Marek Connell is an English teacher with a YouTube channel who regularly posts videos on aspects of oral English for intermediate-to-advanced learners.
He has put together a collection of videos to help Spanish students of English prepare for the Escuela Oficial de Idiomas speaking exam at intermediate (B1) and upper-intermediate (B2) level by giving them examples of what a native speaker would/could say in the oral paper.
Each video deals with a different topic and in them Marek provides strategies and vocabulary which prove really helpful for students to resort to.
I have compiled a list of all the exam-related videos Marek has made. The B1/B2 tag is Marek's and it is very likely that it doesn't coincide with the level the topic is assigned to in the students' region.
Healthy eating
Motivation
Leisure time
Living in a city or the country
Illegal downloading
Work conditions
Stress (B1)
Parental Relationships (B1)
Sports (B1)
Animals and pets (B1)
Education (B1)
Stereotypes (B1)
Travelling (B2)
Mad about shopping (B2)
Science and technology (B2)
Breaking the law (B2)
Relationships (B2)
The world of work (B2)
Environment and climate change (B2)
Mostrando entradas con la etiqueta Exams. Mostrar todas las entradas
Mostrando entradas con la etiqueta Exams. Mostrar todas las entradas
sábado, 10 de junio de 2017
sábado, 6 de agosto de 2016
IELTS Liz
IELTS Liz is a website for IELTS test preparation. Tips, lessons, tasks and information are given for free to students by Liz, a UK-based teacher who has ample experience and who has specialised in IELTS in the last years of her professional career.
Students in the intermediate-to-advanced level preparing for any other exam like the Escuela Oficial de Idiomas exam in Spain will also greatly benefit from IELTS Liz, as they will be able to find countless reading, listening, speaking and writing activities.
Students in the intermediate-to-advanced level preparing for any other exam like the Escuela Oficial de Idiomas exam in Spain will also greatly benefit from IELTS Liz, as they will be able to find countless reading, listening, speaking and writing activities.
miércoles, 9 de marzo de 2016
Talking point: Examining exams
This week's talking point is exams. Before getting together with the members of your conversation group, go over the questions below so that ideas flow more easily when you meet up with your friends and you can work out vocabulary problems beforehand.
Your personal experience
• Do you get nervous before exams?
• Your last exam: what result did you expect and what did you get?
• How do you prepare for exams?
• Do you always read the questions carefully in a written exam?
• Have you ever been unfairly treated in an exam?
• Have you ever cheated in an exam?
• If you saw another student cheating in an exam, would you report them?
• Would you help another student who asked for assistance during an exam?
Your opinions
• Are exams a necessary evil?
• Do exams motivate students to give their best?
• What do you think of alternatives to exams, such as projects and continuous assessment?
• Would you agree that exams are only really valuable if you are allowed to see your paper once it has been marked, so you can learn from your mistakes?
• Should you be given warning before an exam? Why (not)?
• Should dictionaries, other reference books or the internet be permitted during exams? Why (not)?
• Should you be allowed to repeat an exam if you fail? If so, how often?
• Should attendance at a course always be required in order to take an exam?
To illustrate the point you can watch this video on exam cheating.
Well, I’ll tell you that I know a girl who has to go through a very difficult exam for her studies, and she told me that she could find the answers online on the internet. She could download them and go to the test as simple as that.
You’re kidding?
Can you imagine?
Really?
So what was she studying?
Medicine.
Oh no! All of our doctors can get the answers online!
Yeah, that’s very scary.
Have you ever had, erm, a situation like that or an experience like that? Do you know about somebody…
I didn’t know you could buy the answers online, erm, but I know that in the States now, for all of those important jobs, you know working a crane or working heavy machinery, of course being a doctor, you have to take and exam. You have to know that information, so cheating is not going to get these people anywhere.
And later you get the job and what do you do? I mean you have to improvise that you know how to use the computer or…
I hope my doctor didn’t.
Yeah, it’s…or a veterinarian, with dogs.
If you think about it… if so many people are cheating…
Exactly.
… I remember once I was in a class and in this particular class I was the only person that didn’t cheat. And I did OK but everyone else did exceptionally well…
Of course.
Exactly.
…but it was terrible.
How frustrating!
Yeah, yeah that’s not nice, no? You are doing your reports and…
And you really study. You spend the whole night…
Of course!
… and all evening. You don’t go out… weeks… just study.
So, what about other techniques? Have you heard about any other cheating techniques?
Yeah, but they date back to grade school.
That works. Start early.
Erm, I knew some people that would write the answers to exams on the bottom of their shoes or on the inner arm or… hands.
Or here also. You have to be careful not to sweat.
Yeah.
Well, it looks like we really don’t have a future in cheating.
Hope not.
Your personal experience
• Do you get nervous before exams?
• Your last exam: what result did you expect and what did you get?
• How do you prepare for exams?
• Do you always read the questions carefully in a written exam?
• Have you ever been unfairly treated in an exam?
• Have you ever cheated in an exam?
• If you saw another student cheating in an exam, would you report them?
• Would you help another student who asked for assistance during an exam?
Your opinions
• Are exams a necessary evil?
• Do exams motivate students to give their best?
• What do you think of alternatives to exams, such as projects and continuous assessment?
• Would you agree that exams are only really valuable if you are allowed to see your paper once it has been marked, so you can learn from your mistakes?
• Should you be given warning before an exam? Why (not)?
• Should dictionaries, other reference books or the internet be permitted during exams? Why (not)?
• Should you be allowed to repeat an exam if you fail? If so, how often?
• Should attendance at a course always be required in order to take an exam?
To illustrate the point you can watch this video on exam cheating.
Well, I’ll tell you that I know a girl who has to go through a very difficult exam for her studies, and she told me that she could find the answers online on the internet. She could download them and go to the test as simple as that.
You’re kidding?
Can you imagine?
Really?
So what was she studying?
Medicine.
Oh no! All of our doctors can get the answers online!
Yeah, that’s very scary.
Have you ever had, erm, a situation like that or an experience like that? Do you know about somebody…
I didn’t know you could buy the answers online, erm, but I know that in the States now, for all of those important jobs, you know working a crane or working heavy machinery, of course being a doctor, you have to take and exam. You have to know that information, so cheating is not going to get these people anywhere.
And later you get the job and what do you do? I mean you have to improvise that you know how to use the computer or…
I hope my doctor didn’t.
Yeah, it’s…or a veterinarian, with dogs.
If you think about it… if so many people are cheating…
Exactly.
… I remember once I was in a class and in this particular class I was the only person that didn’t cheat. And I did OK but everyone else did exceptionally well…
Of course.
Exactly.
…but it was terrible.
How frustrating!
Yeah, yeah that’s not nice, no? You are doing your reports and…
And you really study. You spend the whole night…
Of course!
… and all evening. You don’t go out… weeks… just study.
So, what about other techniques? Have you heard about any other cheating techniques?
Yeah, but they date back to grade school.
That works. Start early.
Erm, I knew some people that would write the answers to exams on the bottom of their shoes or on the inner arm or… hands.
Or here also. You have to be careful not to sweat.
Yeah.
Well, it looks like we really don’t have a future in cheating.
Hope not.
lunes, 7 de diciembre de 2015
Listening test: How to prepare for tests
Listen to part of an interview with a pyschologist on how students can prepare for tests and complete the gaps in sentences 1-7 with up to three words. 0 is an example.
0 Example:
Dr. Cynthia Green, is the author of the book Total Memory Workout.
1 We have difficulty in remembering things for exams because we get nervous and we don’t usually leave _________________ to prepare the tests.
2 To reduce anxiety during tests Dr. Cynthia Green suggests practising what she calls _________________ .
3 Taking deep breaths, counting backwards from twenty or imagining something that makes you feel _________________ can help students relax.
4 In answering multiple choice questions it always helps to try _________________ so that we can reduce our focus.
5 Good test habits include adequate sleep, _________________ , dealing with stress and organising time adequately.
6 Dr. Cynthia Green’s children prepare a test for _________________ every night.
7 The main problem with cramming [=studying hard in order to learn a lot in a short time] is that we saturate _________________ because we’re learning too much information very quickly.
STACEY: Do you know the most effective ways to study for a test? Do you have to cram, or is it better to have a system? Here to help students and parents of students everywhere. Dr. Cynthia Green, psychologist and author of (0) Total Memory Workout. Thank you so much for joining us. Now what are some of the reasons that we have so much trouble remembering things for tests, even after we study?
CYNTHIA: One of the things that happens is that we simply get nervous. Secondly, we don’t often leave ourselves (1) enough time to prepare for tests.
STACEY: Now what are some of the things we can do to reduce anxiety during test taking?
CYNTHIA: Well, one of the things is just to practice some of, what I call (2) emergency techniques to reduce our anxiety.
STACEY: Please share!
CYNTHIA: Some things like training yourself to take deep breaths, to count backwards from twenty, or even to have a visualization where you can, you know, practice beforehand imagining something that makes you feel (3) peaceful and calm so that you can have that image, something that you find relaxing, and you can go to that place to help yourself calm down.
STACEY: So what are some of the steps that people can do if they’re, you know, in the test situation, they’re really, realize that they’re having one of these melt-downs and anxiety attacks and they’re not having that recall, what do you suggest people do in that moment?
CYNTHIA: If you are faced, for example, with a multiple choice question and you’re not really sure how to answer it, then to really work your way around the question, to figure out what you do remember about the question, to try (4) and eliminate alternatives so that you can narrow your focus. Try to remind yourselves of what the main point is around a question, and to organize the information in that way, to work your way back to the answer.
STACEY: Are there specific things that parents can do to help their children when it comes to getting prepared for tests?
CYNTHIA: One of the best things, I think, we can do as parents to help our kids is to teach them good test taking habits. Learning how to take a test is also learning how to be prepared, in terms of getting adequate sleep, (5) eating well, dealing with stress effectively, and finally organizing ahead of time. So, for example, some things I’ve used with my kids throughout their life is to tell them, when they know they have a test, to build into their schedule when, you know, that test is coming up about (6) fifteen minutes a night, every night, to work on preparing for that test, and to work with a study guide also for that test. So they’re breaking that study guide down and learning a piece of it every night, and using the last couple of nights before the test to rehearse all the information.
STACEY: When I think back to college and high school, I remember cramming for those exams, cramming that information. I think I actually thought, you know, if it’s right up there, up top, newly in my brain, it’ll be right there. Talk to us about cramming.
CYNTHIA: The problem with cramming is that we can overwhelm (7) our brains. That sometimes, it’s just too much information to really effectively keep track of. What I would suggest, if someone really has to cram, is that they try to distill down that cramming to what they really are going to need to know for that test, so that they at least place some limits for what they’re trying to retain.
0 Example:
Dr. Cynthia Green, is the author of the book Total Memory Workout.
1 We have difficulty in remembering things for exams because we get nervous and we don’t usually leave _________________ to prepare the tests.
2 To reduce anxiety during tests Dr. Cynthia Green suggests practising what she calls _________________ .
3 Taking deep breaths, counting backwards from twenty or imagining something that makes you feel _________________ can help students relax.
4 In answering multiple choice questions it always helps to try _________________ so that we can reduce our focus.
5 Good test habits include adequate sleep, _________________ , dealing with stress and organising time adequately.
6 Dr. Cynthia Green’s children prepare a test for _________________ every night.
7 The main problem with cramming [=studying hard in order to learn a lot in a short time] is that we saturate _________________ because we’re learning too much information very quickly.
STACEY: Do you know the most effective ways to study for a test? Do you have to cram, or is it better to have a system? Here to help students and parents of students everywhere. Dr. Cynthia Green, psychologist and author of (0) Total Memory Workout. Thank you so much for joining us. Now what are some of the reasons that we have so much trouble remembering things for tests, even after we study?
CYNTHIA: One of the things that happens is that we simply get nervous. Secondly, we don’t often leave ourselves (1) enough time to prepare for tests.
STACEY: Now what are some of the things we can do to reduce anxiety during test taking?
CYNTHIA: Well, one of the things is just to practice some of, what I call (2) emergency techniques to reduce our anxiety.
STACEY: Please share!
CYNTHIA: Some things like training yourself to take deep breaths, to count backwards from twenty, or even to have a visualization where you can, you know, practice beforehand imagining something that makes you feel (3) peaceful and calm so that you can have that image, something that you find relaxing, and you can go to that place to help yourself calm down.
STACEY: So what are some of the steps that people can do if they’re, you know, in the test situation, they’re really, realize that they’re having one of these melt-downs and anxiety attacks and they’re not having that recall, what do you suggest people do in that moment?
CYNTHIA: If you are faced, for example, with a multiple choice question and you’re not really sure how to answer it, then to really work your way around the question, to figure out what you do remember about the question, to try (4) and eliminate alternatives so that you can narrow your focus. Try to remind yourselves of what the main point is around a question, and to organize the information in that way, to work your way back to the answer.
STACEY: Are there specific things that parents can do to help their children when it comes to getting prepared for tests?
CYNTHIA: One of the best things, I think, we can do as parents to help our kids is to teach them good test taking habits. Learning how to take a test is also learning how to be prepared, in terms of getting adequate sleep, (5) eating well, dealing with stress effectively, and finally organizing ahead of time. So, for example, some things I’ve used with my kids throughout their life is to tell them, when they know they have a test, to build into their schedule when, you know, that test is coming up about (6) fifteen minutes a night, every night, to work on preparing for that test, and to work with a study guide also for that test. So they’re breaking that study guide down and learning a piece of it every night, and using the last couple of nights before the test to rehearse all the information.
STACEY: When I think back to college and high school, I remember cramming for those exams, cramming that information. I think I actually thought, you know, if it’s right up there, up top, newly in my brain, it’ll be right there. Talk to us about cramming.
CYNTHIA: The problem with cramming is that we can overwhelm (7) our brains. That sometimes, it’s just too much information to really effectively keep track of. What I would suggest, if someone really has to cram, is that they try to distill down that cramming to what they really are going to need to know for that test, so that they at least place some limits for what they’re trying to retain.
sábado, 9 de mayo de 2015
Reading test: Google should be allowed in examinations
For this week's reading test we have used the BBC article Google should be allowed in examinations to practise the multiple choice task that tests grammar and vocabulary. Some minor changes have been made to the original text.
Read the text and choose the option A, B or C which best fits in each gap. 0 is an example.
It is inevitable search engines (0) … Google will be allowed in public examinations, including GCSEs and A-Levels, the head of an exam board says.
OCR chief Mark Dawe (1) … the Today programme allowing internet use in exam rooms reflected the way pupils learned and how they would work in future. He said students would (2) … need a basis of knowledge and would have limited time to conduct searches.
The Campaign for Real Education (3) … the idea as "dumbing down". Mr Dawe said: "Surely when they learn in the classroom, everyone uses Google if there is a question. It is more about understanding what results you're seeing (4) … keeping all of that knowledge in your head, because that's not how the modern world works."
He compared the idea to the debate about whether to have books (5) … during a test, saying: "In reality you didn't have too much time [to consult the book] and you had to learn it anyway."
Mr Dawe suggested some exams may (6) … to have internet access and others may not. He said: "It's about understanding the tools they have and how to utilise them. When we are (7) … a question where we know there's access to the internet, we could ask a different question - it's about the interpretation, the discussion."
On the (8) … of when internet use might be allowed in exams, Mr Dawe said: "It's very (9) … to happen in the next few weeks or next few months, but it's certainly inevitable, I would suggest."
Chris McGovern, of the Campaign for Real Education, said: "We have a crisis in standards in this country. We are three years (10) … the Chinese, at the age of 15. We have got universities running remedial courses. We have got employers saying (11) … youngsters are unemployable. You can have an exam in how to use Google - that's not the same thing (12) … having a history exam or a geography exam. We do have to test what children are carrying in their heads".
0
A as
B such
C such as
1
A explained
B said
C told
2
A already
B still
C yet
3
A refused
B rejected
C denied
4
A compared to
B instead
C rather than
5
A available
B opened
C ready
6
A allow
B let
C prohibit
7
A asking
B asking for
C making
8
A debate
B issue
C problem
9
A impossibly
B improbably
C unlikely
10
A before
B behind
C after
11
A a lot
B most of
C too many
12
A as
B than
C that
KEY:
1C 2B 3B 4C 5A 6A 7A 8B 9C 10B 11C 12 A
Read the text and choose the option A, B or C which best fits in each gap. 0 is an example.
It is inevitable search engines (0) … Google will be allowed in public examinations, including GCSEs and A-Levels, the head of an exam board says.
OCR chief Mark Dawe (1) … the Today programme allowing internet use in exam rooms reflected the way pupils learned and how they would work in future. He said students would (2) … need a basis of knowledge and would have limited time to conduct searches.
The Campaign for Real Education (3) … the idea as "dumbing down". Mr Dawe said: "Surely when they learn in the classroom, everyone uses Google if there is a question. It is more about understanding what results you're seeing (4) … keeping all of that knowledge in your head, because that's not how the modern world works."
He compared the idea to the debate about whether to have books (5) … during a test, saying: "In reality you didn't have too much time [to consult the book] and you had to learn it anyway."
Mr Dawe suggested some exams may (6) … to have internet access and others may not. He said: "It's about understanding the tools they have and how to utilise them. When we are (7) … a question where we know there's access to the internet, we could ask a different question - it's about the interpretation, the discussion."
On the (8) … of when internet use might be allowed in exams, Mr Dawe said: "It's very (9) … to happen in the next few weeks or next few months, but it's certainly inevitable, I would suggest."
Chris McGovern, of the Campaign for Real Education, said: "We have a crisis in standards in this country. We are three years (10) … the Chinese, at the age of 15. We have got universities running remedial courses. We have got employers saying (11) … youngsters are unemployable. You can have an exam in how to use Google - that's not the same thing (12) … having a history exam or a geography exam. We do have to test what children are carrying in their heads".
0
A as
B such
C such as
1
A explained
B said
C told
2
A already
B still
C yet
3
A refused
B rejected
C denied
4
A compared to
B instead
C rather than
5
A available
B opened
C ready
6
A allow
B let
C prohibit
7
A asking
B asking for
C making
8
A debate
B issue
C problem
9
A impossibly
B improbably
C unlikely
10
A before
B behind
C after
11
A a lot
B most of
C too many
12
A as
B than
C that
Photo: BBC
KEY:
1C 2B 3B 4C 5A 6A 7A 8B 9C 10B 11C 12 A
martes, 7 de octubre de 2014
Madrid Teacher: Cheating in exams
In our Madrid Teacher series this week, a group of teachers and students discuss cheating in exams.
First, watch the video through to get the gist of what the conversation is about.
Now, watch the video again and pay attention to the following features of spoken English the teachers use in their conversation:
Now it's over to you. If possible, get together with a friend or relative and discuss your experience of cheating at school or university. Have you ever cheated in exams? Do you know anyone who has? What cheating techniques do you know? Why do students find it easier to cheat with some teachers and impossible with others? Would you report someone who cheats in exams?
Well, I’ll tell you that I know a girl who has to go through a very difficult exam for her studies, and she told me that she could find the answers online on the internet. She could download them and go to the test as simple as that.
You’re kidding?
Can you imagine?
Really?
So what was she studying?
Medicine.
Oh no! All of our doctors can get the answers online!
Yeah, that’s very scary.
Have you ever had, erm, a situation like that or an experience like that? Do you know about somebody…
I didn’t know you could buy the answers online, erm, but I know that in the States now, for all of those important jobs, you know working a crane or working heavy machinery, of course being a doctor, you have to take and exam. You have to know that information, so cheating is not going to get these people anywhere.
And later you get the job and what do you do? I mean you have to improvise that you know how to use the computer or…
I hope my doctor didn’t.
Yeah, it’s…or a veterinarian, with dogs.
If you think about it… if so many people are cheating…
Exactly.
… I remember once I was in a class and in this particular class I was the only person that didn’t cheat. And I did OK but everyone else did exceptionally well…
Of course.
Exactly.
…but it was terrible.
How frustrating!
Yeah, yeah that’s not nice, no? You are doing your reports and…
And you really study. You spend the whole night…
Of course!
… and all evening. You don’t go out… weeks… just study.
So, what about other techniques? Have you heard about any other cheating techniques?
Yeah, but they date back to grade school.
That works. Start early.
Erm, I knew some people that would write the answers to exams on the bottom of their shoes or on the inner arm or… hands.
Or here also. You have to be careful not to sweat.
Yeah.
Well, it looks like we really don’t have a future in cheating.
Hope not.
First, watch the video through to get the gist of what the conversation is about.
Now, watch the video again and pay attention to the following features of spoken English the teachers use in their conversation:
- Conversation fillers to gain thinking time: Well; erm; you know
- Reacting to the information we've just heard: You’re kidding?; Really?; Oh no!; How frustrating!
- Showing agreement: Yeah!; Exactly; Of course
- Paraphrasing what you have just said to make yourself clear: I mean
- Use of really to emphasize the verb.
- Use of so as a linking word.
Now it's over to you. If possible, get together with a friend or relative and discuss your experience of cheating at school or university. Have you ever cheated in exams? Do you know anyone who has? What cheating techniques do you know? Why do students find it easier to cheat with some teachers and impossible with others? Would you report someone who cheats in exams?
Well, I’ll tell you that I know a girl who has to go through a very difficult exam for her studies, and she told me that she could find the answers online on the internet. She could download them and go to the test as simple as that.
You’re kidding?
Can you imagine?
Really?
So what was she studying?
Medicine.
Oh no! All of our doctors can get the answers online!
Yeah, that’s very scary.
Have you ever had, erm, a situation like that or an experience like that? Do you know about somebody…
I didn’t know you could buy the answers online, erm, but I know that in the States now, for all of those important jobs, you know working a crane or working heavy machinery, of course being a doctor, you have to take and exam. You have to know that information, so cheating is not going to get these people anywhere.
And later you get the job and what do you do? I mean you have to improvise that you know how to use the computer or…
I hope my doctor didn’t.
Yeah, it’s…or a veterinarian, with dogs.
If you think about it… if so many people are cheating…
Exactly.
… I remember once I was in a class and in this particular class I was the only person that didn’t cheat. And I did OK but everyone else did exceptionally well…
Of course.
Exactly.
…but it was terrible.
How frustrating!
Yeah, yeah that’s not nice, no? You are doing your reports and…
And you really study. You spend the whole night…
Of course!
… and all evening. You don’t go out… weeks… just study.
So, what about other techniques? Have you heard about any other cheating techniques?
Yeah, but they date back to grade school.
That works. Start early.
Erm, I knew some people that would write the answers to exams on the bottom of their shoes or on the inner arm or… hands.
Or here also. You have to be careful not to sweat.
Yeah.
Well, it looks like we really don’t have a future in cheating.
Hope not.
sábado, 31 de agosto de 2013
What do good candidates do in speaking tests?
In this video three examiners give their advice and tips for the oral paper of the Cambridge English exams. You'll find it useful, no matter which exam you intend to sit.
Read the tasks carefully, and listen to your partners.
React to what your partners are saying to keep the conversation going.
Interact with your partner and the examiner.
Move forward the conversation.
Use eye contact.
Use body language to encourage your partner.
Show that you are resourceful in your language (extend the conversation, don’t get stuck, paraphrase).
Balance fluency and accuracy.
Ask questions if you don’t understand.
Help your partner.
Prepare before the exam (the more prepared you are, the more relaxed you will be in the test).
Control your nerves.
Practise sufficiently beforehand to know how to be in control of time.
Maintain the flow of the conversation to know how long the answers should roughly be and do not stop too early.
Don’t be put off if the examiner interrupts you.
Preparation is key.
Read the tasks carefully, and listen to your partners.
React to what your partners are saying to keep the conversation going.
Interact with your partner and the examiner.
Move forward the conversation.
Use eye contact.
Use body language to encourage your partner.
Show that you are resourceful in your language (extend the conversation, don’t get stuck, paraphrase).
Balance fluency and accuracy.
Ask questions if you don’t understand.
Help your partner.
Prepare before the exam (the more prepared you are, the more relaxed you will be in the test).
Control your nerves.
Practise sufficiently beforehand to know how to be in control of time.
Maintain the flow of the conversation to know how long the answers should roughly be and do not stop too early.
Don’t be put off if the examiner interrupts you.
Preparation is key.
viernes, 30 de noviembre de 2012
The BBC How to series: Oral strategies for communication
Holding a conversation in English is much more than putting words together and not making grammar mistakes: We have to act both as a speaker and a listener, we have to adapt our behaviour to the changes in the conversation, we have to respect turn-taking and be able to cooperate with our interlocutor to keep the conversation going, we have to respect specific social conventions, we have to use suitable structures for the context. Sounds daunting,doesn't it?
The How to... series on the Learning English section of the BBC site is a wonderful resource that can keep you busy for a lifetime and that will help you to learn how to proceed when you talk to people in English, either face to face or on the phone and which may be an invaluable tool to prepare the EOI oral exam, specially the second part, where you have to discuss a topic or a situation with another student.
In the How to... series you will find dozens of six-minute lessons that can show you the way native speakers interact with each other while holding a conversation. Each lesson consists of an audio clip that you can listen to or download, its accompanying transcript, a selection of key vocabulary and structures with examples for learners to study/revise at a glance and, sometimes, activities to consolidate everything that has been explained throughout the lesson.
The lessons are grouped under umbrella topics:
The How to... series on the Learning English section of the BBC site is a wonderful resource that can keep you busy for a lifetime and that will help you to learn how to proceed when you talk to people in English, either face to face or on the phone and which may be an invaluable tool to prepare the EOI oral exam, specially the second part, where you have to discuss a topic or a situation with another student.
In the How to... series you will find dozens of six-minute lessons that can show you the way native speakers interact with each other while holding a conversation. Each lesson consists of an audio clip that you can listen to or download, its accompanying transcript, a selection of key vocabulary and structures with examples for learners to study/revise at a glance and, sometimes, activities to consolidate everything that has been explained throughout the lesson.
The lessons are grouped under umbrella topics:
- How to hold a conversation
- How to discuss
- How to give instructions, explanations and advice
- How to make requests, offers and invitations
- How to give news
- How to make complaints, apologies and excuses
- How to say hello and good-bye
- extending a conversation
- closing topics
- expressing likes and dislikes
- responding to compliments
- talking about funny incidents
- getting back on a topic
- being sarcastic
domingo, 19 de agosto de 2012
Vocabulary test
Everybody will love My Vocabulary Size.
My Vocabulary Size is an online tool to measure up the size of your vocabulary. My Vocabulary Size has teamed up with researchers at Victoria University of Wellington to bring English learners a way to measure their word knowledge.
Users can take the tests by using Paul Nation's Vocabulary Size Test. These are the test instructions we must bear in mind before we begin the test:
• There are 140 questions in this test.
• Look at the word and an example of the word in use.
• Choose the meaning that most closely matches the word.
• Try to answer all the questions, even though you are not certain of the answer.
• You can not go back and change your answer.
• You will not be penalised for giving incorrect answers.
A native speaker of English is said to know 20,000 word families, but according to Nation, 8,000-9,000 word families are enough for getting by in reading, and 6,000-7,000 for listening.
My Vocabulary Size is an online tool to measure up the size of your vocabulary. My Vocabulary Size has teamed up with researchers at Victoria University of Wellington to bring English learners a way to measure their word knowledge.
Users can take the tests by using Paul Nation's Vocabulary Size Test. These are the test instructions we must bear in mind before we begin the test:
• There are 140 questions in this test.
• Look at the word and an example of the word in use.
• Choose the meaning that most closely matches the word.
• Try to answer all the questions, even though you are not certain of the answer.
• You can not go back and change your answer.
• You will not be penalised for giving incorrect answers.
A native speaker of English is said to know 20,000 word families, but according to Nation, 8,000-9,000 word families are enough for getting by in reading, and 6,000-7,000 for listening.
domingo, 22 de julio de 2012
Top student: Tatiana Suriano
Students facing the intermediate certificate exam often complain that they find it difficult to prepare for the listening comprehension paper, as its level of difficulty is often greater than the listening activities they can find in their course books or test books.
Getting used to listening to authentic English is essential to be successful in the listening paper. ABC7 News is a good site for students to get familiar with authentic English and an American accent while they watch current news stories. An approximate transcript of the news item is sometimes provided, which is really useful for students to fully understand the information, practise pronunciation and gain some insight into the reasons why they sometimes fail to understand.
Self-study activity:
Watch the clip and answer the questions below.
1 What prize does each of the top students receive?
2 What is Tatiana planning to study at university?
3 According to Tatiana, why do some students do badly at school?
4 What reputation does Richmond High School have?
5 How does Tatiana help other people in her area?
6 How does Tatiana work best?
For correction, you can read the transcript of the story here.
Getting used to listening to authentic English is essential to be successful in the listening paper. ABC7 News is a good site for students to get familiar with authentic English and an American accent while they watch current news stories. An approximate transcript of the news item is sometimes provided, which is really useful for students to fully understand the information, practise pronunciation and gain some insight into the reasons why they sometimes fail to understand.
Self-study activity:
Watch the clip and answer the questions below.
1 What prize does each of the top students receive?
2 What is Tatiana planning to study at university?
3 According to Tatiana, why do some students do badly at school?
4 What reputation does Richmond High School have?
5 How does Tatiana help other people in her area?
6 How does Tatiana work best?
For correction, you can read the transcript of the story here.
domingo, 3 de junio de 2012
Nivel Básico exam -Reading comprehension practice
Esl-bits offers this extraordinary resource to practice reading comprehension in exam format. There are different kinds of activities you can do: comprehension of signs; true/false questions; matching people with the most suitable situation for them; fill in the gaps with the missing words; and general comprehension of a text.
All in all students of A2-early B1 level (Básico 2 for EOI standards) can find 19 activities at their disposal to develop their reading skills and prepare for their forthcoming exam.
jueves, 20 de octubre de 2011
Listening practice with numbers, dates, names and addresses
Understanding numbers of all kinds (figures, telephone numbers, dates, credit cards) and the spelling of names is a bone of contention for English students, irrespective of their level, especially if they don't live in an English-speaking country and exposure to the language is mostly restricted to the classroom.
A few weeks ago Domenic Cole published a listening activity (van hire listening) to give students practice in this conflict area. Domenic Cole's blog focuses on preparing students for IELTS. If you are interested in taking IELTS, his blog is a must. But even if you just want to develop your English for general purposes, you will find Domenic's tips and activities of great interest.
I think this listening activity on numbers and spelling is suitable for students ranging from Básico 2 (elementary) to Intermedio 2 (intermediate) students. The former might be more than happy getting 5 answers out of 10 right, while the latter should aim at 9 or 10 out of 10, while Intermedio 1 students should aim at getting 7 marks out of 10 right.
You can download the activity sheet here and the key and transcription for the recording here.
A few weeks ago Domenic Cole published a listening activity (van hire listening) to give students practice in this conflict area. Domenic Cole's blog focuses on preparing students for IELTS. If you are interested in taking IELTS, his blog is a must. But even if you just want to develop your English for general purposes, you will find Domenic's tips and activities of great interest.
I think this listening activity on numbers and spelling is suitable for students ranging from Básico 2 (elementary) to Intermedio 2 (intermediate) students. The former might be more than happy getting 5 answers out of 10 right, while the latter should aim at 9 or 10 out of 10, while Intermedio 1 students should aim at getting 7 marks out of 10 right.
You can download the activity sheet here and the key and transcription for the recording here.
domingo, 14 de agosto de 2011
Is your English good enough to study/work in an English-speaking country?
This is a question lots of English students may ask themselves, irrespective of the English qualifications they have obtained in their home country: Is my English good enough to study/work in an English-speaking country?
IELTS, the International English Language Testing System, is designed to assess the language ability of candidates who want to study or work where English is the language of communication. IELTS is recognised by over 6,000 organisations worldwide, including universities, employers, professional bodies, immigration authorities and other government agencies.
For a list of organisations that accept IELTS scores, click here.
You can start by finding out all the details of IELTS in the official IELTS website and download the candidate booklet, where you will find an answer to the most relevant questions about the exam.
And now let's go back to the question in the post title: Is your English good enough to study/work in an English-speaking country? Let's find it out.
Canada Visa offers two complete tests where you can gauge whether your English language ability is high enough to integrate into Canadian society and the Canadian workforce and, consequently, gain admittance in the country.
The four sections of the IELTS (Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking) are measured on a Band Score system from 1-9. To receive the maximum number of points for English language ability on a Federal Skilled Worker application, applicants who are required to take the IELTS, must obtain a Band score of 7.5 or higher in the Listening component and a 6.5 or higher in the other three components.
So why don't you have a go at it and check whether your English level is sufficient to pass the IELTS. Take one of the free online tests Canada Visa offers and find it out for yourself.
IELTS, the International English Language Testing System, is designed to assess the language ability of candidates who want to study or work where English is the language of communication. IELTS is recognised by over 6,000 organisations worldwide, including universities, employers, professional bodies, immigration authorities and other government agencies.
For a list of organisations that accept IELTS scores, click here.
You can start by finding out all the details of IELTS in the official IELTS website and download the candidate booklet, where you will find an answer to the most relevant questions about the exam.
And now let's go back to the question in the post title: Is your English good enough to study/work in an English-speaking country? Let's find it out.
Canada Visa offers two complete tests where you can gauge whether your English language ability is high enough to integrate into Canadian society and the Canadian workforce and, consequently, gain admittance in the country.
The four sections of the IELTS (Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking) are measured on a Band Score system from 1-9. To receive the maximum number of points for English language ability on a Federal Skilled Worker application, applicants who are required to take the IELTS, must obtain a Band score of 7.5 or higher in the Listening component and a 6.5 or higher in the other three components.
So why don't you have a go at it and check whether your English level is sufficient to pass the IELTS. Take one of the free online tests Canada Visa offers and find it out for yourself.
martes, 15 de marzo de 2011
1NB and 1NI mock exams
We have just published mock exams for Básico 1 and Intermediate 1 students.
This is a project that we've had in store for quite a long time and which has finally been carried out. We felt that That's English! Básico 1 and Intermediate 1 students were at a disadvantage with the students in the other years as regards mock exams, so by publishing these exams we have tried to right a wrong.
We know that mock exams can be a double-edged sword, as students may find their difficulty well within their grasp and relax and not do as much study as they should. On the other hand, some other students may find them a bit demanding and feel discouraged.
Either way, we believe that it is a priority that the That's English! exam, or any exam for that matter, should never be an ambush, a kind of trap. Students must know what is expected of them, so that they can prepare accordingly.
We hope you enjoy doing the tasks, we also hope you find the tasks motivating, and we hope these exams help you in your learning process.
This is a project that we've had in store for quite a long time and which has finally been carried out. We felt that That's English! Básico 1 and Intermediate 1 students were at a disadvantage with the students in the other years as regards mock exams, so by publishing these exams we have tried to right a wrong.
We know that mock exams can be a double-edged sword, as students may find their difficulty well within their grasp and relax and not do as much study as they should. On the other hand, some other students may find them a bit demanding and feel discouraged.
Either way, we believe that it is a priority that the That's English! exam, or any exam for that matter, should never be an ambush, a kind of trap. Students must know what is expected of them, so that they can prepare accordingly.
We hope you enjoy doing the tasks, we also hope you find the tasks motivating, and we hope these exams help you in your learning process.
lunes, 31 de enero de 2011
Online level test
Test your grasp of English with the online level test that Spotlight Verlag and GmbH telc bring to us.
It is a a fifteen-minute test that measures our command of grammar, vocabulary, reading and listening skills. We are presented with 13 tasks with a variety of activities (true/false, multiple choice, fill in the blanks, headline matching) that we must do in a limited period of time each.
We are immediately given the results of the test, which will place us in one of the levels of the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages). However, if we wish to know how we have done in each of the tasks, we must give an email address and our performance, together with the right answers, will be immeditately forwarded to us.
The test is free. But if you make up your mind to do it, make sure that you have 15 minutes to spare, as it demands concentration.
It is a a fifteen-minute test that measures our command of grammar, vocabulary, reading and listening skills. We are presented with 13 tasks with a variety of activities (true/false, multiple choice, fill in the blanks, headline matching) that we must do in a limited period of time each.
We are immediately given the results of the test, which will place us in one of the levels of the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages). However, if we wish to know how we have done in each of the tasks, we must give an email address and our performance, together with the right answers, will be immeditately forwarded to us.
The test is free. But if you make up your mind to do it, make sure that you have 15 minutes to spare, as it demands concentration.
martes, 25 de enero de 2011
A listening companion
A listening companion is part of the Resources for English Language Improvement from the Canadian Collegial Centre for Educational Material Development (CCDMD) and was brought to our attention by Larry Ferlazzo some days ago.
All in all the materials on the site seem far more suitable for advanced students than for lower levels. However, I think that the listening companion of the site, featured here, is well within the grasp of Intermediate 2 students who are preparing for the end-of-year test, as it shows a number of videos where native speakers answer questions about everyday topics. Authentic material is guaranteed here.
The videos can complete with exercises, so that we can test our listening comprehension ability. On top of that, students have the opportunity to answer the same question the speaker is going to deal with, which allows for good oral practice, especially if students can manage to get together to do the tasks.
On the minus side it should be pointed out that no transcripts are available. But do not be discouraged by it. I found the listening activities motivating, realistic and about topics students can easily relate to.
All in all the materials on the site seem far more suitable for advanced students than for lower levels. However, I think that the listening companion of the site, featured here, is well within the grasp of Intermediate 2 students who are preparing for the end-of-year test, as it shows a number of videos where native speakers answer questions about everyday topics. Authentic material is guaranteed here.
The videos can complete with exercises, so that we can test our listening comprehension ability. On top of that, students have the opportunity to answer the same question the speaker is going to deal with, which allows for good oral practice, especially if students can manage to get together to do the tasks.
On the minus side it should be pointed out that no transcripts are available. But do not be discouraged by it. I found the listening activities motivating, realistic and about topics students can easily relate to.
viernes, 31 de diciembre de 2010
Topics for Discussion
David Deubel presents us with this handy slideshow with his choice of general conversation topics. He offers six leading general questions about a wide variety of topics:
The presentation will be especially suitable for students at Básico 2 and Intermediate 1 preparing for an oral exam, but some topics are also suitable for Intermedio 2.
Self-study activity:
Get together with an English-speaking friend or relative and go over the topics on the slideshow. You don't have to go through everything at a sitting, as there are too many topics. Choose two or three of them and answer the questions in as much detail as possible, helping each other out with vocabulary, pronunciation and grammar problems.
You can use each topic either as a springboard to practise the monologue (the same student talks about one topic for three or four minutes non-stop by answering the questions) or the interaction (two or three students engage in conversation about one of the topics by going over the questions and exchanging opinions).
Make it habit to return to this slideshow whenever you wish to do an oral activity, especially when the oral exam gets closer and closer.
Thank you, David.
driving, food and eating, travel, at the movies, sports, the future, small talk, family and friends, education, clothes and fashion, the Internet, shopping, likes and dislikes, money, jobs and careers, silly questions, beliefs, favourites, health and fitness, opinions, history, current events, holidays, preferences, animals and pets.
The presentation will be especially suitable for students at Básico 2 and Intermediate 1 preparing for an oral exam, but some topics are also suitable for Intermedio 2.
Self-study activity:
Get together with an English-speaking friend or relative and go over the topics on the slideshow. You don't have to go through everything at a sitting, as there are too many topics. Choose two or three of them and answer the questions in as much detail as possible, helping each other out with vocabulary, pronunciation and grammar problems.
You can use each topic either as a springboard to practise the monologue (the same student talks about one topic for three or four minutes non-stop by answering the questions) or the interaction (two or three students engage in conversation about one of the topics by going over the questions and exchanging opinions).
Make it habit to return to this slideshow whenever you wish to do an oral activity, especially when the oral exam gets closer and closer.
Thank you, David.
jueves, 2 de diciembre de 2010
Good oral practice for the monologue
It is quite hard to come across interesting material which fits the needs of EOI or That's English! students. Sometimes, however, we strike lucky and find a gold mine.
Dominic Coles IETLS Blog is, as we can work out from its name, a blog that aims at preparing students for the IELTS exam, which is beyond our scope, but which has lots of resources that we can use to our advantage.
By clicking on the image below you will be directed to an entry in Dominic's blog which can come in very handy to prepare the monologue part of the oral exam from Básico 2 up to Intermediate 2 students. As well as very useful advice and a standard oral exam topic ("Talking about a childhood friend") we can hear a student perform the task.
But there is much more to it. On this link you will find a list of topics with further practise.
Dominic Coles IETLS Blog is, as we can work out from its name, a blog that aims at preparing students for the IELTS exam, which is beyond our scope, but which has lots of resources that we can use to our advantage.
By clicking on the image below you will be directed to an entry in Dominic's blog which can come in very handy to prepare the monologue part of the oral exam from Básico 2 up to Intermediate 2 students. As well as very useful advice and a standard oral exam topic ("Talking about a childhood friend") we can hear a student perform the task.
But there is much more to it. On this link you will find a list of topics with further practise.
lunes, 15 de noviembre de 2010
Preparing for the exam?
The exam is still a long way off, but I don't think we should neglect preparing for it from the very start, especially at an intermediate level, where there seems to be such a different philosophy between the textbook and the exam activities.
Here it is a web page that can be really helpful for you, especially as far as listening comprehension is concerned: News English lessons.
Make it a habit to do a lesson on a regular basis. You can download everything you need, from audio files, to exercises, to transcripts to answers. On top of that, you can subscribe to the feed for free.
Here it is a web page that can be really helpful for you, especially as far as listening comprehension is concerned: News English lessons.
Make it a habit to do a lesson on a regular basis. You can download everything you need, from audio files, to exercises, to transcripts to answers. On top of that, you can subscribe to the feed for free.
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