TOEFL Benchmarked Speaking and Writing Workshop
From January 16th to 18th, 2025, the University of Vavuniya hosted a three-day TOEFL Benchmarked Speaking and Writing Workshop. Jennifer Goodman, an English Language Fellow, facilitated the sessions. The USA Education Ministry enlisted her. The U.S. State Department supported the program.
About the TOEFL Speaking and Writing Workshop
This English proficiency workshop aimed to enhance speaking and writing skills. It benchmarked students and faculty against international TOEFL standards. Over three days, participants took part in structured practice sessions. These sessions strengthened both spoken fluency and academic writing ability. Facilitators guided attendees through exercises that mirrored the actual TOEFL exam format. This gave participants a realistic sense of what to expect.
Purpose and Participants
The workshop welcomed participants from several faculties. These included Business Studies, Technological Studies, and Applied Science. Staff from the Department of English Language Teaching (DELT) also took part. They brought their own teaching experience into the discussions and activities.
Additionally, the organizers held a session for A/L-qualified participants at Siththivinayagar School, Mannar. This extended the program’s benefits beyond the university campus. It gave school-level students an early introduction to academic English standards. The main sessions took place at designated venues within the university. Facilitators worked closely with smaller groups to give more individualized feedback.
Focus Areas
The sessions helped participants build skills for TOEFL speaking and writing tasks. Facilitators focused on clarity, coherence, and academic writing throughout the three days. They also addressed common challenges non-native speakers face. These include organizing structured essays and speaking under time constraints.
Outcome
Participants left with practical strategies for organizing their ideas. They gained confidence in expressing themselves in English. They also learned to approach standardized language assessments with greater ease. This initiative reflects the university’s continued commitment to strengthening English language competency among its students and staff.
Participants left the workshop with practical strategies for organizing their ideas, expressing themselves more confidently in English, and approaching standardized language assessments with greater ease. The initiative reflects the university’s continued commitment to strengthening English language competency among its students and staff.