Strategies for Raising Your TOEFL Speaking Score(Official guide)

Ø When you take the Practice TOEFL Speaking section in this chapter, listen carefully to each of your recorded responses. Create a set of guiding questions to help you evaluate your performance. Here are some examples of the kind of questions you may want to include:

· Did I complete the task?
· Did I speak clearly?
· Did I make grammatical errors?
· Did I use words correctly?
· Did I organize my ideas clearly and appropriately?
· Did I provide a complete response?
· Did I use the time effectively?

Once you have completed your evaluation, decide what changes you want to make to your response. Then try again, making a new recording. Compare the two recordings and determine if any further revisions are necessary.

Ø Try to periodically analyze your strengths and weaknesses. Try to understand what you are and are not able to do well and why.

Ø When you monitor your speaking practice, try to evaluate the pace of your speech. After each practice ask yourself the following questions:
· Did I speak too fast?
· Did I speak too slowly?
· Did I pause too often?

Ø You may want to monitor your own progress by keeping an audio journal, which entails keeping samples of your speaking activities or practices. You can also ask for feedback from one or more friends, tutors, or teachers.

TIPS FOR THE DAY OF THE TEST

Ø Remember that taking notes on the reading and listening material in the integrated Speaking tasks on the TOEFL iBT test is allowed.

Ø Listen to the item directions carefully to understand exactly what you are being asked to do.

Ø Use your preparation time as effectively as possible. Plan your response by thinking about the important ideas you want to convey in a simple, organized fashion.

Ø Do not begin speaking until you are told to do so.

Ø Answer each question as completely as possible in the time allowed.

Ø Make sure to adjust your microphone and volume carefully.

Ø Speak into the microphone at an appropriate volume. Do not put your mouth directly onto the microphone. If you touch your mouth to the microphone, scorers may find it difficult to understand what you are saying.

Ø Avoid whispering. If you whisper, scorers may find it difficult to understand what you are saying.