DSE English Language Listening Exam Radio Preparation Checklist: Pre-exam Testing and Exam Day Reminders

Radio
Checklist

This article was put together automatically from official and organisation sources. Check the latest information from the organisation concerned.

Check your admission form first: which broadcast mode does your venue use?

Not all Listening exams use the same broadcast mode. The HKEAA states that there are three types of broadcast mode: radio broadcast, infrared broadcast system, and school broadcast system / USB player / computer broadcast. Candidates must check the venue information listed on their admission form to confirm the broadcast mode used at the venue they have been assigned, then prepare their equipment accordingly.

The equipment required varies greatly between modes. At a radio broadcast venue, candidates only need to bring a radio and headphones that work properly and comply with the requirements. At a venue using the infrared reception system, candidates only need to bring headphones with a 3.5 mm plug diameter and two insulating rings to connect to the receiver provided at the venue. Candidates sitting at venues using the school broadcast system / USB player / computer broadcast do not need to bring a headphone-style radio or headphones. In other words, the first step of the preparation checklist is not buying equipment, but confirming which type of venue you are assigned to.

Infrared reception system venues are marked with a "#" symbol on the admission form, so candidates can identify them this way. For radio broadcasts, the broadcast is made through RTHK Radio 2 (RTHK2). Candidates who have questions about their venue information can contact the Public Examinations Information Centre on 3628 8860.

HKEAA information shows that the English Language Listening exam has been held on different dates in April in different years, so candidates should rely on the information on their own admission form. Because the exam counts towards the overall HKDSE result, it is worth checking equipment preparations against the official checklist item by item well in advance, rather than dealing with them on the day.

Equipment specifications for radio broadcast venues

If assigned to a radio broadcast venue, candidates need a headphone-style radio and headphones. The radio must be able to receive FM radio broadcasts, and the radio body must not exceed 46 cm x 15 cm x 15 cm (i.e. 18 in x 6 in x 6 in). The HKEAA does not specify any radio model, nor any "DSE-only" model; all radios that comply with the requirements may be used in the exam. Parents and candidates do not need to buy a particular model for this; they only need to check that the specifications match.

Some equipment is clearly not permitted. The HKEAA lists multimedia players, Bluetooth / Wi-Fi devices, mobile phones and radios built into headphones as electronic devices that may not be used at venues. Candidates should also make sure that no SD memory cards, discs or other storage media are placed inside the radio equipment. Radios or headphones that do not meet the requirements will not be allowed at the venue, and candidates will be arranged to sit the exam in a special room.

The radio must be placed on the exam desk, and the antenna must not affect other candidates or block walkways. The HKEAA also states that the length of a radio's antenna will not affect reception of nearby radios, so candidates need not worry about this. As for routine care of the radio and headphones, such as cleaning and storage, it is sensible to follow the instructions in the manual and to confirm before the exam that the equipment still works properly.

When buying, candidates and parents can check whether the product description states that it can receive FM radio broadcasts, and whether the radio body meets the size limit above. Different brands and models have different designs; this article does not comment on individual models, and the HKEAA rules are authoritative in all cases.

Checklist for testing the radio before the exam

The HKEAA advises candidates to check before the exam that their radio works properly and has sufficient battery power, and stresses that venues will not supply batteries, nor provide spare batteries, radios or headphones. The checklist below is based on official information, and candidates can go through it item by item the night before the exam and before leaving home.

Besides the equipment itself, candidates may also bring more than one radio and keep it under their desk as a backup. This is an officially permitted arrangement, and for candidates worried about equipment failing on the day, bringing an extra compliant radio is a feasible fallback.

• Can the radio receive FM radio broadcasts?
• Is the radio body no larger than 46 cm x 15 cm x 15 cm?
• Is the radio a headphone-style radio, not a radio built into headphones?
• Are headphones prepared and confirmed to be working properly?
• Are the batteries new or sufficiently charged, and have you considered bringing spare batteries?
• Is there no SD memory card, disc or other storage media inside the radio?
• Does the radio lack an automatic tuning (seek) function; and if it has both stereo and mono modes, has mono been selected?
• Have you checked your admission form to confirm the venue's broadcast mode and the equipment required?

Two details on settings and use

The HKEAA gives two specific recommendations on reception settings. First, if the radio has both stereo and mono reception modes, mono should be selected for better reception. Second, candidates should not use radios with an automatic tuning (seek) function; the HKEAA advises candidates not to use radios with an automatic channel-tuning function.

At radio broadcast venues, the supervisor will write the channel best suited for receiving the broadcast in that area on the blackboard before the exam starts. After entering, candidates can look at the channel information on the blackboard and tune their radio to that channel, rather than relying on automatic tuning. In other words, the channel to be used on the day is provided by the venue, so candidates do not need to guess or memorise it in advance.

Some radios have a key lock function to prevent the tuned channel from being changed accidentally; candidates using such a design should familiarise themselves with how it works before the exam, to avoid fumbling on the day. Battery level displays or low battery alerts are only a guide, and bringing spare batteries is still the safer approach, because venues will not provide batteries.

Timing and reminders on exam day

On timing, HKEAA information shows that at venues using radio or infrared broadcast, candidates are advised to arrive at 8:30 am; candidates must also arrive at the venue punctually at or before 8:30 am. The English Language Listening exam starts punctually at 10:00 am, and the broadcast begins at 10:00 am; it waits for no one.

RTHK2 will broadcast a short announcement about the Listening exam at 9:30 am and 9:45 am, which candidates can use to confirm that their radio is receiving properly. At venues using the infrared reception system, the supervisor will play a test USB before the exam starts so candidates can check that their headphones and receiver are working properly.

The consequences of lateness and equipment problems are different, and candidates should pay particular attention. Candidates who go to the special room because of reception problems or because their radio/headphones are not working properly will not be penalised. However, candidates arranged to sit the exam in the special room because they were late, did not bring their own radio (including headphones or batteries), or brought electronic devices other than a radio will be penalised. The HKEAA also states that candidates who are more than 30 minutes late relative to the reporting time (9:15 am) will be arranged to sit the exam in the special room, will not be given extra time to answer, and will be penalised.

How parents can help

For parents, the most practical help is to complete the preparation in stages rather than dealing with it on the exam day itself. The night before, go through the checklist above with your child to confirm the condition of the batteries, headphones and radio; before leaving home, check once more that the equipment is in the bag, and confirm that the venue broadcast mode listed on the admission form matches the equipment being brought.

Another point to note is that, because venues will not provide spare batteries, radios or headphones, bringing spare batteries and an extra radio is an officially permitted and prudent approach. As for whether extra tutoring is needed to prepare for the Listening paper, that is a separate question: equipment preparation and language skills training are two different things. The former can be handled by checking against the official checklist item by item, while the latter can be revised according to school progress. This website provides free maths learning content and is not a resource for preparing for the Listening paper; parents can choose according to their child's actual needs.

If you have questions about venue arrangements, equipment specifications or exam arrangements, you can contact the Public Examinations Information Centre on 3628 8860, and official replies are authoritative. When buying equipment, parents may also note whether different retailers offer free delivery or price promotions, but such information changes over time and the latest announcements from the merchant should be relied on; this does not affect the core consideration of whether the equipment meets HKEAA specifications.

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