SPEAK & TOEFL Exams

SPEAK Test  

The SPEAK Test, which is administered by the English Language Center, is offered in January, April, July, August, and November of each calendar year.  The test is used by ODU to assess the general English speaking ability of potential international teaching assistants who are nonnative speakers of English.

The next SPEAK Test is on April 18, 2013.  The first testing session will begin at 12:30pm.  Registration will be open one more prior to the test date and will remain open until all spots are filled.  There is a $100 fee for the test.  Students that take the SPEAK Test in April can retake the test in July.  After the April 18th SPEAK Test, the next SPEAK Test will be on July 19th.

TEST REGISTRATION:  Students must come to the English Language Center (Dragas Hall 1108) to register for the SPEAK test.  Upon registering, students will receive a SPEAK practice test booklet.  Any registering student must bring a letter from her/his department that states that the student will be a TA upon receiving a passing SPEAK Test score.  Alternatively, an email with a list of names and UINs is acceptable as long as those students will be TAs upon passing the SPEAK.  Please send this email to Greg Flick (gflick@odu.edu).  Students taking the SPEAK test as part of the Graduate Pronunciation course must also register for the test at the ELC.

SPEAK RESULTS:  A passing SPEAK score is 50 out of 60.  A score of 45 out of 60 qualifies the student to participate in the retesting presentation held in late August and early January before the start of the fall and spring semesters.  Please note that the retesting presentation is different from the SPEAK Test.  Although an ELC representative may participate in scoring the retesting presentations, the presentations are administered through the Office of Graduate Studies. 

Once a student achieves a 45 on the SPEAK Test, he/she is eligible to participate in any future retesting presentation session until successfully passing the test.  This includes being in multiple retesting presentation sessions over time. 

In addition, students who receive a SPEAK test score of 45 are also eligible to take the SPEAK test again to pass the SPEAK test and bypass the necessity of the retest presentation.  However, students who take the July SPEAK cannot take the August SPEAK; likewise, students who take the November SPEAK cannot take the January SPEAK.

Students who have already passed the SPEAK Test and/or retest presentation are not eligible to take the SPEAK additional times.                           

TOEFL Exam  

The paper-based (PBT) TOEFL is generally administered approximately once a semester, January to December.  Students register in person and pay $45 at the ELC office in 1108 Dragas Hall.  The scores on the PBT are acceptable at Old Dominion University only.

**Test-takers should arrive 30 minutes prior to the posted exam start time.**

Upcoming exam dates:                        May 1, 2013 - 1pm

                                                                  August 19, 2013 - 9am

                                                                  November 23, 2013 - 9am