Despite the importance of the EPS-TOPIK(Employment Permit System-Test of Proficiency in Korean) exam for those who aim to work in Korea under the EPS system, not enough studies have been done on the subject of EPS-TOPIK exam and the official Textbook. In addition, studies on representation of nationality and skin color in textbooks are rare compared to such studies on gender representation. This study investigates the Textbook which hasn't been researched enough, on the matter of representation not only based on gender but also on nationality and skin color. This study analyzes the Textbook quantitatively with the focus on the 20 main characters and qualitatively on the illustrations and texts, and suggests that the Textbook should properly represent its users who intend to work in Korea under the EPS system. Stereotypes based on nationality, preference of so-called ‘Korean’ skin tone and gender inequality should be rejected. The chapter on sexual harrassment in workplace should be revised to go against victim-shaming and to contain helpful contents for sexual harrassment survivors.

This study is aims to study the perceptions of test-takers of TOPIK by analyzing the result in a critical assesment perspective. A survey with 98 TOPIK test-takers was conducted, and in-depth interviews with 10 students were followed to delve into their emotional reactions toward the TOPIK test. The results showed that the test-takers of TOPIK considered the test as an instrument to accomplish their purpose such as entering school, continuing studies, or applying for jobs. It was found that the test-takers had suffered from mental pressure, stress when they took the test. Second, the test-takers acknowledged TOPIK to be irrelevant to evaluate practical Korean language skills which are required to stay or study in Korea. Third, most test-takers were able to access information on TOPIK through various ways, yet they recognized the ways to be insufficient and limited. Besides, the respondents expressed discomfort with the inconsiderate management system and environment of the test in particular, such as the announcement of the results, considerable distance to the test venues, and attitude of the examination supervisors. The research proposes the following suggestions to improve TOPIK. First, considering that the purpose of TOPIK is to evaluate Korean language proficiency of test-takers, the questions must be developed for assessing their authentic skills of Korean language. Second, the test environment needs to be enhanced to ensure a complete and equitable test to be conducted. Paying attention to recruiting and educating exam supervisors is also needed as well. Third, it is important to protect the test-takers’ rights over their responsibilities.

Guo, JunHua. 2018. “A Study on Test-takers' Awareness and Attitude about TOPIK Writing”. The Sociolinguistic Journal of Korea 26(1). 61~81. The purposes of this study are to investigate how TOPIK students perceive the writing area and analyze it from the point of critical assessment, and to suggest improvement directions of TOPIK writing assessment and Korean writing education. For this, 80 test-takers were conducted a questionnaire survey, and 20 of them were interviewed to elicit their thoughts, attitudes, perceptions about the TOPIK writing. As a result of analysis, the power of high - stakes testings such as TOPIK has a great influence on learners. TOPIK test-takers had difficulty and great anxiety about writing. They thought that to study for TOPIK writing is only for the sake of examination and that extra study was needed to improve their actual writing ability. Although the test-takers showed a willingness to write well in Korean, they had a negative attitude about studying writing. To solve this problem, it is necessary to solve problems of difficulty level in writing assessment such as ambiguous assessment criteria. In addition, it is also need to pay attention to the phenomenon of ‘test-oriented learning’ in Korean writing education, and to study the motivation of interest which attracts Korean learners' attention and let them have a positive attitude about writing.

본고에서는 한국어능력시험 교재의 듣기 영역에 나타난 성 고정 관념을 분석하였다. 기존 연구들의 기준을 참고로 외적ž내적 영역에 대해 분석한 결과, 외모 및 직업에서 일부 성 고정관념이 드러났으나, 독백 텍스 트의 유형별 성별 빈도에서는 유의미한 차이를 발견하지 못했다. 내적 영 역의 경우 독백 텍스트의 성별 발화 주제는 남성 화자의 발화 비중이 높아 비교가 유의미하지 않았으며, 담화 유형의 불균형성에서는 전통적인 남녀 의 심리적 특질이 드러났다. 이와 같은 분석 결과는 최근 한국 사회에서 변화의 움직임을 보이는 젠더가 추후 출판될 한국어능력시험 교재가 성 평등한 방향으로 구성되는 데에 도움을 줄 수 있다는 점에서 의의가 있다.

이 연구에서는 전통적 이독성 공식의 하나인 Dale-Chall 공식을 사용하여 한국어능력시험 11회부터 21회까지의 읽기 지문을 분석하고 산출된 이독성 지수로 각 등급별 난이도를 살펴보았다. 이 연구는 한국어와 영어에 기반한 다양한 공식 중 특히 가장 정확한 공식인 Dale-Chall 공식을 살펴보았다. 한국어능력시험의 읽기 지문 분석을 위해 공식 측정 기준을 재설정하였다. 출제된 텍스트에서 발견된 문장과 어려운 어휘의 수는 이독성과 관련이 깊었다. 상․중․하에 따른 난이도 정도는 고르게 분포되지 않았고 초급의 경우 텍스트의 난이도가 전체적으로 낮은 반면 중․고급에서는 어휘와 문장의 단어 수가 적절하게 분포되었다. 따라서 단어 난이도의 적절한 유지를 통해 텍스트의 난이도 균등성을 지킬 수 있을 것이다.