Friday, 27 February 2015

THE PTE ACADEMIC



The #PTE Academic

The #PTE Academic is a #test of #English for #study abroad and #immigration.
You get the test results in 5 days (or even earlier).The test is administered in over 50 countries. This is a computer based test.
Your English Proficiency is reported on a scale from 10-90 points.
On each task of Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking, you are assessed on a scale of 10-90, both on Communicating skills and Enabling skills

Fee structure in 4 countries:

#India—INR 9,350/-
#USA--$ 200/-
#UK--£ 155/-
#Australia –AUD $330/-
#TEST FORMAT
Total Duration ---3 hours with an optional 10 mins. break after the reading test.
#SPEAKING&WRITING—1.15-1.30 hrs.

#SPEAKING
·      Personal Introduction
·      #Read aloud—read aloud from a given text using correct pronunciation, pauses, stress, intonation and expression. You will have to read for 30-40 seconds
·     # Repeat sentence---A recorded sentence will be played. Repeat the sentence exactly as you heard it, using the right stress and intonation.
·     # Describe image—describe an image on the screen .Describe all that you see and decipher and speak for 40 seconds.
·      Re-tell lecture—you will see an image and listen to a lecture. Repeat what you heard as correctly as possible.
·      Answer short question—You will hear a question and you have to respond immediately in 3 seconds.
#WRITING
·      Summarize written text (one sentence)—read a text and write a summary in 75 words
·      Essay (20mins) Write an essay, understanding the prompt given. A good scoring essay will have the correct grammar, spellings, and structure. Build your essay by expressing your opinion, and strongly arguing for or against the given topic.
#READING (30-40 mins)
·      Multiple choice questions –Read a passage and choose one correct answer from multiple choice answers
·      Multiple choice questions—Read a passage and choose more than one correct answer. Negative scores, if you choose a wrong answer.
·      Re-order paragraphs---Drag and put passages in order so that it reads logically.
·      Fill in the blanks –fill in the blanks in a sentence by choosing a right word from the choices given to you
·      Fill in the blanks—fill in the blanks in a paragraph by choosing the right words from choices given to you.
#LISTENING—(45-60 mins)
·      Summarize spoken text—Listen to a recording and write a good summary of what you heard. This task is for 10 minutes.
·      Multiple choices—Listen to a recording and choose one right answer from multiple choice answers.
·      Multiple choices—Listen to a recording and choose more than one right answer from multiple choice answers. Negative marking for each wrong answer.
·      Fill the blanks---Listen to a recording and fill in the blanks in the given text
·      Highlight the correct summary—Listen to a lecture. Out of multiple summary choices highlight the correct summary.
·      Select missing word---Listen to a recording and select one word out of the multiple answer choices
·      Highlight incorrect words—Listen to a recording. Highlight the wrong words (words in the text will be incorrect) as you listen
·      Write from dictation---listen to a recording and type the correct sentence.

For more information, please log on to http://pearsonpte.com/

Thursday, 5 February 2015

#STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

A# Statement of Purpose is an #essay that you write, addressed to the admission committees of various #Universities, stating who you are, what your academic and professional goals are and what you hope to achieve through studying the courses you wish to take at the University.
A good #SOP can be written by anyone. Take on a conversational tone and tell your story: a little bit about what kind of person you are; your academic interests; your extra co-curricular interests; your hobbies; what your professional goals are; how the University you are applying to and the courses you are taking up, can contribute to your academic and professional growth.
The subject lines mentioned above may seem a lot to you. You may wonder how to write an essay that is not too formal.Well, you can write your essay, as a story---showing how you grew from strength to strength. You can put in a few anecdotes from your childhood, college days or from work to show how you faced a difficult situation and overcame it. Talk about your leadership and team building qualities. Have you played sports? Have you led a team or been part of a team where your contribution has led to the success of the team? If you have any talent such as singing, dancing or any unique skills, mention them. The admission committee is always looking at students with different skill sets so that the University environment is enriched by their contributions.
There is no need to mention your marks, subjects of study or work experience in great detail in the #SOP. You would have already given the details in your resume. What you need to mention in the #SOP is your specific area of interest and how this aligns with your goal. Show that you are focused in your goals right from your high school years. For example, if you are applying for a Master’s degree in Architecture, do mention what made you choose that area of study in senior school and which subjects appealed to you the most and why you went on to study architecture as a subject.
Mention your career goal. What do you wish to do with the degree you get? Do you have relevant work experience? Have you excelled in a particular subject? If you have worked in a job or even in a student internship program, show how you were complimented or commended for your good work ethics. How did you motivate others at work? What leadership qualities do you have? Can you work under pressure? Show how your contributions at work helped your team or company get recognition in some way.
Build up your #SOP in such a way that it shows how all your interests and experiences match up to the area of study that you are seeking admission to. You must also show a good knowledge about the University you are applying to. Which are the majors that interest you? Please do mention the names of a few professors whose work you admire or have read about. Try and get some inputs through discussion forums in the University on the various activities you can participate in, while you are the University. Mention those also in your #SOP.

Finally, do proof-read and work on multiple drafts of your #SOP. Give it some thought. Do not write your SOP at the last moment. Most importantly, do not copy from the website or from a friend. The University will reject your application if they find out that you have copied. Your SOP should be as original and different as you are.

Wednesday, 16 July 2014

ESSAY WRITING

Essay writing is an art that can easily be learnt. A good essay should be concise, to the point and well structured. More importantly, the essay should appeal to the target audience.

A good essay can be written, following these simple steps:

  1. Analyze the given topic: Look at the given topic. Think about all that you can write about on that topic. If you have enough time, then research the topic---read about it; talk to people about the topic; watch videos, read books and articles.I f you have very little time to write an essay (as in an exam) then think about all that you know, pertaining to the topic.
  2. Write down all the points: Jot down points at random. These can be in the form of long notes or just small words or abbreviations written down quickly. Again, this depends upon how much time you have.
  3. Decide on the introduction, middle and end or conclusion: All the notes, must now be arranged in order. Introduce the topic, then explain something about the topic, then summarize the whole essay in a paragraph and then end with a conclusive statement.
  4. Proofread: Check your essay for spelling and grammatical mistakes .Also check whether you have omitted or repeated some points.
Coaching for Essays

Most tests in English test you in your writing skills through a given topic. IELTS and TOEFL tests ask you to write an essay on a given topic. GRE and GMAT test you in your Analytical Writing skills.

Writing essays for tests obviously means that your essay will be marked for your essay writing abilities. You must keep to the topic, to the word limit and also finish within the given time

Taking a few coaching classes to develop your essay writing skills. Taking a few tips on essay writing will be a great help to as you can improve your writing skills as well as learn how to score maximum marks in a given time.

There are a lot of sample essays on our website that you can read and model your essays on.


Many business schools as well as Universities in the USA, UK and other countries all over the world, ask you to submit a few essays, a personal statement or statement of purpose. These are called admission essays.

These essays help the Universities decide whether you have good written communication skills and whether your academic background and future academic and career goals fit in with those of the University.

We guide admission seekers on how to write essays and proofread and edit the essays for mistakes.

Friday, 6 June 2014

BANK EXAM COACHING CLASSES

To be an officer in a government owned bank is the dream of many a young graduate. A good salary, security of job and social status are among the reasons. The starting pay on joining [as on 1st April, 2014] is approximately Rs.31,000. The SBI pays about Rs.5000 more. The officers are also entitled to other benefits.

IBPS, the body that conducts the test for recruitment to some 20 odd public sector banks, has, in 2014 alone, filled as many as 21600 vacancies of Probationary Officers. The figure does not include the openings in State Bank of India, the RBI as well as private banks.

Notification for the next IBPS PO Examination is to be issued in August 2014. The tentative Examination dates are 11,12,18,19 October and 1,2 November 2014. The Common Written Examination is expected to be held in November 2014.

The examination is highly competitive and aspiring candidates are well advised to begin preparation early.

SBI PO Recruitment Test 2014 is expected to be held on 14th June 2014. Admit cards can be downloaded from SBI’s website from 30th May. The Descriptive English paper will be given immediately after the objective test.

50,000 new banking jobs are expected to be created this year. IBPS notification for the Common Written Examination for recruitment of Clerks in Public Sector Banks is expected in September 2014. The examination will be held in Mid-November/December.The examination is highly competitive and aspiring candidates are well advised to begin preparation early.

IBPS and State Bank of India regularly conduct examinations for recruitment of Probationary Officers. Barring minor differences, the examinations have a common pattern.

The IBPS examination for PO (likely to be held in October/November 2014) shall be an online test conducted in objective mode with multiple choice based questions on the following main topics:

1. Reasoning (50 Marks)
2. English Language (40 Marks)
3. Quantitative Aptitude (50 Marks)
4. General Awareness (questions related to Banking Industry) 40 Marks
5. Computer Knowledge (20 Marks)
Total Marks Allotted: 200    
Duration of Exam: 2 Hours

Marking Criteria: The candidates shall be penalized in the form of 0.25 marks deducted for each incorrect answers marked by the candidates. The questions left un-attempted by the candidates will get no marks in the exam.In view of the highly competitive nature of the examination, aspiring students would be well advised to begin their preparation early.

State Bank of India has advertised recruitment of Assistants in Clerical cadre in SBI for 2014-2015.

On-line registration of applications has started on 26th May 2014 and will be open till 14th June 2014.

You can also take online Bank Exam coaching classes and compete for the lucrative banking jobs





Monday, 28 April 2014

The GMAT Exam:Choose a good GMAT Coaching Center


Preparation for the GMAT exam should start at least 3 months before the actual test dates.

When you choose a GMAT coaching 
center make sure they coach you in all the essentials of a GMAT exam:

·  Syllabus---A GMAT coaching center should cover all the four sections of the GMAT

·  Skills development---the GMAT coaching center should train you in both  English and Maths and be able to identify your problem areas and coach you  specifically in these areas.

·  Time---The GMAT is a timed exam and you need to complete each section within a specified time. A good GMAT coaching center will train you to answer and review questions within the given time; plan, organize and write a complete essay within the specified time limit; train you to spot questions that you are better off skipping rather than solving.

·  CAT---The GMAT is a Computer Adaptive Test where questions are presented to you according to your ability to answer.A good GMAT coaching center makes you aware of how these questions are presented  and scored.

·  Strategies---A good GMAT coaching helps you plan your answers and give strategies on how to maximize your scores in the test. Whether it is the verbal skills or the quantitative skills, you should learn to improve on your scores every day so that by test day, the answers come easily to you.

Contact each University you are applying to and find out the average GMAT score of the admitted students of the previous batch. Many times the University websites do put up the acceptable scores for their University.

Our coaching academy is one of the best coaching centers in Bangalore because of its experienced trainers, vast collection of practice questions and mock tests and also due to its one on one private coaching with flexible teaching hours.

Friday, 18 April 2014

PREPARING FOR THE OET SPEAKING TEST


The OET speaking test takes about 20 minutes to complete. There are 2 role plays lasting about 6 minutes each and some preparatory time given in between. The examiner plays the role of a patient and the test taker plays the role of the health professional.

The speaking task asks you to react to different situations. Remember; you are being tested for your English proficiency and not for your professional knowledge. Since your speech is being recorded, make sure you speak clear and loud . Speak using expressions in your voice and tone.At all times appear calm and relaxed since your “patient” (Role Player) will be anxious and concerned and might repeat his/her complaints several times or even argue about the treatment. You must use words and a tone to give confidence to the patient.

Our OET Test Preparation Institute
 trains you how to react to different situations:

A)  The Role Player panics—needs to immediately the outcome of a treatment/test

Use a calm and reassuring tone:"Please don’t worry. It might take two days for the test to come through/your allergies to disappear/your symptoms to reduce. I will recommend a treatment only after that...you can call me/alert me if anything goes wrong in the meantime/you can report to emergency if any symptom aggravates."
    
B)  The Role Player is worried about his/her state/symptoms but does not know what happened or how he/she got the illness.

Ask questions that will lead to a diagnosis: Use a relaxed tone. Ask questions loud and clear and wait until the Role Player has finished responding. Speak slowly. Make listening sounds like—“Hmmm...Hmmm.., yeah, okay, sure, etc.Some of the questions could be:

ü  How many days since you noticed the rashes?
ü  Have you kept a record of your temperature?
ü  How many days since you have had high fever?
ü  Do you feel giddy/restless? /Do you sleep well at night?
ü  Do you exercise daily?
üCan you tell me exactly where the pain is? Are you taking any medications now?

C)  The care giver or parent asks questions about the patient

Explain the symptoms and treatment clearly. Pacify the parent/caregiver and run him/her through the treatment. Make him her repeat the treatment procedure and ask if he/she has understood or needs more clarity. Make sure you appear patient even if you feel the role player is asking unnecessary questions or repeating his/her concerns:

Reassure:
I don’t think there is anything to worry about.

Explain
: These mild rashes are present in all new born infants. This should go away on its own /The pain should go away in a couple of days

Treatment/medication: You should make sure your father takes these pills twice a day. Make sure that your father takes them before his meals.

Addressing concerns
: If your son refuses to eat, feed him small amounts every half an hour .There is no harm if he is eating less than he usually does. This is only because he is sick .Once he gets better, you can feed him larger portions.


Follow up
: Do keep a record of his temperature. If the temperature gets too high, you can always bring him to the emergency./See if the rashes have come down by tomorrow evening. If not, please call and report to the nurse on duty/Please come back if the tests turn out to be positive. I will be prescribing medications only after the results of the test are known

Ensure that the patient has understood
: Have I made myself clear? /Are there any questions? /Would you like to repeat what you have understood?


D) Take permission, give instructions if the patient has to undergo a procedure:

ü  You will have to take an x-ray. Do you mind opening your mouth wide while I insert the film to take an x-ray of your molar? This will not pain. Please do not close your mouth for about two minutes/until I say so.
ü  Could you please raise your leg.I would like to examine your leg for bruises
ü  Please lie face down on the examining table.I would like to examine your back for rashes.

Practice many profession related role-plays at our OET Test Preparation institute.


         

Thursday, 13 March 2014

IELTS Coaching



 


The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is an English language skill exam which measures the ability of test-takers to communicate in the four basic language skills: listening, reading, writing, and speaking.

Generally, the IELTS is taken by those who aspire to study, live, or work in a country where English is the primary language of communication. Specifically, the test is taken by people who want to study in an English-medium school, college, or university in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, South Africa, Australia, or New Zealand or those who wish to apply for immigration to countries such as Canada, Australia, or New Zealand.

There are numerous IELTS coaching centers spread across Bangalore, who claim to offer the best training. However, Avigna Learning Academy is one of the most promising and popular institutes which is totally committed to the students and has an added advantage of a friendly and holistic approach to training under the guidance of experienced faculty from the industry.
We train our students’ in the basics of each core module; provide guided practices which are followed by back to back mock tests.

They get ample time to grasp the basic skills of each module, gain confidence and successfully acquire their required band score.

Our training (inclusive of support and study materials) comes at a very nominal cost, with flexible timings in a very student friendly environment.

Enlisted below are some very important tips which are fundamental for cracking the IELTS with a high band score in the exam.

Listening Tips:

  • Get familiar with the accent used (mainly British accent).
  • Follow instructions as given in the question paper ( number of words you need to write in your answer etc).
  • Familiarize yourself with charts, graphs, flow-charts, and pie charts, it will be easier for you to answer.
  • Use accurate spelling  and write in legible handwriting.
Reading Tips:

  • Read the IELTS Reading instructions carefully.
  • Distinguish facts from opinions and attitudes.
  • Identify the overall purpose of the passage.
  • Locate specific details and relevant information.
  • Summarize the key points.
  • Infer meaning/ Read between the lines.
  • Use accurate spelling and correct grammar.
Writing Tips:

  • Read the questions of both the tasks closely.
  • Comprehend the question before you begin to write.
  • Do not deviate from the topic.
  • Organize your ideas properly.
  • Work on the structure (paragraphing).
  • Write legibly, use accurate spelling and grammar.
  • Use connecting words or linking words.
  • Use compound and complex sentences.
  • Always proofread your answer before submission.
Speaking Tips:

  • Understand the structure (three parts of Speaking Test).
  • Familiarize yourself with the common topics.
  • Practice extensively with a teacher so that you can get feedback.
  • Rehearse till you can speak comfortably and confidently.
  • Use correct grammar and compound sentences when you answer.
  • Listen to the examiner carefully and answer the question fully and correctly.