Do you wish to work or study in the healthcare sector in the UK, the US, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Ukraine, Dubai, Singapore, or Namibia? As we all know, the OET test is the most important and recognized exam validating our language expertise to work in these countries.
OET uses real healthcare scenarios and is proof of English proficiency for registration, study, and employment in the healthcare sector. But many of us would agree that OET Reading is not easy. Even if you have a good understanding of the English language, you might experience a lack of understanding and familiarity with the OET reading test itself. If you are a doctor or a nurse, OET tests are of prime importance to advance your healthcare career in many countries, especially in the US. Now, the OET test is accepted in the US states of Florida and Oregon.
If you’re wondering how to improve your OET Reading score, then you’re in the right place! In this blog, we’ll take a look at how to get a good score in OET Reading. If you feel your strategies aren’t sound, here are 6 ways to approach the reading part.
OET Reading Test
OET tests, in general, have 4 components including Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening. OET Training can guide you to attain the required scores. OET Reading has been divided into 3 parts. The test is of 60 minutes and the topics are of general healthcare interest.
Part A – Expeditious reading task (15 minutes)
Part A assesses your ability to identify specific information from four short texts quickly. The four short texts relate to a single healthcare topic, and you must answer 20 questions in the given time. These 20 questions consist of short answer questions and sentence completion questions.
Part B and Part C – Careful reading tasks (45 minutes)
Part B assesses your ability to identify the detail or main point of six short texts taken from the healthcare workplace. The texts might consist of policy documents, hospital guidelines, manuals or internal communications.
Part C evaluates your ability to identify detailed meaning and opinion in two texts on topics of interest to healthcare professionals.
Boost your Score in Reading Test in these 6 Ways
We have already read and understood the components of the OET Reading Test. Here we will check out 6 Ways to Boost your Score in the Reading Test.
1. Keep Reading
To improve your reading skills, there are no shortcuts. You must read regularly and widely. Read any material that you like, not just those used as test preparation materials. Read with interest and try to understand. Check out the sentence structure and the meaning of every sentence. Read loudly with pauses. Current affairs websites and health magazines are good sources which are informative as well as entertaining. You should try to identify and follow the writer’s line of argument and attitude.
2. Focus on Paragraphs
Focus on paragraphs and short sections to develop your reading skills. Reading test in OET has questions from short paragraphs. So, try focusing and reading paragraph by paragraph. At the end of each paragraph, analyse the major points and ideas conveyed in that paragraph. Even if you don’t get every single word and understand every sentence, try understanding the whole paragraph.
3. Use specific skills for each part
As we already read, there are 3 parts in the Reading.
- Part A is about understanding and collecting information and ideas from different texts. For this, you should be able to locate from one text to another. The quicker you can locate the section of the text you need, saves time.
Find out the maximum details from the question to locate on the text. Look for names of people, names of treatments/conditions, names of countries/regions, dates, or numbers in the text which will be easier to notice. You do not need specific material to achieve this technique. You can try and use it with the materials you already have.
- Part B is about understanding and analysing the main idea of a short workplace text. Try to understand the message the writer is trying to communicate in the text. You will have to choose the best option from 3 which represents the content of the text. Sometimes the given options may be similar. So, try practising reading, concentrating on the meaning of the text.
- Part C is about understanding the detailed meaning of the longer text. You need to develop inference skills to understand the attitude or opinion of the writer in the text. You will have to understand lexical features in texts and how they contribute meaning. Reading a variety of text types as part of your regular practice will help you deal with Part C. In Part C you have 4 options to choose the best representation of the text contents.
4. Write what you read
Spellings are important. Your language proficiency can be valued from your spellings. Any errors in the OET test will cost you marks. So make sure you write exactly what you read in the texts. Paraphrasing is unnecessary and don’t do it if you are unsure about words and meanings.
Remember the time limit always. Do not ponder over single words or phrases for too long. While you practise reading, check out the spellings and learn the important ones.
5. Be prepared to skip a question
Move on to the next question every time you get stuck with any question. Remember, you do not have time to waste. So when you calculate your time for each question, you will have 45 seconds for each. So make sure you are not spending over a minute on any one answer. Do not miss questions just because you run out of time.
6. Practice and Practice
Improving and excelling in any language takes time. You have to be patient while you work hard. Practise reading every article and text you find. Try to understand it by breaking it down. Get help from a qualified OET Trainer to monitor your progress.
Let’s Wrap Up
We have already discussed various ways to improve Reading session in OET. Every part is important in OET and do not forget to give importance to other components as well. So now, don’t wait anymore. Start learning today. Read and read. We know it will take time, but let’s wait and watch the progress to work in your dream country.
Laila Azzahra is a professional writer and blogger that loves to write about technology, business, entertainment, science, and health.