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Syed Wasi is a pioneer in many ways. He was the first PTE trainer in Bangladesh, and the first Bangladeshi to score 90 in PTE – no mean feat in a country of 166 million people! Syed is the founder of the Center for Innovative Language Learning (CILL) where students come for his help in preparing for PTE. The center is renowned for its high student success rate.
So, how does Syed help his students to get the scores they need in PTE? Let’s find out.
When a student arrives at CILL, their first step towards PTE success starts with a language assessment. “If we find that their language skills aren’t particularly strong,” says Syed, “the first thing we do is create a course which includes general language classes. We go step by step through the levels, helping them to improve their language skills – and once they are ready for PTE, they join a PTE preparation class.”
Once Syed’s students are part of a preparation class, they follow a carefully designed curriculum. Each language skill tested in PTE (speaking, writing, reading and listening) is covered in a module of three classes. The first class introduces the type of exam questions that students can expect. The second class gives students the practical tools and techniques that they’ll need to answer the exam questions, and the third class is a practice session. But the secret to Syed’s success? He doesn’t let the students sit PTE before they’re ready:
"The final step in PTE preparation is the mock test. We don’t let them take the test until they’re ready for the test, which is why we have a very high success rate.”
Flexibility is also important. The PTE preparation courses at CILL are blended courses; some students attend the center in person, and others join online. When the pandemic began, there was a massive shift to teaching online, and many schools had to adapt quickly. But Syed’s language school was ahead of the curve when it came to blended learning. “I did my masters in online teaching back in 2012,” says Syed. “We’ve been teaching with a blended learning model since 2016, so it was easy for us to adapt. Now, students are returning to the classroom, but we still offer the blended learning option.”
An important part of the school culture at CILL is the accessibility of the teachers. Learning isn’t confined to the classroom – the teachers are available to answer questions outside of class times. “We create WhatsApp groups for different classes, and it’s like a virtual hub,” Syed explains. What’s more, the teachers follow up with students after class. This dedicated service has helped Syed to build a loyal community of learners around the world. “Many of our students have moved to Australia, to the UK, or to other countries,” he says. “And wherever they go, if they meet anyone interested in PTE preparation, they refer them to our school. They’ll say, there’s a person in Bangladesh who can give you the support you’ll need to pass the test.”
“If you’re new to PTE teaching, the most important thing is to make sure you have the expertise you need to prepare students for the test,” Syed says. After all, there’s a lot on the line when it comes to PTE. Students often need a certain score for a university application or a visa. So if you don’t prepare students thoroughly, it could have an impact not only on their score but on their careers. Syed recommends taking the test yourself in order to gain real insight into PTE.
And for more experienced teachers, Syed believes that honesty is the best policy when it comes to test preparation. “Tell your students exactly what they’ll need to do in order to get the score they need. Be honest with them, and that way they know what they have to do.”
PTE is a high stakes test. When you’re helping students to prepare for the exam, you’re helping them to change their lives, to do something new. “It’s not just a business,” says Syed. “We are helping students to reach their goals. It’s my passion, and my vocation.”
Each month, we feature the profile of a teacher from our PTE community. If you have advice and insights to share with other PTE preparation teachers, we’d like to hear from you! Fill out this form and we’ll be in touch shortly.
In previous months, we featured Jurine Ruperto, who teaches in Cebu in the Philippines, and Ramesh Thapa, a PTE teacher in Kathmandu. You can read all about them on our blog, where you’ll also find lots of resources for PTE preparation classes. And don’t forget to sign up to our monthly newsletter.
PTE Academic is completed on a computer, including the speaking part of the test.
So make sure you are prepared by familiarizing yourself with the equipment you will use during your test. Reading these test tips and you will be fully prepared.
There are many ways you can improve your chances of gaining points in Part 2: Reading during PTE Academic.
To improve your reading skills, practice increasing your reading speed and comprehension at the same time. In turn, you will improve your writing, grammar and vocabulary skills.
To do well in this part of the test, you need to be able to read quickly, using effective reading strategies, as there is a limited time to answer all questions.
Speed reading tasks will help improve your reading speed. Practice speed reading every day and:
Aim to be reading at least 220 words per minute
Reading short articles of around 300 words
Read often for short periods of time
You can also try this as a challenge with your friends to help keep motivated. Once you are happy with your comprehension and speed, focus on chunks (groups of words) rather than individual words.
When your reading skills reach a level you are happy with, you will feel more confident to answer the questions.
In the Multiple-Choice, Single Answer question type, some test takers make the mistake of scan reading and matching the words in the text to the words in the answer. Generally, the words in the text are not used in the correct answer, therefore it is important to learn how to use synonyms and paraphrasing as it will be used in the test.
Learn how to improve your grammar in our Reading: Core Skills part 1 article.
In this question type, you will need more time than in the Multiple-Choice, Choose Single Answer question type, as you need to intensively read the stem (the part before the options) as well as the options, then scan read the text on the screen until you find the part of the text that contains information that was in the stem.
Read the options very carefully and match the meaning of the option with the text. Do not match the words – this is something test takers may make errors with.
You should also make sure not to choose all the options since you lose one point for each incorrect choice. However, you cannot score below zero.
To do well in the Re-order Paragraphs questions, you will need to have a strong understanding of cohesive devices and how they work. You will also need to understand how articles work, as well as the logical and chronological order of information.
In this question type, skim-read the text to get the ideas of the topic of the text. From there, you should read all the sentences carefully.
For both Fill in the Blanks and Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks question types, you will need to understand a range of vocabulary, collocations, grammar, pronouns, and cohesive devices, as well as being able to identify when plural nouns are needed.
You will also need to be able to skim read to get an idea of the meaning of the text, then read intensively before and after each blank. If unsure, you should guess based on the context.
Make sure you do not leave any spaces blank. You do not need to correctly fill in all spaces to get points.
To go back and review the question types within the reading test, we suggest learning more about the reading questions.
Explore Smart Prep, which combines all our practice materials in one place, so it's easier for you to stay on track with your PTE preparation.
Smart Prep is a clear path to test day, guiding you through the official paid and free resources available for your test
It can be accessed whether you’ve booked a test or not – just create, or sign in to your myPTE account
Preparation materials include guided practice tests, introductory videos, video courses and test tips.
Ready to get started?
Do you have your heart set on studying in England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland? The UK is a wonderful place to live and learn, but you’ll most likely need to get a UK study visa before you start packing your bags.
This comprehensive guide covers who needs a UK student visa, the requirements for getting one, how to apply, how much it costs, and how long it takes.
If you’re an international student hoping to study in the UK, you’ll most likely need a student visa. The only exceptions are nationals of Switzerland and countries in the European Economic Area (EEA), who don’t need a visa to enter the UK. *
* Please note: The outcome of Brexit may alter this after 2020. Check the UK government’s website for up-to-date information about this.
There are several UK study visa requirements you’ll need to meet to successfully apply. These include:
You’ve been offered a place in a full-time course from an eligible university (i.e. the school must be a licensed Student route visa*Tier 4 sponsors)
You can understand English (both written and spoken)
You have enough funds to support yourself and any dependants, while also paying for the course.
These requirements apply to students from all over the world. This means the UK student visa requirements for Indian students and American students are exactly the same for Chinese students and Australian students (and so on).
