Focused Strategies for Guaranteed Progress

The TOEFL exam may seem challenging, but it is entirely achievable if you follow the right practice methods.

 

Preparing for the TOEFL Speaking section is not about clocking endless hours of practice but about applying targeted strategies to build your skills effectively. By focusing on well-planned, purposeful practice and creating an environment that supports learning, you can make significant progress and achieve your desired score.

 

Sherlen’s Teaching Method: Sherlen’s approach is unique in that she doesn’t just teach strategies. She diagnoses each student’s specific weaknesses and provides the tools and methods needed to help them overcome those challenges effectively.

Many students practice TOEFL Speaking by repeating full tasks, hoping jumping from one exercise to another without analyzing the weaknesses will lead to improvement. While this might seem productive, it often falls short. Real progress requires a thoughtful approach that identifies and addresses specific challenges.

Precision Practice: Zeroing in on Key Skills refers to a focused and specific approach to improving your abilities. Instead of practicing broadly or randomly, this method emphasizes identifying the exact areas where you struggle and working on them in a systematic way.

To improve, your practice must be deliberate and precise. This means:

Pinpointing Weak Areas

Instead of practicing everything at once, isolate areas where you struggle most—such as pronunciation, pacing, or clarity in transitions.

 

👉Struggling with fluency? Dedicate time to speaking exercises focused only on increasing your words per minute.

👉Facing issues with grammar? Practice crafting sentences with varied structures until they flow naturally in your responses.

 

Sherlen begins by diagnosing these problem areas and then works with students to implement effective strategies to address them.

Focus on smaller, manageable components of TOEFL Speaking tasks:

👉 Work on mastering openings for Task 1 responses.

Practice transitions that smoothly connect your ideas.

Polish pronunciation by tackling specific words flagged as unclear in past recordings.

 

This segmented approach ensures consistent progress in targeted areas, leading to overall improvement.

Great practice happens in an environment that encourages focus and minimizes distractions.

Set aside specific blocks of time where your sole focus is speaking practice. During these sessions, avoid multitasking or interruptions. Your brain performs best when it works on one task at a time.

Achieving sustained focus requires effort but it pays off. Over time, practicing without distractions will help you enter a flow state where learning feels more natural and productive.

So, what does effective practice look like? It’s all about combining strategy with consistency:

Strategic Practice: Don’t just aim for quantity—ensure your sessions are designed to address weaknesses and refine skills.

Consistent Effort: Small, focused sessions repeated regularly can lead to substantial improvements over time.

Approaching TOEFL Speaking preparation with intention will set you apart. Instead of practicing aimlessly, identify your weak points, focus deeply on improving them, and create habits that support long-term growth.

 

Start today with a thoughtful, structured approach, and watch your results improve!