Saitama Public High School Entrance Examination - English study plan
Saitama Public High School Entrance Examination - English · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Listening Comprehension & Grammar and Vocabulary in Context (sentence and dialogue completion)
Set up a daily 10-minute dictation routine using short English audio at natural speed and transcribe key numbers, times, and place names
Identify the five most common listening traps (numbers, negation, similar sounds, distractors, rephrasing) and label one example of each from your own practice audio
Review and drill the 40 highest-frequency function words and phrases that carry meaning in spoken English (e.g., prepositions, auxiliaries, contractions)
Complete 30 short dialogue-completion items and record every grammar or vocabulary error in a personal error log
Your checkpoint
A 40-item personal error log with categories and one corrected example sentence per entry, plus a one-page listening-trap cheat sheet
Listening Comprehension & Reading Comprehension (short passages and dialogues)
Practice two-pass listening: first pass for gist, second pass for detail, on 12 short monologues and dialogues
Answer 40 short-passage reading questions under a 6-minute-per-set limit and mark where in the text each answer is supported
Build a 25-word vocabulary list from listening and reading material, with Japanese meanings and one original example sentence each
Shadow 8 short audio clips aloud to improve rhythm, linking, and reduced forms
Your checkpoint
A timed practice record showing scores for 12 listening sets and 10 short-reading sets, with an annotated answer-evidence sheet
Reading Comprehension (long passages and information retrieval) & Reading Comprehension (short passages and dialogues)
Skim and scan 6 long passages to locate specific information within 90 seconds per question
Practice information-retrieval tasks (timetables, notices, flyers, email threads) and extract answers without reading every word
Summarize each long passage in three sentences identifying main idea, key detail, and author purpose
Distinguish fact from opinion in 20 statements drawn from your reading material
Your checkpoint
A retrieval-practice portfolio of 10 authentic-format information tasks with answers and the exact text line supporting each answer
Reading Comprehension (long passages and information retrieval) & Grammar and Vocabulary in Context (sentence and dialogue completion)
Complete 4 full-length long-passage sections under exam timing and review every wrong answer for cause (vocabulary, inference, time pressure)
Drill 60 grammar-in-context items covering tense, agreement, comparatives, relative clauses, and conditionals
Rewrite 20 incorrect sentences from your error log, explaining the rule in one line each
Reduce average time per long-passage question to under 75 seconds
Your checkpoint
A mid-point mock section report with scores, timing data, and a ranked list of your top five remaining weaknesses
Conversation and Situational Expression (appropriate response selection) & Writing: Situational/Functional English (messages, notes, short responses)
Memorize 15 fixed situational response patterns (apologies, requests, invitations, refusals, phone calls, directions) and use each in a written dialogue
Write 10 short functional messages (notes, emails, replies) of 25-40 words each using a clear purpose sentence and a closing line
Practice selecting the appropriate response in 40 situational items, justifying each choice in one sentence
Edit your own messages for register, politeness level, and missing information
Your checkpoint
A set of 10 polished functional messages with a self-review checklist applied to each
Writing: Conditioned English Composition & Writing: Situational/Functional English (messages, notes, short responses)
Outline and write 4 conditioned compositions of 50-70 words following a given situation, topic sentence, and required content points
Use a three-step writing routine: plan for 2 minutes, write for 8 minutes, check for 3 minutes
Apply a 10-point self-check (content points covered, tense consistency, spelling, linking words, word count) to every composition
Revise two earlier compositions and note concrete improvements
Your checkpoint
Four timed compositions with completed self-check sheets and before/after revisions of two of them
Listening Comprehension & Writing: Conditioned English Composition
Take 2 full mock exams under strict timing and record section-by-section scores
Re-listen to every missed listening item until you can transcribe it fully
Write 2 additional conditioned compositions and compare them against the required content points
Cut careless errors by reviewing the error log and re-testing the 20 most frequent mistakes
Your checkpoint
Two complete mock exam score reports with error analysis and a list of the 20 recurring mistakes you have now corrected
Reading Comprehension (long passages and information retrieval) & Conversation and Situational Expression (appropriate response selection) & Writing: Situational/Functional English (messages, notes, short responses)
Take 1 final full mock exam and confirm each section is at or above your target score
Review all eight weeks of error logs and re-answer every item you previously got wrong
Practice 20 situational items and 5 functional writing tasks at exam speed without notes
Finalize a one-page exam-day strategy sheet covering time allocation per section and checking routines
Your checkpoint
A final mock exam result plus a one-page exam-day strategy sheet and a closed error log with all items resolved
Milestones
Week 2: You can answer short listening and reading items with at least 70% accuracy and can point to the text or audio segment that supports each answer
Week 4: Long-passage accuracy is at least 65% under exam timing, and your error log shows grammar mistakes concentrated in no more than three rule areas
Week 6: You can produce a 50-70 word conditioned composition and a 25-40 word functional message within the time limit with all required content points covered
Week 8: Final mock exam total is at or above your target score, with no section below 60% and all logged errors resolved