How to teach Writing for Students who will take the TOEFL Test?

Teachers preparing students for the TOEFL test can employ various strategies to enhance their writing skills. Here are some effective approaches:

1. Familiarize students with the TOEFL writing format: Ensure students understand the structure of the TOEFL writing section, which typically includes an integrated task and an independent task. Provide examples of both types of prompts and model responses.
2. Focus on organization and coherence: Teach students how to organize their ideas coherently by using clear topic sentences, supporting details, and logical transitions between paragraphs. Encourage the use of cohesive devices such as conjunctions and transitional phrases.
3. Practice timed writing: Since the TOEFL writing section has strict time limits, incorporate timed writing practice sessions into your lessons. This helps students develop the ability to plan, write, and revise their essays within the allotted time frame.
4. Provide feedback: Offer constructive feedback on students’ writing, focusing on areas such as grammar, vocabulary, sentence structure, and coherence. Encourage peer review activities where students can critique each other’s work and provide suggestions for improvement.
5. Emphasize language proficiency: Help students expand their vocabulary and improve their grammatical accuracy through targeted exercises and activities. Encourage them to use a variety of sentence structures and academic vocabulary in their writing.
6. Teach effective thesis statements: Show students how to craft clear and concise thesis statements that address the main point of their essay. Teach them to support their thesis with relevant examples and evidence.
7. Integrate reading and listening skills: Since the integrated task requires students to read a passage and listen to a lecture before writing their response, integrate reading and listening comprehension activities into your lessons. Teach students how to take effective notes and identify key points in both written and spoken texts.
8. Encourage critical thinking: Prompt students to analyze and evaluate the arguments presented in the TOEFL writing prompts. Teach them to consider different perspectives and to support their own opinions with logical reasoning and evidence.

By implementing these strategies, teachers can help students develop the writing skills necessary to excel on the TOEFL test and beyond.

Bryan Tomlinson

Take a break from teaching and stay at Merry Lue’s Guest House near Hakone, Japan!