STEP EIKEN
Encyclopedia
— informally, ; often called STEP EIKEN or the STEP Test — is an English language
test conducted by a Japanese non-profit organization, the Society for Testing English Proficiency, Inc. (STEP), and backed by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT
).
. There are seven levels that examinees either pass or fail. The levels (級 kyū) are called grades:
Eiken is a four-skills test, assessing a combination of receptive and productive skills. In addition to reading and listening, Eiken Grades 1, Pre-1, 2, Pre-2, and 3 include a speaking test. Grades 1 and Pre-1 include a handwritten composition
task.
, reading
, listening, and writing
) and the second stage (speaking). Only those who pass the first stage can progress to the second stage. The second stage is conducted about one month after the first stage. Applicants who pass both stages receive certification.
English teachers in junior high schools and high schools in Japan often encourage their students to take the Eiken. Approximately 18,000 schools serve as test sites. Japanese high schools and universities often grant preferential status to student applicants who have passed a specified Eiken grade, such as waiving the English portion of the school's entrance examination.
In its 2003 strategic initiative "Japanese with English Abilities" and 2011 follow-up , MEXT designated Eiken Grade 3 as a benchmark proficiency level for junior high school graduates, Grades 2 and Pre-2 for high school graduates, and Grade Pre-1 for English teachers.
In fiscal 2010, examinees for all Eiken grades totaled approximately 2.3 million. According to the STEP website, the test has been taken by over 80 million applicants since its inception in 1963.
and the United States
, approximately 350 colleges and universities recognize Eiken Grade 2, Grade 2A, Grade Pre-1, and/or Grade 1 for incoming students, as of December 2010. In Australia
, the state of New South Wales
recognizes Eiken at all Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutes and all state high schools. The test is also used at institutions in Queensland, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia.
The success of the Eiken model has attracted attention from other Asian countries. The Korea Times in 2009 quoted Ahn Byong-man, Minister of Education, Science and Technology, that a new national English test being developed by the Korean Education Ministry
is based on the Eiken.
In 2003, STEP began work on the Eiken Can-do List. The finished list, published in 2006, is based on a survey of 20,000 Eiken certificate holders and is designed to investigate what “test takers believe they can accomplish in English in real-life language use situations.” The list is also available in Japanese. More recent projects include an evaluation of the EIKEN testing program carried out by international testing specialist Professor James D. Brown and a number of criterion-referenced validity studies investigating the relationship between the Eiken grades and other criterion measures of English ability.
STEP has also conducted research into the Common European Framework (CEFR)
. A comparison of Eiken Grades with the levels of the CEFR is provided on the STEP website along with a description of the research supporting the claim of relevance between the various Eiken grades and the CEFR. A report on the same project is also available in Japanese.
The Society for Testing English Proficiency administers a system of grants for independent research projects carried out by educators. Grants are not restricted to research on the Eiken tests, or testing in general, and are available for various projects investigating aspects of language education and suggestions for improving teaching and testing in Japan. Information on how to apply is available on the STEP Japanese website. Reports on these projects are published annually in the journal STEP BULLETIN.
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
test conducted by a Japanese non-profit organization, the Society for Testing English Proficiency, Inc. (STEP), and backed by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (Japan)
The , also known as MEXT or Monkashō, is one of the ministries of the Japanese government.The Meiji government created the first Ministry of Education in 1871....
).
Format and contents
Eiken is a criterion-referenced testCriterion-referenced test
A criterion-referenced test is one that provides for translating test scores into a statement about the behavior to be expected of a person with that score or their relationship to a specified subject matter. Most tests and quizzes written by school teachers are criterion-referenced tests. The...
. There are seven levels that examinees either pass or fail. The levels (級 kyū) are called grades:
| Eiken level | CEFR Common European Framework of Reference for Languages The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment, abbreviated as CEFR, is a guideline used to describe achievements of learners of foreign languages across Europe and, increasingly, in other countries... level |
MEXT benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 1 | C1 | |
| Grade Pre-1 | B2 | English teachers |
| Grade 2 | B1 | High school graduates |
| Grade Pre-2 | A2 | High school graduates |
| Grade 3 | A1 | Junior high school graduates |
| Grade 4 | A1 | |
| Grade 5 | A1 |
Eiken is a four-skills test, assessing a combination of receptive and productive skills. In addition to reading and listening, Eiken Grades 1, Pre-1, 2, Pre-2, and 3 include a speaking test. Grades 1 and Pre-1 include a handwritten composition
Composition (language)
The term composition , in written language, refers to the collective body of important features established by the author in their creation of literature...
task.
Eiken in Japan
In Japan, Eiken is conducted three times a year: January/February, June/July, and October/November. There are two stages in the test, the first stage (vocabularyVocabulary
A person's vocabulary is the set of words within a language that are familiar to that person. A vocabulary usually develops with age, and serves as a useful and fundamental tool for communication and acquiring knowledge...
, reading
Reading (process)
Reading is a complex cognitive process of decoding symbols for the intention of constructing or deriving meaning . It is a means of language acquisition, of communication, and of sharing information and ideas...
, listening, and writing
Writing
Writing is the representation of language in a textual medium through the use of a set of signs or symbols . It is distinguished from illustration, such as cave drawing and painting, and non-symbolic preservation of language via non-textual media, such as magnetic tape audio.Writing most likely...
) and the second stage (speaking). Only those who pass the first stage can progress to the second stage. The second stage is conducted about one month after the first stage. Applicants who pass both stages receive certification.
English teachers in junior high schools and high schools in Japan often encourage their students to take the Eiken. Approximately 18,000 schools serve as test sites. Japanese high schools and universities often grant preferential status to student applicants who have passed a specified Eiken grade, such as waiving the English portion of the school's entrance examination.
In its 2003 strategic initiative "Japanese with English Abilities" and 2011 follow-up , MEXT designated Eiken Grade 3 as a benchmark proficiency level for junior high school graduates, Grades 2 and Pre-2 for high school graduates, and Grade Pre-1 for English teachers.
In fiscal 2010, examinees for all Eiken grades totaled approximately 2.3 million. According to the STEP website, the test has been taken by over 80 million applicants since its inception in 1963.
Eiken outside of Japan
A number of schools outside Japan use Eiken as an admission qualification for international students. In CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, approximately 350 colleges and universities recognize Eiken Grade 2, Grade 2A, Grade Pre-1, and/or Grade 1 for incoming students, as of December 2010. In Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, the state of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
recognizes Eiken at all Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutes and all state high schools. The test is also used at institutions in Queensland, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia.
The success of the Eiken model has attracted attention from other Asian countries. The Korea Times in 2009 quoted Ahn Byong-man, Minister of Education, Science and Technology, that a new national English test being developed by the Korean Education Ministry
Education in South Korea
Education in South Korea is viewed as being crucial for success and competition is consequently very heated and fierce. A centralized administration oversees the process for the education of children from kindergarten to the third and final year of high school. Mathematics, science, Korean, social...
is based on the Eiken.
Research on the Eiken tests
In recent years, a number of large-scale research projects have been undertaken by STEP, either as in-house projects or through research grants to international testing specialists. An outline of recent projects is given on the STEP website under the heading Demonstrating validity, a list of recent projects, and includes a list of references for where results have been reported, including in edited books and peer-reviewed professional journals and presentations at research conferences.In 2003, STEP began work on the Eiken Can-do List. The finished list, published in 2006, is based on a survey of 20,000 Eiken certificate holders and is designed to investigate what “test takers believe they can accomplish in English in real-life language use situations.” The list is also available in Japanese. More recent projects include an evaluation of the EIKEN testing program carried out by international testing specialist Professor James D. Brown and a number of criterion-referenced validity studies investigating the relationship between the Eiken grades and other criterion measures of English ability.
STEP has also conducted research into the Common European Framework (CEFR)
Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment, abbreviated as CEFR, is a guideline used to describe achievements of learners of foreign languages across Europe and, increasingly, in other countries...
. A comparison of Eiken Grades with the levels of the CEFR is provided on the STEP website along with a description of the research supporting the claim of relevance between the various Eiken grades and the CEFR. A report on the same project is also available in Japanese.
The Society for Testing English Proficiency administers a system of grants for independent research projects carried out by educators. Grants are not restricted to research on the Eiken tests, or testing in general, and are available for various projects investigating aspects of language education and suggestions for improving teaching and testing in Japan. Information on how to apply is available on the STEP Japanese website. Reports on these projects are published annually in the journal STEP BULLETIN.
Other English proficiency tests
- IELTSIELTSIELTS , or 'International English Language Testing System', is an international standardised test of English language proficiency. It is jointly managed by University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations, the British Council and IDP Education Pty Ltd, and was established in 1989.There are two versions of...
, International English Language Testing System - TOEICTOEICThe Test of English for International Communication measures the ability of non-native English-speaking examinees to use English in everyday workplace activities.-Overview:...
, Test of English for International Communication - TOEFLTOEFLThe Test of English as a Foreign Language, or TOEFL , evaluates the ability of an individual to use and understand English in an academic setting....
, Test of English as a Foreign Language - TSETSE (examination)The Test of Spoken English is the most widely used assessment of spoken English worldwide, measures the ability of nonnative speakers of English to communicate effectively...
, Test of Spoken English - UBELT University of BathUniversity of BathThe University of Bath is a campus university located in Bath, United Kingdom. It received its Royal Charter in 1966....
English Language Test. - University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations
- Trinity College London ESOLTrinity College London ESOLTrinity College London ESOL is an international English Language examinations board delivering assessments in English language learning and teaching and has been offering English language examinations since 1938...