Top Ten Tips for teachers preparing students for the academic version of IELTS Sam McCarter...

Top Ten Tips

for teachers

preparing students for

the academic version

of IELTS

Sam McCarter

Macmillan Online Conference 2013

Abstract

The presentation will look at the Top Ten Tips to help students improve their chances of obtaining a higher score in the academic version of the IELTS exam. The focus will be on increasing students’ awareness of organization and flexibility so that they can use what they know from the grammar and vocabulary point of view efficiently across the four components, listening reading writing and speaking.


Tip 1

Reading

Text navigation


Types of passages

Exposition/ Argumentation/ Historical biographical

Text features• Time relationships• Problem and solution• Cause and effect• Classification• Comparison and contrast • Argument


• Description- processes/ sequencing • Narrative• Instruction• Definition• Explanation• Exemplification• Generalization and specificity• Drawing conclusions• Rhetorical organisation (Weir, C et al. 2009. The relationship between academic reading construct as

measured by IELTS and the reading experiences of students in their first year of study at a British university. IELTS Research Reports 9: 109.)


The skills that students need to navigate IELTS reading

passages efficiently

-(surveying)

-prediction

-skimming

-scanning

-close reading


• distinguishing between:

-factual and non-factual information

-important and less important items

-relevant and irrelevant information

-explicit and implicit information

-ideas examples and opinions

-drawing inferences and conclusions

-deducing unknown words


-understanding graphic presentation (data, diagrams, etc.)

-understanding text organisation and linguistic/ semantic aspects,

e.g. relationships between and within sentences (e.g. cohesion)

-recognising discourse/ semantic markers and their function (Jordan, R.R. 1997. English for Academic Purposes: A guide and resource

book for teachers. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.)


Tip 2

Awareness of information sequences

Past/ Present/ Future

Problem/ Solution

Cause/ Effect/ Solution

Action/Purpose

General/ Specific

Opinion/ proof/ Conclusion


Tip 3

Writing Task 1

Awareness of :

the purpose of the task

what is being assessed -

Public marking scores

the sets of data/ maps/ processes

the structure and content expected

.


Task 1 Checklist• Tense range: Simple Present/ Past/ Present Perfect/ Simple Future/

Future Perfect• Comparison and contrast • Complex sentences: conjunctions/ adverbs• Vocabulary range: verbs of rise/ fall• Writing introductions/ • Overviews/ Trends • Noun phrases/ nominalization

-synonyms/ paraphrases• Singular/ plural• Active/ Passive• General v specific


Tip 4

Awareness of nominalization • Task 1 and across IELTS

Car sales rose gradually in the UK between 2005 and

2010.

There was a gradual rise in car sales in the UK between 2005 and 2010.

• Writing Task 2:

The role of technology in the workplace ...

Some people think that the impact of modern media on young people’s lives is greater than ...


• Paragraph/ Section headings

The impact of wilderness tourism

The role of the media in young people’s lives ...

• Speaking:

Do you think that the impact of modern media on young people’s lives is greater than ... ?

Listening note taking:

the 3 ______ of pollution on the marine habitat in New Zealand


Tip 5

Writing Task 2

Skills/ Transfer awareness• Understanding question types:

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

• Reading the whole rubric:

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own experience.


Tip 6

Understanding the tasks• Understanding question types:

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

• Reading the whole rubric:

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own experience.


Tip 7

Awareness of paragraphs

The number of paragraphs

Coherence/ cohesion

Paragraph structure

Trigger’ words to create a template rather than a

writing vacuum:

Because/ For example/ For example, if/ Like / such as

But/ However/ As a result/ however/ Moreover

And their synonyms


Tip 8

Creating/ gathering ideas

• Brainstorming• Word association• Perspectives: social, environmental, legal, financial/

economic, educational ...• Recycling ideas/ concepts• Question creation• Start with a word: poverty


Tip 9

Speaking

Skills transfer Writing/Speaking

Organization

Part 2: making notes

Part 3: development of answer to question


Tip 10

Listening

Prediction skills

Use of questions

Awareness of structure and nominalization

Listening note taking:

the 3 ______ of pollution on the marine habitat in New Zealand (See Tip 5 Slide 14)


Thank you!


Top Ten Tips for teachers preparing students for the academic version of IELTS Sam McCarter...

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