Saturday, November 26

Think like a TOEFL Rater >> Use OPDUL=C

TOEFL texts do not explain how to rate written and verbal responses. Instead, they give sample responses and say, "This integrated essay is a 5; this independent essay is a 4; this speaking task is a 3", etc.

Okay, so why, you ask, am I always scoring 3 on the independent essay and not 5? TOEFL texts don’t explain. Instead, they say, “This sample independent essay is a 3. Trust me.” In short, TOEFL texts provide no rhetorical analysis explaining why an essay scored 4.5 and not 5, or why a verbal response score 2.5/4 and not 3.5/4. If you don’t know what you’re doing wrong, how can you get a higher score?

My texts are different. Totally. My texts show you how to analyze written and verbal responses rhetorically so that you know exactly how to revise your responses for higher scores. I teach you how to do that using OPDUL=C (op-dull-see).

OPDUL=C is my classroom-proven and test-proven argument analyzer. 

Organization
Progression
Development      =    Coherence
Unity
Language Use

If an essay (or verbal response) demonstrates proficiency (skill and knowledge) in all areas of OPDUL, then it will demonstrate Coherence. Greater coherence will result in a higher a score.  

Why is OPDUL=C so effective? Because it tells you exactly what the official TOEFL writing and speaking raters are trained to look for. In other words, I teach you how to think like a TOEFL rater! Best of all, OPDUL=C eliminates the mystery of how to rate TOEFL verbal and written responses.
                                                 
After you analyze a response using OPDUL=C, you will then rate it using my specially designed writing and speaking rating guides. These user-friendly guides explain in simple language the rhetorical theory behind ETS's writing and speaking rubrics specific to OPDUL=C. This, in turn, will help you maximize scoring.

Of course, OPDUL=C is more detailed than what you see above. For example, deduction and induction are sub-categories of Organization.

Want to know more? It's all in my books.



The Pro


Thursday, November 24

ESL Teaching Jobs Worldwide

Africa
  The American University of Nigeria - ESL/Basic Writing Faculty, Nigeria
Asia and Oceania
  American University of Sharjah - Faculty Position in TESOL/English Linguistics with expertise in ESP, United Arab Emirates
  Diplomatic Language Services - English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Instructor, United Arab Emirates
  Confidential - Principal, Bahrain
  Clark University - EFL Instructors / Spring Semester in China, China
  Confidential - English Language Teacher - China, China
  Disney English - Disney English Foreign Trainer, China
  English Language Fellow Program - Teacher Trainers in India, India
  Kansai Gaidai University - Assistant Professor in TEFL, Japan
  Konan University, Hirao School of Management - English Program Coordinator, Japan
  Confidential - Assistant Professor in AJOU University, South Korea
  The University of Colorado Colorado Springs - EFL Positions at the Daegu Gyeongbuk English Village, Daegu South Korea, South Korea
  Winglish - Teacher Trainer, Winglish-UCR TESOL Certificate Program, South Korea, South Korea
  The American University of Beirut - Faculty position in Linguistics, Lebanon
  Booz Allen Hamilton - English Language Instructor, Saudi Arabia
  GAIN CONTACT GROUP LLC - Seeking Overseas Male Teacher with ESL certification, Saudi Arabia
  INTERLINK Language Centers - ESL Teaching Positions, Saudi Arabia
  King Abdulaziz University - Applications for male and female English language instructors at ELI KAAU Jeddah Saudi arabia, Saudi Arabia
  National Institute of Education - Assistant Professor/Associate Professor, Singapore
Central and South America
  Politecnico Internacional, Costa Rica - English instructor, Costa Rica
  Confidential - Director of English Programs for Mexico, Mexico
  Confidential - English Teacher, Mexico
Europe and Eurasia
  Centre for Educational Policy at Nazarbayev University - Teaching Instructor for Professional Development Course, Kazakhstan
  English Language Fellow Program - Senior English Language Fellow - Russia, Russia
North America
  Confidential - Contract Lead ESL Teacher and Curriculum Developer, United States
  Southern Arkansas University - Director, English as a Second Language Program, United States
  The International Educator - ESL Teacher (K–12), United States
Other
  University of Edinburgh - TEACHING FELLOW IN TEACHING ENGLISH AS A SECOND OR OTHER LANGUAGE (TESOL) x2,
  University of Edinburgh - LECTURER IN TEACHING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE (TESOL) x 2,
USA, CA
  Azusa Pacific University - Faculty Appointment in TESOL and Director of the Online TESOL Program, United States
  California State University, Fullerton - AMERICAN LANGUAGE PROGRAM - FULL-TIME LECTURER, NON-TENURE TRACK, United States
  California State University, Fullerton - American Language Program, Full-Time Lecturer, Non-Tenure Track, United States
  California State University, San Bernardino - Associate Professor, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)., United States
  San Francisco State University - Assistant/Associate Professor in TESOL, United States
  Soka University of America - Full time ESL Instructor, United States
  UC San Diego- English Language Institute - Full-Time ESL Instructor, United States
  University of Southern California - Assistant or Associate Clinical Track Faculty for MAT TESOL, United States
USA, CO
  English Language Center, University of Denver - Director, English Language Center, United States
USA, CT
  Yale University - Lector of English as a Second Language, United States
USA, FL
  EF International Language Centers - Academic Director in Miami Beach, FL, United States
USA, GA
  Georgia Institute of Technology, Language Institute - Full-Time IEP ESL Lecturer, United States
USA, HI
  University of Hawaii at Manoa - Assistant Professor, United States
  University of Hawaii at Manoa - Assistant Professor, United States
USA, IA
  University of Northern Iowa - Program Assistant, United States
  University of Northern Iowa - Academic Support Coordinator, United States
USA, IL
  College of Lake County - ESL Instructor (Term-limited), United States
  Millikin University - Adjunct Instructor, United States
USA, IN
  Indiana University Department of Second Language Studies - Tenure-Track Assistant Professor, United States
USA, MA
  Institute for English Language Programs - Institute for English Language Programs, Harvard U, United States
USA, MI
  Michigan State University - OPEN RANK TENURE POSITION, United States
USA, MO
  Department of English and Philosphy; University of Central Missouri - Assistant Professor of TESL, United States
  Missouri Southern State University - Director of International English Program, United States
USA, MT
  English Language Institute - Teacher Trainer, United States
USA, NC
  Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools - ESL Teacher, United States
USA, ND
  ELS Language Centers/Grand Forks - Academic Director, United States
USA, NY
  Knight Institute for Writing in the Disciplines - Lecturer/Senior Lecturer, Writing, United States
  Pearson Education - Development Editor, United States
USA, OH
  Intensive English Program, University of Dayton - IEP Instructor, United States
  University of Dayton - Clinical Faculty - TESOL, United States
  University of Dayton - Coordinator of TESOL Initiatives, United States
USA, OR
  Northwest Evaluation Association - Content Specialist - English Language Arts and ESL/ELL, United States
USA, PA
  Graduate Education, University of Pennsylvania - Tenure-Track Assistant/Associate Professor of Educational Linguistics, United States
  The Pennsylvania State University - ITA Program Coordinator, United States
  The Pennsylvania State University - ESL/EAP Writing Program Coordinator, United States
USA, TN
  The University of Memphis - Assistant Professor in Applied Linguistics/ESL, United States
USA, TX
  Angelo State University - ELLI Instructor (9 month position), United States
  KIPP TRUTH Academy - ESL-Certified Fifth Grade Teacher (English/Spanish), United States
  University of North Texas - ESL Instructor IELI 9 mos, United States
USA, UT
  Imagine Learning, Inc. - ESL Instructional Designer, United States
USA, VA
  University of Virginia - ESL Instructor, United States


Friday, November 18

TOEFL Tip #1

You cannot pass or fail the TOEFL iBT or PBT.

TOEFL simply measures English proficiency (skill + knowledge) on a scale from 0 to 120 with 120 being the highest proficiency level. 

If a TOEFL instructor says, "Hey, I can help you pass the TOEFL test," start looking for another instructor.

Remember: You cannot pass or fail the TOEFL test.

The Pro




Sunday, November 13

Scoring Strategies for the TOEFL iBT - A Better Way to Prepare for TOEFL

When I tell people (professors, students, publishers, book sellers) I have written a complete TOEFL iBT guide, they all say: "Great. How is it different?"

Let me explain.

Put all the TOEFL iBT texts on a table—Kaplan, Barrons, Longman, Delta, Cambridge, PrincetonThompson, ETS's Official Guide—and open them up. What do you see? They all teach to the test. That means their teaching methods (pedagogies) follow the structure of TOEFL iBT. Because reading is the first test section, these texts all teach reading strategies first. Next, they teach listening strategies then speaking with writing strategies last. In other words, the structure of the TOEFL iBT dictates their pedagogy. Not my new text. The structure of the TOEFL iBT does not control my pedagogy. I control my pedagogy. And my pedagogy breaks the cookie-cutter, TOEFL teaching mold.

What is my pedagogy? And how is it different? Simple. My new TOEFL text does not teach to the test. It teaches to the test-taker. That means you, the test-taker, are my first concern. What is your first concern? Getting the highest TOEFL iBT score possible. My job is to help you reach that goal by showing you the steps. What is the first step? Learning how to write American-style, fact-based and opinion-based arguments. Why? Because classroom experience proves that test-takers: 1) can't write/or are not familiar with American-style essays, and; 2) don't realize that the TOEFL iBT is all arguments. That's right: all arguments. How does all this affect scoring? If you don't understand basic argument development, you will not get a high score. It's that simple.

The fastest way to learn argument development is by learning how to write essays. What is an essay? An essay is an argument. Because all test-takers need to learn how to write essays first, my new text starts with the writing section. Test-takers then recycle (another unique feature of my text) the argument strategies learned in the writing section when learning speaking and listening strategies with the reading section last. In other words, I have reversed the test section order. Instead of teaching reading, listening, speaking, writing (like all TOEFL books do), my new text teaches writing, speaking, listening, reading. Why teach reading last? Because the first three sections (writing, speaking, listening) will give you all the strategies (and confidence) you need to conquer what for many is the hardest section: reading. 

Why do all those other texts start with the reading section? Because they all teach to the test. Because they teach to the test, each test section is taught separately with no rhetorical (or scoring!) connection between each. It's like saying: "Okay, this is the pineapple section (reading), the orange section (listening), the banana section (speaking), and the mango section (reading)." What they don't teach you is that the TOEFL iBT is all fruit! Not my new text. I teach you that the TOEFL iBT is all recycled fruit (recycled arguments). And to get the highest possible score, you must first learn argument development. That begins with the writing section. That is one way my new book Scoring Strategies the TOEFL iBT A Complete Guide is a new approach to preparing for the TOEFL iBT.

Also, the strategies in my new book - as in all my TOEFL books - are real-world TOEFL strategies, tested and developed in American university TOEFL classrooms and test-proven on the official TOEFL iBT. That means the strategies you use I use every day in a real TOEFL classrooms at a real American university. In other words, buy my TOEFL books and enter my TOEFL classroom.

                                                                                       
Bruce Stirling – TOEFL Pro








Thursday, November 10

TESOL Events Worldwide

The TESOL Conference Calendar is a service provided to TESOL members and the ESOL community. Listings in the conference calendar are not endorsed by TESOL International Association. For more information about listed events, please contact the sponsoring organization.

Disclaimer: The TESOL Conference Calendar is a service provided to TESOL members and the ESOL community. Listings in the conference calendar are not endorsed by TESOL. Contact the sponsoring organization, not TESOL, for more information about listed events. Each of the links below will either take you to the organization's Web site or to the full entry in our Calendar of Events.

November 2011
· 11-12. (North America) Colorado TESOL (CoTESOL), "35 Years and Beyond: Creating, Crafting, and Innovating," Red Lion Hotel Denver Southeast, Denver, Colorado, USA. E-mail larry.fisher@colorado.edu. Web sitehttp://www.colorado.edu/iec/cotesol.
· 12. (Asia and Oceania) IATEFL, Learner Autonomy Special Interest Group (LASIG), Kanda University, Japan. E-maileleanor@iatefl.org. Web site http://www.iatefl.org/events/sig-events.
· 18-20. (Europe and Eurasia) IATEFL, Business English Special Interest Group (BESIG), Dubrovnik, Croatia. E-maileleanor@iatefl.org. Web site http://www.iatefl.org/events/sig-events.
· 18-21. (Asia and Oceania) Japan Association for Language Teaching (JALT), "Teaching, Learning, Growing," National Olympics Memorial Youth Center, Tokyo, Japan. E-mail program@jalt.org. Web site http://www.jalt.org/conference.
· 18-19. (North America) Puerto Rico TESOL, "Integrating Ethics, Values, and Life Skills in the Teaching of English," Puerto Rico Convention Center, San Juan, Puerto Rico. E-mail info@puertoricotesol.org. Web sitehttp://puertoricotesol.org.
· 18-19. (Europe and Eurasia) TESOL Italy, "Words & Worlds," SGM Conference Center, Rome, Italy. E-mailtesolitaly@gmail.com. Web site http://www.tesolitaly.org.
· 18-19. (North America) INTESOL, "Learners & Leaders in Times of Change," IUPUI Conference Center, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. E-mail fms@iupui.edu. Web site http://www.intesol. org.
· 30-December 2. (Asia and Oceania) The Applied Linguistics Associations of Australia (ALAA) and New Zealand (ALANZ) 2nd Combined Conference, "Applied Linguistics as a Meeting Place," University of Canberra and the Australian National University, Canberra, Australia. E-mail appliedLing.2011@canberra.edu.au. Web sitehttp://www.alaa.org.au.
December 2011
· 17-18. (Africa and the Middle East) TESOL Sudan, "Re-imagining ELT Practices: Contexts, Approaches, & Challanges," Sudan International University, Khartoum, Sudan. E-mail elsheikhaymen@hotmail.com. Web sitehttp://www.tesol-sudan.org.
January 2012
· 12-14. (Asia and Oceania) 8th International Congress on English Grammar, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hunghom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China. E-mail egiceg@inet.polyu.edu.hk.
· 27-28. (Asia and Oceania) Thailand TESOL, "Teacher Collaboration: Shaping the Classroom of the Future," The Imperial Queen's Park, Bangkok, Thailand. E-mail thailandtesolcom@yahoo.com. Web site http://www.thaitesol.org.
· 31-February 2. (Africa and the Middle East) NileTESOL, "Language Education in the 21st Century: Challanges & Opportunities," School for Continuing Education, The American University of Cairo, Tahrir Campus, Cairo, Egypt. E-mail jabr_r@aucegypt.edu. Web site http://niletesol.org/web/index.html.
February 2012
· 11. (North America) NYS TESOL Applied Linguistics Winter Conference, "Connections: TESOL and Applied Linguistics in a Global Context," Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA. E-mailalwc2012conferenceinfo@gmail.com. Web site http://sites.google.com/site/alwinterconference2012nystesol.
· 25-26. (Asia and Oceania) 8th Annual CamTESOL Conference on ELT, "Language and Development," National Institute of Education, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. E-mail buneang.vinh@idp.com. Web site http://camtesol.org.
March 2012
· 13-15. (North America) Third Conference of the Asia-Pacific Rim LSP (Languages for Specific Purposes) and Professional Communication Association, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA. E-mailrcwalker@marshall.usc.edu. Web site http://www.english.cityu.edu.hk/aplspca.
· 17-18. (Europe and Eurasia) TESOL Greece, "Teaching, Testing and Technology," Hellenic American Union, Athens, Greece. E-mail chair@tesolgreece.org. Web site http://www.tesolgreece.org.
· 28-31. (North America) 46th Annual TESOL Convention & Exhibit, "A Declaration of Excellence," Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. E-mail conventions@tesol.org. Web site http://www.tesol.org/s_tesol/convention2012/index.html.
April 2012
· 13-14. (Africa and the Middle East) Qatar TESOL, "Learner Motivation, Involvement and Autonomy," College of the North Atlantic, Qatar (CNA-Q), Doha, Qatar. Web site http://qtesol.org.
· 20-21. (Asia and Oceania) Innovation & Integration in English Language Teaching, "Rethinking Praxis in a Connected World," Shantou University, Guangdong, China. E-mail mingluo@stu.edu.cn. Web site http://elc.stu.edu.cn/iielt/.
May 2012
· 3-4. (North America) MATSOL, "MATSOL 40th Anniversary Conference: Lessons from the Past, Innovations for the Future," Sheraton Framingham Hotel and Conference Center, Framingham, Massachusetts, USA. E-mailmatsol@matsol.org. Web site http://www.matsol.org.
· 25-26. (Central and South America) Venezuela TESOL, "VenTESOL 30th Convention: An Affirmation of Excellence, Pearl Edition" World Trade Center, Valencia, Carabobo State, Venezuela. E-mail venezuelatesol@gmail.com. Web site http://ventesol.ning.com.
· 31-June 2. (Africa and the Middle East) Middle East Technical University, "Embracing Challanges," Culture and Convention Center, METU, Ankara, Turkey. E-mail elt2012@metu.edu.tr. Web site http://dbe.metu.edu.tr/convention2012/.
June 2012
· 1-3. (Asia and Oceania) Japan Association for Language Learning (JALT) CALL 2012, Konan University's Hirao School of Management, Nishnomiya, Japan. E-mail sig-member-at-large@jaltcall.org. Web site http://www.conference.jaltcall.org.
· 27-29. (Central and South America) ACPI TESOL , "Better English Speakers: Key Approaches and Methods for Improving Fluency," ANDE Hall in San José Downtown, Costa Rica. E-mail anamadri@costarricense.cr.
July 2012
· 2-5. (Asia and Oceania) Australian Council of TESOL Associations International TESOL Conference ACTA, "TESOL as a Global Trade - Ethics, Equity and Ecology," Cairns, Convention Centre, Far North Queensland, Australia. E-mailsarah.hoekwater@astmanagement.com.au. Web site http://www.astmanagement.com.au/ACTA12/index.html.
· 16-19. (Central and South America) BRAZ-TESOL, "Proud to Be," Faculdade CCAA, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil. E-mail braztesol@braztesol.org.br. Web site http://www.braztesol.org.br.
· 31-August 2. (Central and South America) PERU TESOL, "Speaking Up for English," Chiclayo, Lambayeque, Peru. E-mail fdelacruz@perutesol.com. Web site http://www.perutesol.com.
October 2012
· 4-7. (Asia and Oceania) TESOLANZ, "Emerging Opportunities in New Learning Spaces," Palmerston North, New Zeland. E-mail g.r.skyrme@massey.ac.nz. Web site http://www.clesol.org.nz.
· 26-27. (North America) Georgia TESOL, "Great Expectations," Atlanta, Georgia, USA. E-mailElizabeth.Wallace@gpc.edu. Web site http://www.georgiatesol.wildapricot.org.