TOEFL Preparation factsheet

Section 2: Course structure and content

• 20 lessons (15 hours) per week of TOEFL Skills and Strategies
• 7 lessons (5.25 hours) online targeted practice sessions
• 4 lessons (3 hours) guided study

The TOEFL Preparation course is the standard TOEFL test preparation option at Kings.

Key features are:

• Students will improve their overall English language proficiency and academic vocabulary and enhance performance on academic tasks in all sections of the exam
• Prepare for success at US colleges and universities
• Taught by experienced instructors with a track record of success
• Teachers help students achieve the maximum TOEFL score by creating an individual study plan and by providing regular feedback
• Classes may be supplemented by additional reading to strengthen vocabulary and comprehension skills
• Access full-length practice tests to get comfortable with the exam’s online format and timing
• Access thousands of online practice exercises in the computer lab on site with the assistance of a teacher

1. Context Embedded

• The TOEFL Preparation course is based on a communicative approach to learning and focuses on meaningful communication skills. This motivates students to read, listen, speak, and write.
• A variety of different topics are used to teach test taking strategies and keep the classroom content engaging.

2. Multimedia Support

• This course uses interactive multimedia such as news videos, audio recordings, and presentations to assist students in building background knowledge as well as improving their comprehension of academic content.

3. Academic Word List

• Students are introduced to the Academic Word List (AWL) and have opportunities to practice these words which occur in high frequency in academic contexts.
• Studies show that students who master the AWL are more likely to succeed in an academic setting.

4. Online Skills Trainer

• Every student takes an online test preparation course in conjunction with his or her regular classroom hours.
• This online component focuses study on the parts of the tests that students often find the most challenging, the speaking and writing portions.
• All practice tests are timed which assists students in getting used to the time pressure of the tests.

5. Authentic Practice

• The course content provides daily opportunities to practice for the test using authentic questions and listening and reading materials from actual TOEFL tests.
• Students also regularly practice under exam conditions to develop timed test-taking strategies.
• Students are able to practice speaking with a headset and microphone and are given many timed writing assignments.

Extra information

• We recommend that students begin training at least four weeks before they take the real exam. Depending on their level, some students may require longer periods of study before taking the TOEFL exam to reach their test goals.

• Students can request additional assistance on specific TOEFL skills during their Guided Study lessons.

Assessment

• Continuous assessment helps students check their progress towards their goal and see their own improvement on a regular basis.
• Students begin with a diagnostic test and are then measured on a weekly basis with assignments, participation, and assessments.
• They have online access to one full-length test per month during their course and hundreds of practice exercises.
• Students can review their incorrect answers with detailed explanations of the correct answers.