The sort of texts that you will encounter in an OET test is the same as a person working in a healthcare ecosystem will encounter. Even while with all the hours you are putting in to the test-prep, a little nudge outside your study hours might just make the difference.
So here are a few ways on how you can get yourself exposed to texts similar to the ones you are about to see on the test day.
Part A
Expeditious reading (Quick reading)
You will have 4 different texts on the same topic named A, B, C & D. One of these will be a picture such as a table, a graph or an image .
Part A of reading will include a checklist that you might go through before taking a patient through the diagnosing procedure or something that will guide you on the course of medication prescribed to a patient. Topics can be anything- tetanus, pneumonia, sedation etc.
Make sure you acquaint yourself with these types of texts and comprehend the necessary information in a quick and efficient manner. The headings, sub-headings, texts in bold or italics, or even information given in bullet points will help you easily skim through the text.Skimming & scanning are techniques that will help you here.
Part B
Careful reading (Read in detail for gist/ specific information)
This part will include work related documents such as memos of instructions or the policy statement for the staff. In Part B, you will be given 6 short extracts, each roughly around 150 words. These texts/ extracts will be of varied topics and include documents that you will come across in your everyday work at the healthcare setting.
Reading any sort of documents related to policy will help you get familiar with the sort of language you are expected to comprehend. It could be emails circulated in your workspace, or even handover briefs.
Part C
Reading for meaning (Need to identify opinions and comments of writer or people referred to by the writer)
The third and final part of the reading subtest, Part C, will include semi-academic texts which can range from medical journals to website articles. Either way it will always include an opinion or an attitude of a professional. So reading health care articles in newspapers will help you pick up the sort of language used in this part of the text. Recognising the tone and the opinion of the person mentioned will also help you in this part.
How do you identify tone of the speaker. Well, the tone is the implied meaning and not the actual meaning. For instance, " The test results came as no surprise." What does this mean? It implies that the results were something that was expected and nothing new happened.
See, how challenging it might become it identifying the exact meaning conveyed it the text. But it goes without saying, that this will only come with practice.
Here are some general tips.
Some General tips
- Have a list of words that you come across when you read.
- Try to speed up your reading when in practice.
- Train your eye to the smallest of details. They often make the difference.
Want to know more about how to better your reading skills?
Join our online courses and be prepared to meet any challenges that might come up on the day of the test.
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