Not everyone knows the facts about preparing for Internationally Recognized Exams like IELTS, TEF Canada, TCF, DELF-DALF and so on. In fact, it is quite appalling that many candidates know more myths about the tests than the facts. I dare to say that each of these tests expect less from you that you think. The reason for this is not debatable. You just need to speak and use the English and/or French language enough for examiners and test officers to see that you can speak, listen, read and write it spontaneously…
Not everyone knows the facts about preparing for Internationally Recognized Exams like IELTS, TEF Canada, TCF, DELF-DALF and so on. In fact, it is quite appalling that many candidates know more myths about the tests than the facts. I dare to say that each of these tests expect less from you that you think. The reason for this is not debatable. You just need to speak and use the English and/or French language enough for examiners and test officers to see that you can speak, listen, read and write it spontaneously.
Fluent vs. Spontaneous
You need not even become native-like fluent in the language before getting taking or excelling in the language test. I know far too many people who can speak and use the English language, for instance, but they still failed or will still fail the tests. Speaking the languages fluently and Preparing for to excelling in the tests are two different things. I often point out that you can always retake the test after series of failure if you believe speaking the language fluently alone will help you pass the test. Likewise, preparing well for the test while paying great attention to what the examiners and test officers want can make you score high in any or all of the tests at first sitting without spending a lot of money, energy, time among other resources.
The 4 Language Skills
To start with, there are four (4) language skills to be tested on; speaking, listening, reading and writing in these tests. I would like to talk on the speaking skill today. It is the first skill that a candidate would be tested on within seven (7) days before or after the three other skills. That is, the listening, reading and writing will be conducted on the same other day. Take for instance, I wrote my own IELTS test in the 2018 in which I had my speaking test on a Friday and the other three tests on the following Saturday. Speaking skill was the only test that required me sitting on a chair face-to-face with an examiner. However, all the skills of the TEF Canada test I wrote were conducted on the same day with speaking skill being the last one but also in front of an examiner both in form of an interview. These are two different testing schedules that most language tests bodies employ when candidates take their tests.Examiners and Recorders
In addition, the speaking test is often divided into two (2) and three (3) parts with 2 and 3 speaking tasks in TEF Canada, TCF, DELF-DALF and IELTS tests respectively. Sadly, the TOEFL test do not make use of a physical examiner like the others, rather they employ only a recorder that now records the conversation of the test taker automatically. This is not to say that the other tests do not also make use of a recorder as well; it is only that they also involve a trained examiner to conduct the speaking test and aid the candidate taking the test. It is as interactive and as close to a real-life situation as a test can get. The role the examiner plays is more like a friend or language learning and test taking partner. S/he makes sure that you are tensed-free as s/he makes you feel at ease with the test and its various parts.
The 2-3 Speaking Tasks
Furthermore, it is paramount to inform you, in case you do not know, that the first part of the IELTS speaking for instance, tests candidates on everyday familiar topics. Issues that you would most likely have a lot to talk about like your hometown/village, current house, family, work/office, study/school, celebrity, teacher, hobbies/activities, cars, furniture, housework, daily routine, birthday, transportation, eating habits, among others. While, in TEF tests, they focus on asking you to form about 10 enquiring questions relating to a product, service, company, job or generally an announcement in a local newspaper that you perhaps read.Part Two of Speaking Test
Secondly, in part 2 of IELTS, you are mostly asked to talk about more abstract and general concepts like accommodation, values, personal belongings, ideas, trips, food, decisions, rules, VIPs, country, dreams, sports, occurrences, occasions, life change, traditional objects, restaurants, other businesses, and business people among others. In TEF Canada, the task 2 mostly centers on argumentative discussion whereby the candidates need to first of all present information from a document (be it an opinion poll, internet post or extract of a press article) in a magazine and then try to give their own points of view or opinions in a convincing manner.
Minutes of all Test Parts
Finally, the last task (part 3) is often a two-way discussion between the certified examiner and the speaking candidate. It is designed to give the candidates the opportunity to talk about more abstract issues and ideas, and this part is more connected to the topics given in part 2. All of the test tasks take within 11-14 minutes for the IELTS test and about 35 minutes for the TEF and TCF tests. The tests have 5 minutes of preparation plus 10 minutes of interview and 20 minutes of preparation and 15 minutes of the interview respectively.Speaking Test Tips
Study Partner
I cannot emphasize this first tips enough, get a study partner. You cannot practice the language and most especially the test study materials on your own. The partner maybe a coach or a friend. S/he can be someone who wants to take the speaking test of the language test you also want to take. Better still, let it be someone who have taken the test, excelled in it and is now coaching others on how to take and excel in it as well. The person would prove very useful in all your preparation sessions with him or her. The trick about this is that you two have to work together using the practice materials available online or s/he provides for you either in a class setting or elsewhere. A.O.S Academy Ltd. has language coaches who fit in well to the description of a perfect study partner, you can check them out via this link here.
Simultaneous and Spontaneous Practice
For the best results possible, you and your study partner should take the two to three parts of the practice test materials one after another without a break to make your practice as realistic as possible. It is important to say as much as you can and to be spontaneous. You really do not need to be so fluent like a native speaker. You just need to speak clearly and accurate. In times you make mistakes, do not be discouraged. Once, you have spotted or realized the mistakes, quickly correct them and move on with your discussion or conversation with your study partner. That is exactly what is required of you when you take the test with the certified test examiner.Record your Speech
One of the most important aspects of the test preparation is that of recording. Candidates and intending test takers forget or neglect to record themselves while they are practicing. More so, the examiners will record your speech whether you like it or not in order to thoroughly mark your speaking test. Why don’t you record yourself first, listen to your own speech and check your performance in relation to the marking guide and techniques used by the examiners to grade you?
Test Marking Guide
Do you even know that you have free access to the marking guide of tests like IELTS, TEF, TCF and other tests? Well, you do. All you need do now is to enroll in any of A.O.S Academy’s test preparation classes via their website or French online school and learn about them as soon as possible.What Next?
More on the tips for speaking tests of IELTS, TEF, TCF, DELF-DALF and even TOEFL are embedded in their classes, enroll yourself now and stand a chance to having the very best test scores ever. The ball is in your court. Play it wisely!