How to improve your Speaking skills

Hi everyone!

Your speaking exams are very close and most of you panic when you even think about having to make an oral presentation of a topic. In order to make you feel more confident, I’m going to give you some clues so you can face your oral exam in a more relaxing way.

As you know, the speaking test consists of two parts: an individual one where you have to talk about a topic for some minutes depending on your level (A2,B1 or B2),the speech includes the following topics: healthy eating, sport, hobbies, environmental issues, global affairs, the media, a book review, the last film you´ve seen,etc (a post about the B1 topics coming soon!)

TIPS FOR THE INDIVIDUAL PART:
First and foremost: relax and do not panic. Your teacher is in your shoes because he/she has gone through the same situation before.
Secondly: Follow a structure and order your ideas in a sensible way. Start like this:
 I’m going to talk about...
I’d like to talk about...
Thirdly: Use linkers to order your ideas

·       Pay attention to the intonation and pronunciation

·       Use specific topic vocabulary

·       Be clear

·       Don´t try to say things you cannot say because you lack vocabulary or structure

·       For more tips click here: http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/oral-presentation

 The second part consists of a conversation where you will have to interact with your partner about a given topic. For example, you are going to prepare a party and have to agree on the things you are going to do (the food, the music you are going to play, the time, the place, etc)

TIPS FOR THE CONVERSATION:
1.    Greet each other and set the conversation

-        Hi Mary

-        Hi Carmen, how you doing?

-        I´m fine thanks. Do you know we are having our end of year party next month?

-        Yeah, I know and we have to prepare it, have you thought about…?

2.    Ask and answer questions using conversational strategies so you show you are interested, to keep the conversation going and so on.

To Agree or disagree (depending on the task) you can use these expressions http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/exams/exam-speaking/agreeing-and-disagreeing

3.     Finish the conversation saying good bye.

For more tips, check these websites:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/audio/english/index.shtml
http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/exams/exam-speaking/communication-strategies
http://www.eslgold.com/speaking/phrases.html