The International Business Communication Institute (IIBC), which implements and operates the TOEIC® Program in Japan, believes that many English learners in Japan have learned from middle school and high school English textbooks, so they are focusing on improving the English skills acquired through textbooks. Focusing on vocabulary as one of the constructing concepts, we asked Professor Yuji Ushiro of the University of Tsukuba and Tatsuya Komuro of the University of Tsukuba Graduate School to assist in analysis.
In a survey commissioned by IIBC from Professor Yuji Ushiro of the University of Tsukuba, it was found that the vocabulary used in the TOEIC Listening & Reading Test (TOEIC L&R) and the TOEIC Bridge Listening & Reading Tests (TOEIC Bridge L&R) was We investigated the extent to which the vocabulary corresponds to the vocabulary used in the test.
As a result of the survey, approximately 91% of the vocabulary learned in middle and high school English textbooks* is covered by the vocabulary used in TOEIC Bridge L&R for beginner-intermediate students.Based on the same criteria, it covered approximately 71% of the vocabulary used in TOEIC L&R.
When you hear the word "TOEIC," you tend to think that it is a test for business people, and you tend to think that it contains a lot of business-specific vocabulary, but as a result of looking at the trends in frequently occurring vocabulary in this survey, we found that It has become clear that many vocabulary words used in the TOEIC L&R and TOEIC Bridge L&R are also included.It was also discovered that both TOEIC L&R and TOEIC Bridge L&R are tests that use many collocations and fixed expressions.
Based on the above, studying for the TOEIC L&R and TOEIC Bridge L&R exams not only increases the frequency of encountering basic vocabulary, but also increases opportunities to come into contact with fixed expressions used in everyday life. It is thought that it will be useful not only for students but also for improving their English skills.
The middle and high school English textbooks used in this research are aimed at beginner-intermediate English students, although they do not use common vocabulary and the topics covered vary depending on the textbook. The TOEIC Bridge L&R vocabulary coverage rate was extremely high.From this, it can be said that TOEIC Bridge L&R is aimed at a wide range of people, including not only business people but also middle and high school students.It is estimated that the coverage rate may increase even further in the future as second-year and third-year high school textbooks are revised based on the new curriculum guidelines.
*Junior high school English textbooks are certified textbooks (4 middle school companies, 4 high school companies) based on the new curriculum guidelines for 2.High school grades 2 and 3 are based on the old curriculum guidelines.
