TOEFL WEB Online Preparation Course Syllabus Instructor: Matthew Van Someren Course Date: May 18, 2012 July 8, 2012 Email: toeflweb@yahoo.com Course Description: TOEFL Web s online TOEFL Preparation Course provides students with information and practice in all four skill levels of the TOEFL test: Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening. Course Objectives: Course Activities: Through completion of all class material and activities, students will improve not only their TOEFL scores but also increase their skills in the English language and gain knowledge in a wide range of specific content areas including history, the arts, science, business and school/university life. While in class, students will listen to media rich lectures that explain specific topics of the test sections. Students will be asked to take notes about what was discussed during the lecture. Furthermore, students will have opportunities to practice what they have learned with the teacher present through interactive exercises both with the teacher and through online English language learning websites. Homework: Students will be required to do homework in order to further practice what they have been learning. Homework will be collected in a variety of ways, including email and the uploading of assignments at the beginning of class. ***Note: Because practice is the only way to improve your score and pass, students are expected to do their homework as it is assigned. Students not doing their assignments may be expelled from the program. TESTING: Students will be given a preview test, mid term exam and final exam. TOEFL Web cannot determine a student s actual TOEFL score, but the scores are usually comparable. Although, it is impossible to guarantee a passing score, TOEFL Web does guarantee that you will leave this course with much more knowledge about the test and improvement in areas that you felt were weak.
Course Schedule (Subject to Change) DATE Classroom Activity Homework Week 1 Reading and Listening Preview Tests Reading Understanding the Reading Test and Question Types Listening Understanding the Listening Test and Questions Do the preview tests in Mastering Skills for the TOEFL Reading, pgs 19 22 and Listening, pgs 250 256. Week 2 Writing and Speaking Preview Tests (Audacity!) Understanding the Writing Tasks (Integrated vs Independent tasks) Scoring Rubrics and explanation Analyzing a sample essay (Integrated and Independent) Speaking Understanding the Speaking Tasks (Integrated vs Independent tasks) Scoring Rubrics and explanation Intro to Arabic / English pronunciation problems v b, r, vowel sounds. CD ROM explanation Reading Chunking Exercises, (PPT), Reading speed tests. Question Type Fact Questions 01, 02, 03. Finding information quickly Listening Taking Notes (watch Video) Listening for key words vs details. Listen and Write Dictation http://www.listenand write.com/ http://www.englishclub.com/listening/dictation.htm Ch. 1 Main Ideas pg. 258 Listening 01 Listening 03 pg. 260 (Conversation) Integrated Writing Taking Notes (review) Focus on the lecture Making connections between lecture and reading. Do pages 510 515 You should: Do Q. 3 pg. 386 and 388. Read the passage pg. 386 Look up any words you don t know, Understand the passages completely Record yourself speaking step 5. Listen to your voice. Practice again. Save all recordings as: pg. 388 a, 388 b, 388 c, etc.). Email me your audio files. Do practice test 01 pg. 642 645 CD ROM: Practice Test 1 Do Practice test 01 pg. 664 665 CD ROM: Practice Test 1 Visit one of the websites here and do at least 2 listen/dictation exercise. (I suggest fill in the blank to start with) Do Practice Test 01 pg. 705 CD ROM Do Practice Test 1 first question only.
Week 3 Week 4 Integrated Part 1 Ch. 2 Connect to Integrated Writing. Constructing your speech like an essay Q3 Practice 2 pg. 389 391 Do all steps Listen to Sample (Step 4) and try to write down any expressions. See Tape Script if necessary. Write down any differences. Using Audacity, record your own speech combining your ideas and the sample s ideas. Listen and discuss pronunciation. (see pg 481 483 for some help) Mention that students need to pay attention to the topics (Business, Science, etc.) and the vocabulary associated with these topics. Practice Chunking the text Use reading 06 pg. 40. Chapter 2 pg. 43 Negative Fact Questions Focus on Strategies information spread across an entire paragraph Looking for key words Do Readings 01 pg. 44 46, 03 pg. 50 52, and 05 pg 56 58 Listening for Main Ideas (cont.) Do Ch. 1 Listening 04 pg. 261 and 06 pg. 263 Ch. 2 Detail Questions Do Listening 02 pg. 271, and 04 pg. 273 Integrated Writing Summarizing the lecture / citation How to show contrast Review Q4 practice 1 pg 395 as well as homework audio file from CD ROM. Do Q4 practice 2 pg. 398. Focus on Pronunciation (based on student needs) Mention that students need to pay attention to the topics (Business, Science, etc.) and the vocabulary associated with these topics. Review Ch. 3 Inference Questions Do Readings 03 pg. 70 72 and Reading 05 pg. 76 78 Ch 4 Rhetorical Purpose Questions (Why does the author mention [this]? ) Do Reading 01 pg. 84 86, Reading 02 pg. 87 Do Q3 practice 3 pg. 392 and Q4 practice 1 pg. 395 Notice that practice 4 is reading and a lecture. Use the same techniques from class and see what you can do with this! CD ROM Practice Test 1 do questions 3 and 4 by clicking skip to question. Email me your file. Textbook Reading 06 pg. 59 61 Ch. 3 Reading 01 pg. 64 66 Ch. 3 Reading 02 pg. 67 69 CD ROM Practice Test 2 Practice Ch 1 Listening 09 pg. 266 and Listening 10 pg. 267 CD ROM Practice Test 2 CD ROM Practice Test 2 first Question only. Q4 practice 3 pg. 401 403. Again listen to the sample and practice it and listen to your recording and practice/record it again if needed. CD ROM Practice test 2 do questions 3 and 4 by clicking on Skip to question. Email me your file. Vocab review Mini Test 1 in Textbook CD ROM Practice Test 3
Week 5 Week 6 89, and 03 pg. 90 92 Chapter 7 (Inferences) Listening 01 pg. 338, 02 pg. 339 05 pg. 342 Listening for intonation and stressed words to understand meaning. Integrated Writing questions? Review homework and recordings Move on to Q5 pg. 405. Do Practice one and 2 and Q6 pg. 412 Practice 1 and 2 Review Speaking Quickly Mid Terms Full TOEFL TEST (Use Compass Online Test) Time permitting, Go over Reading Ch. 5 pg. 109 (Vocabulary Questions) and Ch 6 pg. 129 (Reference Questions) Intro to the Independent Task focus on the Question Intro to the Independent Task Focus on the question. Q1 practice 1 and 2 Pg. 371 375 Review The full TEST. What do the students want more help with? Mention that students need to pay attention to the topics (Business, Science, etc.) and the vocabulary associated with these topics. Review Ch 5 and 6 Explain Summaries and Synonyms/ Negatives with Antonyms, etc. Move on to Ch 7 pg. 149 (Sentence Simplification Questions) Readings 01, 02 Ch. 8 pg. 169 (Text insertion Questions) Readings 01, 02 Looking for clue words and phrases, logical DO ALL Listening exercises from this chapter. You will need the practice!!! Remember to focus on the stress of the words (Which words do you hear stronger?) CD ROM Practice Test 3 (usually the last questions 30+ are the inference questions) CD ROM Practice Test 3 Full test. CD ROM Practice Test 2. Do the full test. Email me your file. Read Chapter 5 do Readings 02, 03 and 04 Read Chapter 6 do Readings 02, 03 and 05 CD ROM Practice Test 4 Listening Ch. 3 01 pg. 286 and 02 pg. 287 CD ROM Practice Test 4 CD ROM Practice Test 2. Do Question 2 only. CD ROM Practice Test 1 or 2 Questions 1 and 2. Do Chapter 7 Readings 03, 04, 05 Do Chapter 8 Readings 04, 05, 06 CD ROM Practice Test 5 or Textbook minitest 2 pg190 Vocab Review pg. 188
Week 7 Week 8 connections, etc. Review Homework Ch. 3 (Function Questions) Why did the speaker say [this]? This chapter asks you to use inference, context clues (vocabulary) and the tone of voice of the speaker to determine meaning. This is very difficult!! Ch. 3 Listening 01 pg. 286, 09 pg. 294, 10 pg. 295 Ch. 4 pg. 297 (Stance or Opinion Questions) Independent practice getting ideas down quickly. Brainstorming exercises. Pronunciation pg. 484 489 Do Q1 Practice 3 pg. 376 and Q2 practice 1 3 pgs. 378 383 Focus on getting ideas fast use Ch. 4 Q1 practice 1, 2, 3, 4 Chapters 9 pg. 195 Readings 01 pg. 196 and 02 pg. 199 Ch 10 pg. 215 Readings 01 pg. 216 and 02 pg. 219 These sections will take the most time, so be sure to have enough time to do them Review all Question Types. o Be sure you are able to recognize these questions so you don t waste too much time reading the directions!! Ch. 5 pg. 313 (Organization Questions) Ch. 6 pg. 325 (Content Questions) Review all Question types. Review Integrated and Independent. Review note taking strategies, focus on the lecture, framing the issue, transitions and developing your independent essay that focuses on the question! Review Integrated and Independent Speaking tasks. Review the different questions types, note taking and organization (speak like an essay) Final Exams End of Class Poll Question Comment Concerns? Do at least 1 other listening exercises from Ch. 3 Do at least 2 other listening exercises from Ch. 4 CD ROM Practice Test 5 CD ROM Practice Test 5 CD ROM Practice Test 3 Questions 1 and 2 CD ROM Practice Test 6 Choose two other readings from Ch.9 and 10 to do as well. Ch. 5 Ch. 6 CD ROM Practice Test 6 CD ROM Practice Test 6 CD ROM Practice 4 Full Test