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CIM: TOEFL Preparation (BBA90300)

General information

Type:

OP

Curs:

2,3

Period:

S semester

ECTS Credits:

2 ECTS

Teaching Staff:

Group Teacher Department Language
Ed: 1 Gaby Michaelides English Section ENG
Ed: 1 Matthew Cruickshank Owen English Section ENG

Group Teacher Department Language
Ed: 2 Gaby Michaelides English Section ENG
Ed: 2 Matthew Cruickshank Owen English Section ENG

Group Teacher Department Language
Ed: 3 Matthew Cruickshank Owen English Section ENG
Ed: 3 Gaby Michaelides English Section ENG

Group Teacher Department Language
Ed: 4 Matthew Cruickshank Owen English Section ENG
Ed: 4 Gaby Michaelides English Section ENG

Group Teacher Department Language
Ed: 5 Gaby Michaelides English Section ENG
Ed: 5 Matthew Cruickshank Owen English Section ENG

Prerequisites

This course is for all students from second, third and fourth year who wish to prepare for the international language certificate TOEFL ibt.

Previous Knowledge

Equivalent to a pass in English I, or FCE B pass

Workload distribution

Class hours 18
Independent study: 20

Observations:
As the language classes are in small groups, full participation on the part of the student is expected throughout. Students receive continuous feedback on their learning and their performance throughout the course.

Students are expected to fulfill all the out of class work tasks.

Course Learning Objectives

The objective of TOEFL Preparation is to help students become familiar with the design, demands and test-taking techniques in the exam and to provide focussed practice and feedback in each of the 4 papers so as to do as well as possible when sitting the exam.

Competences

5. Ability for continuous learning/Ability to learn continually
14. Tenacity, persistence, constancy

Relation between Activities and Competences

5 14
Reading paper    
Listening paper    
Speaking    
Writing    
Practice Tests    
Final test    

CONTENT

1. Speaking skills

Speaking skills: There will be practice of skills specific to the exam. Practice activities are designed to work on speaking skills required for the TOEFL as described in the exam description above.

2. Listening comprehension

Listening comprehension: students will practise listening skills required for the examination.

3. Reading

Reading: different skills are required for the comprehension section.

4. Writing

Writing: tasks include summary writing and the presentation of opinions based on lectures and short academic texts, as required by the exam.

5. Linguistic resources

Linguistic resources: Special attention will be paid to accuracy and appropriacy.

Relation between Activities and Contents

1 2 3 4 5
Reading paper          
Listening paper          
Speaking          
Writing          
Practice Tests          
Final test          

Methodology

Reading paper. Reading comprehension of 3-5 passages which have 12-14 questions per passage. The paper takes 60-100 minutes. Question-types range from factual information, pronoun reference and sentence paraphrasing through to vocabulary, rhetorical purpose and inference, construction of prose summaries and the completion of tables. There are 10 question types.

Listening paper. Listening comprehension of 4-6 lectures and 2-3 conversations, with 5-6 questions per passage. Each passage is heard only once. Topics are academic or campus-related content. Academic lectures are drawn from 4 major sources: the arts, life science, physical science and social science. Note-taking is allowed in this section. There are multiple-choice questions, with one or more options; ordering events or steps in a process, matching objects or texts to categories in a table. The testee has to identify content and purpose, speaker stance, and the organisational structure of the texts.

Speaking. 6 tasks, 2 independent and 4 integrated. 15 seconds preparation time is allowed for 2 questions and 30 seconds for the others. The answers are recorded digitally into a microphone.
Independent speaking consists of answering short questions of general topics, expressing the testees personal opinions. The 4 integrated topics mean the testee has to read, listen and prepare and respond in a way that shows understanding of the material and the ability to articulate that understanding. There are questions based on a lecture and a discussion. Raters evaluate topic development, delivery and language use.

Writing. 2 essays are required of equal weighting. One is an integrated task (20 minutes) in which test-takers read a short passage, (200-300 words) then listen to a lecture that directly addresses the points in the reading (2 minutes) and then writes a summary of what the speaker said about the passage. The second is a personal essay. Points assessed are accuracy of grammar and vocabulary, and organisation; the canons of good expository writing apply to the personal essay of 300-450 words(30 minutes).

The complete test lasts 4 hours. Students need to concentrate to complete all sections successfully.

ASSESSMENT

ASSESSMENT BREAKDOWN

Description %
Practice Tests 30
Final test 70

Assessment criteria

Students will be able to monitor their progress by means of continuous assessment and feedback given during the course on progress, effort, and test scores reflecting individual strengths and weaknesses. Extensive use will be made of published practice tests which will be scored, analysed and discussed so that students can concentrate on areas needing reinforcement. 30% of the final score is awarded on the basis of these practice tests.
70% will be awarded on the basis of the final test score at the end of the course.

75% attendance is mandatory: without this minimum requirement, the course is automatically failed.

Bibliography

Basic bibliography:
The course is based on the computer test materials, and materials provided through
the course moodle.




Timetable and sections

Group Teacher Department
Ed: 1 Gaby Michaelides English Section
Ed: 1 Matthew Cruickshank Owen English Section

Timetable Ed: 1

From 2017/10/2 to 2017/11/20:
Each Monday from 11:00 to 14:00. (Except: 2017/10/16 and 2017/11/13)

Group Teacher Department
Ed: 2 Gaby Michaelides English Section
Ed: 2 Matthew Cruickshank Owen English Section

Timetable Ed: 2

From 2017/10/2 to 2017/11/20:
Each Monday from 17:00 to 20:00. (Except: 2017/10/16 and 2017/11/13)

Group Teacher Department
Ed: 3 Matthew Cruickshank Owen English Section
Ed: 3 Gaby Michaelides English Section

Timetable Ed: 3

From 2018/2/22 to 2018/3/8:
Each Thursday from 8:00 to 11:00.

From 2018/4/12 to 2018/4/26:
Each Thursday from 8:00 to 11:00.

Group Teacher Department
Ed: 4 Matthew Cruickshank Owen English Section
Ed: 4 Gaby Michaelides English Section

Timetable Ed: 4

From 2018/2/21 to 2018/3/7:
Each Wednesday from 17:00 to 20:00.

From 2018/4/11 to 2018/4/25:
Each Wednesday from 17:00 to 20:00.

Group Teacher Department
Ed: 5 Gaby Michaelides English Section
Ed: 5 Matthew Cruickshank Owen English Section

Timetable Ed: 5

From 2018/6/18 to 2018/6/29:
Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 14:00 to 17:00.

Monday 2018/7/16 from 9:00 to 11:30.