3 Questions Every TOEFL Tutor Should be Able to Answer
Strictly English has a list of 21 questions about the TOEFL iBT exam that we use when interviewing TOEFL tutors. If they cannot answer these questions correctly, then they don’t get the job!
If you’re looking for an iBT tutor, make sure he or she can answer at least these three questions below. If your tutor cannot answer these questions, then you might want someone who knows more about the test to be teaching you!
QUESTIONS:
1. Can I get a 25 out of 30 on the Speaking section of the iBT?
2. What section of the TOEFL iBT asks you questions that directly test your knowledge of Grammar?
3. On what part of the iBT are you most likely to use modals?
ANSWERS:
1. NO. TOEFL does not give a score of 25 on the Speaking.
2. NONE: There are NO grammar questions on the iBT.
3. Speaking Task 5. It is the only place where you talk about offering suggestions.
EXTRA NOTE: Make sure you see the tutor’s TOEFL SCORE. Even if he/she is a native English speaker, your tutor should have taken the TOEFL so that he/she knows exactly what you’ll experience on test day. Every Strictly English tutor has taken the TOEFL. This also means that we know exactly how the real test is different from what is taught in the books. Much of the information in the books is out of date because the books were published 3-5 years ago. TOEFL books should be updated at least every 2 years if not every year. If your tutor is not taking the test regularly, then he/she is relying on information in the books, which is usually old and out-of-date information.
ETS Now Allows Score Recipients to Verify Your Results
The following letter explains that institutions that receive your score can now contact ETS and verify that the scores you submitted to the institution are the same as the scores ETS gave you. This will help eliminate freud. So don’t send fake scores to your school; they will find out! Here is the original email:
Dear TOEFL Test Taker,
Thank you for taking the TOEFL® Internet-based Test (TOEFL iBT™). This message is to inform you of a change in ETS policy regarding verification of scores by institutions and agencies.
Effective July 2009, if you provide an institution or agency with your score information and/or TOEFL registration number, you are giving ETS permission to allow that institution or agency to verify your scores.
If you do not want an institution or agency to have access to your score information, do not provide them with information about your scores or your TOEFL registration number.
You can read more about this change at www.ets.org/toefl under Test Takers, Internet-based Test, Scores, Policies.
Picking the Boarding School that is Right for You!
This article was written by Heather Johnson, CEO and Founder of Heather Johnson Associates. You can visit her company at http://www.heatherjohnsonassociates.com/
When I was a boarding school admission officer, the range of questions I would answer from families would sometimes surprise me. However, there were some concerns that would repeatedly surface. For students, as much as they might be interested in the idea of going away to boarding school, they were usually very concerned about leaving their friends from home. For parents, there were always questions about how their child would be supported and guided when they, as parents, were not there to do that themselves.
Of course there is not one set answer to either of these concerns, as they are particular to the individual student and to the individual school. Therefore, it’s most important to keep your eyes and ears open when visiting a school to see how these questions will best be answered for you. As a student you know best what makes you feel comfortable. Would you rather be a large fish in a small pond or doesn’t that matter to you? Is there something in particular that you would like to participate in at your next school? Maybe a single-sex environment is more comfortable for you than one that is co-ed. Perhaps you love the idea of “dressing up” for school in khakis and a blazer or a skirt and jacket; on the other hand, it’s quite possible that you would feel much more comfortable in different clothes.
The truth is that while traditional boarding schools are college-preparatory in nature, there will be many variations on this theme. You might be very conscious of the names of some schools, yet the best fit for you may be a school you have never heard about before. A visit to your schools of interest is most important. Ask to meet a coach or instructor of a sport, activity or of a class that interests you. Ask your student tour guide what his/her transition was like to boarding school. Ask your admission officer all of the additional questions you have to see how you might fit into this particular place.
Boarding schools are full of students who can become lifelong friends like your friends at home. They are also designed to be places that are supportive and guide students in their pursuits of intellectual and extra-curricular interest. It’s all about finding the right “fit.”
Improving TOEFL Comprehension via 360 Research
Since TOEFL is a Test of ENGLISH as a Foreign Language, you can greatly improve your TOEFL score by improving your English comprehension. One way to do that is to initiate a 360-review of an academically-oriented or politically-focused news story. 360-Research means looking at the story from all possible angles. For example, you could:
1. Read about the story in respected American news papers such as The New York Times, The Boston Globe, and The Huffington Post.
2. Read about the story in respected English-Language magazines, such as The Economist, The New Yorker, and Slate.com.
3. Listen to radio reports about the story on NPR.org or on respected radio shows like On Point, Talk of the Nation, Here and Now, or The Diane Rehm Show.
4. Watch videos about the story on youtube.com or on your local Public Television station.
5. Look up key ideas relevant to the story
6. Follow the story on Twitter.com
7. Read about the story in your own language.
This last point is very helpful. Because it is hard to understand the more subtle ideas in news stories, it is often good to read about the story first in your own language. That way you’ll understand the story, which will improve your comprehension of the story in English. Once you understand the story in your own language, then you’ll be able to focus on how the English is conveying the same idea. This is particularly helpful when the entire story focuses on one central idea or quotation. For example, do a search in your own language for Judge Sotomayor’s statement that “a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life.” In Spanish, one blogger translated this as una latina inteligente podría tomar mejores decisiones que un hombre blanco que no ha tenido las mismas experiencias vitales”, and if you search the web in Spanish for “Sotomayor,” you’ll find every hit mentions “latina inteligente”. So when you read “wise latina” in English, you’ll quickly figure out that WISE must mean INTELIGENTE, since you’ve seen “latina inteligente” 20-30 times already.
Here are some links to get you started for a more recent story: The Arrest of Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
PBS: (click on the STREAMING VIDEO link)
RELEVANT LINKS:
Definition of racial profiling.
article about racial profiling.
Definition of 911 calls.
Definition of sensitivity training.
Article on how diversity training doesn’t work.
Do this once a week on a new topic, and your English will improve much more quickly!
GOOD LUCK!
College in the US | Does Brand-Name Matter?
Strictly English asked Adam Goldberg, M.Ed. (CEO and Educational Consultant of The Goldberg Center for Educational Planning) if the name of the school you attend really matters. Here’s what he said:
If you are considering an American college education as a non-US citizen, don’t limit yourself by applying to only the “big name” institutions.
A good example of this bias came to our educational consulting office this morning from China:
“My son wants to go to USA for the high school and the college from Beijing, China. We are hoping for entry to the top 20 universities in USA. To get this done easily we decide to spend the high school in USA. He had taken a tours to visit 10 famous university and likes MIT, Princeton, and Yale very much.”
This is actually a very typical inquiry. Whether they come from China, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Russia, England, Australia, Panama, Argentina, or any other country for that matter, prospective students and their families come with “brand name biases.” Most have either only heard of the most prominent colleges (like those listed in the inquiry above), or have decided in their own minds that it is only worth pursuing an American college education if it’s at one of these “famous” institutions.
While I do not intend to crush dreams, suppress ambitions, or change others’ plans, I feel it is necessary to present the reality so that these prospective students and their families can make more informed decisions.
Here are some facts to consider:
• There are many tier three colleges in the US with a quality of education, as well as of prestige as those on the lists of the top 10, 20, or even 50 US universities.
• Application volume is still high relative to prior generations, especially due to the movement of applications online. As a result, acceptance rates are considerably lower. Colleges mentioned in the above inquiry generally end up accepting no more than 7-15% of all applicants … and those applicants are collectively credentialed well above the norm to begin with.
• The currency imbalance has caused many international students to study in the US for much less money. Therefore international demand is up as well.
• You gain no advantage by applying to the same colleges to which your country-mates apply.
• Attending a top or “famous” private school in the US does not guarantee admission at the aforementioned colleges.
So, now that you have some of the basics and perhaps a slightly new perspective on American colleges, what can you do to more successfully navigate the admissions process?
1. Open up your scope of college options! Beware of lists such as the Shanghai Jiao Tong Rankings in Asia – they are not focused on individual student needs and don’t necessarily give you a truly accurate picture from afar. Besides, in my opinion, it doesn’t do you much good if everyone is operating off the same list in your geography. You will need to do more research, perhaps enlisting some help to do so, but it is well worth the time and effort in the end. As a hiring manager, there are many brands beyond the “famous” ones on a resume that stand to impress me.
2. At the same time, I certainly won’t fully minimize the importance of name brands since they do matter in some domains… you just have to consider which domains are most relevant. If a student is planning on ultimately taking a job in the US, brand name will mean something very different from a scenario where a student is likely returning to his/her home country for work. Carefully consider and discuss the longer-term outlook.
3. Differentiate yourself as a student. US colleges are not looking for generalists these days. They want specialists… those students who have demonstrated a commitment to thoroughly studying one academic topic. Again, extending the scope beyond institutions to which peers are applying immediately creates differentiation as well.
4. Most importantly, consider the fit of a college (and a private school if you decide to get an earlier start in the US system) before anything. Would you rather be a miserable student at Harvard or thrive at a slightly lesser known (but still top quality) institution? Most studies show that the latter student is more successful in the end. Socialization, acquiring work skills and ethics, and gaining confidence and self-advocacy skills, along with building productive relationships, are considered integral assets in the college experience here in the US.
The bottom line is that brand names do matter in the US college realm … but only to a certain extent. My experience tells me that prospective international students can achieve much greater success in both the admissions process and post-matriculation by merely opening up their minds a bit more.
For additional insights into both college and private school admissions, feel welcome to visit our educational consulting blog. For information on educational consulting services offered through companies, visit EnCompass Education.
Strictly English will Launch TOEFL Videos July 15th!
Strictly English has been working on a series of HOW TO videos about the TOEFL test. For example:
How to sign up at ETS.
How to register for the TOEFL.
How to View your TOEFL results online.
We will also be making videos that will help you improve your TOEFL English!
Want to Learn more from Strictly English?
Strictly English also has helpful TOEFL information on Twitter. Follow us on Twitter to learn even more about the TOEFL! Just click on the Blue Bird on this webpage and you’ll be taken to Twitter directly!
You can also be aware of what the admissions offices are saying by following them on Twitter. But be careful! If they follow you back, they will be able to read your Tweets, and if those Tweets are not professional or if they are too personal, then it could hurt your image at the school. It’s always best to keep TWO Twitter accounts: one professional and the other for fun!
Twitter also helps improve your Writing. YOu can only send 140 “characters” (letters) so you have to keep your sentences short. It’s a great way to practice clear direct communication!
How TOEFL Scores are Broken Down
The entire TOEFL has a perfect score of 120, and although 30 points are alloted to each of the 4 sections (Reading, Listening, Speaking, Writing), these sections are not scored initially from 0-30. The Rater uses a different scoring system, called the “raw score”. No one but ETS Raters know how this raw score is exactly computed nor how it is then converted to the 0-30 score you receive.
For both the Reading and the Listening sections of the test, you only receive the final score, ranged between 0-30. Meanwhile, you receive sub-scores for both the Speaking and the Writing along with the 0-30 score.
The Speaking section is broken down into three subsections:
1. Speaking about familiar Topics (which indicates how well you did on Tasks One and Two)
2. Speaking about Campus Situations (which indicates how well you did on Tasks Three and Five)
3. Speaking about Academic Course Content (which indicates how well you did on Tasks Three and Five)
These three sections are rated as being “weak” “limited” “fair” or “good”. To receive a 26 on the speaking (which Canadian Nurses and North American Pharmacists need for their licensure), you need to score a “good” in all three subsections of the Speaking.
The Writing section is broken down into two subsections:
1. Writing Based on Reading and Listening (commonly called the 20-minute essay)
2. Independent Essay (commonly called the 30-minute essay)
These two sections are rated as being “limited” “fair” or “good”.
A CALL FOR BETTER TOEFL iPHONE APPLICATIONS!
I’m rather surprised that the only iPhone applications for sale are vocabulary builders. With so many sections of the test: (Reading, Listening, Speaking, Writing) and with each of these sections testing a different language or reasoning skill (pronoun identification, paraphrasing, copy editing, spelling, logic, as well as the ability to infer and summarize), it shocks me that no one has taken the initiative to make applications that help improve these other skills. TOEFL is, after all, a multiple choice test. You would think that an iPhone app based on picking multiple choice answers wouldn’t be that hard to design. And it isn’t. The problem is, as usual, time and money. Creating the content for just one application could take a team of 10 English teachers working 10 hours a day for 10 months. Add to this the cost of developing the application itself, and you have a big hurdle to jump.
But Strictly English is not afraid to take on this challenge! We are currently in negotiations with iPhone application developers to design a series of applications that will help strengthen your TOEFL skills.
Until Strictly English releases these applications, though, TOEFL Students will only have the small array of vocabulary applications currently on the market, which haven’t been well-received so far. Early reports indicate that the vocabulary builders are not selling very well, primarily because students would prefer to learn new English words in relation to the student’s original language. For example, what spanish speaker person wants read “distress or uneasiness of mind caused by fear of danger or misfortune,” in order to understand the English word “Anxiety” when he/she could just know that “anxiety” = “ansiedad”. Hence, these TOEFL vocabulary building apps have it wrong from the start.
But let’s look a little closer at some of these applications anyway:
1. Kaplan TOEFL Vocabulary (by TestPrepWiz): At the time of this writing, the application is not running on the new 3.0 upgrade. I’ve contacted the developer and they are working to fix this problem. In general, though, this program is nothing more than a digital set of flashcards. And with only 350 words, it doesn’t cover much vocabulary. It does have a test mode, which is probably its best function.
Kaplan Vocabulary
2. TOEFL – GMAT Vocabulary Builder (by Clickgamer.com and Unigate): This application is not helpful for TOEFL vocabulary study mainly because there is just one long list of words. The user cannot know which vocabulary words are TOEFL words and which words are GMAT words. Now it is true that all TOEFL words are also GMAT words, but it is NOT true that all GMAT words are also TOEFL words. GMAT vocabulary is much harder than TOEFL vocabulary. Using this application would be much better if you could chose a list of TOEFL vocabulary words ONLY, and not study the GMAT words. It’s games are cute, but it’s hard to know what to do, and the “help” page doesn’t explain how to play. Look at this screen shot of the game “Bubble”. Since the balloons rise from the bottom of the screen, your eye focuses on the word EXPANSION, but this is not the word you’re trying to match. Instead, you have to look at the top of the page to find the definition you’re trying to match. It is written in small print and does not catch your eye.
3. TOEFL Vocabulary (AudioLearn): By far, this is the least dynamic of the three programs. As you can see form the screenshot, it is a solid stream of text, which just blurs together. In addition, all the text is read aloud in a monotonous stream. Click here download and to listen.
Time to Use iBT Scores Only
It has been over 5 years since the iBT (Internet-Based TOEFL) was introduced and at least 3 years since it was the only version of the TOEFL accepted by most reputable and desirable universities. Why then do universities continue to publish required PBT (Paper-Based TOEFL) scores for admission to their institutions?
When universities publish a PBT score in their admissions materials, it conveys that they are not up-to-date on industry standards and that they are out-of-touch with the hurdles their applicants face. This suggests to the international applicants that these universities might not be aware of other concerns internationals might have.
I strongly urge every admissions office to use the iBT scoring system when publishing their TOEFL requirements.
To help you with this transition to the iBT scoring, here is a link to the official ETS comparison charts. Be careful though, these charts do not account for the SPEAKING section of the test since the PBT did not have this section. Read the documentation carefully before making the transition to the iBT scoring system. It’s not hard, but it does require care when reading over the charts.
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