TOEFL Reading TOEFL Reading Comprehension Comprehension Assistance SiteAssistance Site

Cleveland Q. CrosbyCleveland Q. CrosbyAdvisors: Professors Aaron Cass and Advisors: Professors Aaron Cass and

Junko UenoJunko UenoInterdepartmental Senior ProjectInterdepartmental Senior Project

(CSC – MLT)(CSC – MLT)

AgendaAgenda

Purpose and goals of ApplicationPurpose and goals of Application Background on the TOEFLBackground on the TOEFL Content Overview (MLT)Content Overview (MLT) Design Overview (CSC)Design Overview (CSC) Problems EncounteredProblems Encountered Future WorkFuture Work

Project PurposeProject Purpose

Design a web application to aid in Design a web application to aid in preparation for the Reading preparation for the Reading Comprehension portion of the TOEFL Comprehension portion of the TOEFL test.test.

Make the site universally accessible Make the site universally accessible through use of cross-platform acceptable through use of cross-platform acceptable character encoding.character encoding.

Create a Mock-TOEFL test and grade it Create a Mock-TOEFL test and grade it using HTML and PHP.using HTML and PHP.

Avoid JavaScript as much as possible.Avoid JavaScript as much as possible.

T.O.E.F.L. FormatT.O.E.F.L. Format

Most common measure of North Most common measure of North American English proficiency.American English proficiency.

Administered mostly by way of Administered mostly by way of computer. computer.

Composed of 3 sections.Composed of 3 sections. Listening ComprehensionListening Comprehension WritingWriting Reading ComprehensionReading Comprehension

Essential Topics for Essential Topics for Reading ComprehensionReading Comprehension

Understanding the nuances of Understanding the nuances of English verb conjugations compared English verb conjugations compared to those found in Japanese.to those found in Japanese.

Understanding the subtle details of Understanding the subtle details of English.English.

Understanding the meanings behind Understanding the meanings behind colloquial English.colloquial English.

Finished Product Finished Product DemonstrationDemonstration

Content OverviewContent Overview

Pedagogical material coveredPedagogical material covered• Verb Tenses and their nuancesVerb Tenses and their nuances• Conditional Statements (“If” and “When”)Conditional Statements (“If” and “When”)• Phrasal Verbs ( e.g. “Stand Out” or “Pull Phrasal Verbs ( e.g. “Stand Out” or “Pull

Through”)Through”)• Idioms and ColloquialismsIdioms and Colloquialisms• Explanations of smaller aspects of Explanations of smaller aspects of

English (e.g. Contractions, Irregular English (e.g. Contractions, Irregular verbs, Subject-Verb Agreement…)verbs, Subject-Verb Agreement…)

Mock Reading Comprehension testMock Reading Comprehension test

Design OverviewDesign Overview

Written entirely with the Unicode Written entirely with the Unicode character encoding. (UTF-8)character encoding. (UTF-8) Supported by the major operating Supported by the major operating

systems. (Windows, Linux, MacOS)systems. (Windows, Linux, MacOS) Style of the site is controlled with CSS.Style of the site is controlled with CSS. A single JavaScript function is used.A single JavaScript function is used.

Done so IE users can use the drop-down Done so IE users can use the drop-down menus.menus.

Mock-TOEFL is designed using PHP.Mock-TOEFL is designed using PHP.

Mock TOEFL GuidelinesMock TOEFL Guidelines Test is composed of multiple choice Test is composed of multiple choice

questions.questions. Number of questions is up to the creator of Number of questions is up to the creator of

the test.the test. Number of choices per questions is also left to Number of choices per questions is also left to

the creator.the creator.

Text found within delimiters is to be in Text found within delimiters is to be in proper HTML format.proper HTML format. E.g. if one wishes to input a left angle-bracket, E.g. if one wishes to input a left angle-bracket,

they must type “<” or “<” in the text. they must type “<” or “<” in the text.

Demo (Text File to Test Demo (Text File to Test Page)Page)

Demo (Cont’d)Demo (Cont’d)

How the Mock Test Page How the Mock Test Page WorksWorks

From a delimited text file on the server, From a delimited text file on the server, PHP script reads and creates a test PHP script reads and creates a test page with which the user to interacts.page with which the user to interacts.

HTML forms are used for multiple HTML forms are used for multiple choice questions.choice questions.

PHP checks the selected answers with PHP checks the selected answers with the answers stored in a created array, the answers stored in a created array, and displays the right and wrong and displays the right and wrong answers.answers.

Example (Test Example (Test Correction)Correction)

Example (Cont’d)Example (Cont’d)

Problems EncounteredProblems Encountered

Text encoding and display troubleText encoding and display trouble Mostly with Windows systems, for Asian Mostly with Windows systems, for Asian

character-sets must be installed separately. character-sets must be installed separately. (Go Microsoft…)(Go Microsoft…)

CSS problems with Internet ExplorerCSS problems with Internet Explorer Essentially, it was IE’s fault. (Go Essentially, it was IE’s fault. (Go

Microsoft…)Microsoft…) Determining the effectiveness of the Determining the effectiveness of the

Mock TOEFLMock TOEFL Surprisingly, Surprisingly, NOTNOT Microsoft’s fault… Microsoft’s fault…

Future WorkFuture Work

Continued additions to the Continued additions to the information featured on the site.information featured on the site. More ColloquialismsMore Colloquialisms More Phrasal VerbsMore Phrasal Verbs More Visual Aides.More Visual Aides.

Finding a way to gauge the Finding a way to gauge the effectiveness of the site.effectiveness of the site.

Different language Different language implementation…?implementation…?

Questions?Questions?