It's a normal part of life for international students who are studying on a part-time basis in Australia and take part-time work at the same time. University work, job changes, travel, meals, socialization and personal responsibilities can be very time consuming, leaving little time for PTE preparation. At the end of a hectic day it can be hard to even open a practice book. However, in preparing for the PTE, it doesn't mean that you have to study for hours daily. It's important that you have a realistic plan for preparing for your PTE exam that works around your work and study schedule.
Begin with your REAL schedule.
Take a reality-check at your week before you make your own PTE study plan. At what times do you work? What time do you go to school during the week? What are the days of the week with the most activity? At what time of day do you feel you have the time and energy to study? Any plan that seems like a lot of work but doesn't suit your life won't be easy to follow. Don't set aside three hours of study per night, just set aside the time you can commit. Knowing what you want to achieve, even if it is 45 minutes of focused preparation can be helpful.
Identify areas for improvement
All PTE students are unique with their strengths and weaknesses. Maybe Reading is easy, but Speaking is difficult, or you have a strong vocabulary but you need to work on your Writing skills. That's why your preparation should NOT be solely centered around the number of practice questions you have to complete. Review your work and pinpoint areas of loss of marks. After learning the weak parts, you can concentrate your studying time on the weaker parts.
Design short study sessions.
It isn't always possible to have long study sessions if you're working part-time and attending university. Rather, break it up into smaller chunks of time throughout the week. You might spend half an hour before your class at the university to practice Speaking, half an hour on your way to work to review vocabulary, or a couple of minutes to complete a few Reading questions after work. These mini sessions can pile up without burdening you with the precept of preparing for PTE.
Speaking a Daily Habit:
You need to have more than a knowledge of English to pass PTE Speaking. You also have to be able to answer clearly, to time your answers and to pronounce and speak correctly. Even if you are not able to study for an entire hour, you can still practice Speaking. Attempt to explain what you have done during the day, to explain an idea verbally, or record yourself answering practice questions. By repeated practice, it can help you to feel more natural and become more comfortable applying the use of English under time constraints. When you live in Australia, you will have opportunities to come across English that you are not preparing for your PTE exam.
Pay attention to what others are saying in the workplace or in school. Listen for pronunciation, expressions, word choice and organization of thoughts. You can also hear Australian podcasts, news, interviews and conversations. These activities are not a substitute for practice in using the PTE, but can help you get used to listening to and using English in various contexts.
Make Your Weekends Count!
If your weekdays are occupied, your weekend may be beneficial for more in-depth practice of the PTE. Select 1 or 2 key activities rather than the whole day to study. You may take a practice exam, look over the errors, practice a troublesome part of the exam, and set goals for the next week. It is particularly important to go over the wrong answers, since answering more questions will not always work out the problems that brought about the previous errors.
Don't follow another student's study plan.
There are PTE timetables available online that guarantee a certain score within a given period of time. These are schedules that can give ideas, but may not be applicable to your situation. The level you are studying English at, the amount of points you are aiming for, the time you have to study, the extent of experience you have had in taking the test and the way you learn are all different from someone else. With a customized schedule, you can choose which activities to engage in rather than mimicking that of another student.
Personalized Online PTE Classes Can Help: How?
If your student is doing part-time work in Australia, preparing for the PTE could be easier with personalized online PTE classes. You can do classes at home or from another convenient place and at a time convenient for you rather than having to travel to a coaching personalized classes allows a teacher to work with you and give you individual attention. They can spot common errors, give you immediate feedback and change your studying strategy as you improve.
At Online Class Nepal, a personalized PTE preparation course is customized according to the student's necessity, target score, current level and time schedule. Students can avail of one-to-one online classes, timings, study plans, feedback, study material, practice test preparation and it can be helpful if you have schedule conflicts that vary from week to week due to university and part-time work.
Final Thoughts
Studying for PTE while doing a part-time job in Australia can be difficult, but it doesn't need to be overwhelming. It is possible to make progress by developing a study plan that's compatible with your university timetable, work schedule and personal time. Serve your weak areas, practice regularly, take a few minutes and go over the errors. Most importantly, keep in mind that it should be a preparation that is centered around you. Personalized online PTE classes are available at Online Class Nepal, allowing the students to get focused guidance and study plan according to their individual requirements and fluctuating timetable.
It is not necessary to opt for either of the following: work and university or PTE preparation. You can fit all three in with the right plan.