In the past few years, the Taiwan government has encouraged government employees to increase their English competence for enhanced internationalization.
Moreover, getting an English certificate is a criterion for a promotion for many
government employees. Therefore, it seems necessary for many government
employees to improve their English proficiency. The purpose of this study was to
increase government employees’ English proficiency through a TOEIC training
course. The TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication) is a test of
English proficiency used as a standard for establishing workplace English writing
skills and spoken English proficiency for non-native English speakers. The
researchers used two mock tests of the TOEIC as the research instrument. The
subjects of this project were 25 government employees in Pingtung County. First,
the subjects took the first mock test of TOEIC as the pretest. Then, the researchers
analyzed the pretest and found that the subjects’ average listening score was 94; the average reading score was 125, and the total was 219, which was well below
350—the criterion for passing. Next, the researchers provided the subjects with a
60-hour TOEIC training course (2-hours per week). After the training course, the
subjects took the second mock test of TOEIC as the post-test. Then the researchers
analyzed the post-test and found that the subjects’ average listening score and writing score were 158 and 259, respectively, and the total was 417, which was significantly higher than the 350 needed to pass. In other words, the TOEIC training course effectively improved the subjects’ English proficiency. Finally, the researchers
provide some implications for future studies and some recommendations for English
instructors and learners.
