Teaching IELTS

Module 1: Introduction to Teaching IELTS

What is IELTS?

International English Language Testing System

Over 25 years

IDP: IELTS Australia / Cambridge English Language Assessment / British Council

Accepted by over 9000 organisations worldwide

Over 1000 test centres, over 140 countries

Tests four skills: reading, writing, listening, speaking

Two different IELTS Tests: General training and Academic

What is assessed and how does it work?

Academic Reading: 3 long texts, 60 minutes, 40 questions

Academic Writing: Task 1 (report of graph, chart, table, diagram)

Task 2 (essay – argument, problem, point of view, formal style)

General Training Reading: 4 – 5 short texts, 1 long text, 60 minutes, 40 questions

General Training Writing: Task 1 (letter, semi-formal, personal, formal)

Task 2 (essay – argument, problem, point of view, less formal style)

Listening: 4 recorded texts, 30 minutes, 40 questions

Speaking: 3 parts, discussion and monologue, 11- 14 minutes

Band Scores (no pass or fail)

Band 9 – Expert User

Band 8 – Very Good User

Band 7 – Good User

Band 6 – Competent User

Band 5 – Modest User

Band 4 – Limited User

Band 3 – Extremely Limited User

Band 2 – Intermittent User

Band 1 – Non User

Band Scores are averaged and rounded

Listening 7.0 Reading 6.0 Writing 6.5 Speaking 8.0 Total = Band 7

Listening 3.0 Reading 4.0 Writing 4.5 Speaking 5.5 Total = Band 4

Who takes the IELTS exam and what scores will they need?

Many different types of students – examples:

- doctors, nurses who need registration in an English-speaking country

- students who want to study undergraduate or postgraduate courses at English-speaking universities

- people who want to migrate to the UK, Canada, Australia or New Zealand

- students who want to challenge themselves

- Students who need an certain IELTS Band score to graduate from their course

- students who have been placed in the class by their parents

Therefore motivations may be very different and the scores they need will vary greatly.

Before you teach…

Find out as much about your students as possible!

Are they going to take the exam, if so when?

Will they take the General Training exam or the Academic exam?

Why are they taking the exam? Is it high stakes for them?

Do they know what Band Scores they need to get in each skill?

How long do you have to teach them and prepare them for the exam?