TOEFL iBT Listening: Turn the Caption Off!

TOEFLers,

This is the first post I wrote in this blog. Now I have written almost 900 posts.

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Listen to this post:  turn-caption-off

Yesterday, for my 7 Step TOEFL iBT Study Guide, I interviewed TOEFL student Amen, who scored 95/120 on the TOEFL iBT. During our 40 minute interview, I asked her how English learners could improve their TOEFL iBT scores.

 

Amen suggested that English learners should watch television, especially documentaries and news, so that they can improve their listening skills. She also suggested to take notes while watching these shows, and, afterwards, English learners should practice giving written or oral summaries of what they had just watched.

 

Additionally, she suggested that it is important to turn the caption off while practicing listening because when the caption is turned on, English learners will read the caption instead of listening to the information.

 

Near the end of this segment of the interview, I thought to myself: “Her suggestions allow English learners to not only prepare for the listening part of the TOEFL iBT but also to prepare for the speaking and writing sections of the TOEFL iBT.”

 

Finally, I want to emphasize that it is important for you to develop your note-taking skills as you listen to lectures. At first, you will find it nearly impossible to take notes and listen at the same. However, you will become better at this skill as you practice. Furthermore, I hope that you take her suggestion and turn the close caption off, for, when you read the caption, you are practicing reading not listening.

 

For more information, go here: http://onlinetoeflcourse.com

Michael Buckhoff, mbuckhoff@aol.com