SPEAKING STRATEGIES IN OET

Effective speaking in OET consists of some important effects. This is not just in the way you speak but also the way you use body language too. It is mainly because OET speaking is a role play in which the student is expected to react as though they in a real-life situation. The important key points which need to remembered are as follows:

• Behave as if you are with a real patient. This means you have to interact and establish a rapport with the patient before asking the information given in the role card.
• Always remember that OET speaking test is evaluating the communication ability of the student. They are least interested in checking your medical knowledge. This doesn’t mean you can bluff anything in the speaking section. You have to be smart enough to tackle the tasks and convince the interlocutor.
• Remember your interlocutor may not be from a medical background, so they are more interested to see how you are smoothly conveying the ideas and interacting with him/her.
• Facial expressions and body language are very very important. This means you have to check what your task is. For e.g.: if it is to convey bad news or a unpleasant information, you should show the relevant empathy and kindness required. Adjusting the tone and body language is equally important as the words you use.
• In this speaking section, you don’t have to memorise or by heart anything. its mainly because of the fact that it is a spontaneous section and not a practised or rehearsed one.
• The role-play should read well and understood before started the section. This includes underlying the important words or tasks you need to do in the speaking.
• Pronunciation is very important in speaking. Also the words should be clear and loud for the interlocutor.
• While speaking please be confident and also vary your voice so that the intonation is proper and the communication is smooth. This includes raising and falling of voice just like a native speaker.
• Always be confident and pleasant while you speak. this adds beauty to your words and makes the section interesting. Maintain eye contact in an appropriate manner and show confidence in your body language.