Toward Speaking Excellence: The Michigan Guide to Maximizing Your Performance on the TSE (R) Test and SPEAK (R) Test | 
| Author: Dean Steven Papajohn
Publisher: University of Michigan Press/ESL
Category: Book
List Price: $18.95
Buy Used: $4.66
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Avg. Customer Rating:  4 reviews
Sales Rank: 719287
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 144
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 10 x 7 x 0.4
ISBN: 0472085247
Dewey Decimal Number: 428.0076
EAN: 9780472085248
ASIN: 0472085247
Publication Date: November 1, 1998
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Condition: Some wear on book from reading, spine creases, wear on binding and pages, we guarantee all purchases and ship all items via USPS mail.
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Product Description
This is the first preparation book made available to prepare individuals for the Test of Spoken English (TSE), which must be passed in order for nonnative speakers to qualify for teaching assistantships at universities in the United States.
The TSE was revised in 1996, but the retired version is still available and referred to as the SPEAK Test. The TSE consists of three warm-up questions and twelve rated questions. Raters assess students' proficiency in the areas of language function (such as giving an opinion), appropriateness, coherence, and accuracy (which includes grammar, pronunciation, vocabulary, and fluency).
Toward Speaking Excellence teaches the fundamentals of good communication as well as specific test-taking strategies. Also included are explanations of how the TSE and SPEAK tests are rated, examples of responses at varying score levels, and advice for responding to each of the question formats. Practice exercises within each unit help the users apply this knowledge. Each unit concludes with practice questions similar to those found on the tests including sample maps, picture sequences, graphs, and announcements that provide realistic test preparation for users.
Dean Papajohn is Educational Specialist at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
For ESL/EFL students.
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| Customer Reviews:
 Test of Spoke English June 9, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
As an ESL instructor, I teach people who need to pass a test of spoken English. This is required in many states for those in medical fields as well as other areas where proper pronuciation is essential. Please note that the TSE (Test of Spoken English) for which this book was designed has since changed to a different format but this book is still helpful. In addition, many students from many countries are very familiar with this book and have it in their own languages, so this is something with which they are familiar. There are very few good TSE books available, so this is a great choice. Please note that this is NOT the book to buy for TOEFL.
 it helps! April 3, 2004
0 out of 3 found this review helpful
it helped me in my preparation, i made score 55 out of 60,hope it works for everybody!all the best.
A very helpful book, but the format of the TSE has changed! February 11, 2003
15 out of 15 found this review helpful
Please note, in September 2003, the Educational Testing Service changed the format of the TSE. Six of the questions included in this book are no longer used on the TSE, and three new questions have been added. This is still a very valuable book to use when preparing for SPEAK test, as that test has not yet changed, but if you are preparing for the TSE, make sure you visit the ETS website to learn about the new changes! And there is now a second edition of this book that will prepare you for the new version of the TSE.
This is the first edition of the only book I am aware of that prepares students for the TSE and SPEAK tests. It is used at my university in test preparation workshops and ESL classes.
The book explains how the test is scored and what the rating criteria are. I believe this is very helpful, as many students worry that their answers must be linguistically perfect to get a good score. It also provides descriptions of each question type, time limits, and strategies to use for answering questions well.
The book includes practice questions that students can use to get familiar with the format of the test. This is very important, because one of the most difficult things about taking the test is getting used to the format and kind of questions asked. Once you are comfortable with answering these kinds of questions, you can let your true speaking skills show.
The book is not perfect. Some of the questions are better written than others, and there are a few typos. However, for the price, this is a very useful book. I agree with the last reviewer that it is important to get feedback from a native speaker as much as possible when using this book or any other test preparation book.
Worth the money July 27, 2000
31 out of 37 found this review helpful
I am the director of an ESL program at a major university, and I recommend this book to all the students who ask me for help on the TSE or SPEAK tests. We use it as a required text in our immersion program for incoming students as well. I believe it is the best book currently available for TSE prep. To get the most value from the book, I recommend that you find a native speaker to give you feedback on some of the exercises. Well worth the investment.
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