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Why IELTS Students are the Worst Students
This may sound harsh. But, in many ways, it is really true, and for quite good reasons. IELTS students (at least the ones I meet), like you, are generally highly motivated individuals. I am sure that you have achieved a lot in your life so far and are now pursuing a new ambition to live, work or study overseas. I am sure you have had a lot of exam success in your life and expect to have a similar result in IELTS. But this is where things may have started to come apart!
Those with high academic success are not always great at IELTS. The main reason is that the proven study and revision methods that have worked at High School and University just don’t work with IELTS. But many students spend many hours trying to make them work before realising that something is wrong. It’s like trying to push a square peg into a round hole. However much you bash at it, it just won’t fit! It’s time to find the round peg.
There are three important words when it comes to IELTS: patience, time and practice. Although you may be taking the ‘academic’ module (misnamed in my opinion as it accounts for some of the problem), the exam is not academic like academic subjects you have studied before – it is language and language applied to certain tasks. And the better your grasp of English, the language part, the easier the tasks will be. This means that you need new tools to start your preparation.
— Patience, Time, Practice —
Patience
It takes around 7 years to become really proficient in your own language and a further 7 to perfect reading and writing skills to university/work level. Before you throw up your hands in horror, I can tell you that with your own language system as a guide it doesn’t take this long with subsequent languages (although to be completely fluent it might). So patience is key in this process. You have to improve your skills, especially speaking and listening and also work on your vocabulary and grammar to improve writing and reading.
As your skills improve, then the IELTS will be easier – I promise. Restricting your practice to IELTS tests is unlikely to help over much – you have to expose yourself to more English practice. Find partners to speak to, use the Internet to find things to listen to (don’t just watch movies, this is relaxing and helpful too but only to a limited degree). Doing 15 minutes every day is more helpful than a 6-hour study block once a week.
If you spend time just improving your English, you will see a difference. I’ve been teaching English language to students for over 30 years and I have seen that those who practise systematically often progress, and those who panic and remain inert stay in the same place. This is why on our courses we have a mix of both IELTS practice and lots of general English too, and also why you have a timetable which tells you exactly what to do every day.
Time
How long will it take? I know you are thinking: that all depends on where you are now and what IELTS band you are looking for. If you have taken the exam already then you will have an idea from your scores. A recent estimate for self-study was a year for each band improvement. Of course, it should be quicker if you work with an IELTS teacher or take a course. How often do you use English? The more you can use, it the quicker it will be. That’s why we encourage all the students on our courses to join our speaking and writing groups for extra practice.
Another factor is where you live. If you are in an English speaking country, then you have the chance to improve faster if you get out and about to speak and listen. If not, then you may have to create opportunities or progress will be slow. The more practice you can get, the sooner you will be able to take the exam and get the score you want. It’s that simple.
Practice
I’ve already talked about regular practice and this is vital. Without practice (and I mean language here, not IELTS tests) you won’t achieve the high score you want. You can’t cram for the exam the night before, you can’t search the Internet for useful information, and you can’t copy what your friend did – on the day of the exam you have to perform, in English, at the band level you want. Not practising English language skills before you take the exam is like getting into a car and expecting to drive it because you have read a book about it.
A word about copying – memorising and copying answers from your friends or online sites for writing and speaking is a poor strategy. Firstly, examiners can tell when your speaking and writing are not spontaneous. Secondly, you will not be fully engaged with the questions, so your answers may not be as focused as they need to be.
Also, remember that language ability can improve, but it can also deteriorate. If you’ve ever learnt a language in the past, you will know that you can easily forget words and go from advanced to intermediate if you are not practising – so an exam taken 3 years ago is not a good guide to how you will perform today – this is exactly why the IELTS has a shelf-life of just 2 years.
Approach IELTS as the test of skills that it is, and be patient. Give yourself time and, above all, practice, practice, practice.
I can help you in getting the IELTS score you desire. Book a call with me today! There are only 12 spaces available to speak with me over the next week and I already have a group of students that I serve and love and want to give time to. So, if your exam success is important to you now and you’d like my help, click below and apply for your session.
This could be the breakthrough you’ve been praying for!
https://englishlanguagetraining.wufoo.eu/forms/your-plan-for-ielts-band-7-and-8-in-your-next-exam/
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