Pic courtesy of Adam Jones, Phd

The book 1984 was written by George Orwell back in the 1920s. While it is mainly a book about Orwell’s vision of the future, it also offers those who study language an important lesson. The main character, Winston, must understand why two plus two is five. His teacher explains that it is simple, because the party said it was. Four is simply a label, and if the party changes the label, then two plus two is five.

While the U.S. has not been overtaken by the oppressive government Orwell foresaw, he did teach his readers that words are simply labels. What I, as a native English speaker think of as my head, my Swiss-German exchange student thinks of as my Kopf. My Kopf doesn’t change function or shape, just because I call it a head. Words are simply labels we put on the world around us. A foreign language, like German in my case, is simply another set of labels.

So it makes sense, when learning a foreign language, to start thinking with the new set of labels as soon as possible. This isn’t a concept I came up with all by myself, major language learning companies teach it in their courses. Instead of vocabulary lists, with words in the native language on one side, and the foreign language on the other. They use pictures, pictograms, and symbols to demonstrate a words meaning. They simply change the label.

Like when you were little, and learning how to read and write in your native language, the mind starts to relearn labels. The mind starts associating the word Kopf with the same objects as head. Slowly, as the vocabulary grows, or perhaps simply as it becomes easier, thought in a foreign language occurs. It’s nothing that can be forced, but slowly my Kopf is no longer translated to head. The word Kopf is seen and without translation, it is understood. As simply as if the word head had been said, Kopf is thought and said.

This is not a process that can be rushed, or forced. Your mind will think in the foreign language, when it feels ready. All that you can do (at least consciously) is let it happen. It’s a strange feeling, but when it becomes natural, a certain sense of pride washes over you.

A strange thing starts to happen, as foreign language skills begin to improve. Native language skills start to disintegrate. This is especially a problem, when exposed to a foreign language for a long period of time. Sometimes this is in the form of simply thinking and saying Kopf instead of head, in the middle of an English conversation. Sometimes it’s in the form of an English sentence, with German grammar structure. Sometimes, it’s simply speaking in one language, when you meant to use the other.

Learning a foreign language is a process, that is sped up only by spending time surrounded by that language. Perhaps it will only take a week, to begin thinking and functioning in English, perhaps it will take a little longer. Getting to this point in your language skills, is part of the experience of living abroad, and is a skill that will make life abroad much easier.

Fortunately, there are many different resources on the web that can help. From practice tests and quizzes to vocabulary flashcards and other learning tools, test takers can find everything they need online to ace the test. As a follow up to our article “What is the TOEFL and how do I prepare for it” here is a list of 20 free TOEFL prep resources to try:

Learn4Good – This comprehensive language site offers a test overview, structured practice, and other prep resources for the TOEFL. Learn4Good’s TOEFL prep resources include 11 practice tests, 17 lessons, and a comprehensive vocabulary list.

Get TOEFL – Get TOEFL provides students with a daily practice quiz, sample TOEFL questions, a word wizard, and a free sample test.

TestMagic – This free test preparation site offers free online resources for GMAT, GRE, and TOEFL test takers. TOEFL resources include practice questions, test information, vocabulary lists, and classes.

Duber.com – This free teacher site provides a computer generated quiz that TOEFL takers can use for test preparation.

About.com – The About.com Guide to ESL offers a number of resources and tools that students can use to prepare and practice for the TOEFL. Throughout this site, EFL and ESL students can find links to practice grammar, listening comprehension, and vocabulary.

Good Luck TOEFL – The Good Luck TOEFL site gives an overview of the TOEFL as well as tools for practicing primary and secondary English skills. This study site also offers overviews of study questions, question types, and much more.

Exam English – This free preparation site offers online quizzes for the reading, listening, grammar, and vocabulary components of the TOEFL test.

Test Prep Review – Test Prep Review is a test preparation site that provides free materials for studying and reviewing several tests. This site can be used to review English grammar, reading comprehension, sentence correction, and writing.

English-Test.net – TOEFL takers at all levels can use this site to study English. English-Test.net is an especially good resource for beginner and advanced level students who want to practice grammar and listening skills.

Quiz-Tree.com – Quiz-Tree.com offers free vocabulary quizzes that can be used for studying purposes. Each quiz features 20 multiple choice questions.

Nonstop English – This site provides a database of free exercises specifically for the TOEFL. Nonstop English is an excellent place to find practice exercises and quizzes on vocabulary, grammar, reading, and writing.

Graduateshotline.com – The Graduateshotline.com offers free practice tests for the GRE, GMAT, and TOEFL. Each sample test features multiple choice questions.

Eduers.com – This site provides a free PDF model test, computer-based test, and sample writing topics for TOEFL. Eduers.com also offers several other resources that can be used for dates, scoring, preparation, and registration.

VerbaLearn – VerbaLearn is a great place for test takers to prepare for vocabulary on the TOEFL. This site uses several techniques for learning vocabulary, including MP3 review and video flashcards.

4 English Exams – 4 English Exams offers a large collection of preparation material. Within this site, test takers can find tips, computer-based tests, study material, and writing topics.

FlashcardExchange – The FlashcardExchange, a comprehensive flashcard site, offers preparation materials and quizzes for vocabulary, grammar, and word lessons.

Quizlet – This free vocabulary studying site offers 591 resources for studying vocabulary, reading, writing, and grammar.

TestYourEnglish.net – TestYourEnglish.net has listening and grammar practice for TOEFL test preparation. This site features three listening tests, two reading tests, and a grammar test.

TestPrepPractice.net – This site for online resources and test practice features practice tests for reading comprehension, sentence correction, and sentence completion.

4Tests – 4Tests offers a practice exam and resources that can be used to evaluate English skills. This site also features four sections of computer-based tests for listening, structure, reading, and writing.

Guest post from education writer Karen Schweitzer. Karen is the About.com Guide to Business School. She also writes about online classes for OnlineClasses.org.

Location: Toledo, OH

Size: just over17500 undergraduates

Cost (2008-2009 numbers): $25,638 (tuition/room & board) per year

Degree Offerings: Associate, Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctoral, First Professional

University Hall

Hello there! Today, I’d like to invite all of you to come with me to the University of Toledo, located in Toledo, OH. UT is composed of 11 academic colleges, and over 150 undergraduate majors, and enrolls just over 17,500 undergraduates annually from all over the country and around the world (90% coming from the state of Ohio). According to collegeboard.com, about 25% of UT’s overall student population is composed multicultural students. As far as what portion of that 25% is due to the international student population, I am sorry to report that I couldn’t find such numbers on the website, viewbook, nor from a student assistant in the International Student Services department. If you think you will have more luck than I had, I do urge you to contact the office directly at internationaladmission@utoledo.edu.

Navigating the website

Before we proceed with the review, I’d like to go over (as always!) the steps of getting to the International Students portion of the university’s website. From the main page, click on the Admissions link located on the upper left hand side of the main page; from here, you will be taken to the general site for the Office of Admissions. Featured on the Admissions website will be several links located in the center of the page – Direct from High School, Transfer, International, Adult, Graduate, Law. Choosing the “International” link will take you to a page in which you will be able to learn about the resources at UT, request more information about the school, and even apply for admission to the university.

The Campus

The University of Toledo’s campus is a very urban one since it is located in a fairly large city. It has several campuses, depending on your academic interest, and there are shuttles that travel (at no additional cost) to and from such locations. My tour dealt specifically with the Main Campus, where most of the academic buildings are housed, but other locations of note are the Health Science Campus and Scott Park Campus.

In terms of whether or not UT’s campus was “beautiful” … all I can really say is that it was a mixed bag. Most of the buildings looked pretty standard (but well kept!), and the university was doing a lot of construction, so it’s really hard to form a good opinion about the campus when it’s currently in transition. I will have to say, though, that my favorite part of campus is without a doubt University Hall. University Hall is the focal point, I suppose, since it was built to be seen from any part of campus. It is the tallest building at UT, housing many offices and academic classrooms.

Campus Living

International House

As far as campus living goes, Toledo offers housing on a first-come, first served basis (but those in the Honors program get priority over regular students). You can request to live in a specific residence hall, and the Office of Residential Life will try to be accommodating … provided that there is still enough space. I think the best thing to do once you have decided to enroll at UT is to get your housing application in as fast as you can!

There are about 10 different residence halls to choose from, but most International Students are actually housed in the conveniently named, International House. This House offers a cafeteria, kitchens, several lounges, a computer lab, and other places intended for cultural displays.

It is also worthwhile to note that UT has a zero tolerance policy when it comes to the consumption of drugs and alcohol inside the residence halls, meaning that the party scene for the typical UT student is usually found off-campus. Aside from the residence halls, which all first year students who do not live within a 50 mile radius of campus are required to live in; UT has designated a place called McComas Village for Greek organizations.

Student Life & Entertainment

Residence Hall

Although only 5% of the student population is involved in a fraternity or sorority, Greek organizations are quite active on campus. If you do not want to participate in Greek life, UT is home to around 200 on-campus organizations. According to UT’s viewbook, UT’s International Student Association holds events throughout the year where multicultural organizations can come together in order to showcase their food, fashion, music, and other traditions.

For those who need to get off-campus for entertainment, the surrounding area of Toledo offers quite a bit for students to take advantage of. UT students can venture to tourist attractions such as the Toledo Zoo, Toledo Botanical Garden, and Fifth Third Field (baseball field) — just to name a few. For those of devout faith, the surrounding area offers the Jewish Synagogue (in Sylvania), the Islamic Center of Greater Toledo’s mosque, and also the Hindu Temple of Toledo.

Resources for International Students

I know I’ve been focusing mostly on campus life and entertainment, so I will devote the rest of this very long review to looking at the academic resources available for international students. There are, of course, the usual resources that are open to all students at UT – a tutoring center, student writing center, a career center – but international students can also take advantage of UT’s American Language Institute. According to its program description, “UT’s American Language Institution offers intensive English language courses, cultural orientation, and English instruction in academic and test-taking skills.” Although I have visited a few schools who boast about their ESL programs, I had yet to see the dedication that UT places on helping its students become more accustomed with the English language.

Concluding Thoughts

All in all, I thought that my visit to UT was an enjoyable one. As always, I urge you to learn more about the university on your own since there is so much that I couldn’t get to! For more information about my tour, however, I invite you to click here and read on! And as always, please be sure to check out the campus photos.

Livemocha - Livemocha is the world’s first online social language learning site. Visitors who want to learn English can take free self-study lessons and partner with other people around the world who already speak English or are trying to learn the language themselves. Livemocha also offers video and audio downloads, extra help from knowledgeable tutors, and useful tips from native English speakers.

VerbaLearn – Anyone wishing to learn or improve their English vocabulary, will enjoy VerbaLearn. This interactive site allows students to use several different study methods so that they can customize the way they learn. The free version of VerbaLearn provides vocabulary builders, mp3 study lists, RSS vocabulary lists, and much more.

1-Language.com – Listening is sometimes the best way to learn English and other languages. Students who are trying to learn English as a second language will benefit from the free audio tutorial found at 1-Language.com. The tutorial includes 40 audio lessons that focus on practical conversations and the type of academic language students can expect to encounter at U.S. universities.

BBC – BBC’s language learning website is an excellent place to learn a variety of different languages, including English. The site offers free audio and video courses that can be taken online as well as newsletters, language tips, and other study materials.

Using English.com - This site provides a large collection of free language learning resources for students who are trying to learn English as a second language. The most useful resources include a language reference guide, an English glossary, ESL tests and quizzes, worksheets, English usage articles, and an ESL discussion forum. Students who are having difficulty with the language can also use the “Ask an English Teacher” feature to get answers to their questions.

About.com – The About.com Guide to English as a Second Language offers a free eight-lesson course to help students learn English as a second language. The course is delivered via email and includes links to additional learning resources as well as a community forum for students to discuss what they have learned.

Learn English Online – For those with little or no English skills, Learn English Online offers an 11-unit course that covers the basics of the English language. Each unit includes multiple lessons–more than 50 free lessons in all.

Word2Word – Word2Word is a free online language directory with links to free language courses, online dictionaries and translators, language learning on YouTube, language chat sites, and other language learning materials.

Transparent Language – Transparent Language sells language learning software, but they also provide free resources to help self-learners build vocabulary in more than 100 different languages. Free resources include games, articles, and downloads.

EnglishClub - The EnglishClub is an all inclusive free site to help you learn or teach English. With videos, lesson, games, chat, and more, this site is a good place to learn and practice English as a second language.

Italki - This online global language community uses web 2.0 concepts to help people learn English and other languages. Italki offers global partners, lessons, video, audio, and other study materials to assist in language learning.

A4esl.org – A4esl.org offers activities in English or in a bilingual format in an attempt to aid learners of all levels. Activities include grammar quizzes, vocabulary quizzes, bilingual quizzes, crossword puzzles, and ESL podcasts.

DigitalDialects – This useful site provides interactive games to help students learn many languages, including English, for free. DigitalDialects also offers games for learning geography as well as links to other free online study materials and language activities.

Radio Lingua Network – Radio Lingua Network offers free audio lessons that teach over 20 different languages, including English. Students can download the lessons and play them on their computer or mp3 player.

Vocabulix - Vocabulix offers the opportunity for language learners to build their English, French, and Spanish vocabulary through vocabulary builders, verb drills, and bilingual dictionaries. This free language learning site also offers 90 pre-defined vocabulary lessons.

Karen Schweitzer is an education writer who specializes in writing about business education. She is the Business School Guide for About.com. She also writes for OnlineCourses.org, a site that offers information on the best college courses.

Photo by Durian

A quick look at the website of the Educational Testing Service (ETS), the developer of the TOEFL (http://www.ets.org), shows that the TOEFL is an important academic English test used by more than 6,000 universities in more than 130 countries to determine whether an applicant has the required level of English to enroll. It is also used to qualify for scholarships, and for graduation requirements.

CC License, Photo by SonnyandSandy

So how do students get a TOEFL certificate? Oops, remember, there isn’t a TOEFL certificate. The TOEFL is currently offered in two formats –Internet based (iBT) and paper-based (PBT) in some locales. The iBT is now the most common format in most countries and in North America. Both formats have similar questions in listening, reading and writing. The iBT also has a speaking section which the paper-based format does not offer except as a separate exam called the Test of Spoken English (TSE). Both formats offer a TOEFL score report, and the examinee copy usually arrives a few weeks after the exam.

There is no established passing or failing score. The TOEFL result simply indicates how proficient an individual is vis-à-vis other non-native speakers of English. Further, anyone at any level of English language learning can take the TOEFL; in fact, the more times you take it the more likely you are to improve. However, considering the cost, it makes sense to take the exam after you have completed several courses of English, and particularly when you are able to read and write at the university level in English with little difficulty (the TOEFL reading sections are passages are developed to reflect university-level readings in any field of study, for example).

“Okay . . . but isn’t there some kind of passing score?” Actually, there is no one, magical, passing number. Each institution that requires the TOEFL has its own admission requirements. Often the standard for a full admission into an American university is the iBT TOEFL score of 80 (paper-based test score of 550). However, a number of institutions have raised that score to 100 on the iBT (or 600 PBT), to qualify for programs that require a lot of writing or to qualify for financial assistance. You need to contact each institution that you are interested in to obtain information on its TOEFL requirements.

To meet most institutions’ TOEFL requirements, you need a lot of preparation. It is generally recommended that you get a strong base in academic English before you take the TOEFL and to do that you will probably need to invest both a significant amount of time and money. As you begin work on your academic English level, you should also look into test preparation materials to learn testing strategies. There are a number of reasonably cost resources available (books, CDs, DVDs, and cassettes) on preparing for TOEFL at most EducationUSA centers around the world. Some resources are created by ETS directly and others by companies which have a long experience in test preparation. There are also some free resources from ETS, test prep companies and others available on the Internet. Google the words “TOEFL Prep”, in under a second you will find thousands of links and resources to search from and use.

Of special interest, YouTube has made steps to provide relevant educational content at http://www.youtube.com/edu. Visit ETS’s new TOEFL channel at http://www.youtube.com/TOEFLtv for TOEFL preparation tips from students and instructors. Keep in mind that while TOEFL Preparation courses often help, it’s counterproductive to enroll in a prep course if your English is not yet at an advanced level.

Finally, if you don’t do well on your first go around, don’t despair. Go back get more English language training. Invest in your future with a solid base in English. Once you have taken one international exam, you will have a better understanding of the test strategies, so now you need to concentrate on perfecting your language skills. Good luck on your journey!

Ms. Sabrina Faber is an international education, development and training professional with a special interest in the Middle East and in particular Yemen. For nearly fifteen years, she has managed international exchange programs, including the prestigious U.S. Department of State Fulbright Foreign Student program for students from Algeria, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Mauritania, Morocco, Palestine, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, and Yemen.  Ms. Faber has extensive experience working in Yemen and on consultancies in the Arabian Gulf states. She is the author of numerous articles on international education and training and maintains a blog, http://planetecole.blogspot.com. She is currently preparing research on Yemeni human resource in the 21^st century.

Community Colleges are a very important part of the American university system.  They provide a wide range of academic and professional programs. The most popular program is the two-year university-transfer Associate’s Degree in which students finish the first and second years of their bachelor’s degree, and then transfer to a four-year university to complete the third and fourth years of the BA or BS degree. Most large community colleges offer a wide variety of courses, so that students can progress in their majors as well as complete their general education requirements for university. Community colleges also offer one- and two-year certificates and degrees in many areas of professional and technical training for career preparation

Lower Cost of Tuition

Studying at a community college is generally much less expensive than studying at a four-year university. Many American and international students attend community colleges to save money so they will have more financial resources available when they transfer to a four-year university. For example, at a community college in Washington State, the average international student may be able to save as much as $15,000 over two years before transferring to a university.

Excellent University Transfer Programs

An Associate of Arts degree, which takes about two years to complete, is generally equal to 50% of the required credits for a Bachelor’s degree. Specially trained advisors are available to help international students with every step of the university transfer process, from first enrollment at the community college through graduation and transfer to a four-year university. A two-year graduate will have the advantage of having American course work, grades, and teachers’ recommendations that will make it much easier to gain admission to a university.  In other words, the student transferring from a two-year program has a kind of “insider’s advantage”, and will also find it much easier to choose the right university program in the huge US university system, and will more easily avoid expensive mistakes.

Small Classes and High Quality Instruction

Community college classes are usually quite small and provide students more classroom interaction and more individual attention from their instructors. Most university-level classes have a maximum of 25-30 students per class, while English as a Second Language (ESL) classes are usually even smaller. All instructors who teach in community college academic classes must have a Master’s degree, and over 16% possess Doctorates (Ph.Ds.) Community colleges do not use graduate Teaching Assistants to provide instruction.

Faster English Language Improvement with Host Family Program

Unlike four-year universities, community colleges usually do not have dormitories or student housing. This is not really a disadvantage, however, because international students who live with host families will improve their English much more quickly than students who live in dormitories or apartments. Of course, many international students do choose to live in apartments near college and often share in order to reduce costs.

Meeting English language proficiency requirements for admission

International students seeking admission to university-level classes at a community college need to meet the college’s English language proficiency requirement, normally a minimum TOEFL exam score. Many international students enroll in a community college ESL or Intensive English program specifically to improve their English and then move into university-level academic programs.

Personalized Advising Services

Most community colleges offer international students personalized advising and services through their international education offices. At Pierce College, our international program is small and friendly and advisors and staff know each international student by name. Students receive help in many areas, from visa issues and academic advising to  finding a doctor or dentist, or to adjusting to life in the United States. Our International Programs office also organizes social and cultural activities. At Pierce College, we help our international students to have the best experience possible, both academically and personally, during their stay in the U.S.A. and at our college.

 Copyright Al Jamiat 2006
by Pierce College International Programs, Pierce College, Lakewood, Washington State
http://www.pierce.ctc.edu