Brandon Learning Centre: British Education - process, preparation and practicalities

This week, we have over 200 of our students taking the English Speaking Board public speaking assessments. Each students will have to make a presentation, share a favourite book and poem and interact as part of a listening group. I know that all our students are well prepared but here are some last minute ideas which apply to any presentation you make. Cue cards: If you are using cue cards, make sure that they only contain key words so you aren't tempted to read. Number your cue cards; there is nothing worse than dropping them just before your speech. Visual aids: If you are using PowerPoint, try to incorporate pictures rather than words. Use your visual aids to remind you of your main points. Choose images/graphs which add more information or insight to your points. Audience interaction: Try to scan your audience as you speak. Judge the area you have to work with and consider moving around to emphasise your key points. Relax and smile; audiences will engage

The days running up to any exam are always a mixture of excitement, anticipation and outright terror. We have the Winchester College exams next week and Common Entrance at the beginning of June. Try following these steps to avoid turning up in a state of nervous exhaustion... Leading up to the exam: Review your notes. Flick through textbooks; sometimes the images they contain can aid memory. Transfer your key notes to flashcards that you can review before the exam. If you really don't understand a topic, speak to a teacher as soon as possible. The topic may not come up on the exam but worrying about it may prevent you from focusing on what you do know. The night before the exam: Get a good night's sleep. Pack your pencilcase. Make sure that you have a couple of pens, pencil, sharpener, rubber, calculator and any mathematical instruments you might need. Put your books away; your goal is to have a relaxed mind. The morning of the exam: Double check your equipment.