Taking TOEFL to the top: Helping college students

1. Development of TOEFL –PBT  CBT  iBT –Perceived by test takers as ‘more difficult’ –Why iBT? –High TOEFL scores but cannot communicate –

2. What’s new?: Crucial features of TOEFL iBT –RLSW (receptive and productive skills) –About 4 hrs in total –Total scores of –Note-taking allowed –Communicative competence –Academic communication –Authentic communication

Reading –3 reading texts of about 700 words each (39-40 items) –Each of about questions –60 minutes –Range of scores: 0-30 –Sometimes two additional tests, longer format

Listening –Two types of listening tasks –Academic lectures (4 topics) and campus conversation/discussion (2 pieces) –25-30 minutes, questions –Range of scores: 0-30 –No more short conversations –Variety of accents heard –Sometimes two additional tests, longer format/long listening

Speaking –6 S activities –2 independent and 4 integrated –2 independent activities (15 sec for prep, 45 sec for speaking of each activity) –Be watchful for sounds –2 integrated tasks of R, L, and S (30 sec for prep, 60 sec for S) –2 tasks of integrated L and S (20 sec for prep, 60 sec for S) –20 minutes –Range of scores: 0-30

Writing –Two types of W tasks –Integrated task and independent task –Integrated W (R for 3 minutes, L to a lecture, W summarizing or expressing personal opinions) for 20 minutes of words –Independent W (one topic/question provided) for 30 minutes of words –55 minutes –W tasks  challenging –Range of scores: 0-30

Potential obstacles The clock ticking Uncontrolled interference Authenticity of communication tasks iBT inherent errors

3. Tips Reading tips –Read frequently –Read variety of texts and disciplines/subject areas/ academic in styles, found in university courses –Scanning skill –Skimming skill –Vocabulary in context –Speed reading –References (pronouns) –Inferencing skill –Variety of text types –Note-taking

B.Listening tips Variety of types and disciplines Resources for listening material and websites Don’t be distracted by styles and delivery Pragmatic understanding and awareness: purpose (apologizing, complaining, suggesting), attitude, degree of certainty, gesture, facial expression Language register (casual vs formal) Tone of voice, calm vs emotional, degree of certainty Suprasegmental features Note-taking

C.Speaking tips Note-taking See topics listed and 1 minute response practice Summarizing skills Paraphrasing Work on pronunciation, Jot down a few key words and ideas, Use signal words and phrases to introduce new information or ideas, to connect ideas (“on one hand...” “but on the other hand...”, “what that means is...”, “The first reason is...”, “another difference is...”)

D. Writing Tips Outlining skills to write a summary Note-taking Paraphrasing skills Summarizing Plagiarism State an opinion/a preference then support Limited time Conventions:spelling/punctuation/lay out Organization Signal words and phrases, such as “on one hand” or “in conclusion”

In a nutshell, to succeed in TOEFL –Computer skills –Outlining skills –Paraphrasing skills –Summarizing skills –Organization skills –Suprasegmental/paralinguistic features –Academic contexts likely to encounter (e.g., library, office hours, registration, late homework, absence, missing finals, making appointments)