Job Discussion Forums

[artemisia]

Re: Writing task 1 (Academic)

There are a number of books and online resources around that give an exam sample or model answers. Usually there�s one model answer that gains a high score (band 8 or 9)* or perhaps a couple of examples. What I�m specifically looking for is a range of model answers across band scores (ie. 4.5 � 6 or higher) for any specific writing task for task 1.

I�d like to be able to use exemplars as a teaching aid in the class once students are fully familiar with the different types of charts etc. they might get. It�s possible to use one or two example answers but I�d find it far more useful to be able to work with a range. Has anyone come across (preferably online) written resources with this sort of range of exemplars?

* NOT 'band' (as it first showed up as!!)

[Sashadroogie]

Sorry, can't help you there. I usually just use previous learner's examples as models for various band scores and illustrations of various criteria. I have not seen many course book material that deals with this.

However, New Insight into IELTS, by CUP, is a great little course book, I find at least. The workbook has some sample writing material, but it is not given a band score. Still, you can easily apply the criteria yourself and work from that. I sometimes even give a range of sample texts out to the learners and see if they can mark them. Opens their eyes to quite a lot of considerations.

And as for material online, IELTS seems to suffer from a greater number of cowboy 'teachers' and 'exam gurus' than any other. Being untrained examiners for the most part, ost of what they produce is worthless, so I steer well clear of it.

Don't know if any of that helps. Very much stating the obvious, I realise.

Best of luck.

[artemisia]

No, very helpful actually. I think I�ve seen the book you've mentioned (New Insight into IELTS, by CUP). Not the book that�s being used for the course, but I�ll check it out. I wasn't really aware of the �cowboy� bit either � thanks for the warning. I�ll steer clear, too.

That�s exactly why I want a range - for students to mark �em themselves. I could probably dig out some samples from recent records; I'm just a little cautious about using examples that might be recognised by other students (I know they show/share around materials). I was hoping for a nice little set of prepared materials I could put to good use, but the material you mentioned sounds like it would do.

Thanks Sasha!

[jpvanderwerf2001]

There is an Official IELTS Practice Materials book which has extremely helpful examples of different bands of essay and speaking. They even have feedback describing why those scores were given. I'm unsure where to get a hold of one, but they're out there.
Best of luck.

[Sashadroogie]

Isn't that an Examiner-training pack, Jeff? I could be mistaking the materials with something else, but I think they aren't for general circulation. Don't want to say too much, nudge nudge wink wink. People are on to the Great IELTS conspiracy...

[spiral78]

Yes, I've got one of those around and it's clearly marked as being for examiners' use only, though perhaps there is a non-secure edition that I haven't seen.

[jpvanderwerf2001]

No, Sasha, it is for "public" eyes It is available for anyone to have and use and is not part of examiner training. It has the "public" rubrics, and other safe-for-general-consumption info.
Here is one link I found with an order form: http://www.ielts.org/pdf/IELTS_SpecMatsOrderFormJan05.pdf
Again, I would highly recommend these materials for helping students prepare for the exam.

[Sashadroogie]

What are you doing with it then, Spiral??!!! Security breach!!! Def Con 4!

[jpvanderwerf2001]

Spiral,
I know of what you speak, and this is a different beast.

[Sashadroogie]

That's pretty cool, Jeff. Thanks for that.

The IELTS goon squad has been re-called.

[jpvanderwerf2001]

Word.

[spiral78]

I was a drone teacher (as opposed to someone with leadership duties) on a premed programme for Saudi students that uses IELTS as its standard. Only a drone as I'm not basically a believer in standardised testing of any kind....my heart's not in it, you see.

As a card-carrying drone, I was supplied with insider materials .

Actually, I was the academic 'writing expert' on the project and ran IELTS writing workshops, but I strongly prefer to teach in-field academic writing. The general types applied in IELTS don't seem very 'real' to me - proper academic writing being feild-specific by definition.

[jpvanderwerf2001]

It is my opinion that High Impact IELTS (Patrick Bourne) is the best coursebook out there. However, it is only for the Academic Module, and I've found them rather hard to get (of course, this being Vladivostok, that's no big shocker).

Spiral, did they do the memory-erase brain drill thing on you when you were finished using those materials? Or had they upgraded to the lasers by then?

[Sashadroogie]

Jeff, we could tell, but then we'd have to...you know the rest.

[spiral78]

It all slipped my mind rather easily being unrelated to the bulk of what I do...but I've still got the materials if I actually needed (or wanted) to drag that stuff back into my consciousness. Perhaps I should discretely and respectfully destroy it? Ah, probably outdated by now anyway; it's two years old after all. And gathering dust in my cupboard.