My previous post covered building up a bank of language material, practicing speaking with AI, and getting corrections. This post continues with the video resources I used for exam preparation. I did not enroll in any courses while preparing for the exam. I simply followed my previous approach to preparing for IELTS. I had not taken any courses for that exam either, but still achieved an overall score of 7.5 in IELTS Academic, so this time I used the same approach.
Reference Videos
For speaking, I watched FRENCHPILL’s YouTube video series on the C1 speaking exam. I even took screenshots to save while watching because the videos were packed with useful information.
Freench School TV’s C1 mock-exam videos can help you understand how the actual exam works, but do not be intimidated by the candidates’ speaking ability in the videos. I watched their C2 mock-exam videos, and the same woman played the candidate in those as well.
For writing, I watched Le French Club. His videos were a lifesaver for me. His explanations are very clear and well organized, making them extremely helpful for exam preparation.
Practice Thinking on Your Feet with a Friend
At work, I would actively strike up conversations with my colleagues. Later, I found a French friend who helped me practice speaking three times. The purpose of this step was to simulate the one-hour preparation period before the exam and develop my ability to think on my feet under pressure. You can record the practice sessions and review them afterward.
On the Day of the Exam
Relax, forget all the techniques, approach it as a conversation with the examiners, and talk more about your own experiences. I chose the topic of “positive education” and incorporated many of my experiences as a teacher in Hong Kong. The examiners were very interested. They had probably heard plenty of vague, generic statements, so hearing specific examples from our lives for a change was more engaging for them.
The timing was not particularly strict. My exposé lasted only 6 minutes and 15 seconds. I spent most of the time reading from my notes, occasionally making eye contact with them, and the whole thing was over in 15 minutes. However, this may also depend on the examiners. I was the last candidate that day, so they may have been tired of listening and ready to go home.