Developing Essay-writing Skills for International Testing in English

Abstract

Abstract: The objective of the article is to study the basic principles of preparation for the international English language testing, in particular its written aspect. Strategies for preparing for the testing emphasize the formation of written academic competence through systematic training in essay-writing according to the specificity of the requirements for the "writing" section. Mastering the process of gaining skills and improving abilities involves preparing for writing various types of essays, which includes analyzing the topic, forming a clear thesis, creating a structured plan, arguing, etc. Research methods: the communicative-activity and competence-based approach to teaching a foreign language have been provided. Effective teaching methods formulate critical thinking, teach argumenting logically, editing the ready text, allow to optimize the educational process, accumulate experience in performing creatively while working on papers and set students up for successful completion of any task in the “writing” section. Research findings: the article systematizes typical difficulties, such as the lack of a guiding idea, violation of thematic unity, inability to argument sufficiently or formulate generalizations and come to conclusions, limited arsenal of cohesion tools, dominance of conversational style, etc. Recommendations are given for the successful completion of the tests in the "writing" section, as well as tips for editing the finished essay. Conclusions: systematic teaching of the English language essay-writing creates methodological conditions for the purposeful formation of basic cognitive and speech competencies, which allows students not only to get acquainted with typical tasks of international English testing, but also to gain practical skills in writing essays, enrich their creative potential and grow professionally. Successful completion of international tests requires creative-activity and problem-innovative approaches to ensure students’ capability to pass an international test successfully, which contributes to their competitiveness in the international labor market.