Job Discussion Forums

[hereinbeijing]

During part two of the speaking test, the candidate is given a written prompt. The candidate is then given one minute to prepare, during which time they can take notes. I know the candidate can then keep the notes when they begin to speak. My question is if they are also able to keep the written prompt during the time they are speaking, or if the examiner takes it away from then as soon as they start to speak.

[markle]

Um.... someone's lost
BTW IELTS is not so poular here unless the students is heading for Canada

[alexcase]

I'm a BULATS examiner, which is very similar, and teach quite a lot of IELTS. They can keep the written prompt, so it's fine if they don't actually have time to make any notes. Many students are confused about this, maybe because their teachers take it away to try to make them not parrot the words on the task and to keep good eye contact etc. Alternatively, I've always wondered if it does get taken away in the Eiken tests.

IELTS isn't that big in Japan, as not that many people study abroad, but it's certainly not just for Canada. Everyone who wants to study in a university in the UK or Australia will need it. Some US universities are also starting to either accept it or even demand it in place of TOEFL. There is also a very small group of people who are taking the General version to immigrate to Australia.

TEFLtastic blog- www.tefl.net/alexcase

[matador]

My experience with Japanese students (only a limited sample.... but over 10 yrs) indicates that the US is very much the place to go for study. The UK is viewed as rather old-fashioned and not really the best value for money.

[alexcase]

They aren't wrong about that! But if they can't get into an American university, we'll take anyone!

Semi-serious point there. In the junior college classes for study abroad students I taught, the ones going to Australia were all beach bums, the ones going to the UK were going for the shopping or because they thought they were going to marry Hugh Grant, and the serious ones or ones with a real interest in the language or culture were all going to the USA. They were obviously also the only ones aware that there is a list of the world's top 100 universities and where most of them are...

TEFLtastic blog- www.tefl.net/alexcase

[scot47]

The script for the IELTS exam clearly indicates when the "task card" is to be returned.

If you do not do it the scripted way, your error will be spotted during monitoring.

Are you sure you are "experioenced" ?

[Brooks]

in my experience the ones who studied in the UK were smart.
The students who went to Australia, generally were more interested in playing sports.
For the US I would say the students who went to Hawaii were the beach bums.

I think the students are getting worse at English but my school must have a quota that it has to fill.

for tests, the TOEIC and the TOEFL are common here.
IELTS is for the students who want to study in the UK, Australia or New Zealand. With Canada, they take either IELTS or the TOEFL.

[kawasaki]

The UK may be viewed as old fashioned but at least you don't need a MASTERS to get a job like you do in the US. In fact some people say a US masters IS in fact equivalent only to a british first degree.

[Brooks]

I call bs.
In Britain your degrees are only for 3 years.

[stillnosheep]

Sorry fella.

UK BA/BSc's only have to last three years as UK high school greduates are about a year ahead (on average) than US highj school graduates. The first year of a US first degree is just spent getting the students up to UK entrance standard.

Simlarly good UK university graduates tend to be better prepared to start a Masters than their US equivalents (just compare your average Oxford or Cambridge graduate with your average Harvard or Yale grad).

However when it comes to MAs and up then the very best US universities are supreme.