Why Go Abroad?

A lot of people – especially those who are claim to be nationalistic – say that going abroad is a selfish thing to do and that it does nothing to help those who are left behind. This is a sad generalization of the situation. We all know that the Philippines’s primary product is our excellent manpower.  The truth be told, becoming an Overseas Filipino Worker has many advantages that benefit not just the OFW and the family, but the Philippines as a country as well.

Here are some reasons why you should consider going abroad, especially in countries like the UK, US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

1.    The taxes actually go somewhere. A touchy subject, given that there has not been a time where the Philippines has not had issues in misuse of public funds. In the United States, they will go after anyone who does not pay their tax correctly. Look at that certain Filipino boxer who allegedly owes the US government money! The difference is in the US (and other countries mentioned above for that matter), you can actually feel your money going into making people’s lives better instead of lining politician’s pockets.

2.       It’s an educational experience. Regardless of going abroad to study, work, or simply migrate and be with your loved ones, visiting another country means being able to immerse yourself in another culture and practice your language skills. That, in itself, is reward for going to another country.

3.       If you want the best education, the best schools are abroad. We may have UP, ADMU, La Salle, and UST which are really wonderful schools. But the United States has Harvard and Yale and the UK has Cambridge University and Oxford. The education these foreign schools can give are the best in the world, if university rankings are to be believed.

4.       You will be empowered to financially support your family and to help the country have a more stable economy. Money talks, and when it comes to revenue, OFWs have it better. The salary they earn abroad is more than what they can earn here – unless you are on the very top of the corporate ladder. And of course, such money would be helpful to keeping the Philippines.

There are so many advantages of pursuing a life overseas. Think about it. Think really hard.

Good luck!

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IELTS or TOEFL: Which Suits You?

As someone who wants to go abroad, whether to continue one’s studies, work as a professional or a skilled worker, or simply to migrate and be with loved ones, you may be required to prove your ability to communicate in the language. In this case, hearsays and testimonials will probably not suffice and you will need to take an internationally-recognize exam to prove your language ability. This is the purpose of the International English Language Test System (IELTS) and the Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL) is for. Often, the institution requiring you to take an English proficiency test will specify which exam to sit. However, should you find yourself lucky enough to choose whether to take the IELTS or the TOEFL, here is a list of things to consider which one is more suitable for you.

1. Length of the examination. If you are the kind of person who wants things done fast, then you had better choose the IELTS. The examination is roughly three (3) hours long. This is for Listening, Reading, and Writing, with no breaks in between. You take the Speaking examination usually on another day. The TOEFL, on the other hand, is roughly four (4) hours with breaks in between every two components.

2. Mastery of understanding different English accents. The common problem test takers encounter in the IELTS is the use of different accents. For instance, Filipinos are used to the American accent, but find it difficult to understand English or Australians speaking. A variety of accents are utilized in the IELTS. The TOEFL, on the other hand, most often only use American accents.

3. Comfort level: use of technology versus old school methods. In the Philippines, the IELTS is a paper and pencil exam. This means you use traditional methods of taking the test. This may be a cause of concern, especially if you have illegible hand writing. In comparison, the TOEFL is taken with a computer. Tech savvy people will have no problem with this. It may even be an advantage, especially for those who do not have a very legible penmanship. However, for the technologically challenged, the TOEFL may present some problems.

4. Purpose. Although both the IELTS and the TOEFL are exams that can be taken by professionals and incoming students, only the IELTS is used for skilled workers and migrants. This is because the IELTS has a specific module to address the communication demands of these populations.

Hopefully, these points for consideration have helped you. Remember, though, that your success depends more on your determination to prepare well and not so much on the exam you take.

Good luck!

How to Write an IELTS Letter

 For those taking the General Training module, their Writing Exam is divided into two tasks. Task 2 is an essay wherein they must answer a question, usually about their opinion about a topic of general knowledge, or enumeration of causes, effects, advantages, and disadvantages of a particular idea.  Task 1, on the other hand, is letter writing. Although Task 1 gives only a third of the final score for the Writing Test, it is still important to receive a good score on it.

 Here are some tips on how to write a letter for your Task 1.

 1. Stick to full block style. This is the most commonly-used format when writing letters. This means that there are no indentions whatsoever, even when writing different paragraphs.

 2. Put spaces between the parts of the letter. Since you will be using the full block style, it is important for the reader (or in this case the evaluator) to be able to determine one paragraph from another. Putting spaces in between your paragraphs will help distinguish each part of the letter.

 3. Determine whether the letter is formal, semi-formal, and informal. Do this by determining who the recipient of your letter will be. Is he a bank manager? Is she your tutor? Are you friends with the person you are writing to. Once you determine this, you will be able to write with the appropriate tone, whether formally, semi-formally, or informally. Knowing these will also guide you on the appropriate salutations and complimentary close.

 4. Make sure that you answer all of the questions provided. In general training Writing task 1, there will be three questions. The content of your letter should be dedicated to answering these. Failure to answer even just one will mean a deduction to your score.

 5. Be conscious of your Grammar and word usage. Remember that the IELTS is an Englishproficiency exam. This means that you are also graded for your Grammar. Make sure that your tenses are consistent and check your subject-verb agreement. Also, use words that you know how to utilize correctly.

 Following these tips will help you write your letters. Next time you practice, keep these in mind.

 Good luck!

Get more IELTS tips here: http://www.ieltsexamstips.com/

Where to find Free IELTS Materials

A successful exam depends on the amount of time you give on reviewing. Indeed, studying for an upcoming examination plays an important role. People scheduled for an examination spends really a lot of time getting familiar with the topics for the examination when reviewing. The same thing happens when people review for the IELTS or the International English Language Testing System examination.

The IELTS examination is one of the most popular English proficiency examinations known to many. Candidates for the IELTS exam are usually people who are complying for an English proficiency requirement for work overseas, education in other countries, and possible immigration. For many years, this examination has been used by many different companies and academic institutions as a major requirement.

As a candidate for the IELTS examination, it is best to find materials that can help you for the examination. First and foremost, there are a lot of IELTS books that can be purchased in different bookstores. These IELTS books have exercises that candidates can practice on. Some books have provided explanations as part of their answer keys. Another thing that candidates can acquire review materials for the IELTS is online. From your favourite search engine, type in “free IELTS materials” and you will be given a list of different websites where you can work on your English skills for the IELTS. Answer keys are also provided. However, what can be a disadvantage of only having a book and online exercises to review on? Well, answer keys are important but what is more important is getting a clear and detailed explanation on the concepts and strategies for the IELTS. Since this is important, candidates should be enrolling in an IELTS review center.

IELTS review centers provide a lot of good services to their clients. First of all, they provide quality education through their uniquely designed course syllabus. This course syllabus includes sessions like grammar, vocabulary building, and pronunciation exercises. Most IELTS books in bookstores do not have these kinds of training making IELTS review centers the best choice for finding materials for the exam. The best thing about these centers is that they have professional trainers and coaches that guide the candidates all throughout the course program. They also provide feedbacks and teach skill building exercises that neither books nor online exercises can provide.

IELTS review centers are the best way in getting that desired score for the examination. The materials are relevant and constantly updated for the candidates’ own benefit and to ensure the highest quality of training and practice for the IELTS examination.

How to Take IELTS in Manila, Philippines

There are a lot of opportunities for work and education for Filipinos. This is certainly the reason of the increasing number of Filipinos seeking for greener pastures abroad. A lot of professions and skilled work are in demand in countries like Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. Since these countries use English as their first language, companies and academic institutions require an IELTS or International English Language Testing System certification. This will serve as proof that someone is competent not only at work but also in communicating with other people with the use of the English language.

 Taking the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) examination in Manila is easy. There are different steps on how you can register for the IELTS through the British Council or IDP. There are four different ways where one can register for the IELTS examination: visiting their office, sending application forms downloaded via courier, have assistance from registration agents or use the IELTS Registration Online and Payment System. For the IDP, complete the application form and send it together with the other requirements to their office.  Once the requirements are checked, a confirmation letter will be sent to candidates indicating the test center and the test schedule.

In Manila, the available dates for the IELTS this year are the following:
IDP
• September 21 – Academic and General Training
• September 28 – Academic
• October 12 – Academic and General Training
• October 26 – Academic and General Training

British Council
• September 21 – Academic and General Training
• September 28 – Academic
• October 12 – Academic and General Training
• October 19 – Academic
• October 26 – Academic and General Training
• November 9 – Academic and General Training
• November 16 – Academic
• November 21 – Academic and General Training
• December 7 – Academic and General Training
• December 12 – Academic
• December 14 – Academic and General Training

Once you register for the examination, you will be asked to choose among the test centers located in Manila. Choose the one that is near your area.  Moreover, candidates should be aware that the Speaking section of the IELTS is done before the Writing Tests (listening, reading, and writing). The speaking test is usually done in the morning at around 9 in the morning and the writing tests are scheduled at 8.

For candidates in Manila, it is best to ask help from IELTS review centers upon registering for the examination. They offer services that will make registering and being familiar with the exam type comfortable and easy.

How to Prepare for your English Exam

English proficiency examinations such as the TOEFL and the IELTS are, more often than not, requirements, for those who wish to study, work, or migrate abroad. This is, of course, policy-dependent. Each institution – school or workplace – may have its own preference, whether to require English tests or not. But if you ARE required to sit an exam that will assess your ability to communicate in the language of the world, then here are some tips on how you can prepare for that test and get the highest possible grade you can.

1.       Know the specifics. Ask whoever is asking you to take the English test the following questions:

a.       Which English exam you will need to take. There are several, but the most popular are IELTS and TOEFL. If you are taking the IELTS, you must ask what module you will take. It is either the academic or general training module. This last bit is important, because if you take the wrong module, the test results may not be accepted.

b.      What is your score requirement is. The score requirement is the lowest possible score you can get but still qualify for the job/school/migration. This gives you an idea of what score you need to hit and transcend.

c.       When the results will be needed. Knowing when your results will be needed will allow you to determine how much time you have to prepare.

2.       Determine your readiness to take the exam. The best way to do this is to answer practice examinations. You can find stuff online, or take advantage of some review center’s free diagnostic examinations. The problem with these methods is that the writing and speaking skills are not assessed. That part will most likely cost you.

3.       Find a review center with a program that suits your needs. Prepping for the IELTS or TOEFL is no mean feat – not only do you have to be proficient in the language, you must also be familiar with the particular techniques for question types that are exclusive to those exams.

4.       Commit to prepare. Whether in a review center or on your own, it is important to have time to prepare. The major mistake of someone with a relatively acceptable background in English, like Filipinos, is to take for granted prepping for their English exam. Many fail because they are unprepared to take the exam. Commit to the preparation.

Good luck!

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