Need to know – OTE listening test
The Oxford Test of English (OTE) listening test assesses your listening skills through various tasks lasting up to 30 minutes. You’ll encounter different sections designed to test your ability to understand main ideas, specific details and the speaker’s intentions.
These tasks often include:
- Monologues: Listen to a single speaker and understand the main idea and specific details.
- Conversations: Identify the viewpoints of multiple speakers, and understand the context and details of their discussion.
- Short dialogues: Focus on brief exchanges, identifying key points and intentions.
The questions are varied and include multiple-choice, matching activities, note completion tasks and interpreting pictures. You can find out more about the OTE listening test here.
Why use YouTube for listening practice?
- Variety of topics: From educational content to entertainment, YouTube has every type of video you could imagine. This variety makes practice more interesting compared to standard or ‘typical’ test preparation materials.
- Free access: YouTube is free and doesn’t require a subscription (unless you’re removing ads!).
- Familiarity: You likely already go on YouTube to watch videos, which makes it easy for you to go on and learn. Plus, once you’ve started watching specific types of videos, similar ones are recommended to you, so it saves you a lot of time searching for something new.
- Playback options: You can play videos at different speeds, and pause or rewind as needed.
- Subtitles and transcripts: Many videos come with subtitles, and some even have transcripts, allowing you to check your comprehension afterwards. However, be careful and use your judgement with YouTube subtitles as sometimes, there are errors.
How to use YouTube for listening practice
1. Choose monologues on different topics
Start with monologues on common exam topics such as education, technology or health. Then, explore more unconventional topics to widen your comprehension skills. Listening to a range of subjects helps you get used to different types of content you might come across in the exam.
- Tip: Search for TED Talks, educational channels or podcasts on YouTube. Focus on understanding the main idea and the speaker’s intention (e.g. to inform, persuade or entertain).
2. Listen for main ideas and intentions
When watching a video, pay attention to what the speaker is trying to achieve. Are they arguing a point, sharing information or telling a story? Identifying the speaker’s intention can help you better understand the content and prepare for similar tasks in the OTE.
- Tip: After watching the video, summarise the main idea and intention in your own words. You can use an AI platform to check for grammatical or vocabulary errors if you don’t have access to a teacher to mark your work.
3. Identify details and reconstruct the talk
While listening, take notes on key details. Gradually build up your note-taking skills so you don’t have to pause the video often. After listening, try to reconstruct the talk by writing bullet points of the main ideas.
- Tip: Use bullet points to note down the main points and the supporting details.
4. Choose discussions and debates
Listening to discussions or debates can be challenging but provide you with the opportunity to listen to various speakers with different accents, different intonation and speech at different speeds.
- Tip: Look for online debates, panel discussions or interviews. Focus on understanding each speaker’s point of view and how they support their arguments.
5. Note down points of view and supporting arguments
During discussions, pay attention to the different points of view each speaker expresses. Listen to each speaker’s opinion and the arguments they use to support their views. This helps you practise the critical listening skills required for the OTE, and also builds your own bank of vocabulary.
- Tip: Use the language the speaker uses in your own discussions and debates in class.
Using YouTube is a great way to supplement your preparation for the OTE listening test because you can find authentic materials that can make learning and exam preparation more motivating. Give it a go!
Have you ever used YouTube for learning? In what way? Share your tips and favourite videos in the comments below!
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Activity
Choose the points the article mentions about how YouTube can help you with your listening skills.
- There is an option to choose different listening speeds.
- You can listen to the vocabulary the speaker uses and make a note of it.
- There are authentic materials from a variety of speakers on different topics.
- You do not have to register for an account.
- It is the most popular place to watch videos online.
- There are a variety of video types, from discussions to monologues.
Answers
1, 2, 3, 6
Billie Jago is an ELT writer and teacher trainer specialising in digital learning materials and assessment resources. She has written for various well-known assessment titles, and writes items for high stakes exams such as the PTE, IELTS and Cambridge. Alongside materials writing, she delivers international teacher training sessions and is the founder of the ELTcpd professional development training platform and podcast. She is also the co-founder of the educational consultancy, OtterEducation.