In the way of work or education, many requirements arise that a person must meet, and in front of the ambition to achieve goals in these two areas, many face the challenge of learning the English language if the environments of these goals are spoken of. Learning is not enough alone, but a person must compete in proving his linguistic competence by taking an international exam acceptable to academic or professional institutions he dreams of taking. Two of the most famous international examinations used for this purpose are TOEFL and IELTS, which are widespread even in non-English speaking destinations, but many are confused and choose between these two tests, and they pose many questions. About the two tests, and about the experiences and errors of the ex to achieve maximum benefit and ensure high scores.
To answer some of these and other questions, “ Meydan ” interviewed A. Mehdi Zawawi, English Language Lecturer at Istanbul University, Turkey, and Head of the TOEFL Test Center at the University, and a. Rana Shabeer, author and examiner, IELTS at the British Council, Gaza.
TOEFL Test
Maidan : How does the TOEFL test differ from the international exams designed to measure proficiency in other English?
Mehdi Zawawi: The TOEFL exam is one of the world-famous exams for assessing language proficiency in English, along with other exams such as the IELTS and PTE exam, even if these exams are similar in destination and Evaluating the linguistic level of the examiner, each exam has characteristics that distinguish it from others. For example, the accent used in the TOEFL test is usually the American accent, unlike the IELTS test, which is often in the British accent. The TOEFL test consists of four parts: writing, listening, speaking, and constructive expression.
Besides this, the examiner can do the test entirely using the Internet, by going to one of the accredited centers, and there is also another form of TOEFL without using the computer, but using the paper and pen. It should also be noted that the IELTS Speaking Department is interviewed by a certified examiner who assesses the level using special criteria, unlike the TOEFL exam in which the examiner answers a question by recording his voice for a period of time that does not usually exceed two minutes, while other exams Like the IELTS test up to two hours and forty-five minutes, the TOEFL exam duration was four hours and was recently reduced to three hours.
Maidan : What kind of language is used in the TOEFL test? Is it academic, general, specialized, simple, literary or scientific? What is the nature of the topics covered in the exam parts?
Mehdi Zawawi: The language adopted in the TOEFL exam is often a purely academic language, since the texts chosen for the exam are both scientific and literary subjects, and these texts may at first glance appear difficult, but they are within the limits of linguistic sufficiency, and they are compatible with it. If it occurs and there is any scientific term - specialized - it is appended by writing the end of the text. In addition to this, the language used in the conversation section is a general language that tends to the academy because the chosen dialogues are often in a university environment. As for the nature of the subjects raised in the TOEFL exam, the common feature among them is that they are academic subjects that mimic the university educational environment with its various specializations of biology, technology, philosophy, literature, mathematics, history, and other fields.
Maidan : As I mentioned earlier, there are many international tests that measure a person’s proficiency in the English language, so how does a person determine whether the TOEFL test is appropriate for him?
Mehdi Zawawi: For a person to know whether the TOEFL exam is the most appropriate course to take, he must consider these factors:
- Linguistic level in general: where it is preferred that the level of the exam be at least above average so that the exam does not find difficult, so whoever has a beginner or intermediate level, he will find the TOEFL exam somewhat difficult.
The exam that the institution prefers to present the results of the exam: There are institutions that accept all approved exams, but there are some institutions that prefer an exam over others, and there are some institutions that are only accepted by a specific exam, as is the case in Turkey where an exam is not recognized IELTS.
Ease of writing on the computer: It is preferable for the examiner to be familiar with the use of the English language keyboard (American distribution) so that he can write easily during the exam.
- Conversation by recording the voice: If a person is accustomed to recording his voice on a computer without falling into a confusion that prejudices his performance, or without having to be silenced many times, the TOEFL exam is appropriate for him, but if someone is fluent in conversation and speaking with a real person he meets, it is better to He chooses another exam.
Ease of access to the center: which is important, the closer the examination center, the better for the person.
Maidan : What are the most common mistakes that students take during exam preparation or during the exam, especially in the conversation section?
Mahdi Zawawi : Many of the examiners make some mistakes before, during and after the exam, but they can avoid them, for example:
- The belief that a person’s knowledge of the English language requires obtaining a good mark in the exam, so the person registers for the exam with extra confidence, believing that being able to speak the English language will enable him to obtain a good score. This is a misconception, as most of the questions that are asked in the TOEFL exam are deductive questions, meaning that the answer is not explicit but rather implicit. Therefore, failure to prepare well for the exam often results in low marks.
Lack of knowledge of the exam rules: Many examiners enter the exam and they do not know the interface of the exam program, and this confuses them, thus distracting them and affecting their confidence in themselves.
Failure to write the full name properly upon registration: Many testers are rejected because their names are incorrectly written, and it must be ensured that the name and surname are written correctly.
Delayed attendance to the examination center.
- Determining the correct answer and the correct answer: Many of the examiners fall into the trap of the correct answer, while most of the questions on the TOEFL test require the correct answer.
Standing on a difficult question and trying to answer it before moving on to another question, and this would consume the time of the exam during the exam.
- Request a break during the listening section, and this is not available since the listening questions are asked continuously and without stopping.
Failure to bring the passport of the examiners in a country other than their country of origin, and this leads to the non-acceptance of the candidate until his passport is prepared.
- Trying to exaggerate the American accent in an exaggerated manner during the conversation section, because this, although it was a factor in evaluating the level of conversation, it is not required, but it is sufficient for the applicant to speak the test in a understandable and proper way.
Lack of training in conversation questions previously before the exam, and this increases the confusion of the examiner and also leads to frequent silence to be held accountable.
Maidan : What are the most important advice you give to the applicants during the exam preparation period and during the exam? Specifically with regard to handling time, typing on the keyboard, and examiner performance in the conversation section.
Mahdi Zawawi: It is preferable for the candidate to try the typical TOEFL exam, which is available on the official website, so that he has an idea of his level in the exam in general, and also to be able to know his weaknesses and strengths. And based on the result obtained, he creates a personal learning plan that he adheres to during the exam preparation period, taking into account the weaknesses and strengths he drew from the exemplary exam, and the preparatory plan must be distributed over a sufficient period of time, and in consistent periods, and he should continue to prepare, And to be faithful to the educational plan that he established, everyone who walked the path arrived.
In order to alleviate the difficulty of the conversation section, I think it is more appropriate for the candidate to see extensively the ready-made templates for conversation questions, so that the person can also modify these templates according to his need, and he can know his level in the conversation roughly, and it is preferable to record his answers during The training, then sent to three English language teachers in order to obtain their guidance, and to provide him with feedback that helps to address the weaknesses in his speech. All this gives him sufficient confidence when answering questions in the test. Last but not least, it is preferable for the same person to repeat the reading of the text that is required of him to read while confirming his registration with the center in a proper manner without confusion, because reading it in a reckless and incomprehensible manner, and if it is acceptable, may affect his confidence in himself. Reading this text in a proper and good way contributes to perk.
A person can prepare for the exam automatically without having to register for educational courses in principle and without having to raise the costs of passing this exam
Maidan : People who plan to pass the international English language exams, including the TOEFL test, are reluctant to determine the best course of study for them. Can they rely on themselves to study for the exam, or do they need to join the courses and training programs designed to prepare for the TOEFL exam?
Mahdi Zawawi: The choice to self-prepare for the TOEFL test depends mainly on the person’s educational style, and whether or not he is accustomed to self-learning, using the records available in Massive Open Online Courses - MOOCs. But in general, a person can prepare for the exam on his own without the need to register for educational courses in principle and without the need to raise the costs of passing this exam by following these steps:
Acquiring one preparatory book and understanding it well and knowing all the details therein.
- Enroll in one of the free open educational courses available online for the sake of redressing the gaps, and in order to create an environment in which he can practice his earnings from reading the preparatory book that he finished.
- Documenting and recording the conversation section through the free voice recording programs available, which are found in all operating systems and that will play the role of the reference point through which he can compare the percentage of his improvement in the conversation section.
- Optional, according to the capabilities of the person and the outputs that he reached from the previous steps, he can register in one of the training courses in which the sense of commitment is cultivated.
Maidan : Does the introduction of the TOEFL exam via computer affect the performance of the exam?
Mahdi Zawawi: The main goal of developing the test version over the Internet was to reduce the time for displaying results for test takers and shorten the time. The computerized examination formula over the Internet is almost identical to the written examination except for the environment in which the person is examined. With the spread of technology in all countries, the majority of the applicants are familiar with an environment such as this, and the effect of this electronic environment is a marginal effect and there is no relationship with the exam environment and the score obtained.
IELTS test
Meydan : How is the IELTS test different from the international tests used to measure proficiency in other English?
Rana Shbeir : IELTS stands for International English Language Testing System, and is designed to measure the language proficiency of people who want to pursue their studies in an English-speaking country, or work in an environment English is used as the main language of communication. The test consists of four sections: writing, reading, listening, and speaking. It is held in 1,600 places in 140 countries, and it is an acceptable test in 140 countries in the world.
Maidan : What kind of language is used in the test? Is it academic, general, specialized, simple, literary or scientific?
Rana Shbeir : The language used in the test is considered to be an easy-to-understand language, but the applicant needs to understand the pronunciation system in the English language, and he must know what the tone used, phoning, pauses, and everything related to the IELTS pronunciation system means, This helps him a lot during the exam, for example in the tasks of the listening section, when the speaker highlights a word in a certain tone, this means that it is an important word, or it is a key word, whether it is a verb, a name or an adjective, and the answers to the questions in the listening section are often among these the words. There are four different languages in English, which are American, British, New Zealand, and Australian, so the same person must be accustomed to using these dialects because he may encounter any of them in the listening section of the IELTS test.
The topics mentioned in the test also differ, as the first two tasks in the listening section include social topics, and in the first task of them two people exchange conversation, and one of them inquires about a daily situation as in the case of a travel reservation, a hotel room reservation, or a ticket to visit a museum. As for the other task, a dialogue of the type “monologue” is presented, and it is also within a social context, but the following two tasks (the third and fourth), in the same section fall within the topics of education and training, and within academic contexts in which two to four people dialogue, as in University students discuss with their professor about a research paper or homework, and the last task is also a "monologue" dialogue, and it highlights the difference between the four tasks in that the pattern of conversation in the third and fourth tasks is fast and intense. As I said earlier, the language used is easy to understand, but the applicant must understand the basics, and the nature of the exam.
Maidan : What is the nature of the topics covered in the exam parts?
Rana Shbeir : Regarding the topics, the subjects used in the IELTS test are internationally known, that is, they do not require a specialized audience, so any applicant can understand these topics. For example, in the general test, there are three texts about life in English, and may include commercial advertisements for a hotel or For a sports facility or educational course, which are not long texts, all based on facts rather than description.
The same applies to the writing department in both types. The written section consists of two tasks. In the general IELTS test, the applicant is asked to write a letter to a friend who intends to visit and reside with him, or a complaint letter to a company. As for the second task, it is of the type of articles and is requested in the IELTS academic test. And the year, but it differs in its level according to the type of test, and this task includes in the academic to provide details about a specific opinion or controversy, and requests that the applicant write a response to this opinion, explaining the advantages and disadvantages and an exhibitor of his own point of view at the end, and these topics also do not require a specialized audience, but Applicant Y Crown to a lot of knowledge about the vocabulary, idiomatic expressions used, so it prepared for that train on the process of examinations.
Maidan : In your opinion, how does one determine whether taking the IELTS test is the best option for him?
Rana Shbeir : It depends on the person’s goal. There are two types of IELTS test: general and academic. If a person seeks to complete his academic studies in an English-speaking country, he will be required to pass the academic type, and the required degree will differ according to the university, there are some universities that require a degree 6, while others require a score of 6.5 or 7, and this depends on the specialization that the student plans to join As for the second type, the general, it is intended for people who want to visit an English-speaking country, or immigration, or to fulfill the requirements for obtaining a visa to enter a country, and this type is easier than the academic, as the topics differ, and mainly revolve around social life to address, for example: Ads Newspapers, how to understand them, writing letters to inquire about services, or about going around the country, or about going to the bank or shopping or registering for a course to study the English language, it measures a person's ability to communicate using this language, and thus to ensure the extent of a person's ability to live in English speaking country.
You have to keep yourself familiar with the language, to read in English continuously and on a daily basis, and to read on various topics
Maidan : What were the most common mistakes that I noticed on the test takers, especially in the conversation section?
Rana Shbeir : From my experience as the IELTS examiner seven years ago, I witnessed many mistakes that the test takers make. One of these errors, the most important of which is the fact that some people take the exam without preparing for it before, or even without trying to speak or practice a conversation with Any person, and some of them have no idea about the nature of the conversation test, while this section consists of three parts, each different from the other, for example the first part is very easy, and the advanced examiner asks easy questions about his personal and family life, and his work, while dealing with Other questions are general topics like weather, work, and no Market.
Another mistake is made by the test takers, when the test taker comes with previously prepared answers to memorize them when asked questions, which is easy for the examiner to discover. Some applicants also when asked questions about specific topics of the type of questions that are easy to answer, they provide insufficient answers, either because these topics are not on their list of interests, or because they can not provide answers to the questions posed to them, and I advise the applicants to test when they are exposed to such questions by answering And to continue the discussion even if they did not discuss this before, then all that is required of them is to provide good answers, and they will get degrees on these answers. What you say is not important, because the examiner will not know whether or not you are telling the truth, but what is important is your ability to speak and answer questions.
Another message I address to those planning to take the test. I have seen people who have had to take the exam two, three or even four times, do not push yourself to take the test without being well prepared for it, if you are planning to get 6.5 or 7 and know that your level of language skills is lower than that , You need to develop yourself, and a lot of practice, so make your plan for it.
Maidan : What are the most important advice that you give to the applicants regarding the exam preparation period and during the exam, and can they rely on self-study to prepare for the exam?
Rana Shbeir : The English language cannot be learned overnight, I always tell my students that learning English is a life-long learning process, you must always renew your vocabulary list, learn new terms and vocabulary, and be aware of how this language is developing and what changes it is experiencing, you must Be aware of how to use some of the vocabulary, the proper time to use it or avoid it, and whether these vocabulary is formal, informal or even old, unused.
You have to keep yourself familiar with the language, to read in English continuously and on a daily basis, read on various topics, because if you are used to reading it daily then this will help you to read the reading texts in the IELTS test, and you will not become frustrated or panic if you see texts that reach in length Up to 2000 words, many of the test takers are not used to daily reading in English, so they panic during the exam, especially when viewing these long texts, and they do not even know how they can answer the questions asked in the reading section.
Create a daily plan for yourself, or usually acquire a book with you wherever you go, or even on your phone, and you can write the words you read or hear on channels such as YouTube, or when you watch movies, and add new vocabulary to your list constantly.
You can use the method of self-study, and if you need to develop your level of language, give yourself two to three months to prepare, each part of the test requires time to prepare for it, and practice a lot of applied exams, especially on the questions of the listening department, there are many sources Free online, or if you are the type to study with a group, you can join any of the exam preparation courses available everywhere.