Simple Speaking Tip for IELTS – Know Your Topic
Can you talk for a few minutes on a topic of your choice?
In the speaking component of the IELTS you will be expected to talk about something in front of the examiner for a few minutes. It may not sound like a long time but when you are struggling to find the right words it may seem like an eternity.
It pays to be prepared and the best way to do this is choose a few topics to practise and then build your vocabulary so that you will be able to talk freely without struggling for words.
Pick topics that are interesting to you so that you are motivated to learn the key words that you need and will be inclined to use those words in the future.
If you have the vocabulary then you can concentrate on how you are speaking – clearly and confidently while looking the examiner in the eye and having a relaxed body language.
Simple Speaking Tip for IELTS – The Art of Small Talk
The speaking component of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) may be the longest 11 to 14 minutes of your life!
It is broken up into three parts with the first part being a general discussion with the examiner that will probably be very close to a real-life situation. That is where the art of small talk comes in!
Small talk is an expression that means light and informal chitchat that covers a whole range of topics and nothing really specific. In a real life situation it is usually used to cover silence between people who may or may not know each other.
If you can master small talk then you are on your way to doing well in part one of your speaking component.
The best way to do this is to practise as much as you can. The good part is that in most English-speaking countries, small talk is considered normal, so you can chat away to the supermarket cashier, the woman at the bus stop, the waiter in the café and everyone will think you are just a very friendly person!
Japanese Courses at Sydney Language Solutions
Hi everyone,
Our Sydney Language Solutions currently offer the JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) N2 Preparation Course, Beginners 1 and Beginners 2.
For the JLPT, N2 course, we use sample exams of the recent years and other materials of relevant books. Also, we read and analyse useful and interesting articles in Japanese in that class. They are from Japanese newspapers (esp. Nikkei) and magazines. The examples of the topics recently dealt were: energy resources and innovation for cost reduction in Japan, solar energy, “Smart House” (currently developing, 10 big corporations’ influential joint project for economic, energy-based and time saving system for consumers), Japanese politics, its future strong industries, its new use of robots for social/industrial needs, Australian nature (e.g. life of fairy penguins and sea dragons) etc. We also chat a variety of things in Japanese.
For Beginners 1, we use “Japanese for Busy people” and other resources for language and Hiragana teaching. For Beginners 2, “Genki 1” is used. Students will develop skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing and can construct dialogues and speech. In both courses, there is elements of Japanese culture learning and enjoyment, students interactions, some activities, e.g. regular singing, origami, fairy tales reading, haiku poems, things about traditional arts/music/sports, customs, politeness/etiquette, food and plenty of other various things about Japan, for both traditional and contemporary senses.
We hope you’ll join us and learn the beautiful language, distinctive culture and its heritage, and exciting things of Japan with enjoyment.
– Toshiko Jackson (Japanese Language Consultant)
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