Prepare & Practice: Six ways to get ready for the TOEFL® test.

The TOEFL test measures your English proficiency in reading, writing, listening and speaking — four skills that you need for success in school. The more you practice your skills, the more prepared and confident you’ll be on test day. Here are 6 ways we help make it easier for you to get ready — and have TOEFL test success:

Learn tips from test takers like you Watch our entertaining Meet the Study Group series for TOEFL test practice tips from study group partners — and successful TOEFL test takers — Raj, Val, Min and Celia. watch videos >	Who's who in the study group   Learn more about Raj, Val, Min and Celia — their home countries, their interests, and the types of students they are. meet the group >
Find out what teachers want you to know Teachers are committed to helping their students succeed in school. That’s why ESL teachers from all over the world are sharing their study tips to help you have TOEFL test success. watch now >	Get tips and sample questions from the experts ETS, creator of the TOEFL test, produced a free TOEFL test tip guide to give you expert advice on how to prepare. PLUS: Practice with sample TOEFL test questions. get tips >
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Direct Method

The Direct Method is the learning of language in a relevant setting. This method has one basic rule and that is that no translation is allowed. The meaning of the name "Direct Method" comes from the fact that meaning is to be conveyed directly into the second language through demonstration and visual aids. 

 

The main principles of the Direct Method are as follows:

• German is not used in the classroom.
• The learner is actively involved in using the language in realistic everyday situations.
• Students are encouraged to think in the target language.
• Speaking is taught first before reading or writing.
• Only everyday vocabulary and sentences are taught.
• Concrete vocabulary is taught through demonstration, objects, and pictures.
• Abstract vocabulary is taught by association of ideas.
• This method states that the printed word should be kept away from the second language learner for as long as possible

Strategies for Teaching

1. Q & A: The teacher asks questions of any nature and the students answer. In preparation for this activity the teacher models, extensively, the use of complete answers to questions. Once doing this activity the teacher expects full sentences as answers to each question. Students can also be given the opportunity to ask the questions.
Objective: Experiment with words and sentence patterns to create interest and variety.

2. Dictation: The teacher chooses a grade appropriate passage from a book and reads the text aloud three times. The first time the passage is read the students only listen. The second time the passage is read it is read phrase by phrase, with the teacher pausing long enough for students to write down what they have heard. The third time the text is read, it is read at normal speed and the students check their work.

Objective: Listen attentively, courteously, and purposefully to a range of texts from a variety of cultural traditions for pleasure and information.

3. Reading Aloud: Students take turns reading sections of a passage, play, or dialog out loud. At the end of each student's turn the teacher uses gestures, pictures, examples, or role play to help the students make meaning of the text.

Objective: Orally and silently read a range of contemporary and classical grade appropriate texts for enjoyment and information.

4. Getting Students to Self-Correct: The teacher when provided with the opportunity should have the students self-correct by offering them a choice between what they said and the proper pronunciation. For example if the student says, "I have cree apples," the teacher should say, "Do you have cree apples or three apples?"

Objective: Reflect on speaking behaviors and strategies.

5. Map Drawing: Students are provided with a blank map of Canada. The teacher gives specific instructions to the students. Once they are finished, their map will be completely labeled. The teacher takes the same map on an overhead and the students give the teacher instructions on how to label the map.

Steps to Learning English

Learning English can be a frustrating process. Many students don’t know how to learn 

English properly or quickly. As a result, they waste days, weeks, or years struggling to improve. Typically, their progress is slow and painful.

However, there are 3 easy steps that any student can take to accelerate their English learning.

These steps produce faster results and a more enjoyable learning process.

1. Focus On Input, Not On Output

Most English students and teachers focus on language output- on speaking and writing activities. Yet, research shows that the key to excellent speaking is actually input-- listening and reading.

To learn much faster, students should spend most of their time on input activities. They should listen to understandable and interesting English audio as much as possible. Using this method, listening skills will rapidly improve. Surprisingly, speaking also improves more quickly when students focus on listening rather than on speech practice.

2. Stop Studying Grammar

Analytical grammar study simply does not work. Countless research studies show that grammarstudy is ineffective and inefficient. Yet, grammar-based activities form the bulk of instruction at most schools. Grammar is best learned naturally and intuitively through meaningful input activities.

Listening to correct grammar repeatedly is the best possible way to improve-- not by studying grammar rules. Learning grammar subconsciously in this way has been shown to be the fastest method for improvement.

3. Repeat More And Go Slowly

A surprising key to faster learning is to go more slowly. In schools, students often rush through their textbooks. As a result, they never learn the material deeply. Nothing is mastered. The material never leaves short-term memory.

Research shows that constant repetition and review produces faster and better results. Students should repeat audio lessons, for example, as many as 50 times before moving to the next lesson.

This kind of repetition produces deep learning that forever remains in long-term memory.

By following these three easy steps, any English student can dramatically improve their learning speed.

Writing Skills

 

HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR WRITING SKILL

1. Draw up an outline, listing each item you need to discuss in your memo, letter, or report.
2. Put items in order -- from most to least important
3. Gather information to backup what you plan to say, or to help illustrate your points
4. If appropriate, get input from others who are involved in the project you're discussing
5. Write a brief summary of your entire memo -- this will be your first paragraph.
6. Expand on each item listed in step 1, to make up the body of the memo.
7. In your last paragraph tell the recipient if he or she needs to take any action.
8. Set your document aside before proofreading it. This will allow you to look at it with a fresh eye.

Tips:

1. Avoid wordiness.
2. Write for your audience. Don't use jargon that your reader may not understand.
3. Don't rely entirely on your word processor's spell checker. It won't pick up incorrect use of a word, i.e. to vs. too vs. two.

English Listening Skill

Learn the key points on how to improve your listening comprehension 
when listening to native speakers of the English language

How to Speak Well and Confidently

Are you very shy when it comes to new surroundings, such as starting a new class or moving to a new area? Sometimes, it is necessary to overcome your shyness and speak confidently. By doing this, it can help you not only to share your ideas properly to others, but also to learn communicating with others. Here are a few steps to consider when speaking with confidence.

Steps

1. Learn how to have conversations with people. Your ideas or opinions may not always be accepted by others, but this is nothing unusual. Open your mouth, express your beliefs! This will improve your courage.
2. Don't be afraid and speak loudly. If you speak in a low voice, not only will others not be able to hear what you say, but you will also portray a submissive demeanor, which suggests the opposite of a confident one.
3. Make eye contact when you speak. For one thing, it is polite for others. Also, eye contact will help others to listen to your thinking carefully.
4. Praise yourself everyday! This will promote your own confidence, which is important when you speak. With more confidence, people will take your thinking more seriously.

Tips

1. Don't be nervous when you make mistakes. Human error is far from being a new concept - nobody is perfect! It is normal for everyone to make mistakes. Just calm down and keep speaking bravely.
2. Try and try again! This may be difficult for a shy person at first, but you need to force yourself to speak, and not seclude your thoughts. If you have some ideas, then try to speak out! Don't just keep them in your head.
3. If you have self confidence issues, try to think that you are the only one who has sound knowledge about the topic. Then go ahead and impart your knowledge to the audience in an effective way.
4. Remember that there is a fine line between confidence and arrogance. Don't portray an exaggerated amount of confidence, or you will come off as arrogant, believing that your ideas are better than the ideas of everyone else.

One of the most important components of public speaking is the sound of your voice. It influences the impact of your message, and might even make or break the success of your speech. Fortunately, for many people, good voice quality can be learned.