20060209_IELTS

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www.ielts.org

Seminar: 9 February 2006

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Who owns IELTS?

X British Council

X IDP: IELTS Australia

X Cambridge ESOL

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What is IELTS?

X A test of communicative proficiency in English:

X for study or work in English

X tests all four language skills

X A test of international English:

X Cultural or linguistic bias minimisedX content produced and checked internationally

X variety of accents used

X A task based test:

X model of communicative competence

X whole text contexts, not discrete pointX performance-based

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Who recognises IELTS?

X Institutes of further and higher education in

United States, United Kingdom, Australia,

Hong Kong, New Zealand, South Africa,

Ireland

X Professional Bodies world-wide including:

X Ministry of Defence, General Medical Council in

United Kingdom

X Medical Council and Department of Immigration,

Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs in Australia

X New Zealand Immigration Service

X Citizenship and Immigration Canada

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Gl

obal

Candidature

0

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

600,000

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

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What makes IELTS a useful test?

X IELTS provides:

X a profile of a candidate's skills in all four 

language areas

X an overall band score

X IELTS tests:

X the full range of proficiency levels, from non-

user to expert user 

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Why can IELTS results be trusted?

X Quality controls:

X test production process

X examiner training and certification

X centre management

X security and integrity

X ongoing research

X monitoring

X centralised verification of results

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What do IELTS candidates have to do?

X Candidates must do all four test modules:

X Listening

X Reading

X Writing

X Speaking

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Test Format

Listening30 minutes, 4 sections, 40 items

General Training Reading60 minutes, 3 sections, 40 items

Academic Reading60 minutes, 3 sections, 40 items

General Training Writing60 minutes, 2 tasks

Academic Writing60 minutes, 2 tasks

Speaking11 - 14 minutes, 3 parts

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Listening Module

X Tests:

X specific and overall comprehension

X inference

X salient information

X Same for Academic and General Training

candidates

X Variety of contexts (general and study)

X Variety of formats (dialogues and mini-lectures)

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Reading Module

X Tests detailed and general comprehension

X  Academic and General Training Modules

X Academic Module: academic texts

X General Training module: general and study-related

texts

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Writing Module

X  Academic and General Training Modules

X Tests:

X ability to write English appropriate to context andtask

X use of language in a variety of contexts and topics

X skills at sentence, paragraph and whole text level

X Candidates rated on:

X task fulfilment

X coherence and cohesion

X communicative quality

X vocabulary and sentence structure

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Speaking Module

X Same for Academic and General Training candidates

X Tests ability to communicate through speech in general

English contexts

X One-to-one interview

X Range of topics and contexts

X Range of skills and patterns of interaction

X 3 parts:

X question and answer on personal topics

X unassisted short talk on a given topic

X two-way discussion on more abstract issues

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What do the bands mean?

X band scale

X 9 - expert user 

X 8 - very good user 

X

7 - good user X 6 - competent user 

X 5 - modest user 

X 4 - limited user 

X 3 - extremely limited user 

X 2 - intermittent user 

X 1 - non-user 

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IELTS and the Common European

Framework

IELTS CEF

.

.

.

.

.

.

C

C

B

B

A

A

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IELTS Results

X Test Report Forms (TRFs)

X two year validity

X overall and module bands

X results available within two weeksX results can be sent to receiving institutions

X no µpass¶ mark

X security enhanced paper 

X Online Verification Service

https://ielts.ucles.org.uk

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IELTS is ...

X a reliable and valid test of English language

proficiency

X a test of communicative ability

X a test of all four language skills

X a task-based test in which candidates perform

interactive language tasks

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IELTS is not...

X a test of grammar 

X a test of a student¶s ability to study

X a test of a knowledge on a topic

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IELTS and the Common European

Framework

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IELTS and the Common European

Framework

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IELTS ± future developments

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Electronic Downloads

X Enable IELTS recognising organisations todownload test results for all candidates that appliedfor their results to be available to the organisation

X Will reduce the volume of paperwork for organisations

X The service has been available from January 2006

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Computer-based IELTS

(CBIELTS)X Validation studies 2001 onwards

X Release in 2005 in selected countries

X Listening and Reading taken on a PC

X Writing ± taken on a PC or hand writtenX Speaking ± still face to face with examiner 

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IELTS scoring ± current

situation

X Listening and Reading reported as whole and half bands

X Writing and Speaking reported as whole bands only

X Overall Band Score reported as whole and half bands

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Proposed change from January

Report Writing and Speaking as whole and half bandsin line with Listening and Reading scores

BenefitsX Writing and Speaking band scores would more

sensitively reflect quality of performance

X Stakeholders could make more informed judgements

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FAQs

Why does an IELTS Test Report Form (TRF)

have a recommended shelf life of two years?

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FAQs

How do we ensure that IELTS is fair to all candidates

whatever their cultural background?

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For more information

X IELTS Candidate Information

X IELTS Handbook

X IELTS Annual Review

X IELTS website: www.ielts.org

X IELTS Specimen Materials

X IELTS Research Reports

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British Council Denmark