Exam time

BBC Learning EnglishWeekenderExam timeJackie:  Hello, I'm Jackie Dalton. For many peoplethis time of the year gets a bitstressful. For those who want some kind of qualification orcertificate to prove how good their English is, this meansexams. This programme is about revision and how to preparefor exams. Even if you don't have any kind of tests to domuch of the advice in here could be useful to you becauseit's important to look back over everything you have learntregularly – as if you were preparing foran exam, so that it stays in your memory.
　　An important part of revision is planning. ExperienceEnglish teacher, Diarmuid, is going to share three top tipson how to go about revision. What are they?
　　Diarmuid:  Make a sensible revision plan, includetimes for breaks and meals. Your concentration lapses 1 aftera couple of hours, so take regular breaks.
　　Know your strong and weak subjects and mix them up on yourtimetable, don't do all the difficult topics at once.
　　Write a list of targets that you know you can reach andtick them off as you accomplish them.
　　Jackie:  Did you get those three pieces of advice?
　　Make a revision plan and make sure you include breaks soyou don't lose concentration. Don't try to do all thethings you find most difficult at once – mix them up witheasier things. Andmake a list of things to do and put a tick next to eachthing once you've done it.
　　Now we're going to hear advice from Rachel, anotherexperienced Englishteacher, who was at this year's IATEFL conference, aninternational meeting for English teaching experts. What'sher tip?
　　Rachel:  My top tip for revising for exams is usingsmall pieces of card, write the words or sentences orphrases that you're trying to learn on one side of the cardand write either a translation or a sentence using the wordor the phrase in English on the other side and practiseturning over the cards, trying to memorise 2 the Englishword, phrase or sentenceJackie:  An excellent tip there from Rachel – usesmall pieces of card to write words or phrases on one side,and their translation – or examples of their use - on theother.
　　BBC Learning English dot comNow we're going to hear from Diarmuid again.
　　Diarmuid:  Make your own revision notes. You'll learnas you write and, once you've got them, you're halfwaythere.
　　Check the syllabus 3 or ask a teacher to make sure you've gotthe key areas covered.
　　If you can, look at past exam papers and see how questionscould be asked.
　　Jackie:  It may seem obvious, but it's important tomake your own revision notes. Even though you may notrealise it, you learn a lot just by writing them. Don'tjust read things – write! Check the syllabus, in otherwords the topics covered inthe course. Make sure you know what areas will be tested soyou don't miss anything out. And it always helps if you canlook at previous exam papers.
　　What about preparing for speaking exams? Here's some moreadvice from an English teaching expert. How does she thinkyou can become better at speaking English?
　　Elona:  Hello, I'm Elona Mandes and I'm from theNetherlands and for anyonepreparing for a speaking test my advice would be just speakto yourself, which sounds silly, but today with mobilephones, and car kits 4 and everything, it's not so strange orembarrassing to be talking to yourself...in the car,imagine someone sitting next to you and just tell thisperson - in English of course - what you see, what you'regoing to do, what you did today and so on. I think that's avery good fluency 5 practise activity.
　　Jackie:  Well, Elona says talk to yourself – anddon't worry about feeling silly, getting good at speakingis more important! Finally, we're going to hear fromanother English teacher – Manon. What two bits of advicedoes she give?
　　Manon:  My name is Manon Reiber, I'm from the Netherlandsand my advice for when you have to do a test is to startthinking like the teacher. Really ask yourself what kindsof questions you would ask if you were the teacher andprepare forthose. Try and relax before taking the exam, so do notspend the night studying, but really relax.
　　Jackie:  Did you get that? The first bit of adviceis to ask yourself what kinds of questions you would ask inthe exam if you were the teacher. And secondly 6 relax andget some rest. All your hard work preparing will be wastedif you stay up all night before and come into the exam tootired to think. If you're someone who tends to worry a lot,try to put your exams into perspective, theyare only one aspect of life and they're not the mostimportant thing in the world!