The Educational Testing Service (ETS) that conducts the
TOEFL has developed a toolkit that helps the test takers to understand
the test better and enhance their scores. The resources are
user-friendly, easy to access from computer or mobile devices, and the
interesting part is that they are all free.
The TOEFL
iBT Quick Prep (www.ets.org/toefl/quickprep) offers test questions that
have appeared on past TOEFL tests to aid students with study
preparation.
The format of the Writing and Speaking
sections don’t have to be a mystery. A new five-part video series
provides an in-depth look at the writing and speaking sections to
familiarise students with the test and it can be accessed at the “Inside
the TOEFL Test” Video Series (www.ets.org/toefl/video_library/).
The
TOEFL Test Prep Planner (www.ets.org/toefl/planner) provides an
eight-week calendar so students are prepared in order to do their best
on test day. Similarly, the TOEFL Go Anywhere Website
(www.TOEFLGoAnywhere.org) is interactive website that is constantly
updated with new resources. Through the site’s multimedia platforms,
students can benefit from various study resources, such as the Study
Group video series (available at
‘www.toeflgoanywhere.org/meet-study-group-tips-test-takers-you’ which
provide specific strategies for the reading, writing, speaking and
listening sections. For those interested in watching videos the TOEFL TV
Channel is hosted on YouTube (www.youtube.com/TOEFLtv). One can watch a
new video each day that shares best practices and study tips from
English-language teachers, students who have taken the test. This is
useful for those who commute long distances. Students can join the
conversation with more than 1.3 lakh test takers from India and learn
the latest information pertaining to the test and educational events
taking place throughout India. They can reach these services
onwww.facebook.com/toeflgoanywhereindia.
To help
students who wish to know more about the foreign universities can check
the TOEFL Journey Program (www.toeflgoanywhere.org/user/toefl-journey)
that provides access to a wide spectrum of resources ranging from
helpful hints for living in a foreign country, to a comprehensive
listing of student visa requirements and available scholarship
opportunities, as well as timely and helpful email and text messages
customised for the journey.
For those suffering with
not finding the right reading material based on their skills, a Lexile
score can help students to select materials of interest that will
provide an appropriate level of challenge to promote reading
development. It can be accessed at ‘http://lexile.com/toefl’. Curious to
learn more about what to expect on testing day? View a six-minute video
on ‘www.toeflgoanywhere.org/content/what-expect-test-day’ to become
familiar with the registration, check-in and testing process.
The
ETS also has TOEFL Customer Centres specifically for Indian students.
The TOEFL Customer Call Centre assists the test takers answering pre-and
post TOEFL questions and is accessible by toll-free phone directly from
India. The service can be reached on 000-800-100-3780 from 9 a.m. to 5
p.m. from Monday to Friday.
