With exams just around the corner, we are all feeling a whirlwind of emotions, students and teachers alike. When May comes, countless students will nervously wait to enter the examination rooms, but I’d like to focus on our first-time takers. No, we’re not forgetting our seasoned exam takers, but, by now, they are most likely veterans on the scene.
The spotlight is on our 7th graders. For most of them, this exam period will be the first time they have ever had to sit for an exam under proper exam conditions, with the stakes being higher than just a lower-than-expected grade in a semester exam. To them, everything is new and scary. Less than a month shy from their high-school exams, a language certificate examination can be an experience which will allow them to test the waters, so let’s try to make it easier for them.
First things first, it’s not the end of the world, if anything, it’s the beginning of an exciting journey. Whether we like it or not, our students wILl have to sit for a plethora of different exams throughout their school journey. Whether we’re referring to language examinations, end-of-the-year school exams, Panhellenic exams or even University exams, the process of shutting the world off for at least 3 hours will be a recurring routine. Taking a language exam is the first “real” exam they have to go through so, why not see this experience as the grand opening of what is to come? Here are some tips I have found helpful when coaching first-time takers:
Walk them through the process. I personal find it very calming and helpful when I have done my research before any new experience. Our students are no different. Don’t let them walk into the examination room without giving them a detailed walkthrough of what will happen. Paint a picture, as vivid as possible. Tell them of the big rooms and the desks waiting for them. Inform them of the specifics of the examination: do they write on an answer sheet? Do they need a pen or a pencil? Let them know that the invigilators are there to help them and make everything easier. Warn them about the crowds and don’t forget to mention that all the other students surrounding them have the same goal as them: to simply do their best.
Make a checklist of all the things they need (or don’t need) to have with them on the day of the exam: pencils, pens, an eraser, their ID, a watch but not a smartwatch and, of course, no mobile phones.
Speaking: The part most of the students have nightmares about is the speaking part of the examination. Who can blame them after all? Whether they have to face an examiner or another speaking partner they have just met, the idea of using their voice might feel like a maze with no way out. We wish we could be in the room with them and reassure them that everything is going to be alright. We can’t be there with them, but we can do the next best thing. Show them videos of the Speaking exams. When it comes to the writing and listening sections of the exams, it is a given that they have “done their homework” and gone through as many books with practice tests as possible. Showing them a video of the examination process will help them realize what they need to do. This is their “book”.
A race against time. Let’s be honest, working against the clock is nerve-racking to say the least. It could, however, teach our students how to work strategically, a skill that will prove helpful in the course of their life. How can we help them not to be overwhelmed by the invisible countdown that has started? First things first, keep them aware of the time they have and how they should organize it. Basically, I try to give them a battle plan; for the writing section, for example, 3-5 minutes should be dedicated to brainstorming and planning, 20-23 minutes to the writing component and hopefully they are left with 2-3 minutes to give their writing a quick read and check for any mistakes or typos.
Focus on the journey, not on the outcome. Let’s face it, even the smoothest seas face storms. Our responsibility as educators is not just to focus on the exam itself, but also on the day after. Highlight what they will gain from the experience as a whole. Point out that they are running a marathon and not a 100-metre race. When the exam finally starts, it’s them against…well…themselves. Tell them that all the hard work will pay off and things will simply flow.
Instant reward. One might object by saying, the reward is the certificate they get once the results are announced. Sure. But to the stress-filled mind of a 13-year-old, who has time to wait about results? I’ve made a habit of rewarding my students with a sweet treat once the exam is through. Two scoops of ice cream, a yummy milkshake, or ever their favourite chocolate bar brings this new and nerve-racking experience to a sweet finishing line. After all, who can wait until the results are announced?
Above all, at the end of the day, never forget that they are just kids, asked to perform under new and stressful conditions. They have made it to May, and that should be a reward in itself.
To all my first-time exam takers, I wish you the best of luck!
