TOEFL Preparation Research Articles

THE IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION ON TOEFL PERFORMANCE: ONLINE PLATFORMS AND LANGUAGE APPS AT UNIVERSITAS MUHAMMADIYAH ACEH

This study investigates the use of technology by students at Universitas Muhammadiyah Aceh in their preparation for the TOEFL exam. A quantitative descriptive approach was employed, with data collected through a structured questionnaire. The findings reveal that 90% of respondents regularly utilize technology, particularly smartphones and laptops, alongside online platforms such as YouTube, Magoosh, and Duolingo. These tools were found to be effective in providing access to study materials and practice tests, with students emphasizing their convenience and accessibility. Additionally, students reported positive impacts on their English language learning, citing increased motivation, improved time management, and greater confidence in their TOEFL preparation. The study highlights the significant role of technology in enhancing learning efficiency and recommends that educational institutions further integrate technological tools to support students in standardized test preparation

University Students' Perceptions of Kahoot as a Tool for Structure and Writing Practice in TOEFL Preparation in Indonesia

This study investigates students' perceptions of Kahoot as a gamified assessment tool for TOEFL Structure and Written Expression. Utilizing a quantitative approach, the study analyzes responses from 19 participants who engaged in Kahoot-based evaluations. Findings reveal that Kahoot's interactive features—leaderboards, real-time feedback, and competitive scoring—significantly enhanced students' motivation, engagement, and enthusiasm during the evaluation process. The majority of participants expressed strong interest in using Kahoot for future evaluations and incorporating it into their teaching practices, citing its user-friendliness and effectiveness in sustaining attention throughout the assessment. Notably, no participants reported disinterest or demotivation, further reinforcing the platform’s potential as an engaging learning tool. This study highlights the transformative potential of gamified tools like Kahoot in creating dynamic learning environments that enhance traditional assessments. The results offer valuable insights for educators and curriculum developers seeking to integrate gamification into educational practices, particularly in high-stakes test preparation contexts. The implications of this research suggest that incorporating gamified tools can not only increase student engagement but also foster deeper learning through interactive and enjoyable assessment experiences. Moreover, such tools can bridge the gap between learning and assessment by making evaluations less intimidating and more accessible. Future research should explore its application across diverse educational settings and its long-term impact on learning outcomes

Teacher Beliefs on Collaborative Strategic Reading in TOEFL Preparation Course: A Case Study

Teacher Beliefs on Collaborative Strategic Reading in TOEFL Preparation Course: A Case Study

The Effectiveness of Communicative and Test-Focused Approaches in TOEFL® Preparation Classes

This study investigates the effectiveness of the Communicative Approach and the Test-Focused Approach in TOEFL® preparation classes. Sixty-four students from Islamic Senior High School Madrasah Aliyah Al-Insan (pseudonym) in Jombang, East Java, Indonesia, were divided into two groups: one receiving instruction based on the Communicative Approach and the other on the Test-Focused Approach. Using a quasi-experimental design, pre-test and post-test scores were analyzed to measure improvements in TOEFL performance. The results showed significant score increases in both groups. The Communicative Approach group’s mean pre-test score of 456 improved to 483 post-intervention, while the Test-Focused Approach group’s mean score rose from 460 to 493. The paired sample t-test results indicated statistically significant improvements within each group, with p-values of 0.00 for the Communicative Approach and 0.00 for the Test-Focused Approach. Additionally, the independent sample t-test revealed that the Test-Focused Approach group performed significantly better than the Communicative Approach group post-intervention, with a p-value of 0.030. These findings align with existing theories on language learning and test preparation, suggesting that while communicative methods enhance overall language proficiency, test-focused strategies more effectively boost immediate test performance. The study concludes that integrating both approaches in TOEFL preparation programs can provide a balanced and comprehensive strategy, optimizing both language development and test readiness. Future research should explore the long-term effects of such integrated methods on students' language proficiency and academic success.

Chill to Thrill: How Ice-breaking Transforms TOEFL Preparation and Student Engagement

This research explores students' roles and perceptions towards ice-breaking activities in the context of TOEFL preparation classes at one of the universities in East Java. The research employed a qualitative approach with data analysis conducted using NVivo 12. The study involved 20 TOEFL preparation class students who actively participated in ice-breaking activities. The research instruments used were observation and semi-structured interviews to collect data on student perceptions of ice-breaking. Data analysis was carried out by identifying thought patterns that emerged from student responses to the ice-breaking activity. The research results show that ice-breaking activities effectively create a livelier and more interactive classroom atmosphere, increase students' active participation, and reduce anxiety often experienced when preparing for the TOEFL test. In addition, the active role of mentors in facilitating these activities has proven to be very important in creating a supportive and inclusive learning environment. In-depth observations also revealed that ice-breaking strengthens social interaction and collaboration between students, increasing their understanding of the material being taught. Future researchers should explore the long-term impact of ice-breaking on students' academic performance in the TOEFL test.Keywords: Ice-breaking, Student perception, TOEFL preparation

Implementasi Konten Marketing Pada Akun Instagram @Kampunginggrisbandung Tahun 2024

Instagram is still one of the popular social media choices in Indonesia for marketing activities. This can be seen from the number of Instagram users in Indonesia which reaches hundreds of millions of people. Based on data from Napoleon Cat, there are 109.33 million Instagram users in Indonesia as of April 2023. English Village is a company operating in the education sector by offering various English language course programs such as Speaking Class, IELTS and TOEFL Preparation as well as bootcamp programs. English Village uses Instagram social media for marketing purposes, but in the midst of increasingly massive marketing competition for English language courses, the Instagram account used by the English Village for promotion is faced with a big challenge, because engagement from followers on Instagram is still relatively low and inconsistent at all times. type of content, even though the marketing division team always uploads various types of content on a scheduled basis. Based on the research conducted by the author, it can be concluded that planning, implementing marketing content that is right and interesting and consistent in carrying out regular evaluations will greatly influence customer engagement so that it can influence buying interest for customers and potential customers.

THE NECESSITY OF TOEFL CLASS FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS OF CIVIL AVIATION

This article is part of a report on the implementation of training activities to increase TOEFL scores for undergraduate students at the Palembang Polytechnic of Civil Aviation. The activities were carried out partly because some of the cadets had never taken a TOEFL test before. This descriptive research was conducted on this activity. The instruments were a needs analysis questionnaire for the students and an interview guideline for the lecturer. The method of implementing the activity is carrying out a TOEFL preparation class for a 4-hour lecture course. The results of the activity show that there is a significant increase in scores but taking into account that TOEFL is divided into three parts: listening, structure and written expressions, and reading comprehension, its preparation process for TOEFL is a long study course. Each unit has different abilities with 27 skills in the listening section, 60 in the structure and written expressions, and 14 in the reading section. Therefore, with a total of 101 skills to be mastered, a 4-hour lecture course is clearly insufficient.

The Effect of Digital Media on Grammar Mastery for TOEFL Preparation

The Effect of Digital Media on Grammar Mastery for TOEFL Preparation

Student's Issues Depicted through TOEFL Score Test: A Case Study in Medical Laboratory Technology of X University in Padang

This study is intended to analyze the obstacles encountered by test takers and to give insight to the university, especially the Language Centre Unit, to rebuild strategies in prioritizing the further attention of the teaching methods. The data were derived from 62 medical laboratory technology students with the purposive sampling technique. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were used to analyze the data. The data collection included the TOEFL score and drilling tests during the TOEFL preparation training by employing the non-participant observational method. The result reveals that medical laboratory technology students were still at the elementary level, with an average score was 384. Structure, with an average correctness of 13 is the most challenging part of the three sections, followed by reading comprehension 16 correct answers. The easiest part is listening comprehension, depicted in the table of correctness with 18 correct answers. Therefore, the finding of this research suggests that the language center in the university should produce extensive TOEFL preparation training based on the previous results from the test taker's issues with appropriate TOEFL material as solution to student`s obstacles in TOEFL test. The language center should have provided not only the TOEFL test but also facilitated the courses that focus on each skill in the TOEFL part.

Toefl Preparation Class in Non EFL Classroom: How is it Impactful on The Non-EFL Learners’ Achievement?

Having problem of reaching the tested aspects of TOEFL particularly on achieving target score of TOEFL set, participants needed to be provided an intervention with TOEFL preparation class before encountering the test. For that reason, this community service activity highlighted the impact of TOEFL preparation class on the non EFL learners’ achievement. One class was used as the sample of this activity in which it consisted of twenty students coming from different major in one of private universities in Palembang, southern region of sumatera. Descriptive analysis with experimental design was used. A test was administered to see whether or not there was a significant improvement on the non EFL learners’ TOEFL-like score achievement. The results revealed that achievement level of the participants were in the elementary and intermediate category. Besides, statistically there was a significant improvement on the EFL learners’ TOEFL-like score intervened by the provision of TOEFL preparation class. Thus, it could be further concluded that TOEFL preparation class was impactful on the non EFL undergaduates’ English achievement. Keywords: TOEFL preparation class; Non EFL Classroom; Non EFL learners’ achievement

Exploring Students' Difficulties in TOEFL Listening

The purpose of this study was to determine the difficulties that students face when listening to TOEFL Preparation Tests at the English Study Program, FKIP UKI TORAJA. The participants in this study consisted of 12 students from the 8th semester of the English Department at FKIP UKI Toraja. The research employed a descriptive qualitative method and collected data through interviews. The data was then analyzed using three main stages: data reduction, data display, and drawing conclusions. After analyzing and discussing the findings, it can be concluded that 8th semester English Department students at UKI Toraja encounter various difficulties when listening to TOEFL Preparation tests, which can be categorized into three main areas. Each category presents different challenges. Regarding the comprehension of listening materials, students face difficulties with complex grammatical structures, understanding every word in spoken discourse, interpreting the meaning of lengthy spoken texts, and encountering unfamiliar vocabulary. Additionally, students encounter difficulties related to listening itself, including anxiety, deducing the meaning of unknown words, lack of concentration, unclear pronunciation, difficulty with retention, losing focus, and listening without transcripts. Furthermore, students also face obstacles related to the physical setting, such as poor quality cassettes or discs, inadequate equipment, and background noise.

MAPPING TOEFL PREDICTION SCORE RESULT BASED ON CEFR STANDARD AND TEST TAKERS’ PREPARATION PATTERN

TOEFL Prediction score can also be seen as the benchmark of English Language Competence of the institution. This study looked into the types of preparation and the length of preparation and TOEFL Preparation Score result. The data were collected from 2 sources: online survey and the score compilation record from Pusat Studi Bahasa (PSB) Unpatti. There were 702 respondents to the survey which was distributed from November 9th to December 28th 2022. The respondents were TOEFL Prediction test-takers from Unpatti Ambon, PSDKU Aru, PSDKU MBD, and general Public. The result from the data analysis shows that 87.5% of test-taker have some sort of preparation before the test, the most common type of preparation is self-study (85,5%), and the most common length of preparation taken by test-takers is on average 1 week (70,5%). Lastly, overall test score indicated that majority of test takers (71.65%) were in A2 level and 26.64% were in A1 level based on CEFR. This suggested that 89.9% the graduates (test-takers) may be failing when competing in the world of job seeking and scholarship hunting.

The increasing demand for TOEFL tutoring among graduate students: Understanding the motivations behind it

Private extra academic support, also referred to as shadow education has experienced growth, in Asian nations, such as Indonesia. However, despite its use this type of education often receives attention from the government compared to formal schooling. This research aims to explore the motivations that influence university students’ choices to seek academic support specifically for TOEFL preparation—a vital step towards achieving an internationally recognized English proficiency score. Involving 60 university students for the data collection using questionnaire, this study identified factors that drive the demand for private TOEFL tutoring among Indonesian graduate students. Despite concerns about the absence of standardization and potential student exhaustion resulting from tutoring it continues to provide personalized instruction and assistance. This study highlights the role that private supplementary tutoring plays in meeting the growing demand for success and its impact on students’ academic and career paths, in Indonesia.

THE TEACHERS’ MOTIVATING FACTORS IN TEACHING TOEFL AND IELTS TEST PREPARATION IN A PRIVATE INSTITUTION IN PEKANBARU, INDONESIA

Many studies concentrate on the motivations of teachers in educational settings and with regard to teaching English as a foreign language. The motivations of teachers in a privatized environment like an English language centre would thus be interesting to research. The aim of the study was to investigate the teachers’ motivations in teaching TOEFL and IELTS test preparation by employing a qualitative approach with a case study. The purposive sampling method was used to recruit 10 teachers who had been instructing TOEFL and IELTS for more than ten years in one of the language training institutions in Pekanbaru. Four of the teachers had master's degrees in education and TESOL, while the others had bachelor's degrees with majors in English education. The data were gathered in person via audiotaped semi-structured interviews, and thematic analysis, as described by Braun & Clarke (2012), was used to examine the data. It was discovered that the factors that drove teachers to teach TOEFL and IELTS were: 1) their passion for teaching; 2) their test score improvement; 3) their self-development; 4) their satisfaction in helping students; 5) no required lesson plans; and 6) salary and career building.

UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ OBSTACLES IN SPEAKING ENGLISH

This research aims at giving information about the students’ obstacles in speaking English. In this research, the writer applied a descriptive qualitative research. In this study, the writer used purposive sampling. The writer used questionnaire in collecting the data. In order to obtain the data for this study, the writer shared the questionnaires for students at STMIK Indonesia Banda Aceh, English for TOEFL preparation class with 15 students. The results of the study indicated that the students faced internal factors, unconfident and motivated during speaking English, the students faced topical knowledge difficulties in speaking performance, and the students’ external constraints affected them to speak English.

The Implementation of ORESTE using Basson Rank for Selecting The TOEFL Preparation Courses in Yogyakarta

TOEFL is one of the most frequently used international standardized tests for registering for masters and doctoral degrees, seeking study scholarships or for promotions. Unfortunately, there are still many students and employees who still experience difficulties in taking the TOEFL test. This is what then becomes the reason for them to take English courses, especially to prepare themselves for preparing the TOEFL test. Yogyakarta, which has the title of "Student City", has many campuses and many English courses that offer the TOEFL Preparation Course. There are many types of TOEFL formats and many TOEFL Preparation Programs are offered by English courses in Yoggyakarta. The TOEFL Preparation courses has various programs including different price, teacher competencies, and facilities. In this study, the ORESTE method was used to help the people determining the best course according to its ranking. This method is one of the Multiple Attribute Decision Making (MADM) methods used to find alternatives using predetermined criteria and preference weights. The criteria used are price, instructor, materials, facilities and location. The results showed that the best TOEFL course ranking/order alternative was A16 with a preference score of 3.9425 and the course with the lowest score was A4 with a score of 9.878177.

The Role of TOEFL Preparation Courses in Improving Test Score

The study analyses the implementation of TOEFL Preparation and provides conclusions and suggestions to improve participants' ability to face the TOEFL test. In the study, 40 participants participated in the implementation of TOEFL preparation courses which consisted of three parts, namely listening, structure, and reading. The analysis results showed that the average TOEFL score of the participants was 448, with the highest score reaching 540 and the lowest score of 376. Although the average score met the minimum requirements at IBIK 57 Campus, there were participants who did not reach the standard. Suggestions included individual coaching, increased listening practice, strengthened knowledge of grammar and structure, reading comprehension strategies, as well as encouragement for self-study and use of additional resources.

Students’ Difficulties in Answering the TOEFL Listening Test

The aim of this study was to know the difficulties faced by students in answering the TOEFL listening test at the English Department of the University of Serambi Mekkah, Banda Aceh The research design used in this study was a descriptive quantitative study. The participants of this study were 25 students who have taken the TOEFL preparation course. In collecting the data, the author distributed a questionnaire, and all the obtained data were analyzed using the percentage formula. The result of the study showed that the student’s difficulties in answering the TOEFL, especially in the listening section are mainly caused by four factors as follows: (1) conversational implicature factor, (2) idiomatic expression factor, (3) lack of vocabulary factor, and (4) lack of practice factor. The most important factor was the first factor or conversational implicatures, which is 76%. Based on the conclusions above, the writer offers some recommendations with regard to the results of the study. Since the implicature factors seem one of the difficult factors for the students in answering the listening section of TOEFL thus the lecturers should encourage students to pay more attention to implicature factors.

Enhancing Students’ Learning Outcomes through MALL in English Intensive Program for Railway Mechanical Technology

This study attempts to investigate students’ learning outcomes in English Intensive Program through Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) for Railway Mechanical Technology. The program was designed as a TOEFL preparation class that utilized Google Form, Quizizz, and Kahoot! As game-based learning (MALL platform). It was a case study on the 3rd year students of the Indonesian Railway Polytechnic (N=46). The observation was conducted during 20 meetings (40 hours). The data were collected through pre-test and post-test, then analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired t-test, Pearson r correlation, and Cohen d effect size. The passing grade score determined by the college (480) was also an additional consideration analysis. The results indicate significant impacts and a large effect on students’ learning outcomes after joining the English Intensive Program through MALL. Nonetheless, the English Intensive Program implementing MALL had a moderate correlation and was less effective in enhancing students’ learning outcomes. These findings shed light on the benefits and constraints of implementing MALL in the English Intensive Program.

The Relationship between Critical Thinking and Gender in Second Language Learning

This study investigated the relationship between critical thinking and gender in second language learning. To do this, thirty students who participated in a TOEFL preparation course at Shokouh English language institute, Mashhad, Iran, were selected as the participants. Limbach, Waugh, and Duran’s model of critical thinking was used as a guiding framework for teaching critical skills to the participants over the course of ten sessions. The model involved five steps: (a) determining and discovering learning objectives; (b) teaching through questioning; (c) practicing before assessing; (d) reviewing, refining and improving; and (e) providing feedback. To examine the development of critical thinking skills among the participants, a critical thinking questionnaire was designed. Results of the data analysis revealed a poor level of critical thinking among the learners, and showed that males and females were not significantly different from each other in applying critical thinking skills.