How TOEFL Speaking and Listening Tutoring Works
If you’re preparing for the TOEFL iBT, speaking and listening are often where scores stall. Both sections are timed, small misunderstandings cost points, and just listening to more English rarely fixes much. What helps is targeted practice with recorded feedback on the few mistakes you keep making.
Work with Julie Cunningham (a licensed speech-language pathologist and TOEFL coach) to raise your scores on the TOEFL Speaking and Listening sections.
- Who it’s for: People focused specifically on TOEFL Speaking + Listening.
- Format: Zoom (online tutoring).
- What’s included: Live coaching, customized homework, and feedback.
- Pricing: $250 per hour, or $1,875 for 10 hours.
- Availability: Pacific time; flexible Monday through Saturday.
- How to start: Schedule a free Planning Session with Julie.
Call or text Julie: 530-713-3211
Preparing for the Updated TOEFL iBT (January 2026)
TOEFL updated the iBT test format and score reporting in January 2026. If you’ve been reading older advice online, a lot of it won’t match what you’ll actually see on test day.
The updated TOEFL iBT now reports scores on a 1-6 scale (in half-point increments), with a transition period where comparable results are also provided on the 0-120 scale. Test content is also described by ETS as adaptive, meaning the number of items and time can vary.
Speaking task types (updated iBT)
- Listen and Repeat is where you repeat what you hear, with no prep time.
- Take an Interview is where you answer interviewer questions clearly and fully.
Listening task types (updated iBT)
- Listen and Choose a Response
- Listen to a Conversation
- Listen to an Announcement
- Listen to an Academic Talk
Need a Speaking score for a U.S. license?
Many licensing bodies set their own minimum Speaking score. Two examples as of 2026:
- Pharmacists (NABP): Speaking 5
- Physical therapists (FCCPT): Speaking 4.5, for California and several other jurisdictions
Requirements change, so check with your own board. Tell me your target in your Planning Session and we'll plan around it.
What We Work On (and why it affects scores)
Most TOEFL speaking and listening problems are specific and repeatable: timing, clarity, missing key words, misreading implied meaning, and answers that don’t fully fit the prompt. We work on those directly.
Speaking: two different skills, two different fixes
1) Listen and Repeat: accuracy + intelligibility
This task rewards accurate repetition. You need to hear the sentence clearly and say it back so it’s understandable and faithful to the prompt. Sounding fancy earns you nothing here.
- training your ear for function words and endings that people often drop
- clean pronunciation and stress so the sentence stays intelligible
- pace and chunking (so you don’t run words together)
- reducing “near-miss” repetitions that change meaning
2) Take an Interview: answering fully, without rambling
Interview responses are scored on how clearly you address the question, how understandable you are, and how well you support what you say.
- answering the question directly in the first sentence (then supporting it)
- grammar and vocabulary that are accurate enough to express precise meaning
- speech clarity: rhythm, intonation, and pacing that don’t force the listener to “work”
- repair strategies when you get stuck (without collapsing the response)
Listening: speed + inference (not just “catching words”)
The listening section tests detail recall, but it also checks whether you understand implied meaning, tone, and what a speaker is trying to do.
- fast “response choice” items: selecting the most appropriate reply based on context
- conversations: hearing what matters and ignoring what doesn’t
- announcements + academic talks: organized notes that track the structure, not just vocabulary
- inference, speaker attitude/degree of certainty, and connecting information across sentences
What To Expect in a Tutoring Session
How TOEFL Speaking and Listening Tutoring Works
- We diagnose the pattern behind the misses.
We look past individual wrong answers to find the pattern: missing endings, losing the main point, choosing a reply that’s grammatically fine but socially wrong, speaking too fast, or giving answers that miss the question. - We train with the right constraints.
Short, targeted drills that match TOEFL timing and task types, so improvement carries to test day. - We record and tighten.
For speaking, you’ll record responses and get specific feedback on what to change. For listening, you’ll review why an option is correct (and why the others are wrong). - We keep a running list of “repeat problems.”
So you don’t fix something once and then lose it two weeks later.
Recommended frequency: 1 session/week if you have time; increase if you’re close to a test date.
Common questions
Is your tutoring updated for the 2026 TOEFL?
Yes. Sessions use the two current Speaking tasks, Listen and Repeat and Take an Interview, and the current Listening format.
Do you teach all four sections?
No. I teach Speaking and Listening only.
How many sessions will I need?
A typical client does 10 sessions. Your number depends on your starting point and goals, and we'll talk about it in your free Planning Session.
Are sessions online?
Yes. All sessions are live on Zoom, so you can work with me from anywhere in the U.S.
How much does it cost?
Private training is $250 an hour, or $1,875 for a 10-hour package.
Comparing TOEFL tutors? See how Julie compares with Preply, Wyzant, and others.
Can you help if my main issue is pronunciation?
Yes. We work on intelligibility: stress, rhythm, pacing, and the few sounds that commonly cause misunderstandings. The goal is clarity, not “perfect accent.”
Can you help if my main issue is listening speed?
Yes. We work on picking out what matters, recognizing implied meaning, and using organized notes for longer tasks.
Do you offer TOEFL Home Edition support?
Yes. Sessions are online, and the practice format translates well to at-home testing.
Practicing on Your Own
If you're not ready for tutoring yet, start with my free course, English Pro Lite: 45 video lessons on the sounds of American English, plus a guidebook. Clear pronunciation helps on both Speaking tasks, since intelligibility is scored.
For more practice, English Pro has step-by-step pronunciation courses, thousands of practice exercises, a weekly live class on Zoom, and my personal feedback videos on your recordings. It's $49.99 a month or $479 for lifetime access, with a 10-day money-back guarantee.
Meet Julie
Julie has been helping people with American English pronunciation since 2007. She’s a licensed speech-language pathologist and has specialized training in pronunciation and accent work, which matters for TOEFL speaking because intelligibility is scored.
- Licensed in the state of California and nationally certified in Speech-Language Pathology by ASHA
- Certified PESL Instructor (Pronouncing English as a Second Language) and TEFL Instructor
- Preferred Trainer of LDS & Associates (accent reduction and corporate communication training)
- Executive board member of the Corporate Speech Pathology Network (CORSPAN)
Call or text Julie: 530-713-3211
What my clients say
Here's what a few of my clients have to say about working with me:
Juan V.
Spanish, Student
I recently finished a 10-session program with Julie, and I am completely satisfied with the results. Since the first class, it was clear that she was an expert on the subject and created a safe space to practice and ask questions. I totally recommend Julie if you are looking for a coach who helps you improve the details of your accent that limit your communication or make you feel less confident. My best piece of advice is to take the leap to reach your English goals!
Joan Y.
Mandarin Chinese, Life Coach
Julie is an incredible teacher. I like how quickly she could diagnose my pronunciation issues, in particular my tongue placement. She increased my awareness of how to speak like a native speaker. She also gave me drills to improve my speech, some of which are quite innovative such as using a metronome. Julie is very patient and compassionate and fun to work with. I highly recommend her for her skills, caliber, and approaches to quickly move you forward.
Stephen L.
South African English, Voice Over Actor
I had the pleasure of working with Julie on my standard American accent. Her knowledge and supportive instruction style made the experience truly enjoyable and worthwhile. Her professional yet easy going manner made me feel comfortable from the outset. Julie was encouraging, enthusiastic and most of all patient. I have renewed confidence in my accent capability and I have her to thank for it.
Online TOEFL Speaking and Listening Tutoring (Zoom)
Online tutoring works well for TOEFL because you can share materials, record speaking practice, and keep a clean record of what you’re working on between sessions.
- live coaching and immediate correction
- recorded speaking practice with targeted feedback
- custom homework that matches your task type weaknesses
How To Get Started
To make the first session efficient, bring one of the following:
- recent TOEFL practice results (speaking recordings and/or listening review)
- a target score + your test date
- a short description of what feels hardest (speed, clarity, inference, pronunciation, confidence under time)
If you don’t have materials, that’s fine. We can start with a short diagnostic in session.
Call or text Julie: 530-713-3211
TOEFL Speaking and Listening Tutor: Work with Julie Cunningham
To get started with TOEFL Speaking and Listening tutoring, schedule a free Planning Session with Julie.
Call or text Julie: 530-713-3211
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