how to prepare for ielts - viaa

www.ielts.org

Delivered locally,

recognised

globally

BCIE Riga, 2012

www.ielts.org www.ielts.org

Aims

• To give a sound understanding of:

– What IELTS is

– Where and why students take it

– IELTS format, content and scores

– How to prepare for IELTS

www.ielts.org

IELTS

An introduction

www.ielts.org www.ielts.org

What is IELTS?

• The ‘International English Language Testing System’

• Jointly managed by 3 partners:

• Experts in English language testing internationally

www.ielts.org www.ielts.org

What does IELTS do?

“Designed to assess the English language ability of people

who intend to study or work where English is the language

of communication”

• Test of communicative proficiency in English

• Original 4 skills test covering:

– Listening

– Reading

– Writing

– Speaking

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Academic candidate’s top

destinations 2012

www.ielts.org

Why do students take

IELTS?

www.ielts.org www.ielts.org

Institutes of further and higher education:

Australia, Canada, European countries, Hong Kong, New

Zealand, South Africa, Ireland, the United Kingdom, United

States and many other countries worldwide

Professional bodies:

Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK and USA

Immigration authorities:

Australia, Canada, New Zealand, UK

Global recognition – one test for many countries and many purposes – recognised by 7,000 organisations

worldwide (August 2012)

www.ielts.org www.ielts.org

Generally:

• 5.0 – 5.5 often required for Foundation degree programmes

• 5.5 – 6.5 often required for Undergraduate programmes

• 6.0 – 7.0 often required for Masters/Postgraduate

programmes

• 7.0 usually required for professional studies

The score is decided by the University NOT by IELTS: this is

why scores may be different for each university.

What scores do you need for university study?

www.ielts.org

Use the online Global Recognition

System www.ielts.org

to find out which institutions will

accept your IELTS scores

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Globally accessible and convenient

• Tests administered at over 800 centres and venues

worldwide

• Up to 48 test dates per year (4 per month)

• Results released 13 days after test

• TRF can be sent directly to receiving organisations

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Delivered locally – friendly customer service

• High customer standards within the centre to ensure a

stress free testing experience

– Friendly testing environment & staff

– Strict security and centre management

– Straight forward registration procedure

• Every effort made to cater a candidate with special

requirements

• Test fee set in the country and payable in local currency

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Successful communication involves interaction

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Candidates and recognising institutions value the face-

to-face speaking test

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Test format and content,

band scores and test

results

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Question Paper Production

• 3 – 4 years to develop one item (question)

• Item writers in Australia, New Zealand, UK, USA and now

Canada

• Content sourced globally

• 6 stages of paper construction – rigorous standards applied

• Topics or language context which may introduce a bias

against any group are avoided

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Academic or General Training

IELTS?

Academic:

• Entry to University / College

/ professional registration

• Assesses ability to study or

train at undergraduate or

postgraduate level

General Training:

• Immigration, vocational,

secondary education,

language training and work

experience

• Assess survival skills in a

broad social and

educational context

www.ielts.org www.ielts.org

Test format

Listening 30 minutes, 4 sections, 40 items

General Training Reading 60 minutes, 3 sections, 40 items

Academic Reading 60 minutes, 3 sections, 40 items

General Training Writing

60 minutes, 2 tasks

Academic Writing 60 minutes, 2 tasks

Speaking 11 - 14 minutes, 3 parts

www.ielts.org www.ielts.org

Test Scores

9 - band scoring system:

9 – expert user

8 – very good user

7 – good user

6 – competent user

5 – modest user

4 – limited user

3 – extremely limited user

2 – intermittent user

1 – non user

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Fast results

• Results available in 13 days

• Valid for tw o years

• Overall and module score

www.ielts.org

IELTS Before the test

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How to prepare for IELTS

• Courses

For courses in the UK you can see what is available at

British Council accredited English language institutions:

http://www.educationuk.org/english (Enter ‘IELTS’ as your

keyword search).

For courses in Riga you can contact Baltic Council for

International Education: www.balticcouncil.org

www.ielts.org www.ielts.org

How to prepare for IELTS

• Preparation materials on-line

You can download some free samples from www.ielts.org:

http://www.ielts.org/test_takers_information/test_sample.as

px

You can also download an order form for the IELTS Official

Practice Tests through www.ielts.org:

http://www.ielts.org/test_takers_information.aspx

The British Council’s Learn English Professionals site has a

section on IELTS preparation:

http://www.britishcouncil.org/learning-english-gateway.htm

www.ielts.org www.ielts.org

How to prepare for IELTS

• Preparation materials

You can buy How to Prepare for IELTS materials or Road to

IELTS CD-Roms through your British Council office

The British Council IELTS web pages offer additional

materials specific to each local market; check

www.britishcouncil/learning-ielts.htm

There are many other publications available from

bookstores or directly from publishers which will help you

get used to the test format and style.

https://www.teachers.cambridgeesol.org/ts/teachingresourc

es

www.ielts.org

The world speaks IELTS

– do you?

IELTS@balticcouncil.org