Korean Job Discussion Forums

globusmonkey · Joined: 19 Aug 2011 Location: Seoul

YTMND, I usually stay out of these personal issues between posters here, but I think you are derailing what can be a very useful thread for teachers who are actively and responsibly teaching the TOEFL. Everything that has been expressed by the genuinely helpful posters here is respectful to the OP's question of proven methods for teaching a difficult section of an important test that many students use for study abroad programs as well as for personal and educational growth. It is up to the teacher to explain to students what the TOEFL is, along with providing real methods for improvement on the test. Helpful explanations of TOEFL purpose and use can be found in many places on the internet.

The real challenge here seems to be how YOU can prove to your students that you are qualified to teach them a serious and difficult exam while bolstering their English skills, regardless of their intent. They are signed up to take a TOEFL class - teach them TOEFL. It is a well-designed test that ensures students learn many different skills helpful in everyday English usage, no matter what they will use the score for or if they even take the final test. Anything else you express on this post is personal bickering, which I don't think anyone appreciates. Please contribute to this thread in a serious fashion or find somewhere else on this site to air your uninformed opinions.

As I am not interested in furthering your off-topic agenda, I will not respond to any posts in which you seek to disagree with this reasonable request, and I encourage other posters to do the same.

YTMND · Joined: 16 Jan 2012 Location: You're the man now dog!!

fustiancorduroy · Joined: 12 Jan 2007

YTMND · Joined: 16 Jan 2012 Location: You're the man now dog!!

mandrews1985 · Joined: 12 Sep 2011

You previously mentioned the 2 reasons that I suggested. This is something I have stuck by for a long time and I try to encourage the students to have 2 equally balanced but quite different reasons, taking about the same amount of time on each. (That is specifically for speaking class for writing it would be 3.)

Although if the students have a significantly superior (in idea, detail, personal experience) and the other is half assed, I'd always suggest to have the stronger reason first. Though this is something I have not looked into too much purely because I feel the planned approach of 2 equally weighted reasons works better.

daz1979 · Joined: 29 Apr 2006 Location: Gangwon-Do

Starting February I will teach TOEFL. Would anyone be kind enough to give me some useful resources to look at and read over? Where can I see tests? Where can I find information on how to teach it? What are the best books for my classes?

I have a lot of teaching experience, but no experience with TOEFL. Any advice is greatly appreciated Smile

thegadfly · Joined: 01 Feb 2003

I didn't see anyone mention (or I may have missed it) the fact that WHAT the test-taker says takes a back seat to HOW the test-taker says it. Even the scoring rubric makes it clear -- delivery is king for the independent tasks.

Whether the speaker uses one fully supported reason or two reasons doesn't matter as much as how fluidly one speaks -- stops and starts, long pauses, repeating difficult-to-pronounce words, improper cadence or intonation all hurt the speaker much more than lack of support.

Having students memorize formats can help them get into the low 20s on speaking -- right around 22 most of the time, if well supported and fully explained, with most of the time being used effectively. Trying to get students to consistently break 24 in speaking requires a lot more than solid content.

Of course, I present formats for students to follow -- I start with the one-reason format and move to the two-reason format one they get the hang of presenting and supporting one reason. I tell them to decide on their own during the test which they should use. I mean, if they can't come up with two reasons within the first 5 seconds of prep time, then they should just be sure to fully support a single reason, rather than wasting ten seconds casting about for a second point....

I generally have three levels of ToEFL students -- those at around 65 hoping to break 90 on the test, those around 85 hoping to hit 105, and students that are around 95 looking to ace the test -- the toughtest group to try to help. We do different things at each of those levels.

For the 95 seeking 120 crowd, I make the students do impromptu speeches on a variety of topics -- absolutely no prep time. "Talk about penguins for 60 seconds -- go!" Easy and difficult, serious and silly, real questions and things they would never be asked -- even multiple students speaking at the same time (well, two, but two is more than one). Anything to get them used to starting a speech, and planning the end as they are talking, and anything to make them feel nervous and uncertain, just like they will when they take the real test.

Formats and planning can get the speaking score up to the 22-24 range, but to hit a 26-28 means that the student has to ace 4 or 5 of the 6 questions -- which ain't gonna happen with wooden delivery and rote formats. Students need to think on their feet, sound natural (that is, not like they are reading their notes), and sound like they are comfortable with the language in a very unnatural, uncomfortable situation (with a headset on, speaking into a machine).