Before the start of each semester, the ESL Program conducts placement testing for students coming to BGSU for the first time, whose first language is not English. Both graduate and undergraduate students,  if their first language is not English, need to test regardless if they have attended other English speaking universities or have lived in the United States prior to attending BGSU.

Frequently Asked Questions...

How do I know if my ‘first language’ is English?

While this issue can be tricky for some multilingual students, try asking yourself the following questions to determine your primary language:

What language did I grow up using at home and/or in school?

What language do I regularly dream in?

If I curse/swear or am surprised, what language do I use?

When out at a restaurant or store, do people ask me to repeat things often?

When I feel ‘in love’ or angry, what language do I use to express it?

What language is that little voice in my head speaking?

If you are still unsure or have questions as to whether your ‘first language’ is or is not English, please contact Program Director, Kate Spike (kspike@bgsu.edu ) to discuss your concern.

What is this placement test for?

Placement testing allows the university to evaluate whether you will need English support courses in order to overcome language and communication barriers native speakers of English may not have. The goal of this program is to help you succeed in your academic and professional future by supporting your English growth and development and to maintain the academic excellence BGSU demands of its students.

But, I already took the TOEFL. Why doesn’t this exam count? Why do I still need to take the English Placement Test?

You may have already had to take the TOEFL exam to become accepted to BGSU. If so, the TOEFL served the purpose of getting you admission to the university but does not exempt you from taking the English Placement Test once you arrive here. Different departments have different requirements about the TOEFL; some departments require a higher score than others, and some departments don’t require the TOEFL at all. Therefore, the English Placement Test upon arrival at BGSU ensures that everyone is being assessed in the same way for their English skills.

Additionally, around the world, there are different versions of the TOEFL being given. In some countries, the new IBT TOEFL is being used, but in other places, the paper and pencil version of the TOEFL is still given. It is difficult to compare these very different tests with each other and to come up with fair analysis of what the results really mean. Furthermore, in the older version of the test, there is no speaking component to the exam.

Most importantly, the TOEFL is a standardized form of assessment that does not necessarily reflect the academic demands of BGSU. Some students score very high on the TOEFL but have a difficult time understanding their professors, colleagues, and course expectations. On the other hand, there are students who don’t score as high on the TOEFL and who succeed in their academic programs without much outside support. BGSU’s English Placement Test is designed specifically for BGSU students. It assesses the specific skills that BGSU students need to succeed in their given field of study.

For all the above reasons, the TOEFL is not a substitute for the English Placement Test upon arrival at BGSU.

Some other universities don’t make their students take extra English classes. Why does BGSU do so?

In many universities, if it is determined that your English is not at a high enough level, you will not be allowed to enroll in any of your department classes. You may be placed in an Intensive English Program (IEP) and have to do ONLY English courses until your English improves. At BGSU, once accepted to the university, you will begin your studies in your given department immediately. The ESL courses at BGSU are supplementary courses that you are allowed to take at the same time as your department core courses instead of having to do only English first.

What do I have to ‘do’ in this test?

Placement testing consists of two parts: a timed-writing and an oral evaluation.

The written portion, which is usually held in the morning, asks you to write a persuasive/argumentative, academic essay, using general writing conventions such as introduction, thesis statement, and supporting points with evidence or examples. You will have one hour to compose this essay on a choice of given prompts. You will not be permitted to use dictionaries, books, the Internet, or any other resource; however, you will have the option of writing your essay by hand or typing it on a computer.

The oral evaluation consists of a 10-15 minute interview with one or two ESL trained staff members. You need to sign up for your lab location (for the written portion) and interview time at the Center for International Programs Orientation meeting. If you are unable to attend the orientation meeting, please contact the ESL office to sign up for the appropriate testing times and locations.

Please note: ALL interviews will be conducted the same day after the written portion of the test and your interview will be recorded in case future re-evaluation is called for.

Do Teaching Assistants have to take placement testing?

According to the Ohio Board of Regents, Bowling Green State University must comply with the Pringle Law, which requires us to assess the oral English proficiency of all teaching assistants providing classroom instruction to students and to ensure that teaching assistants who are not orally proficient in the English language attain such proficiency prior to providing classroom instruction to students. 

Therefore, instead of the interview, you will take the ITA Oral Proficiency Test. We ask that you prepare a 7-10 minute interactive teaching mini-lesson related to your field of study. For this teaching presentation you will need to:

• Explain and illustrate a concept related to your academic field in a 7-10 minute interactive mini-lesson. Please be aware of your time limit as you prepare. You will be stopped after 10 minutes. 
• Pretend that you are teaching this concept to a room of undergraduate students who are not familiar with the topic.
• Use any appropriate visual aids for the mini-lesson that you feel are necessary; however, we advise against bringing in computer projectors or other technology which may take too long to set up, or could malfunction, impairing your performance. In the room there will be markers, a whiteboard (or chalkboard and chalk), and an overhead projector to use at your discretion.
• At the end of your mini-lesson, we will allow up to 5 minutes for you to answer questions from the “students” on the panel.

Your oral proficiency will be evaluated by a panel of approximately 2-5 people, who may be evaluators, undergraduate students, or even people from your department. After your test, the ESL Program will discuss your placement in consultation with your department.

Please contact the ESL Office 419-372-8205 or e-mail eslprog@bgsu.edu for more information.

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