I used to tell people, when I spoke to educators outside Japan, that EIKEN was the biggest test they’d never heard of. I can’t use that line anymore. Over the past six years, acceptance of EIKEN scores by U.S. and Australian colleges and universities, and general interest in the test among international educators, has grown far beyond what any of us imagined possible when, in 2003, we launched a long-term project to introduce Japan’s national English test to the international community. I’ll tell you how we did it, why it’s working, what it means for Japan, and how it involves the JALT community. I’ll also debunk a few myths, expose a trade secret or two, and subject participants to a hands-on experience of the pain (and, perhaps, fun) experienced daily by the editors who prepare EIKEN test items.
