TOEFL Articles

Sometimes, it is essential to provide students with additional perspectives, besides the tutor's. As I tutor more and more, I realize that even with the one-on-one benefits of tutoring, there is a need for interaction with other students. However, the problem is, there are no other students to provide this feedback when you are tutoring a student. I have found that creating relationships with other students is a remarkable enhancement to the tutoring experience.

I have used Pen Pals to meet this need. There are a variety of websites that offer pen pals for different purposes. If I am tutoring a student in Social Studies, Geography or History, a Pen Pal is an amazing resource for FREE and REAL information about the study topics. This is usually an exciting concept that is well-received by the student because they thrive with interactions with others and they think it's amazing to connect with people like them all around the world! Using the right resources for this is essential, so I suggest that tutors spend some time locating the right program for their needs. Usually, those that are dedicated to teachers offer the most security and less potential for spam and unwanted leaks of information to the Web. Additionally, these sites allow the tutor more access to hand-picking the pen pals for their needs. The greatest benefit for this type of tutoring lesson is the ability to focus on the writing skills of the student while not needing to create writing assignments for the sake of writing! This makes the students more likely to give their effort to their tasks AND it allows the tutor to challenge the student to become eloquent in their writing efforts because it is directed at a "friend". I encourage tutors to give this a try in Foreign Languages, Writing, History and Social Studies, ESOL... actually, the possibilities are endless! I'd love to know how YOU are using Pen Pals in your tutoring!

Oftentimes when students prepare for the SAT or the TOEFL, they attempt to master the test rather than the skills necessary to master the test. These skills enable students to gain valuable tools they can use in everyday life.

I found that teaching critical thinking skills and other targeted skills "outside the box" has proved invaluable to students in their everyday life as well as in the academic studies.   I learned the value of teaching these skills quite by accident.

I was working as a private tutor with high school students who are dyslexic.  Often they had attention deficit issues as well. In order to keep their attention, I really tried to make my lessons hands on and fun.  While searching for materials to use in preparing these students for the SAT, I found some interesting articles on unique ways to teach students how to think differently so they could approach test taking (although I found there were many more applications). The premise is that by learning how to think, to really think in a broader way, students could approach various critical reading tests from multiple angles.

I began each lesson with a quick set of activities focused on using the brain in different ways.  For instance, students would have to tell me what direction they would need to follow in order to get to a certain place.  Or, they would quickly have to give me synonyms for a list of words.  Or, they might have to guess what word in a set of three did not fit. They might also have to give me three adjectives or adverbs, etc., to modify another word. Once they completed this warm-up, we would continue with longer segments aimed at particular skill sets.

There are several online games and activites I use. One has to do with using the right and left side of the brain at the same time. Students watch a quick animated video. After it is completed, students are asked to describe the character in the video. Using the left brain and the right brain, students do their best to recreate the character. Another game focuses on developing short term memory.  Students are flashed a string of letters or numbers, than asked to repeat them quickly.  The drill continues, each time adding another letter or digit. The scores are charted each time, and students can quickly see their improvement.

There are many more ways to teach critical thinking skills. They can be fun, show growth, and make a student who may have struggled academically to see their abilities.  I love this method of teaching, and it is a lot of fun for me as well!

To improve the outcomes for all students, many public schools place students in special education classes. This can be achieved in a variety of ways, but all must involve high-quality instruction delivered in small classes designed to support learners.  These classes are either English as a Second Language (ESL) classes or Special Education classes.

Instruction and intervention must be aligned with students’ needs. In other words, if  we are meeting students’ needs, then the outcomes we expect will come to pass. In relation to there being too many Limited English Proficiency (LEP) students in Special Education, the outcome that has been measured in much of the research. Because it is very difficult for most school districts to test students from various groups, students are often identified for special education services.

Identification of entitlement for special education is not merely based on intelligence or ability to complete tests, but can be based on whether the student can read proficiently or demonstrate appropriate social skills. Therefore, determining whether a student is qualified for special education should include a focus on differences in outcomes of a variety of tests. The tests should include tests given in the student's native language.

Public schools frequently place many more LEP students in special education because the assessment they are required to give limits the ability for the student to demonstrate their true abilities in the English language.

My experience in private tutoring with students with both an English as a Second Language (ESOL) and Special Education designations has provided me with the tools and abilities to assist all students.  I have learned that labels placed on students from the public school system are not always accurate. Each student has the potential to succeed. And I am just the person to assist them with tutoring services to reach their potential.