Rome was not built in a day. Neither is proficiency in any language. It takes time to learn a language. Think about your mother-tongue. How much time would a person need to learn it to be an advanced-level speaker?
International English exams such as IELTS, SAT, and TOEFL test a person’s language skills.
But they do more than that.
Not many people are aware of this: they indirectly test a person’s level of general knowledge.
For example, you may be expected to read and answer questions on a piece about Global History. If you have no clue about history, the task is challenging. Your mind does not have the framework to understand the topic.
What can you as a parent do? This post is for parents who have children in the 8th to the 12th class.
I start with a disclaimer. This post will not provide any short-cuts to getting higher scores.
Instead, you will learn how to strengthen the English language foundation of your child, so that when the time comes to appear for such exams, she will be better prepared.
Are you interested to learn more? Then read on.
How to succeed in international English exams
Let’s go step by step. Here is step one:
How can parents help their children learn English? Take a level test.
Before one starts on a journey, one needs to know where one is. At what level is your child? Is she at the intermediate level or higher or lower? It would be good to find out.
If there is a language school near you, such as the British Council, then you could find out whether they conduct language assessment tests. The results will provide you with an objective measure of your child’s language skills.
You can also take a quick test online from Cambidge.
In my experience as an English teacher, I have noticed that people tend to overestimate their English skills. Do not make the same mistake.
If you are able to visit a language school nearby, go there and find out. It will be worth it.
How can parents support English language learners: Learn the four skills and language
As a parent, the more aware you are of language learning, the better you can guide your child. So, let’s take a deep dive into language learning.
There are four skills when it comes to language usage. The skills are: speaking, listening, writing, and reading. Apart from the four skills we also have grammar and vocabulary.
Let’s start with speaking.
Speaking skills
There are two aspects to speaking: fluency and accuracy. I have noticed that there are people who speak fluently, but they make a lot of basic grammatical errors! This affects accuracy and will negatively affect one’s score, especially in tests such as IELTS. Here are a few videos from the British Council that would help, if you are thinking about IELTS.
Even if your child is not preparing for IELTS, do watch these videos. They can improve her overall speaking skills.
Many students are fluent and have reasonably good grammar, but pronunciation is a problem.
How can you improve pronunciation? There are many ways to do this.
The first is to listen. When you hear people talk, listen to how they pronounce words. The danger is that everyone you meet may be pronouncing a word incorrectly!
The internet can come to the rescue. If you are unsure of how a word is pronounced, visit the Cambridge Dictionary.
Just type in the word and listen to the pronunciation. There would normally be two variations: UK and US. Choose the one that you are more comfortable with.
You can also have fun when learning pronunciation. Pick a song and sing along. Don’t worry if your voice is out of tune. It’s a fun way to spend time with your child. Both of you can sing your hearts out.
On YouTube, there are many songs with the lyrics as well. Select a song that you think is appropriate. This exercise may sound silly, but it is a good way to get accustomed to accents and also improve one’s pronunciation without any stress. To get you started, play this song from the Beatles: Here comes the sun.
You can also pay attention to how words are pronounced when watching movies, serials, and news programs. Become aware of how you pronounce words and compare the pronunciation with other peoples. Yes, to improve your child’s pronunciation, you have to work on yours as well.
To get an overview of pronunciation, read this post.
Let’s look at the next skill.
Listening skills
As a skill, listening may be more rewarding than speaking.
Many people are better speakers than listeners. They speak, speak, and speak, without listening to what the other person has to say. I urge you to be a better listener to improve your English language skills.
When listening to a person speak, or watching a movie, do not be passive. Be an active listener. Give your full attention. Analyze what the person is trying to say. For example, when watching a documentary on climate change, think about what the main point of the argument is. Think about the words used to convey a message. Think about the sequencing of ideas and the examples given. Think about the pronunciation and intonation.
Sounds exhausting?
It could be. However, you will find it a more enriching experience. And your general language skills will improve.
Once you start finding yourself to be a better listener, see how you can guide your child. Here is what you can do. Watch a video on science. And then ask general and specific questions.
Let’s look at this video on the planet Saturn.
I have come up with some questions based on the video:
General questions
1. What is the video about?
2. How did the rings of Saturn form?
Specific questions:
1. What is the Roche Limit?
2. What are the names of two of Saturn’s moons?
The first set of questions require listening for gist, while the second set of specific questions asks you to listen for detail.
To improve listening skills, this is what you can do.
1. Play the video once, and ask two general questions. (You can make some more, if you like.)
2. Then, ask the two specific questions. If she cannot answer them properly, play the video again.
Try this approach with other videos. You will find your child honing her listening skills. You can even ask your child to make questions to test you! This would further activate her listening skills. And she would enjoy it to see you fumble.
Listening is an overlooked skill. Do not underestimate it. It can be beneficial in not only improving one’s language skills, but also general knowledge. Both of which are tested on exam day.
Reading skills
Reading is a lot like listening. It is another under-rated skill. People read to pass exams. Many people do not read out of curiosity or for pleasure. In short, people read only when they need to.
Try to develop the reading habit in your child. This will reap benefits in many ways.
First, her vocabulary will improve. It is said that a word has to be encountered at least ten times before it can be used by a person naturally and appropriately. Do not encourage your child to memorize word lists. She may use them incorrectly and out of context. Vocabulary building takes time. It takes years. Reading is the best way to do it.
Reading also helps in improving one’s general knowledge. There is a wide range of topics that your child may encounter on an international English language test. Here is short list:
1. Science
Possible topics: astronomy, geology, and chemistry
2. Social sciences
Possible topics: economics, psychology, and political science
3. The Environment
Possible topics: climate change, pollution, deforestation
4. Film and entertainment
Possible topics: film genres, film and its impact on society, the role of theatre in social change
Do not get intimidated. As I wrote at the beginning of this post, Rome was not built in a day. There are more common topics that could appear on test day. However, these four should be enough for now. I do not want to overload you.
To help your child succeed in international English exams, make sure that she reads the newspaper. Many students start reading the newspaper weeks before the exam day. How much can they learn? Reading newspapers should become a habit and not something one does ten days before the test.
Do not impose reading on her. You could start by asking her to read an article on a topic she likes. It could be about sport or history. Slowly expand the range to include other topics such as science and technology.
Your local English paper would have many good articles. You could also read these online news websites:
When on these websites, do not start with the current news. Read the sections on science & technology, sports, environment, and culture. Then start reading other sections.
If you feel that there may be inappropriate content for your child, decide what she should read.
When you have selected an article, this is what you can do:
- Ask your child to read the headline and guess what the article is about. This will help her prepare her mind to better absorb the writing.
- Look at the photograph and discuss what it is trying to say. What is the focus of the photograph? Is there a message?
- Let her read the article, and then ask her what new information she has learnt. Are there any words she is unsure of? Find out the meaning and pronunciation from an online dictionary. Did she like the article? Why or why not?
To help your child succeed in international English exams, you will have to think like a teacher.
Asking these kinds of probing questions will make her more engaged with the article. Over time, she will become a better reader. Improved reading skills will be an advantage throughout life.
Writing skills
We have now arrived at the last skill. In IELTS, many candidates find this the most difficult part of the test. Even if the test your child is planning to take does not have writing, I urge you to read on. Writing is a skill that is essential in adult life.
To write well, it would be a good idea to read well. When reading an article or opinion piece, pay attention to the organization of ideas. How is the topic introduced? What is the first main point? Is it supported with facts or examples?
A big problem when it comes to writing is coherence and cohesion. Coherence refers to the logical flow of ideas. And cohesion refers to the use of cohesive devices (such as however, therefore) that hold the sentences and paragraphs together.
Watch this video on coherence and cohesion. Even if your child is not planning to take IELTS, it would be useful.
It is important to plan well before actually writing. In fact, the better plan, the easier it is to write.
Phew! That was a lot of information. Sorry, we are not done yet. If you recall, in language learning, apart from the four skills (speaking, listening, reading, and writing), there is what we call language.
Language includes grammar and vocabulary.
How to succeed in international English exams: Grammar
Make sure that your child’s grammatical foundation is strong. If the foundation is weak, then errors will persist into adulthood. And of course, she will find it difficult to get a high score in any international English exam.
Grammar is vast. You could start with my post on articles (a, an, the). If you want to know more about the future time, click here.
Here are some online resources for grammar: BBC Learning English and British Council.
If your child finds grammar to be difficult, spend more time exploring those online websites.
Another way to learn grammar is through more exposure to the language. Make your child watch more English movies and read more books.
How can parents help their children learn English? Vocabulary
As we looked at before, the more one engages with the language, the more one improves one’s vocabulary. Make sure that your child is exposed to a variety of topics. This will improve her topic-specific vocabulary. For instance, if she watches a video about climate change, she will learn words that are used in that field. You could ask her to have a book where she writes down new words and phrases.
Here are some channels I recommend: CNN 10 and National Geographic.
Of course, she should also read newspapers, magazines, and non-fiction and fiction books. Make sure the reading material is broad, covering diverse topics ranging from technology to culture.
How can I help my child? One step at a time
As you can tell, you are in a marathon and not a sprint.
To succeed in international English exams requires one to have a strong foundation in both language and general knowledge. A strong base in general knowledge will help your child to better cope with the variety of topics that will be present on test day.
The sooner you start the better. Take it one step at a time. And do not overwhelm your child or yourself!
If you are in India, I have written a book on common Indian errors in Business English, covering topics such as vocabulary, Indian English, and grammar. It would be helpful when focusing on common errors Indians make. Click here to find out more about it.
Do you have any questions? Let me know in the comments section below.
FAQs
How can parents help their children learn English?
- Make English a part of your child’s environment.
- Watch cartoons, serials, and movies. Read comic books, magazines, and novels.
- The key to learning any language is complete immersion.
How can parents support English language learners?
- Find out your child’s language level. That is the first step in the journey.
- Focus on the four skills: speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
- Emphasize the skills of listening (watch documentaries, TV programs) and reading (read newspapers, magazines, and novels).
What is the best way to study for an English language exam?
- Make a long-term plan to improve your English. Do not start preparing two weeks before the test.
- Understand the expectations of the test. This is key.
- Answer past question papers.
Is IELTS hard to pass?
- If your English is at the upper-intermediate or advanced level, it is not difficult. But, you will still need to know the expectations of the test. Otherwise, you may not reach your full potential, even if you are an advanced-level speaker.
- If your English level is at the intermediate level or below, then it is difficult. Start by improving your general English skills.
What can I do to pass the English exam?
- Improve your general English level.
- Find out the expectations of the test.
- Practice answering common test questions. When possible, go to the official website/YouTube channel of the test authority to get authentic practice material.
How can I help my child with English language?
- Make your child familiar and comfortable with the language. Watch English programmes on YouTube or TV.
- As a parent, you should be aware of what language learning means. Focus on the four skills: writing, speaking, listening, and reading. Remember that listening and reading are undervalued skills.
- Focus on grammar, but do not try to cover all grammar points in a short period of time. It takes time for a learner to understand, absorb, and practice. Go slow and steady.
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