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canrun30
Joined: 03 Oct 2012 Posts: 116
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Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2013 8:25 am Post subject: IELTS examiner certification |
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Quick question: I'm interesting in getting certified as an IELTS examiner in Guangzhou, but my job is super busy and I don't know if I can commit to so many weekends afterwards for giving the exam. So, here's my question: is it possible to only get certified with no actual subsequent work commitment to the BC, or does one have to agree to actually work weekends for, say, two years or so. Just wondering...any thoughts or suggestions are appreciated. |
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davelister
Joined: 15 Jul 2013 Posts: 214
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Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2013 9:41 am Post subject: |
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For fear of sounding like A7654321 (not trying to sound R.C), why not contact the IELTS centre in Guangzhou? |
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vikeologist
Joined: 07 Sep 2009 Posts: 600
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Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2013 10:01 am Post subject: |
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Once you're certified, you have to examine semi-regularly.
You'll probably have to pay for the examiner training anyway, so if you don't use it, it might not be any skin off their nose.
Essentially, you become an examiner, and then each month you fill in a questionnaire online to tell them your availability for the next month. (At some point they tell you whether they need you for the days you've selected).
You shouldn't have to make any commitment. You can stop making yourself available any time you want. |
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canrun30
Joined: 03 Oct 2012 Posts: 116
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Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2013 1:14 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks vikeologist. Much appreciated.
Dave: Sent three emails to GZ...no reply. That's why we have chat boards like this, no? |
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Mr. Leafy
Joined: 24 Apr 2012 Posts: 246 Location: North of the Wall
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Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2013 1:24 pm Post subject: Re: IELTS examiner certification |
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canrun30 wrote: |
... is it possible to only get certified with no actual subsequent work commitment to the BC, ... |
I wonder why you want to get certified if you don't plan to do examinations.
I am going to make a guess that it is to make yourself more marketable to employers. Excuse me if I'm wrong there. But as far as I know, if you are an examiner you can't teach prep courses (at least not outside the BC) and you have to sign a confidentiality agreement not to disclose the criteria. I've thought of doing it, but it would exclude me some teaching income so I've never gone through with it. I may not be up to date, or correct for China though. |
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muffintop
Joined: 07 Jan 2013 Posts: 803
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Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2013 1:37 pm Post subject: |
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TIC。。。
I didn't get that impression from his post though. It sounds as if he is just unwilling to commit every weekend for any extended period of time.
EDIT:
Seems I was incorrect
Last edited by muffintop on Tue Oct 15, 2013 1:41 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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canrun30
Joined: 03 Oct 2012 Posts: 116
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Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2013 1:39 pm Post subject: |
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That's correct, Mr. Leafy. |
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canrun30
Joined: 03 Oct 2012 Posts: 116
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Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2013 1:44 pm Post subject: |
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@MT,
A potential employer would like me to get certified, as I would be the DOS of a new IELTS cram school. They'd like me to "have that on my C.V." so to speak. That being said, I'd be too busy on weekends in the cram school to actually administer the exam for the BC. So, I'm just basically thinking out loud here. We all know how impressive certifications and diplomas look hanging on the wall in China, even if they don't amount to a hill of beans... |
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muffintop
Joined: 07 Jan 2013 Posts: 803
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Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2013 1:53 pm Post subject: |
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As I said...TIC.
This is China.
Go for it.
But...I'd play up to the boss that your actions will disqualify you from ever actually administering the exam...it should be worth more than a little.
Don't sell yourself short here.
Unless they're already paying you a pretty heavy chunk of change per month your DOS job may not be the ideal position if you are looking to maximize income while minimizing working hours.
I don't want to make any more assumptions in this thread so...I'll just leave that out there. |
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Harbin
Joined: 19 Feb 2013 Posts: 161
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Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2013 2:14 pm Post subject: |
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canrun30 wrote: |
@MT,
A potential employer would like me to get certified, as I would be the DOS of a new IELTS cram school. They'd like me to "have that on my C.V." so to speak. |
They want to advetise having an IELTS examiner as their DOS. |
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theoriginalprankster
Joined: 19 Mar 2012 Posts: 895
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Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2013 2:29 pm Post subject: |
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Harbin wrote: |
canrun30 wrote: |
@MT,
A potential employer would like me to get certified, as I would be the DOS of a new IELTS cram school. They'd like me to "have that on my C.V." so to speak. |
They want to advetise having an IELTS examiner as their DOS. |
Which, as per BC criteria, will have you disqualified as an examiner. You may state in your CV that you're an examiner but may not print it on your name card. Nor may the institution/s you work for advertise that you are an examiner.
Very recently an examiner trainer was 'fired'by BC for displaying her ET certification at her new school, and directly stating in advertising that all her trainers were examiners. |
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fpshangzhou
Joined: 13 Mar 2012 Posts: 280
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Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2013 3:09 pm Post subject: |
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Since we are on the topic of IELTS... I see quite a few advertisements for Ielts teachers needed in China and other Asian countries. I don't really plan on being an examiner in the near future. However, I would like to know if there is a certification program to be a trainer/instructor for extra side jobs in the future.
Cheers,
Aaron |
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davelister
Joined: 15 Jul 2013 Posts: 214
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Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2013 7:27 pm Post subject: |
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canrun30
Quote: |
Dave: Sent three emails to GZ...no reply. That's why we have chat boards like this, no? |
Fair enough (not GZ's not replying, but your henceforth asking on here). |
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vikeologist
Joined: 07 Sep 2009 Posts: 600
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Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2013 7:53 pm Post subject: |
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Not all IELTS speaking exams are at the weekends, but most are.
If you're an IELTS examiner, you can teach IELTS courses. You just can't reveal any confidential information about the exam or tell people what grade they'd be.
So, Mr Leafy. Feel free to apply to be an examiner.
You can include being an IELTS examiner on your CV etc, but your school cannot advertise that they have an IELTS examiner.
Maintaining confidentiality is important. They probably wouldn't be keen to have someone do the training if they were never going to examine, because they'd be worried that you'd use the training to reveal confidential information.
If you breached the confidentiality agreement, you would never be able to examine anywhere, ever again. Your school advertising that their DOS is an examiner is included in this, but there's no harm having it on your CV. Of course, if you never examined, it's questionable whether you really would be an examiner.
Incidentally, I don't think you get a certificate. You just get a letter inviting you to examine.
Canrun - I think that in order to be accepted for the training, you'd have to tell the BC a lot of lies. I think the benefits to you would be fairly small. Speaking is only a quarter of the IELTS test anyway. (You could only apply to be a speaking examiner at first). The knowledge you'd pick up in the training would not be enormously helpful in your DOS job, and you'd be endangering your ability to be an examiner in future.
It's a bad idea.
fpshangzhou - I didn't understand your question. I think anyone can be an IELTS trainer / instructor, as long as you can convince a school that you can teach it. IELTS preparation courses are big business. I would question how effective they are. I think the only way to do well in the speaking test is to be good at speaking English. There are no workable tricks, shortcuts etc. |
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canrun30
Joined: 03 Oct 2012 Posts: 116
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Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2013 11:25 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks again, vikeologist. I've got an MA TESOL and plenty of experience, so it's not a do or die thing for me. I was just sort of thinking out loud. I'll keep this in mind if the school owner brings it up again.
...and I'll email GZ yet again to get their POV. |
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