As an English teacher, my favourite contest is Public Speaking. It is a true challenge for everybody because it teaches contestants to master their emotions, to be extremely convincing, to become brilliant speakers. Public Speaking can be a boost in the contestants’ self-esteem. In the past, the statesmen’ greatest asset consisted in being talented at rethoric which is the art of persuasive spoken discourse. An original discourse can be delivered with dramatic skills in order to inform, persuade and motivate their audiences.
Training my students so that they could wisely take part in Public Speaking contest, I have noticed that some are good while others were born to shine. Those who were born to shine would convince the assessors that they deserve being highly scored by all means.
Every year a quote is given to be commented on. After writing the speech, the contestant needs to memorize it and work to deliver it as convincing as possible, in three minutes. In order to do it, they need to follow the perfect recipe: ambition, great knowledge of language, productive language skills, self-esteem, drama skills, the right pace, being able to answer the questions they are addressed at the end of the speech and a lot of dedication. Thus, they can shine for a day and they learn how they can have this feeling again in the future.
If my favourite contest is Public Speaking, my favourite exam is the Cambridge exam. It is the most complex one, testing the four skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking. Furthermore, the certificate you get is recognized all around the world. The results can range from A1 (beginners) to C2 (language masters), describing language ability. The scores provide a detailed understanding of the candidate’s level, making it easy to compare the results. What is also highly professional about Cambridge exams refers to informing the examined person about his/her results in a completely confidential manner on email, accessing a code pre-established.
Supposing the examined person gets an undesirable score, he/she will have the opportunity to have another try, at one of the several dates fixed throughout the year. In order to improve his knowledge he can solve Cambridge tests either online or using a printed version. The offer of Cambridge books is extremely varied, many publishing houses purchasing Cambridge. The tests come with results as well so the students can check their answers and learn from their mistakes.
All in all, I strongly recommend the English teachers to talk their students into embarking upon these experiences.