S. Tong
5/26/2026
Research Articles
Volume 2, Issue 2
https://doi.org/10.67419/jyi.v2i2.13
Abstract
Standardized English proficiency tests such as the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) serve as gatekeepers to higher education for millions of students each year, yet the assumption that a single timed test fairly measures a student's ability is seldom examined critically. This review consolidates research on the global testing industry across three connected questions raised by the field: how standardized tests fail diverse learners, how the commercial testing business profits from exclusion, and how assessment might be reimagined beyond a single score. Drawing on educational psychology, language assessment, and the political economy of education, and using the theory of test validity and fairness as a connecting thread, the review argues that a standardized test measures something real but narrow, and does so under conditions that introduce systematic disadvantage for students who think, process information, or approach knowledge differently. The aim is to bring dispersed evidence within reach of students, educators, and admissions practitioners who encounter these concerns one at a time rather than as parts of a single problem.