English Language Courses.Info

IELTS mental preparation

Teacher — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 05:08:15 +0000

It seems like everyone is talking about the best way to prepare for IELTS. Do we need a study plan or not, how do we master the art of interview, what is a good IELTS essay, and so on. Well, aren’t we forgetting something? What about the mental aspect?
IELTS, like many other similar tests, requires psychological preparation not less (and may be even more) than good solid studying. As you read this, at least two questions must run through your mind - what kind of psychological preparation and what do we need it for.

In my opinion, anyone who is planning to take IELTS must know that there is a lot of pressure involved. For example, the fact that during the Listening Section the tape is played only once can be very intimidating, so if you’ve missed an answer – you’ve lost it forever, no second chances. Or trying to speak during the Interview for at least two minutes without looking at your watch can scare person as hell. It is also very easy to get depressed in the process of studying just from looking at list of tasks you need to know how to do quickly and accurately.

Being mentally prepared for IELTS does two things for you – it helps you study more effectively and lets you concentrate on the exam instead of your own fears. You can start this preparation by setting a realistic goal – an IELTS band score you need to get. Knowing your target score makes it easier for you to measure yourself – where you are now and what you must improve to get to the target. This way you know exactly how many answers out of 40 you may get wrong and still reach your goal.

When preparing for IELTS, the most important thing to realize is that time is the luxury that you don’t have. This is why strategies were developed to cope with this limitation, and one of them is – skip time-consuming questions. If it takes too long – give up, move on. Some people find it very hard to give up, due to pride, up-bringing or perfectionism and in the end they get hurt because of it. To make sure it doesn’t happen to you, train your mind to obey you in advance.

Another important aspect is to know your weaknesses. Very early in the process of studying you realize what you weakest points are when it comes to IELTS. The most natural thing to do is to devote more attention to those weak areas and not to get discouraged if you find some subject to be more difficult for you than another. Knowing what to expect from yourself makes it easier to control your actions and behavior. For example if you have a tendency to write long complicated sentences and you know about it – you will pay extra attention to this aspect.

And finally, a very common problem: procrastination. You already know that you absolutely have to pass IELTS, that this is the door to your dream but anyway – you can’t get yourself to start studying. The solution: commit to it! Set a deadline, start telling people you’re studying for IELTS, let everyone know. The shame of not living up to people’s expectations will push you towards you goal, which is to ace the IELTS and forget about it.

Simone Braverman is a Software Designer. She had to take the IELTS test to open a door to a dream. Her curiosity pushed her quite a bit further into extensive research on differnt aspects of IELTS test.

Speaking English Still Opens More Doors!

Teacher — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 04:46:45 +0000

Our students have chosen to speak English because it opens more doors. We should help them realize their ambitions, support their dreams, and avoid judging their motives.
For better or for worse, knowing English makes life easier and better. For instance, the ability to speak English allows individuals to communicate with millions of other people from around the world. Some globalization critics and ethnic nationalists, especially in smaller countries, have attacked English as subverting national and group identities. English speakers tend to be the more educated, more affluent, and more successful individuals in several developing countries. This fact apparently offends many people, including a surprisingly number of ESL teachers, who feel seeking worldly success, money, status, or an international spouse is elitist.
Some linguists estimate that the number of people who speak English as a second, third, or even fourth language now numbers over 500 million. If true- and the numbers remain controversial, it’s possible that more people learn English as an adult than speak it as their first and best language. Wow!
English can be seen on television and billboards, heard on the radio, and read, seen and heard on the internet around the globe. You will also find a rich literature on the use of English in advertisements in non-English speaking countries for the same reasons. Modern technological products and companies, such as LG, advertise in Europe in English their message that “Life is Good”. The clear implication is that buying their LG product makes “Life Good” and as does speaking English since only English speakers can understand their ads. Hence, English has also become a symbol of modernism and stylish consumerism. LG is a Korean company!
Ironically, attacking the prevalence of English remains popular, and questioning the “morality” of choosing to speak English even fashionable in some academic circles. This obsession seems misguided and ironic. As English teachers and tutors, we need to carefully assess the full range of aspirations and skills that our students as we choose and develop materials. But assessing does not mean judging them! A teacher should support the legal goals of their students.
If our students need a certain score on a standardized exam (TOEFL, TOEIC, citizenship), we need to choose appropriate materials to meet their immediate goals – including active skills like speaking and writing. The new TOEFL, by the way, is a huge improvement over the old, grammar-focused one used for decades. Speaking has been recognized as a vital life skill.
Yet we also need to help students develop authentic language skills that transcend immediate test scores. Many administrators, for understandable reasons, attempt to force all instruction toward standardized tests. Many English instructors feel that standardized test scores have displaced traditional educational goals. Professor Charles Talcott, for instance, has passionately argued against “The Tyranny of Standardized Testing in English Language Classrooms.”
How many times have you encountered ESL students who have collected impressive test scores yet struggled to express themselves in a simple conversation in English? Students need the chance to develop their conversation skills – in and out of the classroom. Listening and speaking remain essential skills so students can express themselves – even be themselves – in English.
English, an optional language for a majority of the globe, remains a smart choice for our adult students. They have chosen to be English language learners, and our job is to help achieve their goals in our classrooms. Speaking English opens many doors. Can you think of a door you would like to open for your students?
About the Author:
Eric Roth has taught English to immigrants, refugees, and international students from over 50 countries in the last 15 years. The co-author of Compelling Conversations: Questions and Quotations on Timeless Topics, Eric also hosts a website www.compellingconversations.com that offers conversation lessons for English teachers. He teaches at a private university in California, leads teaching workshops, and believes that speaking English opens doors.

Studying English in Philippines

Teacher — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 04:35:39 +0000

Philippines education at is similar to that of the United States. English is the key to the future for Filipinos, and indeed, for the country.Many types of schools are there like Private ,International, Preparatory, Science High School and others. English can be learnt as a second language in many private schools.

Bridge Language Center: is the global leader in language studies, with years of experience in providing language and cultural programs for students, and corporate training for businesses from around the world. Their general goal is to help those who are interested in acquiring a new language, or in improving overall language proficiency.To learn more about this center visit their website http://bridgelanguagecenter.com/

American English Skill Development Center Inc. : Courses are designed to provide the skills and knowledge that a person needs to succeed both at work and in life. The training programs are designed to meet local and international standards and to ensure that graduates are equipped to face the challenges of an English-speaking global market. They have TOEFL - iBT and IELTS preparation courses. To learn more about this center visit their website http://www.americanenglish.ph/

Paradise English Boracay Language Institute: Students live and study with Canadian and British teachers. The classes are conducted by only English Native Speaking teachers. The classes are ongoing so the students can join anytime.To learn more about this center visit their website http://complimentaryenglish.com/boracay.htm

Alpha-Pinnacle Language Center: This Center is located at Brentville Subdivision in Binan, Laguna, that provides Language Training in English, Mandarin, Japanese, Spanish and Korean. They cater to private 1-on-1 tutorials as well as classes. Other offerings include Call Center Training, American Accent Training and TOEFL/IELTS reviews. To learn more about this center visit their websitehttp://www.esl-guide.com/dir/Detailed/1491.html

Hope you get some useful information about Studying English in Philippines .

Cheers,
Kamni Prakash ( @ English Language Courses .Info)

Can You Do Well In The IELTS Exam Without A Tutor?

Teacher — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 03:20:37 +0000

Many - but by no means all - students who take the IELTS Examination for a quantitative assessment of their English-language skills for entrance to universities in the UK and Australia take a course to prepare for the test itself. It’s a strongly recommended idea as the IELTS test does not only require solid knowledge of the English language, but also specific techniques to do well in the IELTS test.

People with very high English skills can do well in the exam with no preparation. But even many of them find the severe time limits on the writing tasks, for example, to produce ‘band’ scores that do not accurately reflect their real writing skills.

Even its creators conceded that IELTS is a tricky test. Question types - there are 10 in all - are often not used in a straightforward manner, requiring both agility of thinking and extra time in answering on the part of the IETLS candidate. Learning how IELTS asks questions, as well as the kinds of questions it asks, can make a significant difference in overall performance.

Perhaps most critically, for both the writing and the speaking tasks - the most difficult for most candidates anyway, because they involve self-expression in English - are expected to be performed according to established IELTS formats. However, the administrators of IELTS spell out those formats nowhere in their published literature. For that matter, the formats are not often made clear in the numerous books on IELTS preparation on the market.

For all these reasons, to get the band score that most accurately reflects your real English-language skills, some kind of tutorial is advised. In large cities with educational centres, there are both universities, schools and private companies that offer such IELTS-preparation courses. In such places, it is also usually possible to find private tutors, although seeking them out can be more difficult.

The books on IELTS Exam preparation are surprisingly poor overall. There also are online courses. Looking in your favorite search engine for ‘IELTS online preparation’ will provide you with some reasonable choices.

Unless you know your English skills are at or near the native-speaker level, it is strongly advised that you take some kind of IELTS tutorial before you take the exam to get the band score that most accurately reflects your real skill level. Conversely, taking an IELTS-preparation course to improve your English skills is wrong-headed. That should be done in another context. There is too much to be taught about the exam itself to allow for the teaching of skills at the same time.

Poyel Nelson has been a university lecturer for more than 5 years and recommends below sites for students wishing to study abroad. IELTS online Study abroad