English Entrance Orals: detailed instructions

It is important to read this document right to the end.

Reminder – Expectations

You are being assessed on your ability to hold a spontaneous conversation with someone and communicate effectively on a given topic.

Note: It is absolutely normal for you to make mistakes when speaking. You are not native speakers!

You should be able to

1

Give your point of view

2

Say whether you agree or disagree

3

Ask the other person questions to clarify or explain what they mean

Oral Format

You will be interviewed by an ESSCA English professor face-to-face
Your oral will last for approximately 15 minutes.
For the first part of the oral, the examiner will want to know something about you.
Then, the examiner will choose one of the following subjects to discuss with you:

Learning foreign languages

Themes for candidates to consider:

your personal experience of language learning
the challenges of learning a new language
foreign languages and job opportunities
how a language can help you understand different cultures
the way languages are taught in schools
use of Artificial Intelligence to learn languages

Competition

Themes for candidates to consider:

your personal experience of sports
advantages of being competitive
the role of competition in business
relationship between being competitive and being successful
competition within education

Continuing education after the Baccalaureate

Themes for candidates to consider:

your personal reflections on school
the benefits of continuing to study
reasons why people decide to stop studying
relationship between continuing to study and finding a job later
the skills and personal growth acquired from further study

Use of Apps

Themes for candidates to consider:

your personal use of apps
how apps have changed the way we live our lives in terms of communication, lifestyle, eating habits, education
the advantages and disadvantages of apps
how apps contribute to the economy

How travel has changed since Covid 19

Themes for candidates to consider:

your experiences of travelling
the ways in which travel has changed since Covid-19 and reasons for these changes
the concept and popularity of the Staycation- taking a vacation in your own country
the travel industry and its efforts to combat carbon emissions
the role of Artificial Intelligence in the future of travel

The role of music in your life

Themes for candidates to consider:

your personal music preferences
your experience at any musical events
the role of music and wellbeing and how music affects our mood
your experience of learning or hoping to learn a musical instrument and the skills and qualities this can develop
how music can be beneficial to students
how technology has changed the way we listen to/play/sing music

You are invited to prepare a few key words that you can use with the examiner on each of the topics. This will help you feel more relaxed and confident during the interview.

Here are some useful sources to help you:

English certifications

If you have taken any official English exams, please have a copy with you to show the examiner.

How to do well in this oral?

Prepare something to say on all 6 subjects
Talk using the level of English that you have naturally at your disposal
If you hear yourself making a mistake, try and correct it
Show interest, look at the examiner, and ask questions

What to avoid?

Looking down (at notes) and not looking at the examiner
Trying to read pre-prepared material. This may not answer the question and will certainly cause pronunciation (and other) problems as you will be not be using language in your range

How to prepare?

Spend some time familiarising yourself with the 6 themes. Take a few notes of the new ideas you may discover and some key words
Make sure you revise language for giving your opinion, saying whether you agree or disagree, and asking questions to show interest
Practice talking about the themes in front of the mirror or, better still, with another person you can speak English with