Introducing: Materials for EIKEN Test Prep

For those tutors who are unaware, students now have access to materials specifically focused on preparation for the EIKEN test. To get you up to speed, we’d like to give a brief overview of these materials and share some tips to help you and your students get the most out of them.

What is the EIKEN test?

The EIKEN test (also sometimes called STEP Eiken) is one of the most well-known English-proficiency tests in Japan. It is administered by the Eiken Foundation of Japan and is widely used in the admissions departments of high schools and universities across the country. 

In addition, educational institutions in the US, Canada and Australia also recognize EIKEN scores as part of their admissions process.

The test is separated into five Grades — two of which contain sub-sections — with Grade 1 being the highest. Similar to other major standardized tests, it assesses students' listening, reading, speaking and writing abilities.

About the materials

Our materials were developed by a member of our staff with nearly 10 years of experience creating EIKEN study tools. These materials are based on deep analysis of past exams, helping to give students a clear idea of what to expect on the actual test.

Here are a few important points to know about the materials:

• 130 original lessons, including mock tests 
• Covers Grades 3, Pre-2, 2 and Pre-1
• Focuses on key speaking, listening and reading comprehension skills
• Reading sections cover a variety of interesting topics
• Key vocabulary identified throughout lessons

Best of all, students will be given unlimited access to these materials, allowing them to study and review on their own at their convenience.

One big thing to note is that tutors no longer need to have an EIKEN tag in order to teach these lessons. For those who have not received EIKEN-specific training, there's no need to worry, as these lessons have been designed so that they can be taught by any tutor. 

Teaching tips

Here are some things to keep in mind when teaching with these materials:

• Check to see which EIKEN Grade your student is aiming to pass for before selecting a particular lesson/course.

• More than in regular lessons, students will need to speak to prepare properly for the test, so pay extra attention to the tutor/student talking ratio.

• Make sure students take note of the vocabulary introduced, as they will likely see it on the actual test.

• Encourage students to practice with topics beyond their normal interests since they must be prepared to discuss a wide variety of things on the test.

• Work on their ability to summarize passages by asking them to paraphrase, using different words to express the same ideas in multiple ways.

• Focus on giving feedback. Sample answers are provided to questions so you can direct more of your attention to pointing out areas for improvement, suggesting alternative ways to express ideas more clearly, and praising students in areas where they're doing well.

• Encourage students to take advantage of their unlimited access to these materials and review on their own.

Wrap-up

If you haven’t already taught a lesson with our new EIKEN materials yet, we hope this article has given you an idea of what to expect. As always, Tutor Support is on hand to assist you if you have any questions or concerns about these tools, so don’t be shy about reaching out to them.