Prepping for the TOEFL iBT Writing test, Gangnam style

Abstract This study reports on four Korean students’ test preparation practices for the TOEFL iBT Writing section and their perceptions of the effectiveness of direct test preparation in improving their test scores and overall writing skills. In-depth interviews with the participants indicated that it is commonplace among prospective Korean test takers to seek commercialized coaching services from hagwons—private cram schools—in which experienced teachers undertake two major tasks: (1) providing formulaic writing models and feedback on pupils’ writing and (2) imparting ideas for the Independent Writing task. Cramming for the test takes place systematically, with the teachers in the hagwon industry using an optimized instructional scaffold—templates. The findings are discussed in relation to the test-wiseness strategies of learning templates by rote and engaging in writing tasks almost on autopilot and their potential to affect the validity of TOEFL iBT Writing section scores.