#14 English from Scratch | Eiken Grade 2 Challenge: S-CBT Eiken Grade 2 Results Announcement

Around 5:30 PM on February 20th, my phone pinged with an email notification.
The sender was the Eiken Foundation of Japan.
Finally, the results are here!!!
My heart started pounding all at once.
Without hesitation, I immediately clicked the attached URL.

The result was＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿.

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I passedーーーーー😭✨

I'm so happy...
For the month I spent waiting for the results, I was constantly on edge.
Even when I was doing other things, I would suddenly remember and feel nervous for no reason.
It was a time when my mind couldn't rest.
My total score for the four skills was 2097.
Here are my grades.

The first stage was decent, I suppose.

For writing, I got a 3 in both the summary and the essay. I think I put up a pretty good fight.

And then there was listening, which I was worried about.
I panicked a little during the actual test, but I think it was good that I was able to pull myself together quickly.

The problem is speaking. I passed by a very narrow margin. My weaknesses have been highlighted.

Looking back on everything so far

First, vocabulary.
For the first 3 to 4 months after I started preparing for the exam, I studied intensively using a vocabulary book.
I did 100 rapid-fire repetitions and I think I memorized about 80% of it.
But after that, I only opened the book occasionally.
When I reviewed it a month before the exam, there were many words I had forgotten or didn't fully understand.
I think this result is exactly the accumulation of that.
I realized that for vocabulary, it really is important to keep exposing yourself to it.

For the reading comprehension section, I was able to take my time and review it with the remaining time.
I think I had reached a level where I could understand it if I took the time.
However, it would have been difficult if I hadn't had the time to review.
From now on, I want to train my ability to read quickly and accurately.

For writing, I practiced many times while having ChatGPT correct and provide feedback on various topics.
Being able to improve my accuracy was a huge help.
It was like having a running partner.

For listening, I learned that I can understand it if I stay calm.
However, I was quite flustered during the actual test.
I think now that I should have done more shadowing of the questions and answers during my study phase.

And then speaking.
Honestly speaking, there is only room for improvement.
This time, I practiced using ChatGPT's voice input.
I need more practice on topics I'm not good at, and since the response time is fixed in S-CBT, I felt that quick thinking is also important.
I want to be more conscious of taking an interest in social issues and expressing my own thoughts.
And above all, I want to reduce my
resistance to speaking.
My heart rate spikes as soon as I'm asked a question, so I want to keep practicing daily conversation.

And now, onto the next step.

There is something I felt strongly this time.
This year and a half of challenging Eiken Grade 2 was a time to learn not only about my "English ability" but also about "how to face myself."
There were days when I felt down because I couldn't do something.
There were days when I was impatient and just spinning my wheels.
Even so, there was a version of me that sat at the desk.
That moment during the test when my heart rate was up, but I told myself, "It's okay, stay calm."
I think that accumulation is what returned to me as the number 2097.
But this is not the goal; it's just a milestone.
I still haven't reached the point where I can laugh freely in English or naturally convey my thoughts in English.
So next, I want to cultivate

“usable English” rather than “English for passing tests.”

I intend to take the Pre-1st Grade test to gauge where I currently stand.
But my real goal is to be able to have daily conversations with English speakers without stress.For a while, I'm entering a speaking reinforcement period.
I will continue to record the real process here.English from scratch.
It still continues.