1. Module 1: Introduction to Teaching IELTS

2. 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

3. 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, minutes

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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.

7. 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?