iBT TOEFL Speaking Topic 1.3: Integrated Task (campus notice and conversation)

Scores and comments for responses submitted so far:

http://www.chinswing.com/pages/discussion.aspx?id=f08aa742-5755-4aac-b003-d49b57d52338  

[002] - Score = 3.5 (Generally a very good response - particularly good with delivery! - but loses a half point for not providing a good summary of the notice)

[003] - Score = 3.5 (Excellent summary of the reasons given, but as per 002 above, there was no real attempt to provide a useful summary of the notice - all the focus of the answer was only on the listening)

[004] - Score = 2.5 (No real summary of the notice to start with, delivery needs some work for better clarity, and too vague - speaker only used 45 seconds of the 60 second time limit)

[005] - Score = 2.5 (30 seconds to summarize notice - should be around 15 seconds, reasons for woman's opinion not explained in enough detail, some problems with pronunciation/delivery and language use)

~ Jason

***

I recently recorded some new lectures explaining how to understand and respond to the six different iBT speaking questions. You can access them at this link here:

I hope you find the tips useful!

~ Jason

Hi Yoobin,

I really admire your willingness and bravery to jump in try these sorts of tasks! You may not feel it at the time, but this attitude to applying your English drives your language development and awareness every time. You are creating your own success, step by step. Trust me.

As for this task, you've done a good job of it for your first try and reported most of the basic important reasonably clearly. However, I think you could improve it by looking at the tips I've made for this kind of task at this link: http://www.english-itutor.com/TOEFL_iBT.html 

Look at the little orange menu there and click on "Qu.3". It will give you some specific tips on how to handle this sort of integrated task.

In addition to trying a new written version, I hope you'll get a headset and microphone and try your hand at doing some tasks with actual recorded speaking. You can see the link to the Chinswing recording thread in the post above. I'd be happy to hear your pleasant voice talking there!

Thanks for your contribution - always welcome.

Best wishes,

 ~ Jason

More scores and comments for responses submitted so far:

[007] - Score = 3.0 (Good response with good explanation of the woman's reasons - but loses a point for not providing a good summary of the notice or integrating the reasons back to details given in the notice)

[008] - Score = 4.0 (Has all the requirements for this kind of task, with good summary of notice, good reasons with supporting detail, good clear delivery, and generally very strong language use)

[009] - Score = 2.5 (Excellent delivery and language use, but only covers the listening component, with no summary of the notice or references back to details specifically mentioned in the notice)

[010] - Score = 2.5 (As per -009- above: Excellent delivery and language use, but only covers the listening component, with no summary of the notice or references back to details specifically mentioned in the notice)

~ Jason

More scores and comments for responses submitted so far:

http://www.chinswing.com/pages/discussion.aspx?id=f08aa742-5755-4aac-b003-d49b57d52338   

[012] - Score = 3.5 (Very good response which covers all the essentials well ~ recording quality prevented me from hearing the delivery well, which is why I'm holding back from allocating a perfect score...)

[013] - Score = 4.0 (Has all the requirements for this kind of task, with good summary of notice, good reasons with supporting detail, good clear delivery, and generally very strong language use)

[014] - Score = 1.5 ~ 2.0 (No summary of the notice provided, points from the listening lack coherence and detail and are not well integrated with important information from the notice)

[015] - Score = 2.0 (Started very well, but some inaccuracy in reporting the information, and lack of detail for the woman's second reason)

[016] - Score = 3.5 ~ 4.0 (Excellent response, very concise and great integration of the important information from both input sources; some pronunciation and language use issues may pull back the score a little)

[017] - Score = 2.5 ~ 3.0 (Very good speaking and reporting ability, but the answer focuses only on the listening passage, provides no summary of the reading passage, and does not integrate both sources enough)

[018] - Score = 2.0 (Too much emphasis on the listening passage only, needs a summary of the reading notice and integration of the two sources; delivery - especially intonation - very problematic and hard to understand)

[019] - Score = 2.5 ~ 3.0 (Great speaking and reporting, but no attention to the reading passage, and some problems towards the end reporting details accurately)

[020] - Score = 2.0 ~ 2.5 (Good attempt, but misses information from the reading and shows some difficulties with covering all points accurately in the listening input)

~ Jason

Hi Marie,

Thanks for the positive and kind comments ~ they're appreciated.

The best way to support the site is to do what the site was actually set up to do: get involved, interact, and discuss things with other people from around the world. The site and its membership still have a long way to go on that front. Up until now, most people are basically treating it as a free private tutoring service, asking for a lot and giving very little (if anything). I don't see anyone posting their own news articles or discussion topics, nobody is suggesting tips for improving performance on the tests, and no one is encouraging other forum members. In fact, I can clearly see that many site visitors don't even read or listen to other people's efforts and consider the feedback given to them. It's a rather selfish-seeming membership so far...

Still, I live in hope! All I really want out of this site is that people will show they are willing to communicate with and help each other, and by virtue of that come to the realization that they are actually helping themselves as well.

Best regards,

~ Jason

Access all 6 speaking tasks to create a complete iBT TOEFL speaking test:

http://global-english.lefora.com/forum/category/toefl-speaking-practice-test/page1/

P.S.: Is there a programm for upper elementary student to practice writting essays? It's for my daughter, I want her to be confident in writing, writing should come natural to her. She is going to start 5th grade this comming school year.

-marie

I can suggest the perfect textbook program for developing your daughter's writing skills at that age:

This is the writing strand from the 20-book series I wrote for Pearson Longman. It's made especially for learners aged 10-15, who already have some good foundations in English, but no real composition skills yet.

You can see more at this link: http://www.boostskillsseries.com/writing/writing.php

I believe the reading and writing strands of this series became available in the United States this year. If you make inquiries through a school or bookshop (or by finding Pearson's website for the States), you should be able to track it down...

Hope it helps!

~ Jason

More scores and comments for responses submitted so far:

http://www.chinswing.com/pages/discussion.aspx?id=f08aa742-5755-4aac-b003-d49b57d52338    

[022] - Score = 3.0 (Good attempt, but requires some more integration with the details in the notice, and delivery could be improved - some parts a little hard to follow)

[023] - Score = 3.0 (Good response generally, but needs more integration of the woman's points with the notice - and/or better summary of the notice - and delivery is sometimes hard to follow)

[024] - Score = 2.5 (Some important points from both reading and listening neglected in the response)

[025] - Score = 2.5 ~ 3.0 (The content appears to be very well covered and integrated across the sources, but the delivery was far too rushed and jumbled, making many parts of the answer hard to hear/understand well)

[026] - Score = 2.5 ~ 3.0 (Summary of the reading far too brief, hence no solid details from reading are logically integrated with the listening content; some information inaccurately reported)

[027] - Score = 3.0 (Good response, but not enough clear integration of the reading and listening details, and delivery slightly unnatural sounding)

[028] - Score = 3.5 ~ 4.0 (Model response! Gives perfect summary of the important points in the reading and then integrates the relevant opinion and reasons/details from the listening; may lose a half point on the language use and/or delivery front)

[029] - Score = 2.0 ~ 2.5 (Perfect summary of the listening passage information, and great delivery and language use, but no specific information from the reading is given!)

~ Jason

When I speak why it shows against my picture as DEL. I don`t understand. I have test on october 17.

-naturelover

The DEL means you have the option of deleting the post (if for whatever reason you're not happy with it). Otherwise, the post should be fine as is.

Best,

~ Jason

hi friends,

i finally recorded my answer to this task, and it was really a tough task to me.

although i'm not sure that my answer is correct, i'm glad that i participated in this section.

thanks Jason for your efforts.

this forum is really helpful to us.