TOEFL IBT TEST PREPARATION COURSE OF EDX

Name: Juan Diego García Esquén

Course Syllabus
Overview of the Course
Welcome to TOEFL Test Preparation: The Insider's Guide. In this six-week
®

course, we will explain the TOEFL test and take you through an in-depth look
at all four sections of the TOEFL test: Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing.
You will have the opportunity to learn more about the question types, scoring
guidelines and resources to help you prepare for test day. We will give you test
preparation tips and practice materials.

You should expect to spend 2 to 4 hours per week to get the most out of this
course. The course includes video lectures, discussion forums, weekly quizzes,
practice tests and recommended readings. ETS instructors and staff will moderate
the discussions and provide feedback where possible on a weekly basis.

Please note: Passing this course is not a predictor of how well you might perform on the
actual TOEFL iBT® test.

Learning Objectives

 Gain a broad understanding of the four sections of the TOEFL test: Reading,
Listening, Speaking and Writing

 Acquire helpful tips to prepare you for the TOEFL test

 Improve your English language skills

 Learn how the TOEFL test is scored

 Learn how to use your TOEFL test scores for employment, school, visas,
scholarships

 Find test prep resources for the TOEFL test

 Learn how to register for the TOEFL test

Weekly Topics
Week 1 – Welcome to TOEFL Test Preparation: The Insider's Guide

1.1 Welcome

1.2 Survey

1.3 Course Information and Support

1.4 Around the World With the TOEFL Test

1.5 A Look Inside the TOEFL Test

1.6 Accommodations and Accessibility

1.7 Week 1 Quiz (4/4)

1.8 This Week in Review and Getting Ready for Week 2

Week 2 – Reading Section

2.1 Challenges of Reading

2.2 About the Reading Section

2.3 Factual/Negative Factual Information Questions

2.4 Inference and Rhetorical Purpose Questions

2.5 Vocabulary Questions

2.6 Reference Questions

2.7 Sentence Simplification Questions

2.8 Insert Text Questions

2.9 Prose Summary and Fill in a Table Questions

2.10 How the Reading Section is Scored

2.11 Reading Practice Test

2.12 Practice Activities and Resources

2.13 This Week in Review and Getting Ready for Week 3

Week 3 – Listening Section

3.1 Challenges of Listening

3.2 About the Listening Section

3.3 Gist-Content and Gist-Purpose Questions

3.4 Detail Questions

3.5 Function Questions

3.6 Attitude Questions

3.7 Organization Questions

3.8 Connecting Content Questions

3.9 Inference Questions

3.10 How the Listening Section is Scored

3.11 Listening Practice Test

3.12 Practice Activities and Resources

3.13 This Week in Review and Getting Ready for Week 4

Week 4 – Speaking Section

4.1 Challenges of Speaking

4.2 About the Speaking Section

4.3 Independent Questions 1 and 2

4.4 Integrated Questions 3 and 5

4.5 Integrated Questions 4 and 6

4.6 How the Speaking Section is Scored

4.7 Speaking Practice Test

4.8 Speaking Practice Responses

4.9 Practice Activities and Resources

4.10 This Week in Review and Getting Ready for Week 5

Week 5 – Writing Section

5.1 Challenges of Writing

5.2 About the Writing Section

5.3 Integrated Writing Question 1

5.4 Independent Writing Question 2

5.5 How the Writing Section is Scored

5.6 Writing Practice Test

5.7 Writing Practice Responses

5.8 Practice Activities and Resources

5.9 This Week in Review and Final Steps for Week 6

Week 6 – About Test Day and Beyond

6.1 Putting It All Together: Preparing for Test Day

6.2 The Test Center

6.3 How to Register

6.4 Receiving and Sending Scores

6.5 Week 6 Quiz

6.6 Official TOEFL Prep Resources

6.7 End-of-Course Survey

6.8 Share with a Friend

6.9 Go Pursue Your Dreams

COURSE DEVELOPMENT:

Week 2 – Reading Section

2.1. Features of Academic Reading

Well, to be a successful on TOEFL test, you have to read academic texts,

papers, etc. as part of preparation strategy.

At university, you will encounter textbooks, papers and articles on a wide

variety of academic subject.

For this reason you have to read many times in a day, for example:

Textbooks with the following content:

- Social sciences.
- Arts.
- Physical sciences.
- Life sciences.

So today we´re going to look at three key characteristics of academic texts.

1. Academic texts generally use formal language:

- Few contractions or abbreviations.

- Specialized vocabulary.

- No idioms or slang expressions.

- Formal grammar.

2. Academic texts are logical and objective:

- Based on facts.

- Impersonal tone.

- Doesn’t appeal to emotions.

3. Academic texts are conceptually complex:

- Multidimensional ideas.
- Interconnected parts.

2.2. About the Reading Section

The first section of the TOEFL IBT test is Reading.

This section uses reading passages from university-level texts that

introduce the topic. The passages may have been changed slightly to make them
appropriate for testing purposes, but they are real academic materials.

There are 3 or 4 reading passages of about 700 words each. For each
passages you have 12 – 14 multiple-choice questions. You will be able to see the
reading passage as you answer each question.

Most questions have 4 choices and a single correct answer. Some

questions ask you to select two or more correct answers from a large group of
choices.

You will have 60 or 80 minutes to complete the reading section. During

the time, you can return to previous questions to review or change your answers.

2.3. How to approach a TOEFL IBT Test Reading Passage

What topic is going to be discussed in the passage?

Identify the topic: Before you begin to read, take a look at the tittle and the
illustration at the beginning of the passage.

Skimming: take a glance at the first few sentences of the first paragraph. These
sentences form the introduction and usually give the reader an idea of what is to
come. Then take a look at the first sentence of each of the other paragraph.
These sentences often provide information about the main point or points in each
paragraph.

While you skim, pay attention to the structure, or organization of the passage.

Take notes / create an outline: for example:

I. Phenomenon presented.

a. Theory that explains the phenomenon.

i. Detail.

ii. Detail.
 b. Alternative theory.

i. Detail.

ii. Detail.

iii. Example.

II. Conclusion.

Now you’re ready to careful read the passage from the beginning to
end. As you read, you can fill in more of the outline, such as: specific
details that support some of key ideas.

Reading the questions: once you read each question, you can go back to the
passage to look in a targeted way for the information you need to answer that
question. This is calling scanning.

Scan for key words: after you’ve located them in the paragraph, re-read the
phrases and sentences containing those words. You should be able to find the
information you need to answer the question.