What you should know about the IELTS test for overseas job applicants

Dreaming of migrating to an English-speaking country? Then you will have to take the IELTS Test.

The International English Language Testing System, more popularly known as IELTS, is a language examination designed to assess English proficiency in the areas of listening, reading, writing and speaking. IELTS is used for immigration, studies and employment purposes, especially in countries like the United States (U.S), Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom (U.K).

In the Philippines it is represented by the Australian IDP and the British Council which administer the test on an average of three times per month for each organization or a total of six test dates for Metro Manila and provincial candidates.

The actual taking of the exam is generally divided into two parts. The listening, reading and writing modules (written exam) are taken in one half-day, morning session. The speaking session is scheduled during the week before a written exam.

The IELTS listening module starts at 9 a.m. You will be asked to listen to a 30-minute recording of several conversations divided into four sections. You will be given a test booklet where you will find questions that you need to answer by listening to the conversation.
There are 40 items. At the end of the 30 minutes, you will be given 10 minutes to transfer your final answers to a separate answer sheet.

To prepare for the listening module immerse yourself in the British and Australian language by listening to a CD compilation of the respective language conversations for at least five hours a day for the next two weeks.

To address the grammar issue, it is best that you get a good grammar exercise and vocabulary book and answer all the exercises.

Read more here:-
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/gl...ut-the-IELTS-test-for-overseas-job-applicants

There's plenty of conjecture within 'corridors' that IELTS is up for nominations as the Visa choice.
Let's wait and see what happens.

Moving goalposts again huh the problem with this kind of "test" is the time lag in it becoming clear what is required and where to get a fair delivery lots of scope for being caught by revenue sharks

I am somewhat sceptical about the article; it claims you have to take the IELTS test to emigrate to the UK - that is certainly false! Whether it is true for the other countries mentioned, I do not know.

The fact is that IELTS is not even graded at A1 level on the European Common framework and to pass an A1 test to come to the UK you do not need to take either the reading or writing modules required by IELTS.

IELTS is really overkill in terms of visa application for UK (unless you need a better English qualification recognised by employers/colleges in the UK) and the fact the article was written by the Head Coach of Queen’s English IELTS Review Center makes me doubly sceptical.

One of my friends who is Chinese and a University academic in the UK, told me that the expected score for a potential University academic in the UK is 7 on IELTS. That's all the experience I have had with it (albeit indirectly).

More tips to improve your IELTS score.

MANILA, Philippines--The IELTS (International English Language Testing System) listening module is considered to be the most difficult. It is the first of a three-module, three-hour exam that starts from 9 a.m. to 12 a.m.

You will be asked to listen to a 30-minute recording of several conversations divided into four sections. The first section is the easiest. The next sections become progressively more difficult until you reach the last one. There is a 30-second preview time for each set of questions and another 30 seconds to review your answer.

You will be given a test booklet where you will find questions that you need to answer by listening to the conversation. There are 40 items, from fill in the blanks to multiple choice questions. At the end of the 30 minutes you will be given 10 minutes to transfer your final answers to a separate answer sheet.

Many candidates find the listening exam difficult for three reasons. First, the accent. The accent generally used in the IELTS is British or Australian although many other accents can be heard such as Canadian, Singaporean (Singlish), New Zealand etc. (Most Filipino candidates are only used to the American accent). Second, conversations in the listening test occur at normal speaking speeds so some candidates may find it difficult to follow the flow of the conversation. A third reason has to do with poor grammar and spelling skills.

Strategize

Given that the four-part exam is designed with increasing difficulty, it is best that you concentrate on getting most of your points from the 1st to the 3rd sections because these are supposed to be the easier sections. If you can perfect the first 3 sections then you only need to get a few points in the 4th section to reach your desired band score.

Study the accents

Immerse yourself in the British and Australian language by listening to CD compilations of the respective language conversations for at least five hours a day for the next two weeks. You can also watch and listen to British or Australian movies, news and TV shows (you can search the Internet for these practice CDs or you can go to Youtube and listen at your convenience).

Go to free practice centers
IDP Australia has a Practice Center where you can use their review materials for free, while the British Council also has a review center where you can also use their materials (free if you are registered to take the exam with them).

Try a practice exam

To address the issue of not being able to follow the conversations, you can answer a practice exam, afterwards correct your answers and with the corrected exam booklet listen to the same CD, this time following the conversations.

Brush up on grammar

To address the grammar issue, it is best that you get a good grammar exercise and vocabulary book and answer all the exercises. No need to get too technical or fixated with the terms and rules of grammar. Remember the IELTS is an English exam. It is not a test to determine whether you can be an English teacher. Do not overcomplicate things. Just stick to the basics and make sure that you can answer the questions in correct grammatical form.

Don’t be a neat freak

You need to write your answers on the test booklet as fast and as accurately as you can. Some students, in their desire to be neat and presentable, will erase their wrong answer. This is a big mistake because it is possible that an answer will be given while you are still erasing. Follow the conversation and write the answer as soon as you hear it. Just write your corrected final answer beside the space provided for and cross out your previous answer.

Use text codes

For the sake of speed, you can jot down what you heard using codes, shorthand, text spelling—whatever works for you (this technique does not apply to digits and names of people and places). You can just write the correct spelling, format and grammatical form either during the 30 seconds you are given to check your answers or within the 10 minute transfer time. For example if you have to write “University ” you can just write uni. This saves time and is still recognizable to you. In the IELTS listening exam, answers may be given in such a rapid sequence that you may not have time to write the whole word.

Don’t lose concentration

The important thing is not to let a mistake ruin your concentration and motivation. Some students who were not able to hear a particular item, specially an easy one, say in item number 4 (usually an address or name of a person) will get mad at themselves for not getting an easy question that their mind will be fixed on blaming themselves rather than on listening to the conversation. They will only go back to the proper state of mind after 3 items in which case they would have lost 4 items instead of just 1.

Write down numbers

Write the numbers or letters of a name or place as they are said. Do not process it in your mind and then write down the three-digit number. That way you have a better chance of getting it right.

Try this technique

Most students will lose their concentration within the 30 minutes that the CD recording is played. You can employ a technique called total immersion listening which calls for you to imagine that you are part of the conversation you are listening to. So instead of listening to the CD recording as an IELTS test-taker, imagine yourself as an active and interested participant in the conversation.

Practice, practice

Finally, getting a high grade in the IELTS listening test is all about practice. The more practice exams you have the higher your chances of getting the band

Source:-
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/gl...-333968/More-tips-to-improve-your-IELTS-score

You are correct Howerd. I teach and test IELTS.

Al.:england:

there are other tests out there that the UKBA, for now, are accepting as part of the visa application. I think i have posted that link on Dennie's post when she asked about IELTS.. applicants can take, PTE (Pearsons Test of English) which is a computer-based test and could be easier for some people.. results come faster than IELTS as well.. there's also TOEIC, TESOL, and TOEFL.

Yeah, IELTS can be an overkill.

IELTS: Tips to pass the reading test

THE READING exam is the second part of the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) exam, a requirement for those who want to work or migrate to an English-speaking country.

Unlike the first part, which requires listening to tapes, this module asks an applicant to read a test booklet then answer questions within an hour. It usually starts at around 10 a.m.

The Reading module is divided into three sections: three texts or articles between 750 to 950 words each which you must read to answer the questions.

The IELTS reading module is the easiest to perfect because almost all the answers are actually in the text.

So here are more tips to improve your IELTS score:

Follow the 1-minute-rule

You need to finish the whole set of 40 questions. Very often candidates, in their desire to get a high score, insist on staying with a difficult item and waste time. It would be wise to allot at least one minute for each question. If it takes too long then make a logical guess, mark the question with an asterisk and move on. You can just return to it when you have finished all the questions.

Use your eyes

You also need to practice the art of skim-reading. This is essentially looking for the main idea or gist of a particular passage without reading the whole thing. Skim the material and look for a key word or phrase. Start looking at the passage from the bottom left part of the text to the right , then from the bottom to the top, then from the right side to the left , and then from the left side to the right. You will see the answer either before or after the key word. Analyze the text and answer immediately. With practice, you can answer most of the reading questions using this technique.

Do not over-analyze

The IELTS is an English exam. It is not an exam to test your IQ. When taking a practice exam, take note of how you answer questions. Usually examinees answer a question and then change their answer because they are unsure or they analyze too much. Then when they check their work they find out that their first answer was correct. If this happens to you often enough, then it only shows that you have enough skills in English to answer using your stock knowledge or instinct. Just check your answer once then leave it alone. You may regret changing it.

First things first

The first thing to read in the Reading test booklet is the statement or question followed by the title and then the passage. If you read the passage first without an idea of what you are looking for then you are just wasting your time. Read the question, read the passage and answer as you go along. This is more efficient and will save you a lot of time.

Note synonyms

You will find a lot of synonyms and paraphrasing in the IELTS reading module. There are three types. Type 1 is when you have the exact word (e.g "regulate") in both the statement and the passage. Type 2 is when you find a word (e.g "allocate") in the statement and you find a word (e.g."distribute") in the passage (a different word with the same meaning). Type 3 is when you find a phrase (e.g. "harmful substance") in the statement and you find "dangerous drugs" in the passage (a dangerous drug is an example of a harmful substance).

Again, constant practice is the key. You need to read a lot of English materials such as magazines, and newspapers.

Source:-
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/gl...20110507-335157/Tips-to-pass-the-reading-test

Although the reading module is part of the IELTS test, passing the reading module is not required under the UKBA regulations for the A1 test. Of course, some people want to take IELTS for other reasons too.

More tips: How to pass the IELTS Writing examination

THE WRITING exam, the third module in the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) exam for aspiring migrants to English-speaking countries, starts at around 11 a.m. and takes an hour. The candidate will be asked to write 150 words for task 1 and 250 words for task 2. For both tasks, candidates need to demonstrate their ability to write a response that is appropriate in terms of content, vocabulary and the organization of ideas.

In task 1 of the Academic Writing exam you will be presented with either a graph, table, chart, diagram, map or drawing and you will be asked to write a summary or description of the information in your own words. For task 2, the candidate may be asked to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a particular idea or his or her opinion on a particular statement. The style of writing for both tasks is formal. Be sure you answer all parts of the topic as there may be sub questions in addition to the main question.

Write a letter

In the General Writing exam, task 1 will require you to write a letter either to request for something, give information or explain a situation. The letter may be personal (e.g. inviting a friend to a party), semi-formal (e.g. writing to your boss for a raise) or formal (e.g. writing to your congressman for a particular project). The style will depend on the type of letter. For informal letters you can use abbreviations (can’t, couldn’t), and colloquial terms or slang (OK!).

Read magazines

Read English language magazines and newspapers to enhance your knowledge of current events and issues. You can read a news article then choose the important words or phrases that you can use for your writing. Look for the meanings using a dictionary. Compile a list of words ( 10 a day) and read before you sleep at night and when you wake up in the morning. Use these words when appropriate every time you write a sample essay.

Structure you essay

There are three parts of the essay. The introduction, body and the conclusion First you need to analyze the question and determine what it asking you to do. It will either ask your opinion, cite the advantages and disadvantages of an option or enumerate the possible results of a particular scenario.

For questions asking your opinion, analyze the statement: Do you agree or disagree? Think of three reasons why you agree or disagree. Paraphrase the question in your first paragraph, and state your opinion. In the next three paragraphs,cite your three arguments or reasons. For your conclusion just rephrase everything you said and restate your opinion.

Use the right word

For the semi-formal and formal style it is best to stick to English words that express a higher level of sophistication ("utilize" instead of "use" or "require" instead of "need"). But usewords that you can usually read or read in a newspaper. Do not attempt to dazzle or impress the examiner with words that only you and the dictionary are familiar with.

Write ,write ,write

You can also choose an English article with at least 250 words and start copying the text. Ideally you should be able to finish the copy in your own handwriting within 40 minutes. This gives you an idea of your writing speed and familiarizes you with proper English. Most examinees cannot finish the tasks in the allotted time. They often lack the necessary word count and that gives them a lower score. You should aim to write at least 150 words for task 1 and at least 250 words for task 2.

Prioritize

The second section has a higher score value so if you feel you need more time for this section then by all means start with it. You can just start on Task 1 when you finish the second task as it requires a lower word count and is generally easier than the longer essay.

You can also get an idea of how to answer the IELTS writing exam by reading sample or model essays. These are usually available online or you can go to the IDP Australia Study Center.

Source:-
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/gl...ips-How-to-pass-the-IELTS-Writing-examination

Kuya, hope she gets on OK with that.
IELTS is not a easy route, but offers benefits for those who are confident to take the test.

Kuya, I posted the UKBA current and updated provider approval listing somewhere here.
Better to be sure the provider is listed.