How to Get the Highest Score for OET Speaking

The OET Speaking subtest follows a distinct format but isn’t any easier or harder than the speaking sections of the IELTS, PTE, or TOEFL. The OET Speaking assignment is intended to simulate dialogues between you and your examiner, also referred to as an interlocutor. In any given situation, you assume the role of a health practitioner, and the person you interact with will be either a patient or a caretaker.

If you’re curious what you need to do to earn the highest possible score on the OET speaking exam, you should be familiar with the exam. obtaining a score that was once an A but is now in the range of 450 to 500 (i.e., the previous grade A), indicating a very high level of English proficiency and a great performance.

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What is Scored on your OET Speaking Test?

You will participate in a role-play during the OET speaking subtest, which is videotaped and scored by assessors who will consider a range of factors to establish your score.
Your speaking is evaluated using nine factors. Based on your actual English speaking ability, four of them are:

Intelligibility
Fluency
Appropriateness of language
Grammar and expression

In addition, you are marked in terms of your awareness of the work and communicative concerns relevant to the scenario.

Relationship building
Understanding and incorporating the patient’s perspective
Providing structure
Information gathering
Informative giving

All of the first set of criteria (language) are scored between 0 and 6, and all of the second set are scored between 0 and 3. This is translated into your final score, which ranges from 0 to 500. Most colleges consider 350, which was once a grade B, to be a “pass.” Granted, the majority of people aspire to get higher than a passing grade (450), but they also want to score highly.

How to achieve a grade A (450+) in OET speaking

You should pay attention to what Is mentioned above and study the in-depth reports on the official OET website. Once you are aware of the speaking grading method for an exam, you can start to prepare more thoroughly. These will assist you to a certain degree, but navigating the complex jargon of these marking rubrics can still be challenging.

To become used to the distinct format of that specific test, you should also familiarise yourself with the OET speaking exam itself. Recall that the OET exam differs significantly from other tests such as the TOEFL and IELTS, particularly with regard to the speaking portion. If you have prepared for the OET sufficiently, taking it could be a very challenging and stressful affair.

Tips for Highest Score in OET Speaking

Take charge and speak confidently

In other English examinations, your role as a candidate is to sit and answer questions, but in the OET speaking sub-test, you must take charge of the situation and conduct the majority of the questioning. This is so that you can act like a healthcare practitioner in the role play that makes up the OET speaking subtest. For instance, you will take on the role of a nurse during a typical nursing procedure in the OET for nurses.

It should come as no surprise that the examiner, also known as the interlocutor, will assume the position of the patient and won’t be required to steer the conversation. Rather, the physician or nurse will steer the discussion by initiating and concluding it, as well as conducting the majority of the questions in the middle. This makes sense because most interactions in real life are reflected in it.

To achieve a very high score, you must communicate with confidence and authority. This is really important. You can’t let silences dominate the conversation or awkwardly wait for the examiner to say something. Keep in mind that the role-play recorder has a tight 5-minute time limit after which it will cease. You must assume the initiative and speak first. You should also make sure that information is shared intelligently and steadily and ask appropriate questions. In the end, you won’t really need to utilise your imagination because you will be completing a set of instructions found on a card. Rather, you are acting professionally and making use of your English language abilities.

Speak clearly and in the right context

Naturally, you will be penalised for errors and rewarded for using proper language on the OET since it is a test of your English proficiency as a nurse or doctor. There are numerous facets to this, such as vocabulary and grammar, but two key components that set apart a very proficient speaker are fluency and acceptable usage of the English language.

Speaking freely and without interruption is what is meant by fluency. Fluency is frequently hampered by extended pauses and audible hesitations (such “uh” or “er”). Although these are permissible in very small amounts, you should minimise them if you wish to receive the highest possible marks according to the marking rubric. Although it will take years of practice, it is worthwhile to keep working on your fluency by practicing daily and gaining confidence in order to prevent these kinds of issues. Making a video of yourself can be quite beneficial in identifying issues that you might not otherwise recognise in your regular speaking, such as hesitancy.

When it comes to acceptable language, we don’t only look at whether a candidate is using the correct medical terminology. Additionally, the assessors check to see if the language is appropriate for the context. For instance, you must communicate with patients in a calm and considerate manner during the OET nursing examination in order to address their concerns without making them feel worse. When there are kids involved, you have to be even more careful when you say to prevent upsetting the parents or upsetting the kids. In addition to knowing the appropriate language for medical situations, healthcare professionals whether they be physicians or nurses also need to be able to softly but effectively convey concepts. This is another quality that will set an outstanding OET candidate apart.

Relax and prepare thoroughly

Most language tests demand prior preparation and a calm mind to succeed. Fortunately, the first leads to the second, so both can be accomplished simultaneously. Make sure you will have enough time to study before the test before considering scheduling your OET test date. Given that you will be mostly concentrating on exam preparation in the remaining time, you should essentially possess the appropriate level of English proficiency.

The purpose of your exam preparation should be to acquaint yourself with the format and specifications of the examination. Speaking is an exam where you should be prepared for the kinds of situations you might face and the things you need to do to do well. You should practise frequently in real-world settings, maybe by taking turns acting out scenarios with a companion.

You can take the OET exam fearlessly and with peace of mind if you have done your homework. Keep in mind that errors brought on by stress will lose you points. You stand a fair chance of receiving the greatest possible mark if you can increase your self-assurance and approach the test with clarity. Instead of trying to see the role play as an exam where you are being evaluated, just approach it as a typical, everyday circumstance that you would deal with at work.

Entri App: Online OET Coaching

The OET Preparation Program from Entri has been carefully created to provide you the knowledge, abilities, and self-assurance you need to ace the OET exam.

To make the curriculum and classes easier to understand, the course is divided into five sections:

Special Sessions for LSRW
Engaging Meetings for Real-World Experience
Practice Real-World Situations
Evaluation and Monitoring of Progress

Additionally, you have access to:

Individual coaching
Sessions for dispelling doubts
Classes both in person and on tape
Practice sheets
Exams of assessment
Mock examinations

In just a few weeks, the thorough training enables you to obtain your ideal OET score.

Conclusion

If you follow the guidelines above, you will have an excellent chance of meeting your OET goals. But it is imperative that you study thoroughly for this test. Hard work and expertise have no substitutes. The best thing is that all of your hard work in preparing for your OET will benefit you in your day-to-day employment as a healthcare practitioner.