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Michael Buckhoff's TOEFL Preparation
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| Introduction | Requirements
| TOEFL Practice Tests: “Paper Based”
|
|TOEFL Practice Test Review
| TOEFL Practice Tests: “Computer Based”
|
|Top Ten TOEFL Tips for the Paper Based TOEFL
| TOEFL and the Internet |
| Extended Reading for 45 minutes
| TOEFL Success Journal |
| Suggested Course Outline
|
Before you go on, ask yourself the following questions:
1. Have you decided to go to a university or professional training program? yes or no
2. Is your goal academic success at a university? yes or no
If you answered no to the questions, go to other parts of my Web Site. If you are serious about the TOEFL, keep reading.
Just as you use tools fix a car when it has a flat tire and I hate when that happens, you need good tools to help you prepare for the TOEFL. I recommended the following:
Three ring binder/notebook, 200 sheets loose leaf college ruled notebook paper, and reinforced index dividers for each of your classes (if you are taking any). This will help you to organize yourself. To achieve success on the TOEFL Test, you need to make a plan, be consistent in your studies, and never give up on your goals. If your goal is 550, fight until you have achieved that goal.
Find a challenging TOEFL Book that will help you to recognize effective TOEFL test taking strategies. The book will also help you to diagnose your TOEFL language weaknesses. I recommend the Cambridge Preparation for the TOEFL Test by Jolene Gear
http://www.cup.org/Titles/57/0521577705.html
.
Also, if the book doesn’t provide Computer Based TOEFL instruction, find a program that offers that as well. The TestDen Internet TOEFL Trainer
http://www.TestDen.com will give you computer based TOEFL for the Computer Based TOEFL test. E-mail me and I can get you the password for a whole sale price (that means you save money!)
Head phones that plug in to the computer. You will need these when you practice the 16 hours of listening comprehension on the TestDen Internet TOEFL Trainer.
Goals
Each year, many international students come to the US to study English. Others study English as an international language in their own country. Because English is not their first language, these students try to demonstrate their competency in listening, grammar, reading, and writing by taking the TOEFL test. The test is administered by the Educational Testing Service of Princeton, New Jersey http://www.TOEFL.org. A record number of 844,993 test-takers from all over the world took the TOEFL test in 1994-1995 (“Number of Test-Takers at an All-time High” p. 1). A high score on this test “is an essential step in being admitted to graduate or undergraduate programs at almost all colleges and universities in North America” ( Rogers p. ix).
In studying TOEFL, you should set the following goals for yourself:
1. Be familiar with the directions and test-taking strategies for all sections of the computer based and paper based TOEFL test.
2. Solve listening, grammar, reading, and writing problems for the moderate to difficult TOEFL test questions.
3. Apply your existing English abilities, TOEFL knowledge, and test-taking strategies to two TOEFL practice tests.
4. Become accustomed to TOEFL test-taking conditions by working on timing and concentration while taking the practice tests.
5. Work on your general knowledge of English. Speak English whenever you can.
6. Apply the above five skills to an official paper based institutional and computer based international TOEFL test.
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If you are serious about passing the TOEFL, it is important to complete the following assignments. But remember that Rome was not built in a day. In other words, you cannot learn all you need to know about the TOEFL in one day or even one week. You need to study a little bit each day. Skill by skill, one language problem at a time you will successfully learn how to beat the TOEFL.
http://www.TestDen.com
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Take at least two practice tests during a ten week period. The practice tests will serve as a diagnostic to measure your progress from the first week of your study until the tenth week of your study. The first score will give you an approximate TOEFL score. If your score in low, don’t panic. Work hard to improve your TOEFL test scores.
After taking the practice tests, form a review group so you can discuss the incorrect answers as well as the correct answers. You can learn from your mistakes. In your study group, remember to discuss the following points:
How are you using the TOEFL test strategies to determine correct and incorrect answers?
Concentrate on the TOEFL exercises covering your weaknesses as indicated by the diagnostic and practice tests.
Focus on what you do not understand. Only a minimal amount of time should be spent on studying TOEFL language problems you already know.
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You will be able to benefit from a thorough review of the practice tests. For that reason, set aside some time after each practice test for a review. In order to have an effective review session, keep in mind the following points:
1. As you review each practice test, focus on the most frequent TOEFL language errors on the listening, grammar, and reading sections of the test with which you had difficulty. Understand how you can determine if an answer is correct or incorrect.
2. As you review the practice tests, it is important to understand how TOEFL test strategies could have been used to determine correct and incorrect answers.
3. When you review the listening exercises, refer to the tapescript to discuss each question. Be sure to buy a TOEFL book that has an answer key. Listen to the conversations and mini-talks again and again until you completely understand.
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To further increase your English language skills, I recommend that you purchase the password to the TestDen TOEFL Trainer for a cost of $69.00.
You may order it through me if you want to pay less than the retail price. Begin using this program during the second week of your studies. Go to
http://www.TestDen.com to order. Using a MAC or IBM Pentium computer, complete the TOEFL Trainer pretest and evaluation test for the listening, grammar, and reading sections of the TOEFL test.
This will give you computer based practice for the computer based TOEFL.
After these first two diagnostic tests, the TOEFL Trainer will give you a list of priority listening, grammar, and reading language skills that you need to study. I recommend that you work on the TOEFL trainer 3-4 hours a week for eight consecutive weeks. This new program has many advantages and is well worth the cost:
It is the first and only personal TOEFL study tool available on the Internet.
This unique service creates a tailored study program that shows you what to study to achieve a high TOEFL score. Because the TOEFL Trainer individualizes the instruction and because of copyright infringement laws, please do not share your password with another student.
A personalized form of TOEFL instruction, the TOEFL Trainer offers you unlimited access to over 7,000 questions.
There is over 15 hours of listening comprehension practice on the TOEFL trainer.
Increase your knowledge of everyday English
Deborah Phillips says in her book, Longman Preparation Course for the TOEFL Test Skills and Strategies:
An understanding of the TOEFL strategies and skills presented in this text can improve your TOEFL score. However, skills and strategies alone will not make you successful; a good basic knowledge of the English Language is also necessary. Therefore do not forget the general study of the English language as you work to prepare for the TOEFL test
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/asin/002-2202479-2049642
(xv).
Bruce Rogers states in his book that the best way to increase your general knowledge of English is to use English as much as you can. He says:
You can’t learn all the English you’ll need to do well on TOEFL from this guide or in a TOEFL preparation class. Other classes will be useful, as will any opportunities to speak, read, write or listen to English. Some people who are preparing for TOEFL think that conversation classes and practice are a waste of time because speaking skills are not tested on the exam. In fact, one of the best ways to get ready for the exam is to speak English whenever you can. Not only will you improve your ability to listen to everyday English, but you will learn to think in English....
http://www.Amazon.com/exec/obidos/asin/002-2202479-204962
(xxiv).
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Go to http://www.kaplan.com/intl/toefl/tips.html
to find out what to do or not when you are preparing for or taking a
paper-basedTOEFL test.
Go to http://www.toefl.org/cbabttfl.html#
suggestions to out about how to take the Computer Based TOEFL Test.
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PBT and the CBT: Some Comparisons
Go to http://www.toefl.org/2formats.html
to see a comparison of the Paper Based and the Computer Based TOEFL tests.
Consider the following advice ETS gives to students who access the TOEFL Web Site:
No single school, textbook , or teaching method is best to help prepare someone for the CBT, because the test is not based on specific courses of study. Language proficiency and writing ability can only be achieved after a relatively long period of study and practice. An attempt to study English for the first time shortly before taking the test will not be helpful (“TOEFL 1998-1999 Information Bulletin for Computer Based Testing”: n. pag.).
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Many students have not realized the potential benefits of using the Internet for overall and TOEFL language solving problems. Because the new TOEFL is a computer based test, it is more important than ever to take advantage of the vast amounts of TOEFL and English language information available via the Internet. I will include two kinds of web sites for you to “explore” as you work on learning the TOEFL listening, grammar, reading, and writing skills that are available via the Internet. Keep in mind that web sites are constantly changing, and some are better than others. As you “surf the web”, you will find the web sites that you like.
A. Academic and informative Web Sites.
1. Go to http://www.discovery.com/
to read about science and technology. Science is a very popular TOEFL reading selection.
2. Go to http://www.Dine.com/
to read reviews of restaurants in your area.
3. Go to http://Imdb.com
to read about your favorite movie and actor.
4. Go to http://www.epicurious.com/
to read about food and travel.
5. Go to http://www.Kidsworld.com/
for online shopping.
6. Go to http://www.Salonmagazine.com/
to read about arts, entertainment, books, comics, health and body, media,
news, people, technology, travel, and columnists.
7. Go to http://www.theOnion.com/
to read about controversial issues.
8. Go to http://www.Almanac.com/
to read about the weather.
9. Go to http://www.Swoon.com/
to read about love, relationships, and dating.
10. Go to http://www.suck.com
to read opinions about national and international news and politics.
11. Go to http://www.ESPN.com
to read about sports.
12. Go to http://www.Looksmart.com
to explore the Web Site in more than 24,000 categories.
13. Go to http://www.Moma.org
to read and see art.
B. ESL Web Sites
1. Go to http://www.lc.byuh.edu/cnn_n/cnn-n_page.html
to practice advanced vocabulary, reading, and grammar exercises for ESL students.
2. Go to http://www.pacificnet.net/~sperling/eslcafe.html
for- Student E-mail boards, ESL exercises
3. Go to http://eslcafe.com/search/
to see an extensive listing of over 2,443 ESL Web links. This page is maintained by Dave Sperling.
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As you browse through the web sites listed above, stop to read. Reading is not the same as looking at pictures on a web page. Reading is a critical skill needed by second language students not only for TOEFL but also for academic success. Extensive reading (reading large amounts of English only texts) provides ESL students the means for developing the background knowledge necessary for more speculative thinking. Most ESL students consider reading an important skill for future academic success.
Reading is not a skill that you just get or understand. You must do large amounts of extensive reading both from a text and from a computer screen in order to develop and learn the skill. Timing and concentration are extremely important skills for the reading section of the TOEFL. As you work in class on the extended readings, I want you to be aware of the following “bad habits” that you may have as a non native reader of English which may prevent you from learning to read the same way we do as native readers. Some of these “bad habits” are:
The best way to read is to translate all the words from English into your own language.
In order to understand what you read, you use the dictionary to look up all the words you don’t understand.
In order to understand what you read, you look closely at each word and translate it.
In order to read well, you think that you need to understand all the words on a page.
In order to concentrate well when reading, you read slowly and carefully. You also write the meanings of all the words on the page.
You believe that there is only one way to read. As a result you read the newspaper the same way as you would read a textbook.
If you do any of these “bad habits” when you read, you might not be able to finish the reading comprehension section of the TOEFL. In addition, you may have poor reading comprehension. Maybe you have been reading for 10 years or more and you have your own reading habits. Habits are very difficult to change. Ten weeks is a short time to learn new reading habits. But you will begin to learn how to read more quickly and easily by reading extensively. Read, read and read some more! That’s how you get better.
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I recommend that you keep a TOEFL success journal. The journal is an individual exercise in which you consciously think about your TOEFL language solving progress. In order to help you mark your progress. By keeping a personal journal, you will encourage yourself to think about your learning. And hopefully, you will make your thoughts become actions as you do specific things that will help you increase your TOEFL score.
You should write the journal based on your experiences with the TOEFL test taking strategies/ exercises that you read and study. Include in the journal how you are doing on the TOEFL practice tests as well as what kinds of “out of class” preparations you are doing to help build your listening, grammar and reading language skills. Which of the test taking strategies are/or are not working for you? Ask yourself the following questions about TOEFL :
What magazines have you read this week?
What have you done this week to improve your listening comprehension?
What have you done this week to improve your structure and written expression skills?
What have you done this week to improve your reading comprehension skills?
What parts are the most difficult for you with the listening section of the TOEFL (i.e. short, extended conversations, or mini-talks)?
What test taking strategies can you apply that will help you improve your listening skills for the TOEFL?
What parts are the most difficult for you with the structure and written expression section of the TOEFL (i.e. word forms, word order, adjective clauses, complements)?
What test taking strategies can you apply that will help you improve your structure and written expression skills (i.e. intuitive, analytical, reading out loud)?
How many native speakers do you talk to every day?
What parts are the most difficult for you with the reading comprehension part of the TOEFL (i.e. language, inference, main idea, or detail questions)?
What test taking strategies can you apply that will help you improve your reading comprehension skills?
How many words can you read in a minute? Is this faster or slower than your reading speed last week?
How many hours do you spend a week reading both from a text and from a computer screen? Do you enjoy it? Do you translate into your native language when you read or do you use vocabulary in context?
The weekly journal will give you a complete record of your language and TOEFL preparation progress.
Homework Assignments: Be smart. Use your time wisely
After you study TOEFL listening, grammar, reading, and writing skill building and test-taking strategies, you will need to complete exercises in you TOEFL workbook to reinforce what you have learned. This practice, though sometimes time consuming and boring, will help you to answer TOEFL test questions competently. After you finish your homework assignments, use the answer key to check your answers.
It is probably not necessary for you to complete all of the homework exercises in your TOEFL workbook. Concentrate on the exercises covering your weaknesses as indicated by the diagnostic pretests and practice tests that you take. In addition, you may find that an exercise is too easy for you. If that is the case, go on to an exercise that will be more challenging.
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Week one Introduction to the TOEFL
Day 1 Read my TOEFL Outline
Day 2 Take a TOEFL Diagnostic Pretest
Week Two Review Diagnostic Pretests
Day 3 Review Listening and Grammar sections; Create an outline of TOEFL listening, grammar, and reading skills based on your diagnostic test.
Day 4 Review the reading section of the Diagnostic Pretest.
Week three TOEFL Skills & Strategies
Day 5 TOEFL Reading Skills and Strategies
Homework: Complete TOEFL Trainer Pretest and Evaluation Test
Day 6 TOEFL Listening skills and strategies
Day 7 TOEFL Grammar skills and strategies
Week four TOEFL Skills & Strategies
Day 8 TOEFL Reading skills and strategies
Day 9 TOEFL Listening Skills and Strategies
Day 10 TOEFL Reading skills and strategies
Week five Practice test one review
Day 11 Take practice test one
Day 12 Review the Listening section
Day 13 Review the Grammar section
Week six TOEFL Skills & Strategies
Day 14 Reading section review
Day 15 TOEFL Listening skills and strategies
Day 16 TOEFL Reading skills and strategies
Week seven TOEFL Skills & Strategies
Day 17 TOEFL Grammar skills and strategies
Day 18 TOEFL Listening skills and strategies
Day 19 TOEFL Reading skills and strategies
Week eight Practice test two review
Day 20 Take practice test two due
Day 21 Listening section review
Day 22 Grammar section review; Reading section review
Week nine TOEFL Skills & Strategies
Day 23 TOEFL Reading skills and strategies
Day 24 TOEFL Listening skills and strategies
Day 25 TOEFL Reading Skills and Strategies
Week ten TOEFL Skills and Strategies
Day 26 TOEFL Grammar skills and strategies
Day 27 TOEFL Reading skills and strategies
Day 28 TOEFL Listening skills and strategies
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