SYLLABUS

Spring 2023

Course Name: Test Preparation

Level: 4
Credit Hours: 12
Meeting See NGA schedule
Times:
Instructor: Roman Mamashev
E-mail: [email protected]
Office hours: Mon, Wed, Fri @ 12:15-12:45
Mon @ 15:30-16:00

I. Texts & Materials

Core Textbooks

 Phillips, D. 2003. Longman Preparation Course for the TOEFL® Test: The Paper-Based Test.
Pearson Education, Inc.
 Fellag, Linda Robinson. 2006. NorthStar: Building Skills for the TOEFL iBT. Pearson Longman.

Extra materials are to be either distributed in class as handouts or posted online (starting with
Week 2).

II. Course description

This course introduces the one-year program in Test Preparation and covers the material targeted
at improving your overall score on a standardized exam. It will familiarize you with the overall
structure of the test, and focus on particular parts: structure, listening, and reading comprehension.
The course also includes work on vocabulary, component essential for understanding information
of any kind, as well as abilities needed for more effective academic activities in any language.

III. Outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to:

1. Accurately describe the tasks and assignments on both the Paper Based TOEFL Test (pBT) and
the Internet Based TOEFL Test (iBT).
2. Consistently and effectively apply test-taking strategies that are specific to the reading,
listening, grammar, speaking, and writing sections of the TOEFL pBT and iBT.
a. Reading: identify different question types and read for main idea, details, underlying
meaning, structure, author's purpose, and vocabulary context clues.
b. Listening: use focusing strategies and develop note-taking abilities to identify main idea,
details, underlying meaning, author's purpose, and vocabulary context clues.

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 c. Grammar: show increased accuracy and confidence in using and identifying simple and
complex sentence structures, while correctly identifying parts of speech and
consistently applying number, gender, and tense agreement rules.
d. Speaking: manage time efficiently to plan and deliver a thoughtful verbal response to
independent and integrated tasks; and improve pronunciation, cadence, and fluency in
speaking responses.
e. Writing: use opinion words and phrases, transition words, and paragraph structure to
present an organized and clear essay.
3. Identify and infer meaning from common words, phrases, and idioms used on the TOEFL tests.
4. Develop ability to self-evaluate written and spoken responses according to official TOEFL
standards.
5. Demonstrate an improvement in TOEFL scores based on course work.

IV. Grading
Activity Grading
Grades are given based on:

Type of activity Percent of Total Grade

Class Participation & In Class
20%
Activities
Home & In Class Assignments 20%
Quarter and Midterm Tests 40%
Final Exam 20%

Grade/Percentage Ratio:
A 100-95% C 76-73%
A- 94-90% C- 72-70%
B 89-87% D 69-67%
+ +
B 86-83% D 66-63%
B- 82-80% D- 62-60%
C+ 79-77% F 59% or below

V. Course Expectations
Classroom Culture
We will strive to build a community where everyone is respected and accepted. Some of your
activities will have a collaborative nature: group projects and presentations, online and classroom
discussions. In all your communication, please be tactful and polite.

Online Access
Each student should have access to the Internet and must register for the Moodle e-course in the
first week of classes. All daily class-related electronic communication will be done through a group
created during the first week of classes.

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Attendance and Participation
It is your responsibility to notify the instructor, the adviser, and the office if you are going to miss a
class or the entire day of classes because of an emergency (illness or other). This can be done by
phone or email. Being absent for many classes without a reason will result in an F (fail) for the course.

If you have a missed class because of an emergency, it is your responsibility to:

a) Provide a document justifying your absence (medical certificate, etc.),
b) Personally contact your instructor before the class that you will be missing to notify about your
absence.

Unjustified absence does not qualify for a make-up. A zero received for a missed class is final.

Homework
Home assignments are an integral and important component of the instruction. All home
assignments should be completed on time. If you miss, or do not understand, a home assignment,
you must check with your instructor or with another student promptly. Below you will see the types
of home assignments you will have during this course.

Assigned Readings/Videos
You are to read the assigned texts prior to coming to class. They are assigned for the week that
follows to ensure the depth of class interaction and individual reflection. You are expected to look
up unfamiliar words before coming to class.

Online Forums, Journals, or Blogs

On our Moodle course site, you will participate in online forums and write/record reflections on
issues raised in class and topics given by the instructor. These have several benefits:

 First, they accommodate the students who need more time to reflect on issues raised in our
classroom discussions.
 Next, online forums/blogs allow you to record your thoughts and go back to read what your
classmates have said on a particular topic.
 Finally, this recorded discussion may help you generate ideas for your essays. When
participating in online forums, you are expected to follow the rules of netiquette.

For each Forum, you need to provide either a post or a post and comment(s) to other classmates’
posts (depending on the assignment in question). Make your comments worth reading.

Group Projects
You will work individually or in groups of four to work on a project and present it to the whole
class. Specific instructions and grading criteria will be given on the Moodle course site.

Assignment Submission
All assignments must be submitted by the due date. No exceptions. Late works will not be
accepted, and the grade for the writing assignment will be zero (F). Papers can be submitted
electronically, or (in case of first drafts) printed out and brought to class. The Moodle site will have
the submission box for your assignments. All papers are to be typed, double-spaced in 12 pt. Times
New Roman typeface or an identical font, on 4A paper with one-inch margins.

Cell Phones
Although it is allowed to use cellphones during the class, they must be used only for educational
purposes (for example, as a dictionary). Texting and calling during the lesson are a sign of
disrespect both your instructor and the class. All cell phones (including the instructor’s) will be set
to silent mode for the duration of the entire class.

Personal Issues
If you have any problems concerning the course material or the classroom instruction, you are
encouraged to discuss it with your instructor, or your advisor, outside of class time — during office

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hours. If your instructor is unable to answer to you immediately, separate meeting may be
organized (in-person or during an online meeting).

Academic Honesty
Cheating or plagiarism in any form is unacceptable. All work submitted by a student must
represent her/his own ideas, concepts, and current understanding. Any content that is
referenced or has small amounts of material quoted should be cited using APA format. Images or
other media used in projects should be original, used with permission, or come from public
domain. You will find resources for the APA style and free media on our Moodle course site.

VI. Lesson Schedule*

Weeks Skills Textbook

Weeks  Review TOEFL pBT skills Longman TOEFL pBT book
1-6  Target weak areas
 90 minute essay writing
strategies
AUCA Entrance Examination - Feb. 26
Weeks  Introduction to TOEFL iBT iBT Diagnostic Exam
7-8 exam Extra resources
 Foundational iBT skills (note- NorthStar Advanced iBT - p. 72-76; 107-116;
taking, paraphrasing, 152-157
summarizing for R/W/L/S)
 Reading - paraphrasing and
summarizing questions
Week 9  TOEFL iBT speaking tasks NorthStar Advanced iBT - section 3 or 4
(independent and integrated) (speaking) from each unit.
Spring Break - March 20-25
Weeks  TOEFL iBT integrated writing NorthStar Advanced iBT - Units 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10,
10-11  Listening - conversations section 3 (integrated writing)
NorthStar Advanced iBT - section 1 (campus
conversations) from each unit.
Weeks  Reading and listening - NorthStar Advanced iBT p. 14-15 (compare and
12-13 vocabulary in context contrast); p. 91-96 (vocabulary in context); p.
questions 174-178 (cohesive devices); p.196-201
 Writing - cohesive devices (rhetorical devices)
Weeks  Listening - academic lectures NorthStar Advanced iBT - section 1 (academic
14-15  Review lectures) from each unit.
Weeks  Revision NorthStar, Cambridge TOEFL iBT
16-17
Exam Final Exam
Week

Note:

* This schedule is subject to adjustments and changes. You will be notified beforehand.
** E-course assignments and deadlines will be posted on the course page.
*** Glossary-related projects will be posted on the e-course