{"id":601,"date":"2016-07-24T19:55:22","date_gmt":"2016-07-25T02:55:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magoosh.com\/ielts\/?p=601"},"modified":"2019-01-31T15:05:21","modified_gmt":"2019-01-31T23:05:21","slug":"dealing-nervousness-ielts-oral-exam","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magoosh.com\/ielts\/dealing-nervousness-ielts-oral-exam\/","title":{"rendered":"Dealing with Nervousness in the IELTS Oral Exam"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you are experiencing\u00a0anxiety about the IELTS interview<\/a>, it\u2019s not going to be helpful for me to tell you not to be. We don\u2019t choose anxiety or nervousness over confidence\u2026 or do we? Let\u2019s talk about why you may be feeling anxious and some points\u00a0that\u2019ll help you deal with nervousness in the IELTS oral exam.<\/p>\n

Fake it Until You Make It?<\/h2>\n

According to researchers investigating nervousness<\/a>, the common English expression \u201cfake it until you make it<\/a>\u201d rings true. They don\u2019t suggest that you can fake perfect English (sorry), but that you can portray, or even manifest\u00a0confidence during the interview even if you\u2019re not feeling it.<\/p>\n

Nervousness during an interview comes from your body\u2019s biological responses to the situation\u2014adrenaline, increased heart rate, changes in blood flow, etc. Interestingly, these experiences are similar to the biological sensations associated with excitement. In other words, nervousness feels surprisingly like excitement.<\/p>\n

\"nervousness
image from relatably.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But why am I telling you this? Well, research has proven that we can take mentally turn nervous energy into excitement by reframing our perception of the situation. So let\u2019s get excited about the IELTS interview!<\/p>\n

6 Reasons to Get Excited (not\u00a0nervous) About Your IELTS Interview<\/h2>\n
    \n
  1. Get real-world English conversational experience<\/strong>
    \nFor some of us who have spent years studying our new language, finding opportunities to practice isn\u2019t easy where we live. Conversational practice is literally the only way to develop conversational skill. This interview may be short, but it\u2019s invaluable real-world practice that will strengthen the unconscious developing linguistic system accessed\u00a0when you speak English.\u00a0Sweet!<\/em><\/em><\/li>\n
  2. Meet interesting people who work for IELTS<\/strong>
    \nMaybe you haven\u2019t thought of it this way, but     the IELTS examiners<\/a> are diverse in\u00a0cultural and national backgrounds and have met countless others from all over the world. They are trained English teachers who do what they do because they enjoy working with language learners. It\u2019s true that you\u2019re taking a test, but in this portion, you get to meet someone new and share some of your personal experiences and opinions. Cool!<\/em><\/em><\/li>\n
  3. Check off a to-do or bucket list item.<\/strong>
    \nYou\u2019re taking the IELTS exam because you have to (    to-do list<\/a>) or because it\u2019s something you simply want to do on your English-learning journey (bucket list<\/a>). As soon as you finish this interview, you can check off that item! Woo-hoo! Check!<\/em><\/em><\/li>\n
  4. One Step Closer to Completing the IELTS Exam<\/strong>
    \nThe IELTS exam is made up of four sections. Get this one done and you\u2019re 25% done. Yes!<\/em><\/em><\/li>\n
  5. One Step Closer to Your Goal<\/strong>
    \nIf you\u2019re taking this exam because you have to, you\u2019re one step closer to your end goal! Whether it\u2019s university admissions, a job application, or immigration requirements, at the end of your interview, you\u2019re that much closer! Hooray!<\/em><\/em><\/li>\n
  6. Learn How Your English Measures Up!<\/strong>
    \nIf you\u2019re a self-starter and driven to success, you\u2019ll love seeing how your English progress measures up. Where do you stand so far? Maybe you\u2019re sure you\u2019ll be a     band 6<\/a>, but who knows? You might surprise yourself and approach a band 7! In any case, it\u2019s good to know. Knowing where you stand tells you a lot about the progress you\u2019ve made and what you\u2019ve got left to work on. Awesome!<\/em><\/em><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \"nervousness
    image from targetmarketingmag.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Still Worried about Nervousness in the IELTS Oral Exam?<\/h2>\n

    Here are some helpful things to remember:<\/p>\n

    You\u2019re not a robot!<\/strong> It\u2019s normal to be nervous during an exam or an interview. Check out this real IELTS interview<\/a>.\u00a0That guy has awesome English, but his nervousness struck me right away. As a language teacher (and a language student), I have seen this in students and I have felt it myself. And guess what\u2013so has your interviewer.<\/p>\n

    Want to know\u00a0what I do? I tell them,\u00a0\u201cAhhh, I\u2019m a little nervous!\u201d<\/em>\u00a0As humans who understand this experience, they will probably comfort you and assure you that you don\u2019t need to be.<\/p>\n

    You cannot fail the interview.<\/strong>\u00a0The IELTS speaking test marking system<\/a> is a scale of conversational skill. Where do you fall on it? Your conversation will tell\u00a0the interviewer where\u00a0place you on that scale. It\u2019s that simple, so don\u2019t be afraid to fail\u2014you can\u2019t!<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s less than 15 minutes!<\/strong>\u00a0The IELTS folks say you can expect the interview to last 11-14 minutes. You’ve probably spent half that reading this article. It will fly by, so don\u2019t let the idea of it become mammoth-sized in your mind! Instead, prepare yourself by learning about the nature of the exam using these helpful links:<\/p>\n