Introduction

BEST Test of English Proficiency (BESTEP)

Introduction

The Ministry of Education (MOE) launched The Program on Bilingual Education for Students in College, referred to as the BEST program, with the goals of building a bilingual teaching and learning environment in colleges and universities, strengthening the English proficiency of college- and university-level students, and promoting EMI courses to enhance the overall international competitiveness of higher education in Taiwan. The MOE also seeks to foster positive interactions between English teaching, learning, and assessment programs at colleges and universities. This entails aligning these programs with specific language standards, tracking students' learning progress, and providing an understanding of how a learning institution's courses affect performance on assessments. To address these needs the MOE has commissioned the Language Training & Testing Center (LTTC) to develop and administer the BEST Test of English Proficiency, referred to in short as BESTEP.

The BESTEP speaking and writing tests will be officially launched in September 2023, with the listening and reading tests scheduled for launch in December of the same year. Together, these four elements of BESTEP offer a comprehensive assessment of English proficiency.

Features

• BESTEP is an academic-oriented English proficiency test developed specifically for domestic college students.
• BESTEP focuses on assessing general academic English and English communication skills in relevant learning and workplace situations.
• BESTEP can be linked to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
• BESTEP levels cover CEFR A2 to B2, thereby effectively measuring a wide range of English proficiency levels.

Targeted Test Takers

• Undergraduate and graduate students who have taken courses related to English for Academic Purposes (EAP) in the Key Cultivation Universities and Key Cultivation Colleges subsidized by the MOE's BEST program.
• College/university students, graduate students, the general public, etc. who need academic-oriented English proficiency assessment.

Score Use

• BESTEP provides an understanding of the current situation in regard to the English proficiency level of students and helps track the learning effectiveness of general English and academic English courses.
• BESTEP provides proof of English language proficiency for graduation requirements, academic studies, and job applications.

Speaking Test

The BESTEP speaking test is conducted in audio-visual or computer classrooms. All test takers are seated in front of a computer and record their responses simultaneously. The speaking test includes three parts: Answering Questions, Expressing Opinions, and Giving a Short Presentation. The duration of the speaking test is approximately 15 minutes. The task types, preparation, and response time are as follows:

Equivalents CEFR levels for Speaking Test

Writing test

The BESTEP writing test is in the form of a paper-based test. The writing test includes three parts: Answering Questions, Expressing Opinions, and Writing an Integrated Essay. The duration of the writing test is 50 minutes. The task types, the recommended number of words and test time are as follows:

*Suggested response time, not mandatory

Equivalents CEFR levels for Writing Test

BESTEP Website：www.bestep.tw

財團法人語言訓練測驗中心(LTTC) https://www.lttc.ntu.edu.tw

The Language Training and Testing Center (LTTC) was established in 1951 and has been registered with Taiwan’s Ministry of Education (MOE) as a nonprofit educational foundation since 1986. The mission of the LTTC is to develop and provide various language teaching, training, and testing services. It is the first institution in Taiwan to provide courses and testing services in English, Japanese, French, German, Spanish, Korean and other languages.

The training program offers language courses in English, Japanese, French, German, Spanish, Korean, and other languages to staff members of government organizations, schools, private institutions, and to the general public. Over the years, The number of students has reached 500,000.

Key Partner in Bilingual Education

A driving force in foreign language education in Taiwan, the LTTC endeavors to keep pace with the country’s education reforms. To address challenges arising from the 2030 Bilingual Policy, the LTTC works closely with government agencies and educational institutes to tailor our products and services to the needs of students and educators. For example, we provide professional development courses for EMI and CLIL teachers, develop CLIL classroom assessment tools, and conduct follow-up research on CLIL student learning. These efforts have given us rich experience in tripartite government–industry–university collaboration and service.

The testing program provides various language proficiency tests, some developed by the LTTC itself and others conducted on behalf of its overseas partners. Approximately 400,000 people in total now take tests through the LTTC each year.

Tests developed and administered by the LTTC

• The General English Proficiency Test (GEPT)
• College Student English Proficiency Test (CSEPT)
• Foreign Language Proficiency Test (FLPT)
• GEPT Kids

Tests administered on behalf of the LTTC’s international partners

• Cambridge English Qualifications
• Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT)
• Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU)
• Japanese Tour Guide Examination (JTG)
• Test Deutsch als Fremdsprache (TestDaF)
• Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK)
• Computer Based Tests (TOEFL iBT, GRE )

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