Thursday 28 February 2013

READY FOR ADVANCED/PROFICIENCY? QUIZ YOURSELF!

Hi there!

English Teacher on the Loose! Watch out!

I’ll keep this intro. short and sweet! This blog is for at B1 to C2 level students, their teachers, friends and whoever else besides.

There’s so much that I just don’t have time to say in class as there are things like deadlines to be met and a syllabus to follow so I thought I’d put it all down here.

Hope you find the content fun and interesting. Make sure you comment and I’ll try to meet any requests you have for future posts!

Miss!

READY TO GO ON TO ADVANCED / PROFICIENCY?

“Hooray!!!! I passed Lower!!!!!”

“Congratulations!” to all of you who got a B2 qualification this month. Well done see how your hard work paid off?

NOW WHAT?

One of the most difficult decisions to make in your English experience is whether or not to take Advanced (C1) or Proficiency (C2) level.

I bet you’ve got your mum, dad, granny, ‘frontisteria’ owner etc. telling you you’re future depends on it and you’ll be a ‘nobody’ in the job market without it. Well they all have their reasons and some of them are justified. There will also be the other camp telling you that it’s not worth it and you’ll only have to take it again when you apply for that dream job or university place abroad. They’re partly justified too.

THE FACTS:

On the plus side: You will not have a huge gap where all the vocabulary and grammar you’ve learned to date is forgotten. You will get another certificate under your belt and be free to study a third foreign language or your Senior High School exam etc. Or you’ll have more time to surf the Net and chat on Face book!

On the minus side: Most businesses like to know the ‘present level’ of English and may conduct an interview in English or get you to sit a computer test (E.g. TOIEC or IELTS) just to be certain that you can still communicate at the level stated on that certificate dating back to 1st,2nd or 3rd year High School.

Universities want to know that you can deal with the huge volume of reading material and lectures etc. like a native speaker. In Britain and the U.S. it is usually compulsory to take a year-long EFL (English as a Foreign Language) course, either to brush up on the language or to gain the qualification specified by that university.

These things are the least important in my books despite the fact that I actually earn my living from teaching you to speak proficiently! More importantly, HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU ARE READY FOR AND/OR CAPABLE OF C1/C2 LEVEL?

Check out my quiz and see.

1. Do you dream in English?
A) Yes.                         
B) No.                                      
C) I don’t dream.

2. Do you regularly correct your friends when they speak English?
A) Always.                                 
B) Occasionally to never. 
C) I don’t understand them.

3. Are you the one that translates everything for the weaker ones?
(Does your teacher ask you to do this for him/her?)
A) Of course.                            
B) Sometimes.               
C) I struggle enough as it is.

4. Do you think directly in English when writing an essay or talking in class or do you translate from your native language?
A) Only when I use new words.
B) Frequently.   
C) I don’t write essays.

5. Do you spot the mistakes in English on food packaging, advertisements, menus and road signs etc.?
A) Yes, there are lots.   
B) Haven’t noticed any.
C) I only read my native language.

6. Do you actually like the English learning experience?
A) It’s great!                            
B) I can live with it.       
C) Are you serious?

7. Do you enjoy class discussions?
A) Of course.                            
B) They’re OK    .          
C) I suffer in silence.

8. Do you talk to your English teachers, native and non-native speakers in English in and out of the lesson?
A) All the time!             
B) Should I?                  
C) Do I wanna look like a swot?

9. Do you read English publications, watch English speaking TV programmes or listen to English music outside of the classroom?
A) Sure, it’s fun!            
B) Yes, but with difficulty.   
C) No, that’s why there are lessons!

10. Do you hate English lessons but use the language on the Net a lot?
A) Yes                                      
B) No                           
C) Of course not                        

 
RESULTS
Mostly As: You are a prime candidate to continue your studies in English!
Mostly Bs: You should continue ONLY if you are willing to make the effort needed to pass these levels.*
Mostly Cs: Wait until it’s necessary for you to get the qualification then you’ll be willing to work.*
*Did you choose answer A) to question 10? Chances are you have quite a good knowledge of the basics and it won’t be too hard for you to progress with a little determination.

 
O.M.G.!!!!!!!
You seriously answered the test with Bs and Cs but your parents have just forked out the astronomical exam registration fees for you, what should you do?

Knuckle down to some hard work!! Look at answer choices A) in each case and turn your English learning experience around! It’s not long ‘till May/June!

Printable version of the quiz here!