus they've got other options to like certain IB scores Wow Seven that's a lot it is and this was technically possible before but SDS kind of discouraged it Yeah, but now it's wide open. 

I bet the big testing companies aren't too happy about this Well, they are facing some stiff competition. That's for sure from who well, you've got options like the DET for example the DT Yeah, the Duolingo English test. I've heard of that. 

It's really popular and for good reason why I mean think about it It's cheaper. It's way shorter and you can do the whole thing online. Yeah, that's attractive it is I mean, it's way more convenient than the old way of doing things like way cheaper than TOEFL or PTE like Significantly how much cheaper are we talking think like DT is 65 bucks TOEFL and those others you're looking at like $300 or more Wow, that's a big difference. 

Yeah, and then there's the time commitment, right DT takes like an hour Okay, IELTS try two hours and 45 minutes. That's rough It is so yeah, the old guard is feeling the pressure big time I can imagine I mean for students a cheaper and faster test. That's a no-brainer Definitely, but is it as good? I mean can a shorter online test really be as effective as those longer established tests? That is the million-dollar question. 

It is. So how do they do it? Well, that's where all this new technology comes in like all these fancy AI powered tools All right, they're really changing how we can measure language skills like totally changing the game. That makes sense I was reading about one of those tool. 

I think it's called my speaking score Yeah, my speaking score and it uses AI right it does like a robot tutor Well, it's powered by something called speech Raider AI speech Raider AI, okay And yeah, it's like a personalized tutor, but it's focused on helping students get ready for that TOEFL speaking section Ah, so it's specific to TOEFL. Yeah for now and how does it work? Well, it can give you feedback on all sorts of things like your pronunciation Okay, or how fluent you are your grammar your vocabulary you name it Wow, that's impressive it is and it's all thanks to AI So it's like having a TOEFL speaking coach in your pocket exactly and available 24-7. That's amazing Especially for students who maybe can't afford an actual tutor Absolutely, or who don't live somewhere where there are a lot of test prep resources. 

It levels the playing field It does so is it actually effective like does it actually work? Oh, yeah I mean over a hundred thousand students have used my speaking score and they've seen real improvements in their TOEFL scores That's a lot of students It is and it just goes to show how AI is changing everything like it's making High quality learning accessible no matter who you are or where you are. That's really powerful It is so it sounds like this is just the beginning for AI in education. Oh, this is just the tip of the iceberg. 

So Like what does all this mean for the future of these English language tests? I mean, are we moving towards a world where AI is calling all the shots? Well, that's a great question and one we're gonna dive into after a quick break. So stay tuned Welcome back everyone So before the break we were talking about these tools like my speaking score and how they're changing the game for those learning English Yeah, it's pretty amazing to see how technology can actually help people You know get access to these really great learning resources like never before Right, like imagine a student somewhere super remote practicing their English and then getting feedback like right away from a tutor Yeah, but like a robot to exactly like an AI tutor. Yeah, and that was practically impossible just a few years ago Totally and it's not just about making these resources more accessible. 

Is it? No, not at all These tools can actually make learning more personalized than even a classroom setting right because a teacher can only do so much with like 30 kids Exactly but with these AI algorithms they can figure out exactly what a student needs to work on and then boom Recommend specific exercises or materials just for them So cool. So it's like instead of every student getting the same thing, right? They get a learning plan. That's like Tailored to them. 

Yeah, it's like a custom-made suit for your education. I love that Yeah, so besides like test prep, how else is AI being used to help people learn English? Oh, man, it's being used everywhere I mean, there are apps that can help you with grammar Okay, vocabulary builders that use these fancy algorithms to help you remember words better Mm-hmm and even platforms where you can talk to native English speakers in real time to practice your conversation skills It's pretty wild, isn't it? It is like learning English has never been easier or more fun. Thanks to AI I feel like AI is not only making things easier, but it's making learning more effective Like it's actually working Absolutely, and as AI gets even smarter who knows what we'll be able to do, right? So back to what we were talking about before what about the future of English language tests? Like could AI actually become the standard way we test people's skills? Well, it's definitely possible like how so well think about it We already have AI grading written tests and even some multiple-choice questions. 

Okay. Yeah, that makes it speaking That's the real challenge. Oh, yeah, that's way harder Because speaking involves so much more than just getting the words, right, right It's about like your tone and your fluency and all these subtle things that are hard to measure Yes, super nuance it is but the crazy thing is AI is getting so advanced that it can actually analyze all those things Like researchers are building systems that can study your speech patterns How your voice goes up and down when you talk even your facial expressions Wow So like you could talk to a computer, right and it would tell you how good your English is exactly And the cool thing is it wouldn't have any of those human by the seas that we sometimes see with human graders So it's like a totally fair and objective test precisely. 

That's actually pretty mind-blowing It is but what happens to like teachers and examiners in this future where robots are giving you your grades? Well, I don't think they're going anywhere anytime soon. Okay, why not? I mean sure AI can automate a lot of the boring stuff, but teachers are still crucial, you know to do what I mean They create that learning environment. They provide a guidance and support they inspire students to push themselves Yeah, AI can be a tool to help them, but it can't replace a good teacher. 

I agree. It feels like it's all about Finding the right balance between using tech and having those human connections Yeah, and this isn't just an education as it's like everywhere now as AI gets more sophisticated it is and it's a conversation We need to keep having as we figure out how to live in this new world. Absolutely So, where do we go from here? Like what can people listening do to like be ready for this future of AI and education? Well, my advice would be to embrace it Okay Don't be afraid of the new tech like go out there and try things like my speaking score and see how AI can actually help you learn And stay curious, you know, this is a really exciting time to be a learner. 

It really is Okay. Well on that note, we're gonna wrap up this deep dive with a few final thoughts after a quick break Welcome back to the show We've been talking all about how english language tests are changing and how AI is shaking things up in a big way It's pretty clear that we're in the middle of a massive shift in education And AI is driving a lot of that change making learning More accessible right and more personalized and we've seen how effective it can be. Yeah that thing but of course with any new technology there are always You know challenges questions we need to think about especially as AI becomes more and more a part of education Absolutely, and I think one of the biggest concerns has to be data privacy Oh, right, because all these AI systems are collecting so much data about students like how they learn What they're good at what they struggle with exactly so we have to be really careful with all that information make sure it's being used Ethically and responsibly, you know We don't want to see students data being misused or like their privacy being violated No, absolutely not and that's why we need really clear rules and regulations around all this, right? Like how is this data being collected? Where is it being stored? Who has access to it? Transparency is key It is and accountability And students need to know what's happening with their data what rights they have. 

Yeah, absolutely I think another issue is equity and access We have to make sure that these AI tools are available to all students Not just those who can afford the latest gadgets or have like super fast internet, right? Because if we're not careful we could actually end up widening the gap between those who have access to technology And those who don't making the digital divide even worse exactly and then there's the issue of bias You know, we have to be really careful that these AI systems aren't perpetuating existing biases. Oh, how could that happen? Well, if the AI is trained on data that reflects those biases then it might make unfair judgments or recommendations That makes sense like garbage in garbage out exactly. So addressing these ethical questions is absolutely critical So that AI benefits everyone. 

Yeah, not just a select few. We want everyone to have a fair shot, right? And that's a big responsibility. It's not just on the tech companies. 

It's on educators. It's on policy makers It's on all of us really it is it's a conversation. We all need to be having so to kind of wrap things up What can our listeners do? To be a part of this conversation like what can they do? To help shape the future of AI in education. 

Well, first of all stay informed Okay So like read up on the latest developments exactly and don't be afraid to get involved in the conversation about the ethical implications of all This right make your voice heard and be an advocate for policies that promote responsible innovation advocate. Okay Anything else? Yeah, don't just read about it go out there and try some of these tools for yourself Right like my speaking score exactly see how AI can actually enhance your own learning experience The more we understand about these tools the better equipped will be To shape their development and make sure they're used for the right reasons. That's a great point Well that brings us to the end of another deep dive Thanks for joining us today as we explored the changing landscape of english language tests and the exciting but also challenging rise Of AI in education. 

Yes. Thank you everyone for listening