In addition to preparation, running the exam is also very important. There are some aspects that you must take into account so as not to be negatively surprised. That’s what we’re going to talk about in this article.
Introduction
In the previous article we talked about how to prepare for a CAPLE exam. Preparation is important because it makes the student fit to take the exam. But being prepared doesn’t mean being successful. To succeed, you must pass the exam. So you need to be aware of some difficulties that may arise.
In this first part we will focus on one of the parts: expression and oral interaction.
What to answer when you don’t understand the question
This is one of the tips that shouldn’t be said. It’s like those rules that aren’t written down but we know they exist.
People tend to say “I don’t understand” when they don’t understand a question. It seems quite logical and honest. Or, ask “Can you repeat?”, which also makes sense. However, the problem arises when the student does not understand a part of most questions. Or even more serious when he doesn’t understand most of the questions.
The student must realize that, at the moment of oral interaction, he is being evaluated not only in understanding, but above all in expression. And if we don’t understand what people say to us, we cannot answer, right?
Wrong. The student can always answer. He not only can, but he must, otherwise the examiner will not be able to assess his oral expression. And who knows, the student may even express himself well orally and from here he will receive valuable points. But then, what to do in these cases?
There are several possibilities. You can ask the examiner to explain the meaning of a word or to rephrase a part that you did not understand. But the best way is to use communicative skills. Simply put, we can say that communicative ability is the ability of the individual to express himself with the linguistic knowledge he has and to understand based on the context. So, when you don’t understand the question at all, try to imagine which would be the most likely question within the current context and within what you understood. Then, just answer that question.
What can happen? There are 3 scenarios:
– The answer does not correspond to the question at all;
– The answer does not exactly match the question;
– With luck (and/or some help) you managed to give the necessary answer.
As you can see, the worst case is no not understand the question or to understand it partially. However, in this case you will have the possibility to speak. Even if you lose points in listening comprehension, you will gain some in oral expression. When you say you don’t understand, you lose all possible points.
Attention, we are not teaching students to cheat. What we are teaching is a communicative trick that can and should be used in real life. The person who has the courage to answer even if he doesn’t fully understand the question is actually struggling to keep the conversation going. At the same time, it “forces” the other person to reformulate and adapt his speech. Anyone who just replies that he don’t understand is killing the conversation. Even asking to repeat is ineffective, as unfortunately most people will repeat the exact same sentences, with words that the student does not understand.
How to deal with a difficult partner
During the oral expression assessment, students have to interact not only with the teacher, but also with another student. We usually know what to expect from a teacher, but not from a colleague. In addition, we do not have the possibility to choose a colleague, which makes the situation even more unpredictable. So it’s important to immediately realize when we’re facing a difficult partner and know what to do.
Note that when we say “difficult partner” we do not at all mean that he is a bad student or has a bad character. It is often just the opposite. A “difficult partner” is just an interlocutor who is not suited to the situation and, therefore, makes it more difficult for the colleague to express his potential.
So what is a bad partner? Here are some characteristics that define it:
– Has a significantly higher level than what is being assessed
For example, the person is taking the A2 exam, but in terms of oral interaction, he is closer to B1. This is because often the A2 certificate is enough for the student, so he does not need to take the B1 exam and thus has a much better chance of success.
– Student is immersed in the Portuguese language
In this case, the student had access and assimilated expressions and structures that natives use in specific contexts. They may even be unusual forms or even slang and he doesn’t realize that. Although we try to prepare students for as many situations as possible, there are always things you get only outside of classroom.
– Student did not learn in a systematic way
Not all students have the possibility to learn from a teacher or, even when they learn on their own, they often do not do so in a systematic way. So, when you interact with a student who hasn’t learned in a systematic way, there will be a shock, because even if you are at the same level, the “arsenal” is different, so it can be more difficult to find a balance between each one’s abilities and difficulties. .
Here we give the same advice that we gave in the previous point. Avoid “non-understanding”, keep the conversation alive and adapt to your colleague so that both of you can show your best.
Conclusion
We end here what we consider to be the most critical points. We do not intend to be exhaustive, as this would not be productive. Later we will also talk about how to prepare for the other parts: reading, writing and listening.
Until then, learn Portuguese with us!