I already took the celban twice and I am always short on the speaking component.

Updated 2021

Dear Kim,

Hello! My name is J, I already took the celban twice and I am always short on the speaking component. I read your website and I am interested to review, but I am quite confused what to pick. I cannot afford a 3 month review. If you could recommend a class for me, I just want to do speaking — a one on one if possible.

Thank you,

Dear J,

What you have written is great. You have lots of questions and shows you have done your research. And before I begin to answer your questions I want to start by stating this boldly and clearly!

Your career is at stake! Time and money should not be an issue.

It takes practice to develop the skills to get an acceptable score on the exam. Practice requires time. That is why the CELBAN Speaking Practice Guide has lesson plans spread out over a matter of five weeks. That is so that you have ample time to develop each skill, and know what to do in your studies onward.

Ok. Let’s start with your questions.

I am quite confused what to pick. I cannot afford a 3 month review.

What these statements tell me is that you have already made a decision. The decision is based on what you can afford. So, there is very little confusion about that. Then the real question is, what can you afford?

As of September 2021 there are 3 options:

Self-Study through the CELBAN Speaking Preparation Guide that is available internationally on Amazon. This is the most affordable option.
Self-Study through the CELBANPrep University monthly subscription. Here you get the added advantage of additional resources through the Resource Centre, the Learning Centre, and the Video Library. This is also an affordable option.
The 3 month course, you mentioned. This is the CELBANPrep 90 Day Challenge. Where before each skill was taught individually, as of 2021 CELBANPrep University now offers a course bundle. There are 3 – 8 week modules within the 90 Day Challenge. Lessons are provided on a daily basis. Live Exciting Events are also part of this programming.

So, if you have already decided you can not afford option 3 – the course – then the other 2 options are available to you.

That is what the CELBANPrep Compassionate Policy is all about: creating resources that are available to everyone regardless of circumstance. Of course, it is better to be in a class, but if that doesn’t work for you then there still are some reliable solid resources for you to use to prepare for the Speaking portion of the CELBAN exam.

The thing is, if you choose self-study, how will you know what you need to do to improve? How will your mistakes be identified?

I just want to do speaking

— a one on one if possible.

I smiled at this comment. One-on-one sessions, personal coaching, costs more because of the individual attention that is given to the learner. If paying for a 3 month course is out of your reach then hiring a one-on-one coach is even more so.

If you are thinking that one month training one-on-one is better than a three month course consider this:

It takes time to develop skills!

There is a reason why you are not getting the score on CELBAN Speaking. Actually, there can be many reasons. And the possibilities are vast. In your report you have received feedback each time you took the CELBAN that tells you what those weaknesses are. Those skills are what you must develop. And it takes more than one month of weekly one-on-one sessions to go from:

unconscious incompetence <= not knowing what you don’t know, to
conscious incompetence <= experiencing the storm and struggle of the learning process, to
conscious competence <= demonstrating the skills and performing it exceptionally well, to
unconscious competence <= performing the skills without even thinking about it.

It takes time to learn. It takes time to develop competencies. Some people get stuck in stage #2 for a long time, not getting it, not being able to perform the skill with confidence and ease.

That is why all those people promising crash courses for you to take in a weekend or whatever are filling vulnerable IENs like yourself with false hope.

If you could recommend a class for me

My recommendation goes like this: it is the process I have created.

STEP ONE: engage in the self-study options. Buy the book on Amazon and start there.
STEP TWO: expand your learning with the self-study resources available through the CELBANPrep University. You can end your subscription at any time.
STEP THREE: put some money away so that you can take the course.
STEP FOUR: engage in the CELBANPrep 90 Day Challenge.

You can, of course, stop at step two, take the exam, see how you do. If your score is not high enough, then go to step four. And hopefully you will be wise enough to have the money to do so.

At the end of the day, I have faith, you can do this. I have faith in what I have created. It works. It just takes time!

Kim

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