I have been teaching for many years and it is always interesting to see how students approach the process of language learning.
Looking at the hard work, their preparedness and study methods has given me some insights into what sort of things seem to work well generally for most IELTS students.
Learning styles
As teachers know - different people have different preferences and styles when it comes to studying. I see, as a teacher, where I need to adapt my choice of material or style to suit different students. Things which work fantastically well with one student might fall completely flat with another. We read much about learning styles and it is true that we learn differently but I feel it is also true that not all learning is necessarily fun and exciting and it is important to take the rough with the smooth. In terms of language in particular, a certain amount has to be repetitive and recycling, revisiting is very important. Regular practice is also important. Some tried and tested methods do work and it is a case of finding the most suitable way of utilising these. Whether pen and paper, iPhone or laptop is your preferred tool is unimportant as long as you get the results!
Student behaviour
Some students are methodical and very organised. They bring a book, stationery, dictionary etc to every lesson and they organise their work. Some arrange their book/folder according to the different topics (grammar, reading, vocabulary etc..) and sometimes even colour-code everything for ease of revision. They review the day’s work and come to the next lesson prepared with questions.
Others prefer a more ‘learn by osmosis’ approach they like to absorb the language by being immersed in it through the lesson. They don’t record a great deal (perhaps only things they haven’t heard before) and react in a more emotional way with the language. They may not be so systematic in their learning but they like to extend their exposure to language and will be likely to watch TV or read a newspaper or magazine often bringing elements of this experience to the lesson.
Many students have a ‘half and half’ approach. The dangers of being the first type is that you may be restricting yourself to a narrow range of language and those taking the second path may be exposed to too much for it to be absorbed. However all approaches are legitimate and in the end it is a matter of ‘horses for courses’. However, whatever your learning style, I do think it is worth considering using some tried and tested methods to be certain of the outcome you want in your exam.
10 things that will improve your IELTS study
1. Do make sure you have something to record new items of language (paper notebook, laptop/tablet, mobile phone etc). Don’t rely solely on your memory.
2. Do plan and keep a good record of your day to day study
3. Do make sure you have access to a dictionary (get one on your phone then you can access it wherever you are).
4. Don’t miss the opportunity to pick up new words and check their meaning.
5. Do go over your lessons, make a note of anything you don’t understand ready to ask your teacher (or someone else) at the next lesson.
6. Don’t be afraid to ask your teacher to go over things or explain things again – it’s an opportunity to make sure everything is clear before moving on. Use your online groups or study buddies for this too
7. Do watch TV or Listen to radio, podcasts etc. in English if you have the chance. It’s a good way to engage with the culture and make sure you are immersing yourself in the language – TV is an invaluable language resource.
8. Don’t feel that you have to understand everything. Relax and enjoy the experience, if you can get a good overview of the conversation or TV programme that might be enough (then, as in No 6, make notes and ask for clarification when you can).
9. Do write a learner diary – a few lines after each day’s experience will not only give you a good record of your work, but it is also an interesting and personal way to make a record of your learning. This can be useful for language recycling and sharing learning experiences with teachers and/or classmates.
10. Do enjoy your learning experience – something you enjoy and are absorbed in will be both successful and valuable.
You can find an example of a ‘learner diary’ as a Learning Plan to download - in Free Resources on my website: https://ieltslearningtips.com/free-ielts-resources/