The English Language Institute at Wayne State University is offering a free, online TOEFL-preparation course to students who plan to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language to demonstrate English proficiency for education or employment purposes.

The seven-week class runs May 5-June 23, meeting online on Tuesdays from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. EST or 5:30-8 p.m. EST. The course normally costs $499 and is offered at two times to accommodate students in different time zones around the world.

"We offer this course every summer and it is very popular," says Ahmad Ezzeddine, associate vice president for Educational Outreach and International Programs. "But, with economic uncertainty due to the pandemic, we thought that offering this class for free was the right thing to do to help students continue on their path toward English language proficiency, which can impact their ability to pursue their education at U.S. colleges and universities. We see this as a public service and a bit of a bright spot for these tough times"

TOEFL is widely used to test the language proficiency of non-native English speakers. This prep course will help advanced-level non-native speakers improve their TOEFL scores for both the iBT (internet-based) and ITP (paper-based) formats.

Instruction focuses on

A thorough review of grammar for the TOEFL ITP;

Evaluation of student-generated essays;

Feedback on oral responses to iBT questions;

Test-taking and time management skills; and

Strategies to improve iBT and ITP test scores.

This course is appropriate for advanced English learners. Participants do not have to be Wayne State students to enroll, but must have access to a Windows-based PC or laptop. The online learning platform used for practice and assessment in the course requires a Microsoft Windows operating system and is not compatible with phones, tablets, Chromebooks or Mac operating systems.

Register online by May 1 at go.wayne.edu/TOEFL.

Questions? Email ELI Director Bruce Morgan at b.morgan@wayne.edu. Learn more about the ELI at eli.wayne.edu.

The English Language Institute is part of the Office of International Programs, which leads Wayne State's global engagement by creating opportunities that foster international education and research, facilitate the exchange of individuals and ideas that promote global competencies and citizenship, and provide resources that support the expansion of the university's global agenda. Follow us @WayneOIP