How to Prepare For the ASVAB If English Is Not Your First Language
Many Americans who have dreams of joining the United States Armed Forces are actually not American born and therefore do not speak English as a first language.
Perhaps your parents immigrated from another country or perhaps you grew up speaking a different language at home.
In this article, I will show you how you can study for the ASVAB despite not having English as your first language.
The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery or ASVAB is the military version of an entrance exam.
It tests your academic ability on the materials that you have learned throughout high school.
However, the test is given partly as a reading comprehension examination and therefore if English is not your first language, you may find yourself scoring lower than you would expect, not because you don't understand the material but simply because you don't understand what is being presented to you.
So your best bet, in addition to actually studying the topics on the ASVAB will be to improve your understanding of the English language.
This can be done in multiple ways.
For the vocabulary section, the solution is straightforward.
Simply study vocabulary flash cards and attempt to learn new words everyday so that you can recognize the words as they are presented to you.
However for the rest of the exam, it will be a little more difficult and your goal will be not just to study the material but to actually and actively work on improving both your written and verbal understanding of the English language.
In order to do this, you will have to expose yourself to new words and new reading material on a regular basis.
I have two major suggestions.
The first one is to go to the library and check out a number of books.
These books don't have to be on any particular topic.
Simply find something that interests you and then read, read, read.
As you're reading, keep a dictionary nearby.
If you come across a word that you do not understand, don't simply glance over it but actually go to the dictionary.
Look up the definition and make sure you understand what the word means and what it means in context to the sentence and keep doing this as you are reading.
Over time you will find that you have a better grasp of the English language but that you will also have a better grasp of understanding words in the context that it is given to you.
The second suggestion is to check out audio books either from the local library or perhaps download them from the internet.
As you are going about your daily chores such as commuting to work or cleaning your apartment, you should plug in an audio book and simply listen because hearing how words are spoken will help you identify with them better and this in turn will also improve your vocabulary and understanding of the English language.
Perhaps your parents immigrated from another country or perhaps you grew up speaking a different language at home.
In this article, I will show you how you can study for the ASVAB despite not having English as your first language.
The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery or ASVAB is the military version of an entrance exam.
It tests your academic ability on the materials that you have learned throughout high school.
However, the test is given partly as a reading comprehension examination and therefore if English is not your first language, you may find yourself scoring lower than you would expect, not because you don't understand the material but simply because you don't understand what is being presented to you.
So your best bet, in addition to actually studying the topics on the ASVAB will be to improve your understanding of the English language.
This can be done in multiple ways.
For the vocabulary section, the solution is straightforward.
Simply study vocabulary flash cards and attempt to learn new words everyday so that you can recognize the words as they are presented to you.
However for the rest of the exam, it will be a little more difficult and your goal will be not just to study the material but to actually and actively work on improving both your written and verbal understanding of the English language.
In order to do this, you will have to expose yourself to new words and new reading material on a regular basis.
I have two major suggestions.
The first one is to go to the library and check out a number of books.
These books don't have to be on any particular topic.
Simply find something that interests you and then read, read, read.
As you're reading, keep a dictionary nearby.
If you come across a word that you do not understand, don't simply glance over it but actually go to the dictionary.
Look up the definition and make sure you understand what the word means and what it means in context to the sentence and keep doing this as you are reading.
Over time you will find that you have a better grasp of the English language but that you will also have a better grasp of understanding words in the context that it is given to you.
The second suggestion is to check out audio books either from the local library or perhaps download them from the internet.
As you are going about your daily chores such as commuting to work or cleaning your apartment, you should plug in an audio book and simply listen because hearing how words are spoken will help you identify with them better and this in turn will also improve your vocabulary and understanding of the English language.
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