Learned a very useful phrase
for my ESL field yesterday:
*TOEFL out.
for my ESL field yesterday:
*TOEFL out.
(*Test of English as a Foreign Language...a test international students must receive a certain score on to apply to American/other English-based universities. Score varies by chosen university and/or degree applying for.)
Most students I teach both love and hate TOEFL. The love metaphor: students only want to study it in their ESL college prep courses because it's a hurdle they must clear before reaching the goal of entering into "real" college. One thing is for sure; whenever I want students to prick up their ears, I just have to drop this acronym (pronounced "TOE-full") in order to get their attention. Quite the dirty tactic.
They alternately hate the test because it's not cheap, it's time consuming, and it's hard to see a marked progression once you hit a level above 500 points (660 is top). Most students just want to TOEFL out, i.e., get the score they need and then fly the coop from the language prep program where they currently study.
Other uses I'd like to propose for the phrase:
"Hey, TOEFL her out. She's hot."
"Man, I really TOEFL outed the other day."
"I went to go TOEFL out this book at the library yesterday,
but I totally forgot my card."
2 comments:
Well, since there is no pre-req exam to take TOEFL, I guess there wouldn't be a "TOEFL in" (unlike the EIKEN which you have to "test up" for each level.) But testing "in" to a class/school and testing "out" of them does exist, does it not? Didn't band class students have to "test up" to move up "chairs"? It's time to test up to my 2nd cup of coffee...Passed! Woo hoo!
Is this a real term used in TESOL circles? I'm so out of the loop! To me, "TOEFL out" sounds like they give up trying to pass the TOEFL. Like in wrestling when you "tap out." Not sure if it works for "TOEFL in" tho.
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