Build integrated

English skills with

testing confidence in
TOEFL

許正義老師
(Jeng-yih Tim Hsu, Ph.D. in Composition &
TESOL)
國立高 雄第 一科技 大學 應用英 語系 助理教 授
Department of English
National Kaohsiung First University of Science and
 Presentation
Overview
1. TOEFL-iBT
2. Skill integration in
Listening & Conversation
class
3. Skill integration in
Literature class
4. Q & A
 Third Generation TOEFL:
Internet-Based Test
 When:
May 20, 2006 － (LTTC, Taipei; Feng-chia University
June 17, 2006 － (Cosmos Language School,
Kaohsiung)

 Tests on:
Reading, Listening, Writing,
Speaking
 Scores: 0 ~ 120
 Scores are good for: 2 years
 TOEFL – iBT
New TOEFL Integrated Tasks
Listening Speaking
stimulus response

Writing Reading
response stimulus
New Generation TOEFL
Why the changes were made?
 US school needs
 High score & low
capability
 New technology
available
 Redefined testing
purposes
 Proficiency & accuracy
What are the changes?
 Real
communication
 Integrated tasks
 Thinking process
 Logic evaluation
 Presentation
skills
How do the changes
impact students?

 Study preparation
 Computer skills
 Test taking
strategies
 The new “Testing
Subjects”
 Listening  Reading
 Speaking  Writing

Grammar?
 Grammar is to be tested
throughout all 4
sections.
 Field Test Survey
Results:
 100%  “The new test is much more
difficult.”
 75%  “Speaking is very difficult.”
 75%  “Not enough time to complete the
test.”
 83%  “A new preparation method is
needed.”
 80%  “Need oral training.”
 65%  “Need integrated training.”
 48%  “Need pronunciation training.”
What do we do in our
regular teaching?
TOEFL-iBT

Intensive
Training

Extensive
Training
 Skill integration in
Listening & Conversation
class
—Teaching technique #1—

Discussion Journal

Weekly Audience
Presenter Groups
 Discussion Journal-Hour
1
1
Presenter’s job
Readin
1. Find an article 2 weeks ing
advance.
Speakin
Listening
g
2. Lead a 30-min discussion. Listening
Speakin
g
3. Prepare for Q & A from peers.
Writing

T4. Collect
Jot down notes
data andin journals.
respond!
 Discussion Journal-Hour
2
2
Audience Groups’ job Reading
1. Find & read an article before
class. Writing

2. Write responses to it. Speaking

Listenin
Listening
g
3. Share in small groups.

T4.Join
Jot down NEW notes
the groups and in Writing

journals.
share!
 Theories behind
Discussion Journal
Contextual Model of Learning—
(Falk & Dierking, 1992;
2000)
1. Free-choice learning
2. Personal context Relevan
ce
3. Sociocultural context
4. Physical context
 Teacher’s role in
Discussion Journal
1. Assign the presentation order
2. Approve the article to be
presented
3. Set the atmosphere (music &
food)
4. Circulate and read ALL
journals
 Students’ gain in
Discussion Journal
1. Discussion topics are pre-
prepared!
2. Confidence increases as they talk
naturally!
Re-entry &
3. Develop communication
Reinforcement
strategies as they learn to
maintain a conversation!
4. Collaborate and cooperate!
 The 7-point Likert Scale
says:
Listening & Conversation
Dept.
The Student
Term averag
course No.
e
92-1 5.97 5.67 25

93-1 5.75 5.44 19

94-1 6.17 5.80 21

 Skill integration in
Literature class
—Teaching technique #2—

Literature Circles

Reading & Listening &

Writing Speaking
at home in class
 What Are Literature Circles?
1.Literature Circles are based on Book
Clubs.
2.Reading amount is decided by group
members.
3.In class, students play discussion roles.

4.While reading alone, students keep

journals…
5.After finishing a book, students present
 12 Key Ingredients of
Literature Circles (I)
1. small, temporary* group settings
2. students choose own reading materials
3. groups read different or the same* books
4. groups meet regularly, following
predictable schedule
5. Journals are used to guide reading
6. students self-generate discussion topics
 12 Key Ingredients of
Literature Circles (II)
7. group meetings are open, natural
conversations about books
8. discussion roles are rotated
9. teacher is a facilitator; not an instructor
10. assessment is done by
observation & self-evaluation
11. playfulness & fun is maintained
12. when finishing books, readers share
with others, then form new groups *
 Discussion Roles
4 Required Roles: 4 Optional Roles:

1. Discussion Director 1. Vocabulary Enricher

2. Summarizer
2. Literary Luminary
3. Illustrator 3. Travel Tracer
4. Connector 4. Investigator
 1. Discussion Director

 Your job is to develop a list of questions

that your group might want to discuss
about this part of the book.

 discursive/analytical
approach
 2. Literary Luminary

 Your job is to locate a few special sections

of the text that your group would like to
hear aloud.

 oral/drama 
approach
 3. Illustrator

 Your job is to draw some kind of pictures

related to the reading. It can be a sketch,
cartoon, diagram, or flow chart. Any kind
of drawing or graphic is okay.
 graphic/artistic 
approach
 4. Connector

 Your job is to find connections

between the book your group is
reading and the world outside (like
your life).
 associative
approach
 A New Syllabus/Curriculum
based on Literature Circles
1. Quantity of Reading & Writing—50%
0 Fewer than 20 pages in your journals
60 points 20 pages
80 points 30 pages
90 points 40 pages & above

2. Participate as a group—30%
Present your readings as a creative project.

3. Student Self-assessment—20%
Mid-semester  Fill in self-evaluation form
End-of-semester a. self-evaluation form
b. teacher-student conference
A New Syllabus/Curriculum based
on Literature Circles
 Week 1 Introduction
 Week 2 Test on students’ reading fluency I
 Week 3 The Story of an hour, Kate Chopin
 Week 4/5 The Lottery, Shirley Jackson
 Week 6/7/8 A rose for Emily, William Faulkner
 Week 9 Students’ midterm evaluation
 Week 10 Book Fair for Literature Circles
 Week 11~14 Literature Circles reading weeks
 Week 15/16 Presenting creative projects
 Week 17 Test on students reading fluency II
 Week 18 End-of-semester evaluation; teacher-
student conference; reading journals due!!!
 What is Radical here?
Critical Read+List
thinkin en+Speak
1. Students
g actually “READ & DISCUSS” in
class.
2. Students are returned the right of Free
“CHOOSING” books. choice
3. Participants of literature circles know their
RESPONSILILITIES & OBLIGATIONS .
4. A lot of READING and WRITING Read+
5. We, teachers, play SILENT roles. Write
 The 7-point Likert Scale
says:
Selected Readings from
American Dept.
Literature
The Student
Term averag
(Freshmen)
course No.
e
92-2 5.93 5.82 18

93-2 6.14 5.84 43

94-2 5.85 * N/A 26

 MORE ON
Caves English Teaching

培育終 身閱讀的 愛書人 Part 1

文學 小圈圈 (Literature Circles) 的 理念

培育終 身閱讀的愛書 人 Part 2

文學小 圈圈 (Literature Circles) 的 理論背景

培育終身閱 讀的愛書人 Part 3

文學小 圈圈 (Literature Circles) 的 實例運用
 Thanks, teachers!

Your comments are

welcome!
E-mail Tim ( 國立高雄第一科技大
學)
gogotim@ccms.nkfust.edu.tw