IE 1 How the Pros Prepare for the IELTS

Are you treading water with your english? - working at something but getting nowhere

IELTS?

• Not the easiest
• Lots of people are taking it
• Designed by Cambridge in England and IDP in Austrailia
• Most widely accepted test to get into universities that teach in english
• Professionals also take exams to get a job in different parts of the world
• Immigrations also require people to take IELTS before they move ex. Nurse
• TOEIC doesn't always cut it!
• IELTS is more difficult, tests more academic english

Does IELTS tests those spoken communication skills more even than TOEFL?

• IELTS is more valid exam
• Like TOEFL
  • We are not gonna sit and talk to a computer and record ourselves in real life
  • We won't close a business deal staring at the computer and recording a voice memo
  • You won't make friends talking to computer
  • You won't establish any kinds of exchange or relationships
• IELTS is easier and more real because it is face-to-face exam, you are talking to a person and writing with pen and paper
• Integrate with non-verbal skills like eye-contact, making it a real speaking situation in the exam

Which could be more nerve-wraking in front of computer or just being in front of the real person?

• Before taking the exam, people think it is gonna be easier to talk to computer
• But talking to computer feels so fake and this is not something we ever do and this makes it a lot harder to be successful at
• 3 Parts of the IELTS Speaking test, especially first part
  1. To get the students relaxed and have a conversation. They kinda ease you into it ex. Do you enjoy shopping? What mall do you go to?

The reason why people don't get scores that they need

• They don't have balanced practice
  • Go in extreme directions, either they tend to do too much on the text books
  • Solution : you have to study the test and use practice text books but also have to balance that practice with real life english, talking to native speakers, watching movies, listening to music, reading the newspaper ...
  • Only one text book is not enough - 00:07:35 | We make promises that the text book can keep sometimes? (I think I just gave away secrets 😅)

Main issues listeners to think about when they prepare

• Should have integrated practice
• take the test part by part
  • Listening
    • a strong level of comprehension. Watch movies, Listen to music, Watch tv shows
    • Strengthen the ability to listen and write at the same time (note taking) - Listen to podcast and taking notes while you listen
      • Q. When listeners choose materials for listening practice for IELTS or just for general learning, what percentage of material should they aim to understand?
        • To be honest with themselves, 100% is not gonna happen!
        • Don't be discouraged even if you can't understand every words
        • Have attainable goals
        • Start with understanding general idea => 2 months from that time, try and understand maybe half of what they are saying
        • Type of material is also important
          • Intermediate ~ upper Intermediate - Don't download TED talks or difficult things. Try sitcom or podcast. ex. ESL pod, Breaking News English- authentic news article but read very slowly
  • Reading
    • read newspapers and magazines
    • Strengthen your skills of skimming and scanning. There's not enough time to read every words and answer

If listeners have only short amount of time to prepare and want to maximize their time, what's the most effective thing they can do?

• Make a honest plan yourself - ex. 1 month left, plan 1 test practice(section 1 practice online) and 1 general english activities to do (2 sitcoms) & give yourselves couple days off
• Integrate practice into the actual studying! - Get used to things slowly by integrating taking practice exams in studying

English Podcast References

English-Podcast Report

2025-01-02 - IE 1 How the Pros Prepare for the IELTS Report
2025-01-02 - English-Podcast Daily Report
2025-01-1th - English-Podcast Weekly Report