Each student may have different goals and motivations for taking this course. You may need TOEFL to enter university, fulfill a university requirement in your home country, or get a job. You may simply want to study TOEFL to improve your English ability. Regardless of your purpose, the chief objective of this course is to raise students' scores on all sections of the iBT (internet Based TOEFL).
This will be done in a variety of ways:
- familiarizing students with the different questions types
- practicing different strategies for the different question types
- improving general listening ability, reading and writing ability
- improving both general and TOEFL-specific speaking skills
- practicing note taking based on conversation and lectures (an essential academic skill!)
- studying relevant grammar points
- studying common TOEFL academic topics
- improving academic and technical vocabulary
- practicing the test both on paper and on the computer
Structure of this Course
This course operates on a three-month cycle. In three months we will cover all of the question types and as many of the TOEFL academic topics as possible. This course will be using the new iBT format to prepare students for the new internet-based test (iBT). Students may join at any time in this cycle and study for as long as they like. Some students study for more than three months; repeating material is not always a bad idea. Some students study for only one month. The time it takes to achieve the score you want depends on your skill level when you begin and how hard you study.
Materials
The teacher will supplement with materials from a wide range of TOEFL books. These materials will be provided as photocopies, the cost of which is included in your materials fee. If you feel you need extra practice or additional materials, ask your teacher. He will be happy to make copies for you (as long as you don't want an entire book copied).
The Computer Practice Test
• Many students prepare for the TOEFL by doing paper-based practice. This is valuable experience. However, gaining experience with the internet-based test format is critical. One of the major goals of PPC TOEFL is to prepare students for the same test that they will encounter at the testing centre. This means doing computer practice tests. The computer practice test is conducted on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 4:30 pm. This practice test is mandatory. Scores are recorded and students are given a mini-evaluation, which includes their test scores and suggestions on areas of improvement.
Vocabulary Development
A large part of studying TOEFL is developing vocabulary. At PPC TOEFL, we follow the principle of found vocabulary. That is, all vocabulary we study is found in our materials each day, both listening and reading. Important vocabulary is explained, examples are given on the board, and students are encouraged to keep a glossary and review new vocabulary on a regular basis. Vocabulary quizzes are regularly scheduled throughout the course. Vocabulary development is a slow and painstaking process, and we avoid studying simple wordlists. Extra vocabulary packages are available for students who wish to have them.
Writing
The new iBT TOEFL test involves two writing tasks. One is an integrated writing task, where students first read a 100-word passage for three minutes and then listen to a 2-3 minute lecture that relates to the passage in some way. Upon listening to the passage, they are given 20 minutes to write a 150-225-word answer to the writing question, which usually asks in which way the information in the lecture relates to the information in the reading. The other writing task is the independent task, or personal opinion essay, where students are requested to produce a 250-300-word essay based on any given topic in 30 minutes. The writing section of the iBT is considered one of the most challenging parts of the test. However, the basics of organization and technique are quite simple and can be mastered in just a few weeks. Essentially, it becomes a matter of developing active vocabulary and grammar and sentence structure skills.
Student essays are evaluated according to five criteria:
...answering the question
...organization
...support, details and explanation.
...correct English usage
...word choice and sentence variety
Students receive weekly practice in all of these areas. We study all of the basic question types and how to answer them, practice common English written expressions, expand active vocabulary and analyze samples of both integrated and independent writing tasks. Every week students must write either an integrated or an independent writing task – sometimes both. Although many students find that completing an iBT writing task within the allocated time frame is daunting at first, they eventually succeed in producing good writing tasks within iBT standards.
Speaking
The new iBT TOEFL test has a new section that has been incorporated into our course. Communicating is a vital part of English learning and one the most important parts of assessing English proficiency. Students will practice speaking in many forms such as: summarizing, conversation, and expressing oneself. It is a big change but one that will help students of English to increase their proficiency and confidence in speaking to native speakers. All six question types, 2 independent and 4 integrated questions, are thoroughly covered and practiced on a regular basis. Speaking is also fun!
NOTE FROM THE TEACHER
Studying TOEFL does not have to be a headache. Consider the test as a puzzle. Enjoy learning about the different topics. Understand why you are studying TOEFL, and learn to maintain your motivation. The students I have seen who are successful and achieve their goals are the students who have clearly decided to do well, come to class, complete all homework and smile. I am here to help you, and I do it with passion!
