EXAM PREPARATION

In order to perform well on any test not just in the study of a foreign language, you should have good learning techniques. Be clear when setting your goals. 
If your goal is to perform well in a subject or a course, make sure you understand the course objectives and criteria. 
When setting your goals for a course, be aware that the grade you receive on an exam is usually less than 50% of your final course grade.  Be aware of all course components which will be graded throughout the course, these usually prepare your for the test/s, and incorporate them into your study plan. 

1 Attend as frequently as necessary or possible, and plan your time so that you are available and not feeling overwhelmed by other projects before and after the exam. 

2 Prepare well, you know you will do better if you prepare for several weeks rather than for several hours before the exam. It is very likely that the topics will be presented in unfamiliar ways. 

• Learn the material thoroughly so that you can approach all tasks/problems flexibly. 
• Join a study group, and see the material presented in different ways.  Exchange information, ideas and study tips with your peers.  
• Studying in different ways can also increase the effectiveness of your learning.  You can re-copy your notes, or do extra problem sets from a different textbook on the same topic, and other techniques. 

If you are studying for an ESL exam, then focus on the vocabulary and grammar topics presented in the Study Guide.  Prepare writing samples on the writing topics you have covered in class (a letter, an email, a descriptive essay, etc.).  Very often you can use these in future for the Writing component.  Preparing in this way will also help you organise your ideas for the Speaking tasks.  The topics are organised in Units which utilise the same vocabulary themed lists, any way that you find useful to practice these vocabulary lists (defined as dictionary items, or in context) will benefit you greatly to widen your vocabulary.

• Create your own dictionary with words that are used in business, travel, and commerce. Use them in context. Doing this will not only familiarize you with the word, but also with the context and meaning of the word. 
• Read aloud regularly. Reading aloud will help you improve your comprehension of the English language. For this task, read a wide variety of materials. You can read newspapers, books, magazines, brochures and even pamphlets. This will expose you to a wider vocabulary.
• Expose yourself to media. Watch the news, sitcoms, TV shows or listen to the radio. Hearing other people speak the language will help you get accustomed to its tone. Read advertisements, announcements and billboards.
• Be aware of how fast you speak. For other people to comprehend what you are saying, you must avoid speaking too fast. You need to be understood, so be sure to pace yourself when you are speaking. 
• Practice pausing in between sentences. Pausing in between your sentences will help the listener get the tone of what you are saying. Your ideas will be clearer and more transparent.  This is very useful, in particular for the Speaking part of an ESL exam.

Regardless of your performance, preparing for and sitting a test is part of your learning process.  It helps you build confidence in the subject.  If you have learned the material well, then this will be reaffirmed by the test results.  If you have missed out on some topics, then you will know what your weaknesses are.  You will be able to go back, and strengthen those areas which are more difficult, and become more competitive for the following test. Make sure you spend more time researching the areas in which you need to improve.  Practise and perfect your skills.

As your goal is to do well overall, you will need to go through the same process for all course components.  In ESL, there would be a Writing and Speaking component apart from quizzes and tests.  Prepare well and on time for all graded assignments.  It's a good idea to recycle the tasks given on the tests or exams and prove to your tutor that you have improved and have strengthened your weaknesses.  Very often these assignments (which are part of your ongoing grade) will balance out your final grade, despite exam performance.  Therefore, you should approach the course holistically - in a flexible and balanced way.  Don't be afraid to approach your teacher with any questions, or worries. All teachers would be happy to give thorough answers to your queries, and make sure that you perform better. After all they are there to help you.

If your goal is to improve in a certain field use the course to acquire as much current information as possible. Use the tests and exams to sum up your weaknesses and strengths, and improve in the areas in which you are lacking. Build up your confidence and knowledge by re-taking exams.  Create a professional relationship with your peers which would benefit your growth and development in the long-term.

If your goal is to do well on an exam, be it an entrance exam or one of the standardised tests recognised globally such as the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), familiarise yourself and know the different parts of the test.  Speak with your peers who have already taken the test.  Research it online.  Borrow books with practice tests from the library, or buy a couple for your own archive.  Take a refresher course, and use the above tips to help in your preparation.

If you are sitting the exam to enter a university or to apply for a job, enquire what the entrance or employer grade requirements are. Different employers and universities require different grades. It is always helpful to know what you should be shooting for. Again, if you're not happy with the test results, re-take it. With standardised tests it may be a bit costly, but in the long-term it benefits your academic and work profile.

Here are some standardised tests that are often asked for when applying for a job with English: the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), the Cambridge Certificates: First Certificate in English (FCE), Certificate in Advanced English (CAE), Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE).

Following are some more Dos and Don'ts.

• Teach your language to an English speaker. Teach your native tongue to someone who has spoken English their whole life. Doing this will force you to converse with them in English. You will eventually learn new words, sentences and expressions.
• Begin writing in your journal using English. Write down your daily experiences and feelings. By doing this, you practice your writing skills and help you improve the way you express yourself in the English language.
• Never cram. Try to spread your studying over a long period of time. Doing this will help your mind remember more details with ease. When you cram, you force your mind to process and remember huge amounts of information for a very short period of time. The result is, by the time you are taking a test, there may be some pertinent information you won’t be able to recall.
• Listen to your instincts. When you start studying and you are presented with numerous practice tests and answers, it would be helpful to listen to your instincts since there are many trick questions especially in questions asking you to pick the best answer.

Most importantly practice and approach the entire process in a positive way.  Hopefully these tips will help you improve and become more efficient in your work and studies.

Some of this material has been taken from the following websites.  Click on the link for further information.  
EXAM PREPARATION
ESL STUDY GUIDES

FIRST SEMESTER HIGHLIGHTS

Phew! I've finally some time for an entry.  The Ministry of Education has called this week a health emergency.  Flu infection has spread and schools have closed for a week. Therefore, I have plenty of time for the blog.  This coincides with the end of semester.  Both students and teachers have been given a longer holiday before the start of the second term.

Many thanks to 72 grammar school (elementary and juniour high school) for giving me the chance to help out this semester.  I felt like a complete newbie, but it was worth it.  I  now know my way around Dnevnik (where progress reports of the students' grades are entered), which I found really daunting at first.  The Dnevnik Book keeps a record of all grades and notes to head-teacher and parents about the students' discipline and study habits.  I even did some work in Belezhnik (the students' report cards), which is probably quite hard if you have to enter grades in all report cards all the time, as the groups are quite a few. This would probably take up most of your time along with lesson, and test/exam preparation. 

I got a chance to grade some workbooks, no notebooks though, and got an idea of how well students work in class and prepare at home.  It is often surprising that they do quite a lot of work, when you think they're off into their own world, with little interest in the subject, and/or topic discussed.

In terms of discipline: there was far too much silliness. I was told off a couple of times, in local spirited vernacular, for not knowing how to greet students when entering a classroom. I honestly do not remember the entire ritual of Class Stani - Class Mirno! (Class stand up, Class stand at attention!)  To be fair they were a bit slack about it from beginning to end. There were some strange goings on: too much noise from cell phones and ipods, especially after the Christmas holidays; unplanned Christmas dos with silly dancing; inopportune joke telling in loud voices; and improvised singing of local chalga classics.  Sweater fights after tests were a frequent occurrence.  Tempted as I was I did not join in.  Vexed shouting over who's playing what on the CD player, brought in for a simple and straightforward A1 Listening task, nearly kept me from attempting to cover the Listening exercises. I was eventually given the chance to do something academic with their CD player. 
Weirdest of all - a student in junior high school inspired by my presence came up to me and stuck chewing gum in my hair, giving new meaning to the phrase "getting into your hair."  It my have been a critique on my appearance in general, I have been gradually going bald since Mexico.  Possibly this even bothers my students. 

Taking the chance to evaluate our work, we did quite a few tests with varying success, without too much shameless cheating.   Listening tasks were a complete flop, really chaotic and I found it difficult to maintain control over the group. When it came to presentations they were excited at first, then as the deadline came closer they were demotivated and anxious.  They were able to present, in the end, on their chosen topic, but not as easily as other groups.  I wasn´t feeling very enthusiastic about testing their writing skills because I was hoping to give them Dictation.  However, after failing to keep them focused during the Listening exercises, I gave up the idea.  Surprisingly, they cooperated with text translation from English to Bulgarian, but they were reluctant to work on their writing skills in English.  Regardless, their coursebooks ENERGY, written by native-speakers and targeted specifically at Bulgarian learners, provide a lot of material dedicated to written expression.  They need to be encouraged to do the exercises by their instructor, although a balance has to be found.  If at this age (10-12) they don't feel as confident when writing in their mother tongue, they might find their writing deteriorates if they divide their attention between two languages.  As a foreign language teacher, you wouldn't want their writing skills to suffer in their mother-tongue, because they prefer to write in English, or their chosen second language.

In answer to a question I posed in a previous entry, the following teachers still guide and inspire the students: Hristo Botev, Saints Cyril and Methodius, Rayna Knyaginya, Sophronius of Vratsa, Vasil Aprilov, Simeon I The Great, Otets Paisiy, and Ivan Vazov.

These are some quick impressions from the past semester, there are many topics that I'd like to discuss in further detail, in the next entries.

Thanks for reading!