Course Syllabus (TPC1)

Course name: TOEFL iBT Preparation Course One

Course code: TPC1

Course description:

The TOEFL iBT Preparation Course One (TPC1) uses Longman Preparation Course for the TOEFL iBT Test (3rd
edition) as a core book, written by Deborah Phillips and published by PEARSON. The TOEFL iBT Preparation
course seeks to help students understand academic language skills tested on the exam and to provide them with
test-taking strategies, skill-focused exercises, and test-format practice to maximize their performance on the test.

Approach and focus:

The Longman Preparation Course for the TOEFL iBT Test book emphasizes the need to integrate strategy
development and autonomous practice in order to achieve the expected results.

In this sense, it is important to consider the following:

(i) In-class skill presentation and practice

Skills and test-taking strategies are presented progressively throughout the units and must be addressed
in detail during class. The TOEFL iBT exercises following these sections are to be used for demonstrating
skill and strategy use in a TOEFL iBT test format. Timing of activities may be introduced progressively, as
well, bearing in mind that candidates are to be fluent within the time limits set for the test in order to be
successful.

(ii) Autonomous work and skill-assessment

Due to time constraints and the nature of the course, a number of activities in the book may be assigned
as homework (review exercises and/or mini-tests). Therefore, students must be aware that they are
expected to be responsible of their own learning. The more they practice, the better chances of succeeding
when taking the test. In order to monitor their progress, students can make use of the skill-assessment
charts at the back of the book.

(iii) Feedback
Feedback should be provided after completing each activity, so it is important to allot enough time for this
purpose. Depending on the task at hand, the teacher may resort to different correction techniques (peer to
peer correction, checklists, among others).

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Core Material:

The core material for this course is the Longman Preparation Course for the TOEFL iBT Test (3rd edition).

The units of Longman Preparation Course for the TOEFL iBT Test are organized in four parts: (1) Reading, (2)
Listening, (3) Speaking, and (4) Writing.

Each part begins with a diagnostic pre-test, which measures students’ level of performance and allows them to
determine specific areas of weakness.

It is followed by an overview, which presents a description of the tasks, scores and timing. The sections following
the overview deal in depth with specific strategies related to the kind of exercises found in the TOEFL iBT test.

There are TOEFL post-tests for each section that measure the progress that students have made after working
through the skills and strategies in the text.

Finally, there are mini-tests and complete tests that allow students to simulate the experience of taking actual
tests using shorter and full-length versions respectively. Students should be asked to monitor their progress by
means of the skill-assessment charts available at the back of the book.

Within each unit, the content has been distributed as follows:

(i) Presentation
It presents the skill and demonstrates the use of strategies step-by-step. Examples are provided for support.

(ii) Key points

This section contains a summary of the key points for students to remember while working with a particular
skill.

(iii) Practice
There are four exercises per skill that focus on working with the set of strategies seen in a given unit.

Supplementary Learning Material & Resources:

 MyEnglishLab platform: Online PEARSON platform where students will find additional mini-tests, one
more complete mock test and the book’s answer key. Students will find a direct link to the platform when
they log into their Intranet account. You can refer them to our MyEnglishLab ppt available in Chamilo for
further instructions on how to register, as well.

 Complete audio recordings: The complete classroom audio program is available at the following website:
www.pearsonelt.com/TOEFLiBT. Students can download the MP3 files one at a time or as a zip file.

 TOEFL iBT Practice Online (TPO): This is the official TOEFL practice test, which uses authentic past test
questions from ETS. Students get their access codes when they register. For better results, it is
recommended that they take the practice test during the second month of instruction (after completing most
of our preparation program) since they are allowed to take it only once.

 Useful Support Websites: There are some useful links to explore and support your classes. Among them,
you will find text and video links with additional information and tips for successfully taking the TOEFL iBT
test. These links can be found in Chamilo.

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Course Themes:

Course themes vary greatly within an academic context.

Course Advance:

Please refer to the respective Suggested Teaching Schedule. It can be requested at the Academic Office or it can
be downloaded from Chamilo. Please, make sure you read the additional notes provided.

Learning Objectives:

Due to the course’s nature, students are not evaluated throughout the month.

Objectives for TOEFL iBT Preparation Course (TPC1)

Non applicable.

Evaluation Criteria & Exams:

Non applicable.

Unlike other courses in our program, there is no final exam at the end. This course is only meant for skill
development; but attendance and follow-up will still be considered in the e-classlist.

Useful support Websites

The following is a list of useful links to support your lesson.

 Text Links

https://www.ets.org/toefl/ibt/about (ETS – About the TOEFL iBT test)

https://www.ets.org/toefl/ibt/prepare/test_questions (ETS – TOEFL iBT questions)
https://www.ets.org/toefl/ibt/faq/ (ETS – Frequently asked questions about the TOEFL iBT test)
https://www.ets.org/toefl/ibt/prepare/quick_prep/ (ETS – TOEFL iBT Quick Prep)
http://magoosh.com/toefl/ (TOEFL Blog)
https://www.englishclub.com/esl-exams/ets-toefl-tips.htm (20 TOEFL tips)
https://www.unavarra.es/digitalAssets/102/102729_100000tips.pdf (TOEFL iBT tips - pdf file)

 Video Links

https://www.youtube.com/user/TOEFLtv (Inside the TOEFL iBT test: MOOC course)

http://magoosh.com/toefl/2015/webinar-what-you-need-to-know-for-the-toefl/ (What you need to know about
TOEFL)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3_pVHJBcKY (TOEFL iBT: Independent speaking task)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7q6YekNTwHA (5 common mistakes)

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