Occupational English Test Preparation
  • NEW
    • Home >
      • SLC: Alexandra
      • SLC: Anju
      • SLC: Bernadette
      • FAQ
      • Books
      • Contact
  • Reading
    • Reading: Breast Cancer Mortality Statistics
    • Malaria
    • Australian Children Activity
    • Reading: HIV in Queensland >
      • Insomnia: Reading Comprehension
      • HIV Testing and Treatment
      • Dialogue: Generic and Brand Names
    • Reading: E-Cigarettes >
      • E-Cigarettes v Cigarettes (2/18)
    • Reading: Statins and Heart Disease >
      • Blood Pressure and Pulse
    • Reading: Insomnia >
      • Reading: Spray on Wound Care
      • Sleep Terms
    • Reading: Eczema Cases Soar >
      • Medical Terms: Eczema >
        • Dialogue: Bedwetting
    • Treating Animal Bites
  • Speaking
    • OET Speaking: Dentists
    • OET Speaking: Nurses >
      • Dialogue: Dialysis
      • Fractured Clavicle
      • Dog Bite >
        • Dialogue: Dog Bite
    • OET Speaking: Pharmacy >
      • Dialogue: Discussing Statins
      • Dialogue: Acne Treatment >
        • Medical Terms: Acne
  • Listening
    • What is the OET Listening test like?
    • Listening in the Workplace >
      • Listening:Handovers
    • Developing Listening Skills
    • Liver Terms
  • Writing
    • Medical English: Spelling >
      • Spelling Silent C
      • Spelling Silent gh
      • Spelling: Silent 'g'
      • Verbs Used in Patient Care >
        • Verbs used in patient care: Activities
        • Palliative Care
  • Medical Terms
    • Medical Terms: Dentistry >
      • Mouth
      • Medical Terms: Dental
    • Medical Terms: OT >
      • Medical Terms: Occupational Therapy >
        • Occupational Therapy: Activities
        • OT: Hand and Writing Terms >
          • Hand and Writing Terms: Activities
    • Medical Terms: Obstetrics and Gyne >
      • Hysterectomy
      • Obstetric Terms
    • Medical Terms: Diseases >
      • Blindness
      • Patient's Condition >
        • Vomiting Terms
      • Describing Disease >
        • Illnesses: Easy
      • Anaemia
      • Parasite Diseases
    • Prefixes and Suffixes >
      • Colour Prefixes
      • Medical Prefix: dys
    • Medical Terms: The Elderly >
      • Falls Prevention >
        • Falls Prevention: Activity
      • Dementia
      • Pressure Area Care
      • Headache Terms >
        • Headache Terms: Activities
      • Toileting Terms
    • Medical Terms: Parts of the Body >
      • Ear
      • Head, Brain & Hair >
        • Hair, Skin and Nails >
          • Skin Disorders
          • Skin Disorders 2
        • Medical Terms: Kidney Function >
          • Kidney Function: Activities
          • Prostatitis >
            • Prostatitis Terms
        • Respiratory Secretions
    • Medical Terms: Pharmacy >
      • Medication with the Prefix 'anti-'
      • Types of Medication >
        • Types of Medication: Activities
      • Day and Night >
        • Day and Night: Activities

How can I improve my OET Listening score?

19/9/2014

0 Comments

 
The Listening subtest can be a challenge for many candidates. It is hard to pick up the key terms of a listening text when you are pressed for time. It's important to practise your listening skills every day, as you would practise a musical instrument. Use your own technique, perhaps:
1. Get yourself ready to listen. Think about what you might expect to hear.
2. Try to pick out key words - a speaker may stress these words or pause a little before or after the word.
3. Listen for signposting words - things like 'Firstly, I'll.....' 


Try not to only focus on medical English listening texts. It's great to listen to texts about diseases and treatments but remember that you need the 'building blocks' of the conversation as well. For example, how do we vary what we say? We use modifying words - usually, sometimes, always, on the whole, generally speaking, now and then. These terms are particularly important in Multiple Choice Questions because they may change the verb or the whole sentence completely. 


One website which is very useful for listening texts is MedlinePlus - be aware that the accent is American accents. This is a reliable source of medical information. If you look at the Videos and Cool Tools section you'll find some great practice resources. There are lots of videos and tutorials on diseases and conditions as well as surgical procedures. They all come with transcripts. I watched the video on 'Migraines in Middle Age' - the speed was quite fast, faster than the tutorial videos on the same site. So, great practice for OET. I searched for videos on 'bones' and found one by a radiographer who was explaining X-rays of the bone to a patient. Great for role plays!

Picture
0 Comments

The Writing Subtest for the OET - how to prepare

6/9/2014

0 Comments

 
I have started making some YouTube clips which look at the marking criteria for the writing subtest of the OET. Whilst the writing subtest is profession-specific, it is marked in the same way for all 12 professions.


The current video deals with the first of the 5 marking criteria. Task Fulfilment.


When you first turn over your writing test you have a few minutes reading time. Unfortunately, you can't make notes at this stage so your plan needs to be 'in your head'. The first question is:
Who am I writing to?  - look at the end of the case notes in the writing task for this information.
Why am I writing to this person? - In other words, what type of letter are you writing?
  • referral to another healthcare professional for advice / further treatment?
  • transfer back to a Nursing Home - advising of treatment so far and requesting continuance of treatment
  • a report of advice/ assessment / treatment after being requested to provide the advice
  • informational letter to parents /caregivers about a health issue e.g. at school
  • letter to parent /caregiver about treatment / medication / follow-up after discharge 


If you take a look at the sample letters on the official site you can see examples of the types of letters I've outlined above. Notice how the letter is set out and the language which has been used. If the letter is to a colleague, for example, it is appropriate to use more technical language and some abbreviations (don't overdo it!). If the letter is to a parent or caregiver, you would use everyday health terms.

The first criterion (Task Fulfilment) also includes word count. You are expected to write a letter of between 180 and 200 words. Again, look at some of the sample letters. Get a picture of what 200 words looks like. It's not a long letter,right? Do a test run of your own handwriting on an A4 sheet of lined paper. Write 3 paragraphs of anything - you could copy one of the sample letters if you like. What does the page look like? This should be your guide. The letter you write in the real test should take up the same length as your sample. 

Remember that you can go over the page and use a second page if needed. If you make a mistake,cross it out neatly and write next to it or above if possible. 

A note on handwriting. If you have untidy handwriting or if your handwriting is very large, try to practise before the test. These days we mostly type rather than write by hand so many of us (myself included) have handwriting which is not as clear as it might be. Practise writing 200 words in 30 minutes by timing yourself. This will ensure that you have enough time to plan the letter well before writing and check it after writing it.




0 Comments

When will I be ready for the OET?

6/9/2014

2 Comments

 
2 Comments

    Author

    I am a medical English author of books and online courses. I have a particular interest in  OET preparation and am an OET premium preparation provider with my colleagues at Specialist Language Courses. I am based in the UK.

    Archives

    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    May 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    December 2015
    July 2015
    September 2014
    July 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013

    Categories

    All
    Dentists
    Listening Skills
    Medical Terminology
    Occupational English Test
    Oet
    OET For Dentists
    OET Listening
    OET Writing Subtest
    Readiness For OET
    Reading Skills
    Signposting Words
    Skimming
    Speaking Skills
    The Free Dictionary
    Youtube

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly