Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Ed Provencher]

Both tests were paid for by my employer. I don't know how much they paid.

They were both practice tests. I'm pretty sure the academies get a bulk discount.

I'm sure every TOEFL prep academy will pay for their teachers to take the test. It is a way for the teacher to become a better teacher and a way for management to see what you can do.

[runthegauntlet]

I and the other foreign teacher at my school both took it.

I got a 105 and the other guy got a 107.

Maybe I'm just blatantly showcasing my ignorance in regards to TOEFL (as I've just been thrust into teaching TOEFL when I'd neither desired nor planned to do so), but I think the concept behind the test is absurd. It's a measure of English proficiency? Yet if you don't strictly adhere to their answer formats, you're marked down.

I'd love to see a percentage breakdown of the scores native English speakers get on this test. I personally find it ridiculous when native speaking college graduates are scoring around the 80th percentile.

What exactly is that measuring again?

To contrast, I received 35s (out of 36) three different times on both the reading and English portions of the ACT for entrance into American universities. Yet I get a 105 on the TOEFL...

Perhaps I've just completely missed the purpose behind these tests, but taking it has made me less enthusiastic about the 5 TOEFL classes I teach each week, now. I don't see how any non-native speaker can hope to do well on that test.

[runthegauntlet]

[Ed Provencher]

[goodsounz]

runthegauntlet has a point. It is definitely not a measurement of your English ability. I tutored a student in TOEFL using the drills and skillsets needed for the now lame SEPT test that Samsung brought out 6 years ago. She can hardly speak a word of English and she got 105. In no way am I trying to belittle your efforts. I am saying it is more about exam technique than your English ability.

(If you wish to improve your score, may I suggest you study past exam papers and get some good books.)

[fustiancorduroy]

The purpose of the test is to gauge the ability of non-native English speaking students in a college-level academic setting. The test is not perfect, but I think it does a reasonably good job of meeting its goal.

A native-English speaking college graduate not doing well on the test shows two things: a lack of knowledge of the test format and a lack of test taking ability in general. I've taken the TOEFL test a few times. The first time I took it, I received a 119 out of 120. The next two times I got a perfect score. I was able to do well on the test through a combination of understanding the logic behind the questions and knowing the format of the test.

The TOEFL's reading passages are easier than those found on the Reading portion of the SAT (which I did very well on as a high school student and have gotten perfect scores on as a teacher here in Korea), and once you understand the thinking behind the questions, it's not difficult to ace. The listening questions come in a limited number of varieties, so it is easy to identify which portion of the lectures correspond to what questions. And the speaking and writing both require clear, concise answers with detailed, but not embellished, explanations.

Over the past year or so, I've used my knowledge of the TOEFL to get high-paying work as a TOEFL textbook writer. I enjoy the challenge of producing reading passages that are detailed while creating questions that are appropriately tricky. It's been a lot of fun.

I will say that some people simply posses the abilities necessary to do well on standardized tests (one of the my college friends got a perfect 1600 on his SAT and an astounding 1520/1600 on his GRE, both without any test prep). Regardless, any native-English speaking college graduate, provided he or she actually tried to learn things in college, should be able to do decently well on the TOEFL, seeing how it's designed for non-native speaking (mostly) high school students.


As a side note, I will mention that when I taught at an elite FLHS, I had several students who had near-perfect (118 and 119) TOEFL scores. Considering their scores, it is not surprising that their English was better than the vast majority of NETs in Korea.

[MrMr]

I recently taught the iBT TOEFL. It paid very well, but I really had no clue when I signed up. Consequently, I put in tons of hours prepping and researching so I wouldn't look like an idiot in class. (I was partially successful).

I've never taken the test and truthfully, I'd be very nervous and happy to score 105. So kudos to you guys who put yourself on the line by taking the test. I think it would be very difficult if you went in cold with no idea of how to format your answers.

On another note, I bought tons of my own teaching aids for the course and would be willing to sell the material at a reasonable price as I'm leaving soon and can't envision teaching it again in the near future. I have

Deborah Phillips, Preparation Course for the TOEFL Test, iBT. Longman, Second Edition with answer key
I also have the accompanying Lesson Plan book, Classroom Activities book and Audio CD set. Will sell as set.

ETS, The official Guide To The New TOEFL iBT, second edition, with CD-Rom, McGraw Hill.(The people who make the test)

ETS Propell Workshop forTOEFL iBT package. (Teacher Workshop with activities for all skills and Audio samples)

I also have a CD player

You can PM me or email, [email protected]

[T-dot]

IBT is a skill pure and simple.

[runthegauntlet]

[runthegauntlet]

[tfunk]

runthegauntlet, how would you suggest a reasonably objective and partisan test of a persons' ability to understand and create an opinion be measured, if not against a standard?

A standard implies a framework or reference point and that's what the format of the iBT format provides. It mightn't accurately reflect real life conversation (ad lib, often unstructured), but it's not totally out of sync with other means of expression either.

Particularly in formal relationships, such as the relationship between college professor and student, there are different formats for presenting information. For example, a student submitting an essay assignment will be required to present their work in a specific format.

Testing a students ability to structure their opinion by a particular format is a valid exercise, in my opinion.

[runthegauntlet]