IELTS – How to prepare and practise for the exam

If you need to take the IELTS test in order to study or live in an English speaking country you will need to do several things first:

1.      Register for the test.  For information and advice about this see the article, ‘IELTS – What is it and how can you take it?’

2.      Find out what the test involves.  How many papers are there?  What are you expected to do in each paper? What are the examiners looking for?  For help with this, I suggest you get the Super Fast Guide to the test ‘IELTS: How to succeed in the test’.  You can also visit the Super Fast Guides website for some extra tips.

3.      Practise doing the test using example exam papers. There are several ways you can do this: 

a)      You can get sample papers and exercises on the internet, for example at the British Council website, Learn English. 

b)      You can buy IELTS practice materials directly from the IELTS website. 

c)      You can buy an IELTS text book with example tests and exercises, such as Barron’s IELTS.

d)     You can attend an IELTS preparation course, for example at your local British Council.

Whichever method you choose, you should practise as much as you can before you take the test. If you have good self discipline, you may find it is better to study alone at home with practice materials using methods a), b) or c).  However, if you have the time and money, you may find that method d) is better for you, because taking a preparation course provides you with a teacher who can give you guidance and feedback on your work, as well as answering any questions you may have. You will also have the support of working with other students who are planning to take the test. 

Use whichever method works best for you, or a combination of methods, to practise for the test and good luck!  I hope you get the score you need.

How to get certification to teach English as a foreign language (TEFL)

Super Fast Guides published this article on WikiHow earlier this summer.  For people who are interested in TEFL and teaching Engish abroad, we are republishing the entire article here:

  

Would you like to travel the world teaching English? Getting certification before you go will help you to get a good contract and show you what to do before you enter the language classroom in a foreign country.

Steps

1. Choose a good course. The main, intial qualification is called the CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults) or Cert TESOL (Certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language).
   
2. Don't waste money on an 'introduction' or 'starter' course. They aren't worth anything to potential employers and are a waste of both your time and money.
   
3. The CELTA course generally takes 4 weeks, full time and can be very intensive. Alternatively, you can study part-time over approximately 12 weeks.
   
4. Take a good, accredited course, even if it costs more money and takes more time. You will find that it is worth the investment when you start looking for jobs. With a proper certificate you are much more likely to be offered a good contract with decent conditions and salary.
   
5. Get a recognised qualification. The two most recognised certificate qualifications are: Cambridge University's ESOL (English as a Second Language) CELTA and the Trinity CertTESOL. International House, London regularly offers Cambridge CELTA courses, both full-time and part-time, as well as an online course.
   
6. The course is a combination of theory and practice. There are input sessions which explain the theory of language teaching, grammar, vocabulary and skills teaching. There are also practice sessions in which you are expected to plan and deliver an English language lesson to a group of foreign students. In addition, you will observe other experienced teachers teaching so that you can see best practice.
   

Tips

• If you would like to make a long-term career out of teaching English as a foreign language, you might want to take the Diploma course, the DELTA, after you have gained a couple of years' experience.

Warnings

• The course is very intensive. Try not to do it when you have other commitments.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Teach English As a Second Language Worldwide
  

Sources and Citations

• http://www.ihlondon.com/celta-23/blended-celta/
  
• http://www.trinitycollege.co.uk/site/?id=2093
  
• http://www.superfastguides.com/Language-Learning.html
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Get Certification to Teach English As a Foreign Language. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

IELTS - What is it and how can you take it?

Recently Super Fast Guides published a post on wikiHow called How to Take the IELTS, which has now been read by over 7,300 people!  In case you haven’t seen it, here is a shortened version of the article:

What is IELTS?

   

The IELTS test is an English language test that is taken by over 1.4 million people around the world every year. IELTS means 'International English Language Testing System'. It is an English language test that checks a person's language ability in speaking, listening, reading and writing.

How can I take the test?

1.      Decide which test to take. There are two forms of the test: the Academic module and the General Training module. The Academic module is generally taken by people who want to study at an English-speaking college or university. The General Training module is generally taken by people who wish to migrate abroad, for example to the UK or Australia. However, some training courses require the General Training module, not the Academic one. Check before you take the test.

2.      Find your nearest IELTS test centre. There are over 800 centres around the world, so there should be one near you. In the USA there are 49 centers across the States and there are 47 test centres in both the UK and Australia. In addition, there are test centres in over 130 other countries. You can find a full list of test centres with contact details for each one at www.ielts.org.

3.      Register for the test with your nearest test center. IELTS is offered all year round and some test centres offer the test as often as twice a month, so you might be able to choose several possible dates. Just be sure to register early so you get the date you want as dates often fill up quickly.

4.      Ensure that you have the right documents to register. You will need to give the test centre a completed application form, two recent passport photographs, which are in colour and identical, and a photocopy of your passport or national identity document, which should still be valid when you take the test.

5.      Pay for the test. The fee varies, but it is currently around USD185 in the USA, GBP115 in the UK and AUD317 in Australia.

6.      Bring the right materials on the day of the test. Bring your passport or national identity document. You will also need to bring pencils and pens to write with.

7.      Wait for your results. These will be available 13 days after the test.

For the full article, see wikiHow, How to Take the IELTS
For important information about the test and for essential advice on how to get the score you need, get the Super Fast Guide, IELTS, How to succeed in the exam, available from Amazon 
 

How to get into a top university

Cambridge University.  One of the oldest in the world.

If you are hoping to get into a top university in September 2012, you should start preparing now.  The world’s top colleges, such as Yale, Harvard, Oxford and Cambridge, receive thousands and thousands of applications every year for only a limited number of places, so how can you rise to the top of the application pile and get offered a place? 

The first thing of course is to study, as the top institutions are able to choose only the very brightest students.  However, universities like Oxford receive thousands of applications from students who are predicted to get A* grades, so how do they decide which students to offer a place to?  For example, if there are ten students with top grades, and only one place, how do they decide which student gets the place?  How can you set yourself apart from the crowd?

1.   Know your subject.  Study beyond the curriculum at school and show that you are passionate about the subject.  Read as much as you can about it, as well as related subject areas.

2.   Know the university.  Know why you want to study there.  For example, just saying, ‘I want to go to Princeton because it’s an Ivy League school’ is not enough.  Know who the professors are who teach the subject you want to study and what their specialist areas of research are.  Read some of the professors’ books and be prepared to talk about them.  Research the university as much as possible.  If you can, attend an open day, as this will give you the chance to get to know the university and meet some of the lecturers and students.

3.   Get involved in extra-curricular activities.  Show the university that you are a rounded person by getting involved in several activities outside the classroom.  For example, take part in a school play, be a member of a sport’s team, play a musical instrument, do voluntary work, join a debating society, join local community organisations.  Also, try to take on positions of responsibility, such as Student Council, Head Boy/Girl, or High School President.  All of these activities will give you a well-rounded application form, improve your chances of getting excellent school references and will make your application stand out from the others.

4.   Stay up-to-date with world news.  Show that you have an understanding of the greater world that you live in by staying informed about what is happening in the world and why.  Read a quality newspaper regularly, including the opinion columns, and form your own opinions about recent current affairs.

5.   Speak to other university students.  Try to meet students who have studied, or are studying at the university you want to go to.  Ask them what they think the university is looking for and what studying there is like.  

6.   Study another language.  Many subjects benefit from students knowing another language.  If your first language is not English, spend as much time as possible getting your English up to an advanced level.

7.   Practise doing entrance tests.  Become familiar with entrance tests, such as SAT, ACT, GMAT, LSAT, MCAT and practise doing them.  If you need to take an English test, decide whether you will take IELTS or TOEFL and prepare for the test. 

      Last of all, if you don't get in the first time, consider waiting a year and trying again. Some students succeed a second time round.

Language Learning

The latest Super Fast Guide is now available on Amazon!  'Language Learning, How to learn any language' is for anyone who needs to know another language.

Like any skill, there is a technique to learning another language, whether it's Spanish, German or even Chinese.  I once knew someone who could speak 7 different languages, including Italian, French, Korean and Turkish!  I asked him how he did it and he just said, 'The first one or two are tricky, but once you know the technique, it's easy.'  I watched him over two years as he learnt yet another language and noted down the techniques he used.  I then taught these techniques to my English students, realising that it was better to teach them how to learn rather that what to learn.  For example, students need to know how to learn vocabulary, such as how to keep good vocabulary records (see our website www.SuperFastGuides.com for an example of this).

The main piece of advice I have is, practise, practise, practise and don't be afraid of making mistakes!  What are your tips for learning other languages?

An English summer?

London in the summer

A student asked me recently if he should go to the UK this summer to study English. I answered that yes of course he should go, if he had the time and the money. However, he then asked me which language school he should go to. This is a much more difficult question to answer and it's one that I've been asked before by students.

When you choose an English language school, you need to think about what type of experience you want. Some of the things to think about are:

• Do you want to be in a city, a town, or in the countryside?
• Would you like a big school with lots of students, or a smaller school where you can get to know everyone personally?
• What type of course do you want e.g. general English, business English, academic English or exam preparation, such as FCE, or IELTS?
• How many hours a day do you want to study and be in classes?
• What type of activity programmes does the school offer e.g. discos, day trips, or excursions?
• What type of accommodation does the school offer?

Whichever school you choose, check the details carefully before you decide e.g. does the cost include accommodation, meals and social activites, or are they extra? Also, if the school is in the UK, check that it is accredited by the British Council. You can get a list of their accredited schools here.

Wherever you go, have a great summer and enjoy the experience!