Exploring EFL Students Difficulties and Strategies in Learning TOEFL ITP of Structure and Written Expression

Authors

  • Arif Bulan STKIP Yapis Dompu http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2886-6020
  • M. Nur Imansyah STKIP Yapis Dompu
  • Nur Wahyuni STKIP Yapis Dompu
  • Lili Suryaningsih STKIP Yapis Dompu
  • Hasan Hasan STKIP Yapis Dompu

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29408/veles.v7i1.6881

Keywords:

Students difficulties, students strategies, SWE, TOEFL

Abstract

Nowadays the TOEFL test is very important. The TOEFL test is not only to measure English proficiency, but also for the sake of scholarship requirements, and as a requirement to graduate from college. This study explores the difficulties of EFL students in learning the TOEFL ITP of Structure and Written Expression (SWE) and how EFL students overcome difficulties in learning the TOEFL ITP of SWE. This study uses a narrative inquiry design. The data used in this study is qualitative data obtained from information provided by students through questionnaires and interviews. The results of the study show that there are several difficulties for students in learning TOEFL ITP, namely sentences with multiple clauses, sentences with inverted subjects and verbs, problems with prepositions, problems with the form of the verb, sentences with one clause, problems with subject/verb agreement. The way students overcome difficulties in the TOEFL ITP of SWE is to re-learn what has been taught by the tutor, reopen the module, learn from several other references besides the reference given by the tutor, learn from youtube, re-learn with classmates who have mastered the material. , do the practice questions independently. The findings in this research are expected to give an empirical contribution to TOEFL teachers to pay attention to students' difficulties in learning TOEFL ITP, especially SWE.

Author Biography

Arif Bulan, STKIP Yapis Dompu

English Study Program at STKIP Yapis Dompu

References

Akmal, S., Risdaneva, R., Habiburrahim, H., & Sari, M. (2020). The English teachers’ challenges in TOEFL preparation for senior high school students. Journal on English as a Foreign Language, 10(1), 25–45. https://doi.org/10.23971/jefl.v10i1.1627

Al-Qahtani, A. A. (2021). Reading English as a foreign language: The interplay of abilities and strategies. Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 10(3), 580–589. https://doi.org/10.17509/ijal.v10i3.31738

Alderson, J. C. (2009). Test of English as a Foreign LanguageTM: Internet-based Test (TOEFL iBT®). Language Testing, 26(4), 621–631. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265532209346371

Anam, K. (2017). the Impact of Vocabulary Depth and Breadth To the TOEFL Reading Subtest In IAIN Kediri. International Journal of Language Education, 3(2), 49–57. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1244391.pdf

Ananda, R. (2016). Problems With Section Two ITP TOEFL Test. Studies in English Language and Education, 3(1), 35–49. https://doi.org/10.24815/siele.v3i1.3387

Anwar, S., & Mustafa, F. (2021). A shortcut in language testing: Predicting the score for paper-based TOEFL based on one sub-score. International Journal of Language Education, 5(3), 207–223. https://doi.org/10.26858/ijole.v5i3.16200

Astri, Z., Nur, S., & Misnawati, M. (2022). Need Analysis of Pharmacy Students in Toefl Preparation Class. VELES Voices of English Language Education Society, 6(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.29408/veles.v6i1.4917

Ata, A. W. (2015). Knowledge, education, and attitudes of international students to IELTS: A case of Australia. Journal of International Students, 5(4), 488–500. https://doi.org/10.32674/jis.v5i4.410

Bakeer, H., & Abu-Naser, S. (2018). An Intelligent Tutoring System for Learning TOEFL. International Journal of Academic Pedagogical Research (IJAPR), 2(12), 9–15. Retrieved from http://dstore.alazhar.edu.ps/xmlui/handle/123456789/129

Collins, J. B., & Miller, N. H. (2018). The TOEFL ( ITP ): A survey of teacher perceptions. Shiken, 22(2), 1–13.

Creswell, J. W. (2014). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research. England: Pearson Education Limited.

Fitria, T. N. (2021). An Analysis of Regular and Irregular Verbs in Students’ Essay Writing. LLT Journal: A Journal on Language and Language Teaching, 24(1), 276–287. https://doi.org/10.24071/llt.v24i1.2595

Halim, N., & Ardiningtyas, S. Y. (2018). Difficulties Faced By the Students in Answering Toefl Test Questions. ETERNAL (English, Teaching, Learning, and Research Journal), 4(2), 219. https://doi.org/10.24252/eternal.v42.2018.a7

Hampp, P. L., Kumayas, T. A., & Lengkoan, F. (2021). Synthesizing Grammar and Structure Problems Faced by Indonesian TOEFL Participants. Jurnal Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris Undiksha, 9(1), 64–68. https://doi.org/10.23887/jpbi.v9i1.33811

Haryanti, S., & Setyandari, A. (2018). Students’ Difficulties in Mastering Clauses. International Journal of Active Learning, 3(1), 39–49. https://doi.org/: https://doi.org/10.15294/ijal.v3i1

Karjo, C. H. (2020). TOEFL Preparation for University Students’ Candidates from Asak Paroki MKK. Social Economics and Ecology International Journal (SEEIJ), 4(1), 35–42. https://doi.org/10.21512/seeij.v4i1.7354

Laborda, J. G., & Álvarez, M. F. (2021). Multilevel language tests: Walking into the land of the unexplored. Language Learning and Technology, 25(2), 1–25.

Madya, S., Retnawati, H., Purnawan, A., Nur Hidayanto, N. H. P. S., & Kartianom. (2020). The range of TOEFL scores predicted by TOEP. Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 10(2), 491–501. https://doi.org/10.17509/ijal.v10i2.28591

Mckendry, S., & Boyd, V. (2012). Defining the “ Independent Learner ‘ in UK Higher Education: Staff and Students’’’ Understanding of the Concept.’” International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 24(2), 209–220. Retrieved from http://www.isetl.org/ijtlhe/

Moradi, S., Ghahari, S., & Nejad, M. A. (2020). Learner-vs. Expert-constructed outlines: Testing the associations with l2 text comprehension and multiple intelligences. Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching, 10(2), 359–384. https://doi.org/10.14746/ssllt.2020.10.2.7

Nofrika, I. (2019). EFL Students’ Voices: The Role of YouTube in Developing English Competences. Journal of Foreign Languange Teaching and Learning, 4(1), 56–73. https://doi.org/10.18196/ftl.4138

Phillips, D. (2001). Longman Complete Course for the TOEFL Test: Preparation for the Computer and Paper Tests. New York: Addison-Wesley Longman, Inc.

Roza, D. (2020). The Challenges and Strategies in Teaching TOEFL and IELTS Test Preparation. J-SHMIC : Journal of English for Academic, 7(1), 66–76. Retrieved from https://journal.uir.ac.id/index.php/jshmic/article/view/3905

Samad, I. A., Jannah, M., & Fitriani, S. S. (2017). Efl students’ strategies dealing with common difficulties in toefl reading comprehension section. International Journal of Language Education, 1(1), 29–36. https://doi.org/10.26858/ijole.v1i1.2869

Silviyanti, T. M., Rahmadhani, R., & Samad, I. A. (2020). Efl students’ strategies in answering the listening section of the longman toefl. Studies in English Language and Education, 7(1), 237–246. https://doi.org/10.24815/siele.v7i1.13007

Solfema, S., & Wahid, S. (2018). Peer Group Learning Method to Improve the College Student’s Achievement. Journal of Nonformal Education, 4(2), 187–196. https://doi.org/10.15294/jne.v4i2.16008

Thu, A. S. (2019). Autonomous learning materials of structure and written expression for TOEFL preparation. LingTera, 6(1), 62–72. https://doi.org/10.21831/lt.v6i1.15919

Wang, Y. (2019). The impact of TOEFL on instructors’ course content and teaching methods. TESL-EJ: The Electronic Journal for English as a Second Language, 23(3), 1–18.

Zulmaini, E. A. (2021). Teaching and learning process of test-taking strategies in answering reading comprehension section. ELT Forum: Journal of English Language Teaching, 10(2), 113–124. https://doi.org/10.15294/elt.v10i2.43281

Downloads

Additional Files

Published

2023-05-06