Teaching TOEIC/TOEFL Test-Taking Strategies.

Teaching strategies arl outlined for teachers of English as a second language to use in improving students' listening and reading comprehension skills specifically for two standardized tests: the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) and the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The strategies presented are not intended to be specific to any one section of the tests, but can be applied throughout both tests. First, overviews are given of the formats of the TOEIC and TOEFL, the importance attached to students' test results in foreign countries, particularly Asia, and similarities and differences in the two forms of assessment. Then test-taking strategies to be taught are outlined, including general strategies and those specific to listening comprehension, structure, written expression, and reading comprehension, taking into account the way items in each area are constructed. Communicative activities relevant to the structure, written expression, and reading comprehension sub-units are also discussed briefly. (Contains 10 references.) (MSE) ******************************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ****************************************************************************w*** Teaching TOEIC/TOEFL Test-taking Strategies Douglas E. Forster & Richard Karn Japan Women's University & Niigata University of Management Introduction The purpose of this paper is to provide EFL/ESL instructors with teaching strategies to improve a student's TOEIC/TOEFL listening and reading comprehension test-taking skills as well as their overall English language communicative competency. This paper was originally presented at TESOL '98: 32nd Annual Convention and Exposition in Seattle, Washington on March 20, 1998. The strategies presented here were previously published in a textbook for use in Japan: Strategies 1: Building TOEICITOEFL Test-Taking Skills (Forster, Karn, Suzuki & Tateyama, 1997), and should be supplemented by TOEIC and/or TOEFL practice tests which are readily available. The strategies presented here are not specific to any one section of the TOEIC/TOEFL but should be applied throughout both tests. What we have attempted is to present each strategy in a context which is readily understood by the student. TOEIC/TOEFL Overview The TOEIC has seven parts and is divided into two general sections: Listening Comprehension and Reading Comprehension. Each general section tests specific skills. The Listening Comprehension section contains four parts: 1) Part I tests the ability to tell the difference between correct and incorrect descriptions of what is happening in a photograph; 2) Part II tests the ability to answer questions asked in English; 3) Part III tests the ability to grasp general and specific information in a short conversational; and 4) Part IV tests the ability to understand the general meaning of a short talk or lecture. The Reading Comprehension Section contains three parts: 1) Part V tests basic, sentence-level grammar; 2) Part VI tests the ability to identify basic grammatical errors in short phrases and sentences; and 3) Part VII tests general reading comprehension. See Table 1 below. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION N....***: CENTER (ERIC) \This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. 0 Minor changes have been made to NJ improve reproduction quality. \i Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. BEST COPY AVAILABLE PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY