2019-11-08 TOEFL: writing evaluation, speaking 3

Greg Malivuk
gmalivuk@staffordhouse.com
http://www.pastebin.com/u/gmalivuk - notes from all classes
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Everyone picks a number between 0 and 100.
The winner is whoever is closest to ⅔ of the average of everyone’s guess.
Everyone is trying to win.
In the ½ version:
level-0 = you don’t think about anyone else and just guess randomly (avg = 50)
level-1 = you assume everyone else is playing at level 0 and guess rationally (avg = 50 ⇒ guess 25)
level-2 = you assume everyone else is playing at level 1 and guess rationally (avg = 25 ⇒ guess 12.5)
etc.
⅔ version
level-0 players average 50
level-1 players average 33.3
level-2 players average 22.2
level-3 players average 14.8
level-4 players average 9.9
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Homework (to start in class): Look at the sample responses to today’s writing and the ETS scoring rubric. What score do you think each response should get?
Take a few minutes to compare with your partners.
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Integrated:
A - 4 - The explanations are clearer (and more details from the text are included) and there’s a clearer connection between all the points of the lecture. (“Englightening” is not really the correct word to use, but the meaning is clear.) However, the second problem isn’t explained clearly and the reason for enlarging the painting also isn’t explained.
B - 1 - This doesn’t mention any points from the lecture. (It is clearer than C, though there are still some mistakes that hurt understanding, but more importantly it’s impossible to get more than 1 point if the lecture isn’t mentioned.)
C - 2 - This is hard to understand but the listening is mentioned a few times, including the underlying explanation that the painting was changed after Rembrandt painted it. Even though a lot of specific details are missing, it’s clear that this writer understood how the lecture responded to the text.
D - 3 - It misses details from the text, so a reader who didn’t also read the text would have trouble understanding all three of the points. It also doesn’t amke clear that all three of the problems are answered with the same explanation: the painting was changed to be more valuable.
E - 5 - Clear, well-organized, includes all the points. There are some grammar and spelling mistakes but they don’t affect understanding.
Independent:
A - 2 - “Although this response is clearly geared toward the topic, underdevelopment of the writers main ideas and a limited command of the language earn this essay a score of 2.” There are no specific examples and maybe only one clear reason. In addition, grammar and vocabulary have a lot of problems.
B - 5 - This is logically organized and effectively argues the importance of having both old and new friends. Each point is well developed with details and examples. (Remember, there are generally two ways to disagree with a comparison: the opposite comparison is true, or the two things are equal.)
C - 1 - “Although substantially longer than the average essay with a score of 1, this response earns the low score because it contains consistent language errors that make the overall essay difficult, if not impossible, to comprehend.”
D - 3 - “This essay earns a score of 3 primarily because of lack of organization and development of its main ideas.” The reasons are not easy to distinguish because there are no paragraphs or transitions.

“Every day you have the oppure to make new friends, you just have to take it.” - In this sentence, you can probably figure out that “oppure” should be “opportunity”, because the rest of the sentence makes sense.
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BREAK
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Speaking Section: third section, after the break
1 (old 2) independent, choice question - 15 seconds to prepare / 45 seconds to speak
2 (old 3) integrated R/L/S, campus announcement and conversation - 30/60
3 (old 4) integrated R/L/S, academic text and lecture - 30/60
4 (old 6) integrated L/S, academic lecture - 20/60
(On August 1, 2019, the test changed and the old questions 1 and 5 were removed.)
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ETS 2.2 question 4 example (Entertainment Merchandising)
- 45-50 seconds to read a passage that introduces a concept or general idea
	- What is the topic? (usually the title) Can you find a definition?
	- Are there more specific details or examples? (movie or TV ⇒ toys OR toys ⇒ movie or TV)
- Listen to a lecture about the same topic. (probably about 90 seconds)
	- Does the speaker explain the general idea again? (in this case, no)
	- What points does the speaker make? (are they examples, types, studies?)
	- Take notes on the specific details of the speaker’s points.
- 30 seconds to prepare your response (with a new mini-outline or circling/numbering your notes)
- 60 seconds to record your response
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Your response can be organized like this:
1 Introduction: Summarize the definition of the main topic (from the text).
2 Lead-in: Describe what kind of points the speaker makes. (“The speaker gives two examples of…”)
3 First point (“First, he talks about a show he watched when he was younger.”)
4 Details (“He and his friends loved the show, and later there were toys…”)
5 Second point (“Second, he talks about a toy that his daughter likes.”)
6 Details (“She and her friends all play with this toy, and then there was a TV show…”)
(7 Conclusion - if you have time)
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Record your responses to ETS 2 tests 3-5.
Listen to your responses and pick the best one.
Listen to your classmates’ recordings. What’s good and bad about each one?
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Homework (optional): If you want more feedback on your writing than last week (e.g. corrections for grammar and vocabulary throughout), email me with a self-evaluation of both your responses. What did you do well or better than previous writing? What did you do badly and need to improve? What score do you think each response should get?