Ielts "cheat Sheet" For Teachers

Teaching IELTS: Cheat Sheet for Teachers Things happen. People get ill (or hung-over). You may be asked to cover or teach an IELTS class with little or no time for preparation. This Cheat Sheet is intended as a reference-at-a-glance for busy, busy teachers.

Know (enough about) the IELTS It’s a test that is wildly popular with Chinese students hoping to study abroad (in Australia). Most students need help with the speaking section. The speaking section has three sections: - In the 1st section, you ask personal questions. Hometown, Hobbies, School or Job. - In the 2nd section, the student is asked to describe something in a 2-minute speech. - In the 3rd section, the student is given more difficult, non-personal questions. Scores range from 0 (speaks nothing) to 9 (speaks fluent English). Half-scores are possible (5.5) Further Reading: - Wikipedia has an article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ielts on the IELTS test. - The IELTS Handbook is official and informative: http://www.cambridgeesol.org/assets/pdf/resources/IELTS_Handbook.pdf Teaching or Covering ONE Class Elicit information about the test structure and process from the student. Ask: “What do you know about the IELTS?” Elicit goals from the students. Going abroad – why? Ask the student about their preparations. How do they study? What do they read? I usually recommend reading and listening material here: Google News, BBC, and NPR. Offer general speaking advice. Don’t rush. Mind body language. Avoid “uh” and “um.” Planning a Course I generally use the same structure for every IELTS course I plan. 1st class: Goals. Elicit information about the IELTS test. 2nd class: Examples. Good and bad answers. What are examiners looking for? 3rd class: Speaking Practice (with me). 4th class: Speaking Practice (with other people). 5th class: Feedback. If there are additional classes I suggest more practice time. Renato Ganoza for English First Zhengzhou, 2008