Site for internet-based TOEFL prep (and teaching the technology required to do the test)

NAME:
“ETS.org” (TOEFL iBT Home)

ADDRESS: http://www.ets.org/portal/site/ets/menuitem.1488512ecfd5b8849a77b13bc3921509/?vgnextoid=eb872d3631df4010VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRD&vgnextchannel=b23cd898c84f4010VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRD

RELEVANT IN-SIGHT RESOURCE:
TOEFL iBT Tour

LEVEL:
Relevant to advanced students.

INTERACTIVITY:
Very much so. This site’s potential use as a way of familiarizing students who are preparing for the TOEFL iBT test, with the many interactive elements they will encounter on that test, is its most useful function.

ESL/NON-ESL:
This page within the site (not the entire site) and the in-sight link I have provided latter on in this entry, are ESL specific in content.

DESCRIPTION:
This is a corporate site that aims to sell products and services aiding teachers and students with TOEFL iBT (internet-based testing) preparation. However that is not to say it isn’t useful.

There seems to surprising few sites that offer teachers and students free resources and materials for TOEFL iBT test preparation. The reason for this is that the new internet based TOEFL is logistically difficult to provide resources for. A simply paper based test allowed for text documents and even a large number of interactive (self-marking) preparation exercises and practice tests to be offered, and they still are.

WHAT TEACHERS AND STUDENTS CAN USE IT FOR:
Whether you are a teacher or a student, before you start your TOEFL iBT test prep, you probably want to get a look at what the test looks like, the form of each question, and what skills are involved to complete the test (note-taking, and a number of computer-centric skills, not just language skills, are required).

Click on the TOEFL iBT Tour in-site link to take a very useful, albeit annoyingly corporate (sedative music, endless gifs of smiling students’ faces’) and highly interactive tour. You get to see every kind of question you will encounter on the test and practise using the idiosyncratic set of computer-based-skills needed to complete the test. If you are planning to prepare a student to take this test, it might not only require you to use technology to teach, but teach to technology.

The follwing is a summary of what I have learned from this online tour about what is on the TOEFL iBT exam and what skills are required:


READING:
Test takers will be asked to read 3 passages (each approximately 650 to 750 words long) and answer comprehension questions about each one
Questions take the form of: “multiple choice”, “clicking on the correct square to add a sentence to a passage” or “drag an answer choice to the appropriate location on the screen”.
Test takers can use the “glossary” to get a short definition of unfamiliar words
The “review” feature (an in-site dictionary) allows students to go back to any questions they have skipped or would like to try again.
Students must be able to use “buttons” and “scroll bars” to read.


LISTENING
The listening section consists of 2 conversations and 4 lectures.
Sometimes asking for the speakers “purpose” or “attitude”
Many of the questions are multiple choice.
Students are asked to listen for listening for both “main ideas” and “supporting ideas”.
During lectures “key phrases” are displayed as if the lecturer had written them on the board”. Lectures are approximately 2-3 minutes long, and students are allowed to take notes (note taking skills are essential!).
Lecture have real background noises (students talking) and students must be able to deal with distracting background noises heard in authentic listening situations.


WRITING
Tests ability to use writing to communicate in an academic environment. Understand material, make connections, write clearly, accurately and in a well-organized manner.
There are 2 types of tasks “Integrated” and “Independent”.
Integrated Writing Tasks:
The test taker will:
1) first read a short passage then:
2) second listen to a short lecture on the same subject
3) Using the information from the passage and the lecture students will be given approximately 15 minutes to prepare and type a response to a question. Students may use their notes. For example summarize the points made in the lecture and explain how they cast doubt on the points made in the reading.

Note taking is an important skill for this task.

Independent Task:
Test taker answers a question based on their own knowledge and experience. This will often be a 300 opinion based essay that students have 30 minutes to plan, write and revise. For example “Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?”
“Always telling the truth is the most important consideration in relationships between people”

SPEAKING:
The speaking section is very similar to the writing component as it consists of 2 independent tasks that require you to speak on familiar topics and 4 integrated tasks that require you to integrate other skills when responding.