|
Korean Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
fence sitter
Joined: 17 Aug 2006
|
 Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2008 1:05 am Post subject: Have you taken the TOEFL? |
 |
|
I was teaching TOEFL to a student today when I suddenly realized how headache-inducing some of the questions were (on the reading section), not to mention, just plain difficult. Each passage had about eight questions attached to it, and some of them were just kicking my ass all over the place. I can imagine taking this with a time limit. Wow.
I'd like to take the test just for curiosity's sake. Have you ever taken it? |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
PGF
Joined: 27 Nov 2006
|
| Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 8:15 am Post subject: |
|
|
www.free-english.com
they'll grade the reading part and listening part....can't grade the writing and speaking part, for obvious reasons....
Do you think it's really that hard? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
RACETRAITOR
Joined: 24 Oct 2005
Location: Seoul, South Korea
|
| Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 8:59 am Post subject: |
|
|
| I think if most of us took it we'd get less than perfect scores. I write TOEIC, TOEFL, and IELTS questions these days for work, and they do not test the things that regular English speakers are good at. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
PGF
Joined: 27 Nov 2006
|
| Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 9:15 am Post subject: |
|
|
| RACETRAITOR wrote: |
| I think if most of us took it we'd get less than perfect scores. I write TOEIC, TOEFL, and IELTS questions these days for work, and they do not test the things that regular English speakers are good at. |
Have you taken any of the Praxis tests, the GRE, the SATs?
The integrated speaking can be a bit difficult if you've never studied for it, but they ETS scorers are not looking for native like speaking and comprehension when they assign scores on the speaking section.
The reading section is what it is- reading comprehension. And, the writing section is what it is. No native English speaker with a uni degree from the states should have any trouble at all with this test.
I've done the same work you are doing (not too fun, eh?), so I understand the test inside and out. But, I don't think it's "hard" for a native speaker. TOEFL is a to hard for most koreans though. But not for N. Americans.....no |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
fence sitter
Joined: 17 Aug 2006
|
| Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 4:55 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| The reading section is what it is- reading comprehension. And, the writing section is what it is. No native English speaker with a uni degree from the states should have any trouble at all with this test. |
Generally speaking, I agree. However, I did some research and realized that certain questions were looking for an answer that fit a particular set of circumstances that would not necessarily be intuitive. For example, on the inference questions, there are usually several correct answers, but also one that is "more correct" than the others. Someone who didn't know this would simply choose the first choice that seemed "right" if they were under time constraints.
Also, some questions ask you to "sum up" a paragraph, and once again, several choices may be correct for all intents and purposes, but if one reads the TOEFL guides, one comes to the realization that the answer must contain a certain "amount" of information. Again, not intuitive. Counterintuitive, in fact, as the shortest answer would typically be the best way to sum something up in "real life".
So basically, if you just went in and took the TOEFL blind, you wouldn't ace it unless you got lucky, because you wouldn't know what type of answers the testers were specifically looking for. It's a scam which drives people to buy more TOEFL prep books (and SAT, GRE, et al).
By the way, that *beep* in this post is the word "shortest". No sh*t. Go figure. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
PGF
Joined: 27 Nov 2006
|
| Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 5:36 am Post subject: |
|
|
yeah, all ETS tests have similar question types. Many questions have trick answers. I guess I've been conditioned from an early age to look for the best answer.
Don't get me wrong, I wholeheartedly agree that the TOEFL is too hard for a non native speaker trying to get into a US high school. In fact, it's almost ridiculous to require high TOEFL scores for entrance into 90% of US high schools.
ESL students wishing to get into a US uni should be able to get a "decent" score on their TOEFL. Why? Because they are going to be faced with similar listening, reading, writing and speaking hurdles in everyday uni life. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
mr. positive
Joined: 02 Jan 2008
Location: a happy place
|
| Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 5:58 am Post subject: |
|
|
I used to be a TOEFL teacher in the States and I took the iBT TOEFL. I got 108, and I purposely did some parts incorrectly to see how well I'd do, so I could have easily gotten close to 120.
Basically what others have said before is true - the reading comp and listening is what it is, but for the speaking and writing sections, it really helps to know what the tasks are, what they are looking for in the answers, then practice them a lot. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
