IELTS has a bright new image to reflect the continuing strong growth of this established test. With candidature in 2006 reaching record levels, this growth is evident across the world, but particularly in Australia, the United Arab Emirates and the United States. In fact, IELTS is now widely known and accepted by many American universities, with many academic candidates taking IELTS giving the US as their intended destination. Around 900 institutions and faculties in the US accept IELTS, including seven out of eight Ivy League schools.
Explaining IELTS scores
A new DVD – IELTS Scores Explained – gives organisations that recognise IELTS in-depth information on what exactly is meant by performance at particular bands on the IELTS scale. Existing users can use the DVD to confirm that the band scores they require are appropriate and new users can use it to understand IELTSand its scoring system.
The DVD has nine sections and includes sample materials and examples of candidate performance:
- An Introduction to IELTS
- Setting standards
- Marking and interpreting scores
- Listening
- Academic reading
- General training reading
- Academic writing
- General training writing
- Speaking
Users can see examples of IELTS test tasks, evaluate examples of candidates’ writing and speaking performances, find out what level of writing and speaking performance to expect from someone with a particular band score, find out how many questions someone with a particular band score is likely to get right in the Reading and Listening modules and conduct ‘standards setting studies’ to fix minimum score requirements.
Nick Charge, Cambridge ESOL IELTS Subject Manager, said: ‘Historically, many organisations have been setting IELTS score requirements by simply referring to what their peers have been asking for, or sometimes just with a hunch, a feeling for the correct standard needed. The DVD will help dispel some myths. Often people have a notion of what people with a particular score are capable of doing, when it’s not always very accurate. The resource will encourage more careful thought and re-evaluation of required scores.’
‘As a result, for example, universities can ensure they are admitting students with the appropriate level of English skills to embark on high-level study, and IELTS candidates themselves can be assured they won’t be put into situations they can’t deal with.’
Copies of the DVD can be purchased from: www.IELTS.org
Half bands for Writing and Speaking
From July 2007, scores for IELTS Writing and Speaking will be reported in half bands as well as whole bands.This brings them into line with Listening and Reading, whichhave always been reported in this manner, and should help test users be more exact in their band score requirements. The DVD IELTS scores explained will be updated to provide examples of Writing and Speaking performance at whole and half bands.