TOEFL Speaking (for the AI Era)
Get the inside track on all things TOEFL® Speaking—from expert breakdowns of the test’s scoring rubrics to cutting-edge research on how AI like SpeechRater™ evaluates your performance.
Whether it's leveraging movie-based learning techniques or diving into the psychology behind language assessment, each episode gives you a front-row seat to the latest strategies, tips, and tools to help you master the Speaking section.
We don’t just stop at exam prep. We explore the bigger picture of how the TOEFL shapes language learning, how automated scoring impacts your results, and what really goes on behind the scenes at ETS. If you want to understand the nuances of TOEFL Speaking and learn how to make your test performance stand out, this podcast is for you.
This podcast is made possible through a blend of innovative AI solutions, including NotebookLM, ElevenLabs, ChatGPT, Suno, and Buzzsprout.
Visit My Speaking Score: https://www.myspeakingscore.com/
TOEFL Speaking (for the AI Era)
The Real Key to High TOEFL Speaking Scores: Comprehensibility Over Accent
In this episode of the TOEFL Speaking Prep Podcast, we explore groundbreaking research from Northern Arizona University that challenges common assumptions about what makes a successful TOEFL speaker. The findings reveal that while perfect TOEFL scores showcase technical mastery, real-world communication is shaped by comprehensibility, fluency, and rhythm—more than accent elimination.
Discover how factors like speaking rate, pauses, and pitch range influence listeners' perceptions, particularly in academic settings. Learn why comprehensibility is crucial for both classroom participation and teaching roles.
We also dive into the role of AI-powered tools like MySpeakingScore, which leverage SpeechRater technology to provide personalized feedback on the nuances of speech, helping students refine their delivery for TOEFL success and beyond.
Join us as we uncover the balance between leveraging technology and preserving the human element in language learning. Whether you’re a student, teacher, or language enthusiast, this episode is packed with insights to help you ace your speaking skills and unlock your global potential.
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All right, let's jump into TOEFL scores. You know, those like super important numbers for international students.
They're hoping to study in the U.S. and we've got some research from Northern Arizona University that really like flips the script on what we think we know about these scores. Yeah, what's really interesting to me is this study focuses on students who got perfect scores on the TOEFL-IBT speaking test. Perfect scores.
And it shows some really interesting things about how those scores actually work in the real world. Yeah, it's almost like, OK, you got perfect score, but now you're in a U.S. classroom. And what happens? This research shows even then how people see your accent can be really important.
(1:13 - 1:17)
Exactly. You would think a perfect score. I mean, you sound just like a native speaker, right? Yeah.
(1:18 - 1:59)
But surprisingly, U.S. undergrad students still thought these perfect scoring speakers had noticeable accents. Oh, wow. That's a big deal.
So does this mean does this mean the test itself? It's more about like being understood. We call that intelligibility instead of like how much effort it takes to understand someone, which is comprehensibility. It's a good question.
The TOEFL, like a lot of standardized tests, it's trying to see how good your language is. But this research shows that spoken language is complicated and how those little details can affect how you communicate in the real world, even if you're really good at the test. So you can be totally understandable, you know, good grammar, good vocabulary.
(2:00 - 2:08)
Yeah. But people still have to like work harder to understand you. I can see how that's a problem, especially in a busy school environment, especially for someone who wants to be a teacher.
(2:09 - 2:19)
Exactly. And that's where this study gets even more interesting. These perfect scoring speakers, they were generally seen as fine for group work, but their scores for acceptability as a teacher were lower.
(2:20 - 2:22)
Really? So it's like undergrads. Yeah. Have different expectations.
(2:23 - 2:30)
Yeah. For their professors spoken English than they do for their classmates. They want their professors to be super clear, really easy to understand.
(2:30 - 2:35)
Right. Which makes sense. Lectures can be hard enough without having to figure out a strong accent, too.
(2:36 - 2:48)
Yeah, exactly. And professors have to use more complicated words. They have to explain abstract ideas.
They answer questions. So clear pronunciation is even more important in that setting. Right.
So we're seeing this gap. Yeah. Between a perfect TOEFL score.
(2:48 - 3:02)
Yeah. And how fluent people actually sound in a real situation. But here's where the researchers get really serious.
They went beyond just opinions and started to analyze how the speech actually sounded, the acoustic features. Yeah. Interesting.
(3:02 - 3:11)
They looked at things like how fast people were speaking, how many pauses they had, and something called pitch range. Okay. These are subtle things.
(3:12 - 3:38)
Yeah. But they affect how we hear someone's accent and fluency. Right.
And this is where technology comes in. The researchers used AI tools to measure these things. It reminds me of MySpeakingScore, that TOEFL prep tool that tons of students use, over 100,000.
It uses speech rater technology, which analyzes those same things to help students improve their spoken English. Yeah. It's amazing how technology is changing language learning and how we test language.
(3:39 - 4:15)
Tools like MySpeakingScore can give feedback on all those little details of how you speak, something that normal classrooms often miss. It's like having a pronunciation coach in your pocket. Pretty cool.
But let's get back to the research. What did they find out about these acoustic features and how they relate to what people hear? This is where it gets really interesting. For anyone studying with the TOEFL, especially the speaking part, the study found that speaking faster with fewer pauses and shorter bursts between pauses made people think you were easier to understand and better at teaching.
(4:15 - 4:48)
It was not just about getting rid of an accent. It's also about being fluent and having a rhythm that sounds natural to native speakers, especially at a university. Exactly.
And that's something technology like SpeechRater can help with. Imagine you're practicing your speaking for the TOEFL and MySpeakingScore, which uses SpeechRater, can give you feedback on those little pauses, the length of those bursts between pauses, helping you adjust your speed to be more fluent. Wow.
It's like seeing your speech under a microscope, right? You can see those little habits. That might be messing up your clarity. This kind of feedback is like gold.
(4:49 - 5:28)
But it makes me wonder, if these things are so important for being understood, shouldn't they be a bigger part of TOEFL prep and even the test itself? It's a good point. For a long time, TOEFL prep has been all about grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, the basics of language. But this research says we need to go further.
We need to focus on how you deliver spoken English, those subtle things that make you easy to understand, especially in a tough environment like a university lecture hall. It's like the difference between knowing the notes on a piano and actually playing a piece of music right. You need both the skills and the artistry to really communicate.
(5:28 - 5:44)
And this study is saying those little details of how we speak are super important for how we proceed, especially when we're teaching. Absolutely. And it's important for teachers, too.
Think about it. You're teaching a TOEFL prep course. Now you have this research to help you teach better, to focus on things like connected speech rhythm pacing.
(5:44 - 5:53)
So we're moving towards a more well-rounded way of teaching language. It's not just about checking boxes on a test. It's about helping students communicate in real situations.
(5:54 - 6:13)
Exactly. And that's where AI can really shine, by giving personalized feedback on all those little details. AI tools, like MySpeakingScore, can help close the gap between getting a high score on a test and actually being able to use the language confidently in a real academic setting.
(6:13 - 6:31)
It makes me think about international students who might not have access to good language instruction. These AI tools could really help make things fair, give them the resources and support they need to do well on the TOEFL and in their studies. It's like making knowledge and opportunity available to everyone.
(6:31 - 6:42)
That's a powerful idea. And it's not just about test scores. It's about giving people the power to reach their goals in school and work, to connect with others, and to share their unique perspectives with the world.
(6:42 - 7:10)
That's awesome. But let's not get carried away. We've been talking a lot about AI tools, but the research itself found some other interesting things about those acoustic features.
Did you want to talk about those? Yeah, totally. We've talked about speaking rate and pauses, that rhythm and fluency thing. But what about pitch range, like the highs and lows of her voice? Right.
That was a really interesting finding. It actually kind of surprised me. They found that a narrower pitch range gained higher comprehensibility ratings.
(7:10 - 7:32)
Oh, that's interesting. I thought like a wider pitch range, you know, more ups and downs would make the speech more lively and engaging, easier to follow. It seems kind of counterintuitive, right? But it looks like for non-native speakers, a narrower pitch range might actually help listeners understand them better, maybe because it's closer to the pitch range of native speakers, especially in formal settings like lectures.
(7:32 - 8:05)
So it's not just about losing the accent completely. It's about knowing what parts of your pronunciation to work on to be as clear as possible and make it easier for the listener. And this is where technology like SpeechRater can help.
It can analyze your pitch range and tell you what to adjust. Yeah, exactly. Imagine you're practicing for the TOEFL speaking test and my speaking score with SpeechRater tells you, hey, maybe try narrowing your pitch range a little bit here.
It might make your speech clearer and sound more natural to a native speaker. It's like having a personal coach giving you tips to improve. So cool.
(8:06 - 8:28)
But this makes me think about standardized tests in general. If they're not really measuring these important parts of speaking, like fluency, rhythm, even pitch, are they really doing their job? That's a big question a lot of people are asking, and it's causing a lot of discussion in language testing. Some people say tests like the TOEFL focus too much on grammar and vocabulary and miss those real-world communication skills we've been talking about.
(8:29 - 9:22)
So are we moving towards a future where AI takes over language testing, where algorithms can analyze not just what we say, but how we say it, giving a more complete picture of our speaking ability? It's definitely possible AI can create tests that are more dynamic and personalized, adapting to each person's strengths and weaknesses. Imagine a test that not only checks your vocabulary, but also looks at your pacing, your pauses, your pitch, giving you feedback to improve your speaking in a holistic way. That sounds amazing.
But what about the human side of language learning? Are we going to rely too much on technology and forget about things like human interaction, cultural exchange, all those things that make learning a language so enriching? You're right. It's about finding the right balance. Technology is a powerful tool, but it shouldn't replace human connection because language is all about communication, connecting with others, understanding different cultures, seeing the world from different perspectives.
(9:23 - 9:34)
So we need to use the power of technology. But remember that language is ultimately about people. It's about finding that balance where AI and human interaction work together to create a truly amazing learning experience.
(9:35 - 10:05)
Well said. It's really exciting to be involved in language education right now, seeing these new developments and how they're shaping the future of communication and connection all over the world. That's a great point.
And I think it's a perfect place to wrap up our deep dive for today. But before we go, I want to leave you with something to think about as AI becomes more and more part of language learning. What role will you play in this? Will you embrace these new tools and possibilities or stick with the old ways? The choice is yours.
But one thing is for sure, the future of language learning is happening now and you have the chance to be a part of it.
