This test preparation course, developed by the experts who create, administer and score the TOEFL test, will help English language learners improve their skills.
The TOEFL test is a widely accepted English-language assessment. It has helped millions of people achieve their dreams to study, work or live abroad. More than 10,000 institutions of higher education, government agencies and organizations worldwide accept TOEFL scores for making important decisions.
This course will help you understand what you can do to achieve a better TOEFL test score. Instructors will guide you through each section (Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing) and, using archived past test questions, will explain the kinds of questions you can expect. You will receive valuable advice, including how to register for the test, how it is scored and how to prepare for test day.
This course is highly interactive, using videos, sample questions with explanations, short quizzes and collaborative discussion boards. You will also have access to real test materials from past tests.
In addition, there will be free resources and discounted test prep offers throughout the course. Finally, you will receive valuable insider tips to help you do better on the TOEFL test so you can apply to the university or job of your dreams.
【Meet the instructors】
Michael W. Knab (“Inside the TOEFL® Test” Host) is the host of “Inside the TOEFL® Test” video series and a frequent contributor to the ETS TOEFL® blog, “Study. Learn. Live.” He joined ETS in 2002, and has been part of the TOEFL® team in various roles since 2007. Before coming to ETS, he developed advanced teacher standards and was a middle-school English teacher. He holds a Master of Arts in Teaching from Trinity University (D.C.) and a Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, from Villanova University.
Cynthia Newman (Reading Instructor) has worked in the field of English Language Learning for 30 years. She holds a Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) from the University of Northern Iowa and the Cambridge Diploma in Teaching English as a Foreign Language to Adults (DTEFLA, currently known as DELTA). Throughout her career, she has specialized in the curriculum development, teaching, and testing of English for Academic Purposes. She has taught in pre-university Intensive English Programs as well as post-admittance Spoken English/Teaching Assistant preparation programs, academic Writing programs, and English for Specific Purposes programs both in the United States and the Middle East. Since joining ETS upon her return to the United States in 2005, she has worked on the TOEFL iBT® speaking and reading measures.
Shawn Gorman (Writing Instructor) holds a Ph.D. in French Language and Literature from Boston University. He also taught French and English at the high school and university level in Europe and the United States for 9 years. He has published research on topics in 20th century French literature and philosophy and presented research on second language acquisition at professional conferences. He also worked as a librarian at Harvard University for 7 years.
Molly Palmer (Speaking Instructor) has worked as an Assessment Specialist in English Language Learning at ETS since 2013. She works primarily on the TOEFL® test speaking and reading measures. Before coming to ETS, Molly taught Spanish language and literature for several years at the university level. She earned her Ph.D. in Spanish Cultural Studies from Rutgers University in 2010. Molly also has extensive experience teaching English. She lived in Spain for many years, where she taught English to university students.
Faye Weidner (Host) joined ETS in 2013 and has been working on the speaking section of the TOEFL® test ever since. She works on development of speaking items and also oversees online scoring activities. Prior to coming to ETS, she taught English to university students in Changsha, China, and to adult immigrants in Washington, D.C. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics and German from Dickinson College, as well as a Master of Education in Intercultural Communication from the University of Pennsylvania. She loves to study languages and explore the world—she speaks German and Spanish, and has lived in Spain, Germany, and China.
Insook Chung (Listening Instructor) is an Assessment Specialist in the Assessment Development Division at ETS in Princeton, New Jersey. She has been working on the TOEFL® test, specializing in listening assessment, and developing the SAT Korean Subject Test. She received her Doctor of Education degree (Ed.D.) in Language Education from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. Her experiences include teaching English as a foreign language in Korea and teaching Korean language in the United States.
Kathleen Fletcher (Moderator) is a TOEFL® Test Prep and Skill Building Product Manager at ETS in Princeton, New Jersey. She began her career with ETS in 2006 and over the last 10 years, has worked within the Global Education, New Product Development and the Higher Education groups. In her current position as a TOEFL® Test Prep and Skill Building product manager, Kathleen manages current TOEFL® test preparation tools, as well as works on the development of new products.
Elizabeth Jenner (Moderator) is an Assessment Specialist in English Language Learning at ETS. She has specialized in developing the TOEFL® iBT test and its supporting materials for test takers since 2004. She earned her Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics from the University of New England, Australia. She speaks Spanish, has lived in Mexico and Guatemala, and loves learning about the indigenous cultures of Latin America.
Ashley Woodrow (Moderator) joined ETS in 2013 as part of the TOEFL® team. She works on the TOEFL® social media properties and the development of the TOEFL® scholarship program. She holds a Bachelor of Science from West Chester University, and is currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration from Rider University.
课程共十五个单元,内容涵盖美国政治、经济、和社会的各个方面。政治方面主要着重于美国宪法、修正案、政府架构、两大政党、利益集团、司法和社会福利等话题。经济方面包括国内经济、金融、外贸和工作就业等。社会方面较为广泛,包括教育、移民、种族、家庭、媒体、娱乐、犯罪和警察等话题。每一个话题都将提供一个审视美国社会的独特视角,使学生获取对美国文化的多维度、全方位的深刻理解。
课程的独特之处在于它不停留于简单的文化介绍层面,而是注重对美国社会深层架构的探索,提升学生透过现象看本质的分析能力。课程积累了二十多年的教学经验,采用全英教学,教学团队国际化,跨文化的视角尤其适用于想了解美国社会文化的中国学习者。
参考资料
1. Zinn, Howard. 2015. A People's History of the United States. Harper Perennial Modern Classics.
2. Forte, David F & Spalding, Matthew, ed. 2014. The Heritage Guide to the US Constitution, revised. Regnery Publishing.
3. Sadker, David M. 2011. Teachers, Schools, and Society: A Brief Introduction to Education, 3rd ed. McGraw Hill Education.
4. Bayor, Ronald H, ed. 2016. The Oxford Handbook of American Immigration and Ethnicity. Oxford University Press.
5. Stinnet, Nancy; Stinnet, Nick; DeGenova, Mary Kay & Rice, F Phillip, ed. 2016. Intimate Relationships, Marriages, and Families. Oxford University Press.
6. Schiller, Bradley R & Gabhardt, Karen. 2015. The Economy Today. McGraw-Hill Education.
7. Segal, Elizabeth A. 2009. Social Welfare Policy and Social Programs. Cengage Learning.
8. Noel, Hans. 2014. Political Ideologies and Political Parties in America. Cambridge University Press.
9. Sweet, Stephen A. 2016. Changing Contours of Work: Jobs and Opportunities in the New Economy. SAGE Publications, Inc.
10. Luther, Catherine A. 2011. Diversity in the US Mass Media. Wiley-Blackwell.
11. Neubauer, David & Meinhold, Stephen S. 2016. Judicial Process: Law, Courts, and Politics in the United States. Cengage Learning.
12. Panzarella, Robert & Vona, Daniel. 2013. Criminal Justice Masterworks: A History of Ideas About Crime, Law, Police and Corrections. Carolina Academic Press.
【课程简介】
《西方思想经典》共分为六大主题,分别为:基督教神学、认识论、社会、人、科学、性别,每个主题介绍不同领域思想家的经典论述。课程帮助学生以多元视角深入领会不同议题的复杂性、深刻性,在辨识、比较、打通的过程中,助力学生从宏观上认知西方文化的发展,并以此为观照基础,带领学生领悟文学、哲学、宗教、历史等经典著作的魅力。
【课程特色】
悦读经典,融通中西 课程讲解西方不同时期、不同领域思想家的经典论著,同时对照中国文化经典,以多元视角帮助学生深入领会,形成对西方文化的宏观认知。
重点突出,难度适中 课程讲解深入浅出,提纲挈领,同时配有精心设计的动画,便于学生理解。
联系实际,举一反三 课程讲解与课后练习尽量联系实际,与当下现实相结合,启发学生思维,碰撞思想火花。
【课程团队】
朱刚:南京大学英语系教授、博导;江苏省教学名师、全国美国文学研究会会长、教育部英语专业教学指导分委员会委员、英语专业教学测试专家组成员,享受国务院颁发的政府特殊津贴;主要从事英美文学、批评理论、翻译学教学与研究;曾在哈佛大学、耶鲁大学、康奈尔大学、多伦多大学等高校访学,在联合国教科文组织翻译处担任译员和译审;出版专著5部、编译著和教材9部,发表CSSCI来源期刊论文20余篇;主持江苏省、教育部、国家社科基金项目研究,5次获得教育部和江苏省社科优秀成果奖;主编江苏省、国家精品教材,主持首批国家级一流本科课程(线上线下),江苏省、国家精品课程,教育部精品视频公开课,6次获得教育部和江苏省优秀教学成果奖。
陈兵:南京大学英语系教授、博导,外国语学院副院长;入选江苏省“青蓝工程”中青年学术带头人培养对象(2012),教育部“新世纪优秀人才支持计划”(2013),南京大学“英美文学文化”优秀教学团队、“英美文学文化”师德先进优秀团队成员;主要教学和研究领域为英美文学文化以及近代中西文化交流等;在《外国文学评论》、《外国文学研究》、《外国文学》等期刊上发表论文40余篇,出版专著2部,主持完成国家社科基金项目2项,江苏省社科基金重点项目1项等。
朱雪峰:南京大学英语系教授;研究领域为英美文学、比较文学;在Modern Drama,《外国文学评论》,《当代外国文学》等期刊发表数篇论文,主持国家社科基金、教育部人文社科等科研项目。
解友广:南京大学英语系副教授,全国美国文学研究会副秘书长;研究领域为英美文学、比较文学、圣经研究;在美国Papers on Language and Literature, Neohelicon、《外国文学评论》、《外国文学》等期刊发表数篇论文;主持国家社科后期资助基金、江苏省社科青年基金、中国博士后科学基金等科研项目。
陈星:爱丁堡大学英语文学博士,南京大学英语系副教授,仲英青年学者;研究方向为文艺复兴文学、莎士比亚戏剧;著有专著Reconsidering Shakespeare's “Lateness”: Studies in the Last Plays (Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2015);在《外国文学评论》、《外国文学》、Literature Compass等期刊上发表论文十余篇;主持国家社科基金项目、江苏省社科基金项目各一项。
范浩:南京大学英语系教师;研究领域为英美戏剧;在《当代外国文学》等核心期刊发表论文多篇,出版多部专著、译著和教育部规划教材;主持国家社科基金等科研项目。