Test of English Communication in the Workplace: TEC-W

Background

          Since 2018, National Institute of Educational Testing Service (Public Organization) or NIETS was primary for measurement development of English language proficiency related to working environment. As the fundamental education of measurement and evaluation development, this project was advanced to create the Test of English Communication in the Workplace: TEC-W based on the standard of CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages). Therefore, TEC-W is the national test which represent the first of Thailand’s English testing. It can be equivalent to an international level testing as TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication) but has application fee cheaper

Objective:

1. To test English skills and competency for workplace communications according to standard criteria of The Common European Framework or Reference for Language or CEFR
2. The test results would support improvement of English skills for working communications
3. The test results would be applied for guideline the development policy and enhancing the human efficiency in English communication skills.

Development

TEC-W Testing has been conducted and developed by academic standard from research process in order to define test construct and to verify standard setting. Therefore, it can reach high level of reliability. There are important processes of development and testing quality examination which are

1. To study needs and assessment, we invited experts and professors from renowned universities and representative entrepreneur to review preferable skills that most employees must be improved. These would be defined the form of test specification and the evaluation of English proficiency in vocational education and the bachelor degree level.
2. To create base on the frame of The Common European Framework of Reference for languages or CEFR which applied for measuring English proficiency in the international standard. The listening skills testing is an outstanding point of this test.
3. The production process and testing development are qualified in all standards of validity which are construct validity, content validity, concurrent validity. Furthermore, in the step of testing try out, we verify quality of reliability, difficulty and discrimination in order to screen the quality of standard test.
4. The reliability of testing means whether or not several time of testing will get the similar results from the same applicants. And the objectivity of test can be examined easily and always be derived identical score.
5. Every test papers have parallel copies which can be compatible their simplicity and difficulty according to Test Blueprint. Each time of testing, therefore, any test paper which applicants have been received can be compared with other test papers in terms of quality and it is impossible that applicants will repeatedly face the same test paper they used to be tested.  

Target and Framework

TEC-W examination has tested English proficiency for workplace communication which cover 4 important skills namely, 1) Listening 2) Speaking 3) Reading and 4) Writing. The digital testing system has been used through examination process. The target applicants are students, employees and ordinary people who need to apply their English proficiency score for job application and career path promotion.

The test context derived from current situation that would happen in university and working life, accordingly it is authenticity. The examination is an objective test which have 100 questions, 25 questions for each skill. It takes time for 90 minutes digital testing which listening and speaking sections use information listened from recorder to answer questions.  

Result

          Each result of test paper will report English competency in 2 level which were:

B1 An intermediate user

Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. Can deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken. Can produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest. Can describe experiences and events, dreams, hope & ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.

B2 A high intermediate user

Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialization. Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party. Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.

The test results were used to conduct the study of concurrent validity which can be compared standards with TOEIC testing. It found that TEC-W and TOEIC had high level of correlation which meant that applicants who got high score from TOEIC could have high score from TEC-W also. Moreover, it would present exact English proficiency and its results can be applied for improving studying and teaching English classes, but for business sectors usage, NIETS has to follow up responses and feedbacks within 5 years for further data reflected their actual English skills capability assessment in order to prepare value added predictive information.

Application fee

Undergraduate student         300 THB

Ordinary individual             600 THB

There were links related to TEC-W as following:

• TEC-W online application manual

Schedule of test program

There were 4 times of examination per year. Our official website can be reached for updated status of program and score result report. For year 2024, the digital testing schedule details as below.

Testing schedule for examination site in nationwide

Testing schedule for examination hall at NIETS