This document provides a critical review of the IELTS examination. It argues that IELTS lacks transparency in its business model and pedagogical design. Specifically, it notes that IELTS does not publish a syllabus informing test-takers of possible exam topics. This can increase anxiety and makes thorough preparation difficult. The document also argues that the writing tasks impose undue demands by examining general knowledge on any topic rather than communication skills. Overall, the document calls for IELTS to increase transparency and align its exams more with assessing practical English communication abilities.
This Exposure Draft reviews IELTS’s Academic reading test. I do this by conducting an in-depth analysis of reading test 1 extracted from the following official IELTS Academic test preparation publication:
Jakeman, V. and McDowell, C. (2015), Cambridge IELTS 10, Cambridgeshire, England: Cambridge University Press.
This document is the sixth exposure draft in a series that conducts a critical review of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and other global language tests. The scope of this project discusses the pedagogical design and the administrative regime of global English language examinations such as the IELTS.
IELTS remarking and appeals : a call for transparencyLanguageResearch
This paper aims to stimulate public discussion about IELTS remarking processes. It is not clear what due processes exist within IELTS's appeals and remarking process.
IELTS flawed assessment rubrics : speaking, writing and transparencyLanguageResearch
This Exposure Draft provides a pedagogical critique of IELTS’s flawed assessment rubrics. Part of my discussion centers on the differences between what is required to earn a band score of 6.5 and a band score of 7.0 for speaking and writing. Speaking and writing are the only English language skills where the band score awarded by IELTS is subjective, i.e., it is a personal/professional opinion that can vary between examiners.
This document is the sixth exposure draft in a series that conducts a critical review of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and other global language tests. The scope of this project discusses the pedagogical design and the administrative regime of global English language examinations such as the IELTS. This exposure draft analyzes IELTS's speaking test.
Free IELTS Academic upper intermediate course - week 1. This course is free. Participants may start at any time. This course develops participant's reading, writing, listening and speaking skills for the IELTS Academic exam.
This Exposure Draft reviews IELTS’s Academic reading test. I do this by conducting an in-depth analysis of reading test 1 extracted from the following official IELTS Academic test preparation publication:
Jakeman, V. and McDowell, C. (2015), Cambridge IELTS 10, Cambridgeshire, England: Cambridge University Press.
This document is the sixth exposure draft in a series that conducts a critical review of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and other global language tests. The scope of this project discusses the pedagogical design and the administrative regime of global English language examinations such as the IELTS.
IELTS remarking and appeals : a call for transparencyLanguageResearch
This paper aims to stimulate public discussion about IELTS remarking processes. It is not clear what due processes exist within IELTS's appeals and remarking process.
IELTS flawed assessment rubrics : speaking, writing and transparencyLanguageResearch
This Exposure Draft provides a pedagogical critique of IELTS’s flawed assessment rubrics. Part of my discussion centers on the differences between what is required to earn a band score of 6.5 and a band score of 7.0 for speaking and writing. Speaking and writing are the only English language skills where the band score awarded by IELTS is subjective, i.e., it is a personal/professional opinion that can vary between examiners.
This document is the sixth exposure draft in a series that conducts a critical review of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and other global language tests. The scope of this project discusses the pedagogical design and the administrative regime of global English language examinations such as the IELTS. This exposure draft analyzes IELTS's speaking test.
Free IELTS Academic upper intermediate course - week 1. This course is free. Participants may start at any time. This course develops participant's reading, writing, listening and speaking skills for the IELTS Academic exam.
This presentation lists six different types of official IELTS exam preparation resources. These include official open-access materials published by IDP Australia, Cambridge University and the British Council. These types of resources include
1. Advice about the structure of the IELTS exam
2. Advice about IELTS’s scoring system
3. General advice about how to prepare for the IELTS examination
4. Technical advice about how to answer exam questions
5. Exam question examples
6. Examples of exam answers provided by test-takers.
Working together to help education reforms work out EduSkills OECD
Andreas Schleicher
Special Advisor on Education Policy to the Secretary General - OECD
Director for Education and Skills
Taking the perspective of institutions and the system, Education Policy Outlook 2019: Working Together to Help Students Achieve their Potential, analyses the evolution of key education priorities and key education policies in 43 education systems. It compares more recent developments in education policy ecosystems (mainly between 2015 and 2019) with various education policies adopted between 2008 and 2014. This report includes around 460 education policy developments (with evidence of progress or impact for over 200 of them) spanning from early childhood education and care to higher education and lifelong learning on topics related to school improvement, evaluation and assessment, governance and funding. It looks into “what is being done”, as well as “why and how it works” to help education systems gain better understanding of how policies can have greater opportunities of success in their specific contexts.
Candian Government Policy : Human Rights in Developing CountriesLanguageResearch
Dear Minister,
This letter expresses my grave concerns about mass human suffering that may transpire globally from Canada’s policy of allowing two English language testing proxies with
similar business models to operate a duopoly that supports your skilled migration quota. I suspect that your Government is unaware of the discreet and sophisticated revenue
maximization tactics that propels IELTS’s globally dominant expansionary business model. IELTS’s multibillion dollar trading empire has offices in 142 countries.
Key words: IELTS, International English Langauge Testing System, IDP Australia, IDP, British Council, CELPIP, Canada.
Crimes against humanity : Australia and IELTS (Illustration purposes only)LanguageResearch
PUBLIC ISSUE DRAFT: CONTENT FOR ILLUSTRATION PURPOSES ONLY
June 12, 2017
Page 1 of 36
To Ms. Louise Arbour
UN Special Representative for International Migration
Re Australian Government and IELTS: Crimes against humanity
Dear Ms. Arbour,
The IELTS consortium has willfully and persistently engaged in academic fraud and extortion to extract billions of dollars (USD) from citizens of developing nations. IELTS is a multi-billion dollars trading empire that maintains offices in around 142 countries.
The Australian Government passively support these crimes as they co-function as a thinly-veiled proxy for Australia’s selective immigration regime. These crimes against humanity also inserts billions of dollars into Australia’s lucrative international education market.
Millions of people who have sat for an IELTS test are citizens of developing nations. Most of these persons are desperate to secure a student or permanent residency visa in a developed nation. This demographic is highly susceptible to ruthless systemic abuse.
Please forward this complaint and evidence to the appropriate officer/s at any agency.
Yours sincerely,
J. Jericho D.Soc.Sc Sydney
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ieltsbackup
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIaUPwguD5zV87cJrbTmXdw
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ieltsbackup
Send us your feedback & suggestions: info@ieltsbackup.com
For more details: https://www.ieltsbackup.com
This extract document compares IELTS's comprehensive mandatory data collection regime with other language test providers such as Pearson, TOEIC and TOEFL.
November 17, 2009: "Lessons from Abroad: International Standards and Assessme...Edutopia
Presenter: Linda Darling-Hammond, Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Teaching and Teacher Education, Stanford University
Host: Kathryn Baron, features producer and research editor, Edutopia
The world's top-performing school systems are said to be the model for new Common Core standards. Learn about the assessment systems in these countries, and how the results challenge the status quo in the United States.
2014 semester 1 question analysis for 192.018Martin McMorrow
This presentation was designed for students doing Paper 192.018 in the Centre for Professional and Continuing Education at Massey University in March 2014.
This presentation lists six different types of official IELTS exam preparation resources. These include official open-access materials published by IDP Australia, Cambridge University and the British Council. These types of resources include
1. Advice about the structure of the IELTS exam
2. Advice about IELTS’s scoring system
3. General advice about how to prepare for the IELTS examination
4. Technical advice about how to answer exam questions
5. Exam question examples
6. Examples of exam answers provided by test-takers.
Working together to help education reforms work out EduSkills OECD
Andreas Schleicher
Special Advisor on Education Policy to the Secretary General - OECD
Director for Education and Skills
Taking the perspective of institutions and the system, Education Policy Outlook 2019: Working Together to Help Students Achieve their Potential, analyses the evolution of key education priorities and key education policies in 43 education systems. It compares more recent developments in education policy ecosystems (mainly between 2015 and 2019) with various education policies adopted between 2008 and 2014. This report includes around 460 education policy developments (with evidence of progress or impact for over 200 of them) spanning from early childhood education and care to higher education and lifelong learning on topics related to school improvement, evaluation and assessment, governance and funding. It looks into “what is being done”, as well as “why and how it works” to help education systems gain better understanding of how policies can have greater opportunities of success in their specific contexts.
Candian Government Policy : Human Rights in Developing CountriesLanguageResearch
Dear Minister,
This letter expresses my grave concerns about mass human suffering that may transpire globally from Canada’s policy of allowing two English language testing proxies with
similar business models to operate a duopoly that supports your skilled migration quota. I suspect that your Government is unaware of the discreet and sophisticated revenue
maximization tactics that propels IELTS’s globally dominant expansionary business model. IELTS’s multibillion dollar trading empire has offices in 142 countries.
Key words: IELTS, International English Langauge Testing System, IDP Australia, IDP, British Council, CELPIP, Canada.
Crimes against humanity : Australia and IELTS (Illustration purposes only)LanguageResearch
PUBLIC ISSUE DRAFT: CONTENT FOR ILLUSTRATION PURPOSES ONLY
June 12, 2017
Page 1 of 36
To Ms. Louise Arbour
UN Special Representative for International Migration
Re Australian Government and IELTS: Crimes against humanity
Dear Ms. Arbour,
The IELTS consortium has willfully and persistently engaged in academic fraud and extortion to extract billions of dollars (USD) from citizens of developing nations. IELTS is a multi-billion dollars trading empire that maintains offices in around 142 countries.
The Australian Government passively support these crimes as they co-function as a thinly-veiled proxy for Australia’s selective immigration regime. These crimes against humanity also inserts billions of dollars into Australia’s lucrative international education market.
Millions of people who have sat for an IELTS test are citizens of developing nations. Most of these persons are desperate to secure a student or permanent residency visa in a developed nation. This demographic is highly susceptible to ruthless systemic abuse.
Please forward this complaint and evidence to the appropriate officer/s at any agency.
Yours sincerely,
J. Jericho D.Soc.Sc Sydney
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ieltsbackup
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIaUPwguD5zV87cJrbTmXdw
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ieltsbackup
Send us your feedback & suggestions: info@ieltsbackup.com
For more details: https://www.ieltsbackup.com
This extract document compares IELTS's comprehensive mandatory data collection regime with other language test providers such as Pearson, TOEIC and TOEFL.
November 17, 2009: "Lessons from Abroad: International Standards and Assessme...Edutopia
Presenter: Linda Darling-Hammond, Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Teaching and Teacher Education, Stanford University
Host: Kathryn Baron, features producer and research editor, Edutopia
The world's top-performing school systems are said to be the model for new Common Core standards. Learn about the assessment systems in these countries, and how the results challenge the status quo in the United States.
2014 semester 1 question analysis for 192.018Martin McMorrow
This presentation was designed for students doing Paper 192.018 in the Centre for Professional and Continuing Education at Massey University in March 2014.
The French Revolution, which began in 1789, was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France. It marked the decline of absolute monarchies, the rise of secular and democratic republics, and the eventual rise of Napoleon Bonaparte. This revolutionary period is crucial in understanding the transition from feudalism to modernity in Europe.
For more information, visit-www.vavaclasses.com
How to Split Bills in the Odoo 17 POS ModuleCeline George
Bills have a main role in point of sale procedure. It will help to track sales, handling payments and giving receipts to customers. Bill splitting also has an important role in POS. For example, If some friends come together for dinner and if they want to divide the bill then it is possible by POS bill splitting. This slide will show how to split bills in odoo 17 POS.
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Operation “Blue Star” is the only event in the history of Independent India where the state went into war with its own people. Even after about 40 years it is not clear if it was culmination of states anger over people of the region, a political game of power or start of dictatorial chapter in the democratic setup.
The people of Punjab felt alienated from main stream due to denial of their just demands during a long democratic struggle since independence. As it happen all over the word, it led to militant struggle with great loss of lives of military, police and civilian personnel. Killing of Indira Gandhi and massacre of innocent Sikhs in Delhi and other India cities was also associated with this movement.
How to Make a Field invisible in Odoo 17Celine George
It is possible to hide or invisible some fields in odoo. Commonly using “invisible” attribute in the field definition to invisible the fields. This slide will show how to make a field invisible in odoo 17.
Unit 8 - Information and Communication Technology (Paper I).pdfThiyagu K
This slides describes the basic concepts of ICT, basics of Email, Emerging Technology and Digital Initiatives in Education. This presentations aligns with the UGC Paper I syllabus.
We all have good and bad thoughts from time to time and situation to situation. We are bombarded daily with spiraling thoughts(both negative and positive) creating all-consuming feel , making us difficult to manage with associated suffering. Good thoughts are like our Mob Signal (Positive thought) amidst noise(negative thought) in the atmosphere. Negative thoughts like noise outweigh positive thoughts. These thoughts often create unwanted confusion, trouble, stress and frustration in our mind as well as chaos in our physical world. Negative thoughts are also known as “distorted thinking”.
1. 1
The Free School
http://www.thefreeschool.education/language-tests-review.html
Global English Language Tests Review Series
The hidden curriculum, absent syllabus and severe complexity of the
Academic and General Writing Task 2 component of the IELTS.
Exposure Draft Number 2
March, 2017
Jay Jericho D.Soc.Sc Syd
jay@thefreeschool.education
IELTS Review Series
This document is the second exposure draft in a series that conducts a critical review of
the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and other global language
tests. The scope of this project discusses the pedagogical design and the administrative
regime of global English language examinations such as the IELTS.
2. 2
Historical context
The IELTS assessment is the most popular English language exam for higher education
and migration purposes (Cambridge English, 2017a, NP). On its home page, the IELTS
(2017b, NP) organization states that “IELTS is the high-stakes English test for study,
migration or work.” In 2015, around 2.7 million people sat for this examination in more
than 140 countries (Conestoga, 2017, NP).
IELTS (2017d, NP) reports that citizens of the following 40 countries were the top
“country of origin” of its examinees in 2015:
Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (People's Republic of), Colombia,
Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran,
Islamic Republic of, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Korea,
Republic of, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan,
Philippines, Qatar, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sri Lanka,
Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United States of
America, Uzbekistan, Viet Nam.
Most of IELTS’s fee paying clients are citizens of ‘developing economies’ or ‘economies
in transition’ as defined by the United Nations (United Nations, 2016, p. 160). Business
data for ‘country of origin’ is not yet available for 2016.
3. 3
Business model
The IELTS organization is a collaborative joint venture that administers the IELTS exam.
Table 1 summarizes the service-delivery structure of these three entities.
Table 1:
IELTS consortium partners: business model
Member Status Source
British Council “a public corporation
(in accounting terms)”
British Council
(2017h, NP)
Cambridge
Assessment
(Brand)
A “non-teaching department of
the University of Cambridge”
Cambridge Assessment
Group (2017a, NP)
IDP Education
Limited
A for-profit corporation that is
listed on the Australian Stock
Exchange.
IDP Education
Australia
(2017, p. 6)
4. 4
Revenue
The total annual revenue and financial surpluses/profits earned by members of the IELTS
consortium for delivering IELTS goods and services is not disclosed in their Annual
Financial Reports. Members of the IELTS consortium report their IELTS revenues as a
component of a consolidated revenue item (British Council, 2017a, p. 60; Cambridge
Assessment Group, 2015b, p. 7; IDP Education Australia, 2017, p. 17).
Members of the IELTS’s consortium and their authorized agents charge registrants a
commercial fee to sit the IELTS exam. IELTS charges a standard fee by test center
location.
Table 2, overleaf, shows the fees schedule in six selected countries as at March, 2017.
This data set contains a member nation from each continent, including the Indian
subcontinent.
IELTS does not offer a fee waiver or a reduced fee schedule for those who live in a state
of “income poverty” as defined by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization (2016, p. 160).
5. 5
Table 2:
Selected IELTS registration fees by country
As at March 2017
Country
(a)
Commercial
Fee
(b)
USD
(c)
GDP USD
Per capita
(b)/(c)
Cost
Per capita
Ghana GHS980 $216 $1,388 15.6%
India Rupees 11,300 $173 $1,587 10.9%
China RMB 1, 960 $284 $7,617 3.7%
Brazil BRL800 $277 $11,387 2.4%
United Kingdom GBP200
(Immigration)
$247 $46,461 0.5%
USA USD$235 $235 $54,306 0.4%
Sources:
British Council (2017b; 2017c; 2017g; 2017j; 2017k; IELTS, 2017c).
(b) Bank of Canada (2017); (c) United Nations (2017).
6. 6
Impartiality
The Global English Language Tests Review (GELTR) aims to provide an objective
review of the scholarly design and global administration of the IELTS examination and
substitute global English language tests such as Pearson, TOEIC and TOEFL. This series
aims to complement the IELTS “Research Report” series published by IELTS.
Independence
In contrast to IELTS’s Research Report series, the GELTR is not subject to editorial
amendments imposed by IELTS’s employees or its affiliates. Furthermore, in contrast to
IELTS’s Research Report series, none of the costs involved in preparing and
disseminating the GELTR are funded by the IELTS organization or its member partners.
Evidence
I refer to the open-access website owned and managed by ‘IELTS Liz’. IELTS Liz is a
globally respected online volunteer IELTS instructor. As at March, 2017 she has 144, 300
subscribers to her YouTube channel (IELTS Liz, YouTube, 2017, NP).
IELTS Liz (2017, NP) informs her audience “I completed my IELTS examiner training in
2008”. This certification was earned three years after IELTS completed its last major
7. 7
overhaul of its English language exam. Between 2001 and 2005, IELTS conducted the
“IELTS Writing Project” (Taylor & Weir, 2012, p. 3).
According to IELTS Liz (2017, NP) “There are only minimal differences between
IELTS’s General writing task 2 and its Academic task 2.
Table 3, overleaf, summarizes the major similarities and minor differences between the
General and Academic versions of the writing task 2 component of the IELTS.
8. 8
Table 3:
Comparing the General and Academic
Writing Task 2 essay questions
Comparison criteria Similarity/difference
Essay question difficulty Similar
The General question is often written in a way that
is clearer and easier to understand.
Topics for essay Similar
General questions tend to focus on common issues.
The Academic test examines a wider range of
topics.
Essay types Same
You could receive a:
• Opinion essay
• Discussion essay
• Advantage/disadvantage essay
• Solution essay
• Direct question essay
Marking and scoring Same
IELTS essay writing techniques Same
Essay length and timing Same
Source: IELTS Liz (2017, NP)
9. 9
Table 4, overleaf, cites two official exam preparation resources for the General and
Academic versions of the IELTS exam. This data set illustrates the breadth of general
knowledge required for writing task 2 for both versions of the IELTS. It also illustrates
the strong similarities between each version of this exam.
10. 10
Table 4:
Comparing the General and Academic Writing Task 2 essay questions:
Official open-access exam preparation questions
General version Academic version
Education (sub-field: Children)
“Some people believe that teaching children
at home is best for a child’s development
while others think that it is important for
children to go to school.
Discuss the advantages of both methods and
give your own opinion.
Give reasons for your answer and include
any relevant examples from your own
knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.”
British Council (2017f)
Society (subfield: Moral philosophy)
A person’s worth nowadays seems to be judged
according to social status and material
possessions. Old-fashioned values, such as
honour, kindness and trust, no longer seem
important.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with
this opinion?
Give reasons for your answer and include any
relevant examples from your own knowledge or
experience.
Write at least 250 words.”
British Council (2017f)
Government (subfield: Social Policy)
“The care of old people is a growing
problem. Some say the government should
care for old people. Others say that it is the
family’s responsibility. Discuss both these
views and give your own opinion.”
Write at least 250 words.”
Cambridge English (2017b)
Government (subfield: Public Policy)
“The threat of nuclear weapons maintains
world peace. Nuclear power provides cheap
and clean energy. The benefits of nuclear
technology far outweigh the disadvantages. To
what extent do you agree or disagree? Give
reasons for your answer and include any relevant
examples from your knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.”
Cambridge English (2017a)
11. 11
Pedagogy
I argue that the IELTS exam is severely flawed because it does not provide a single
comprehensive curriculum document or a syllabus that informs future test-takers of a
menu of topics that examinees may be required to discuss in the exam. Examinees may
be subjected to a general knowledge examination on an extremely broad range of topics
from specialist sub-fields within Arts and Sciences disciplines.
I refer to public access web content uploaded by ‘IELTS Liz’ on her IELTS training
website. IELTS Liz (2017, NP) classifies her open-access collection of 100 authentic
IELTS exam preparation resources for writing task 1 into the following 19 categories:
“Common IELTS Essay Questions
IELTS essay questions divided by topic
Art (5 essay questions)
Business & Money (17 essay questions)
Communication & Personality (17 essay questions)
Crime & Punishment (12 essay questions)
Education (17 essay questions)
Environment (12 essay questions)
Family & Children (8 essay questions)
Food & Diet (8 essay questions)
12. 12
Government (6 essay questions)
Health (9 essay questions)
Media & Advertising (12 essay questions)
Reading (5 essay questions)
Society (10 essay questions)
Space exploration (3 essay questions)
Sport & Exercise (6 essay questions)
Technology (6 essay questions)
Tourism (6 essay questions)
Transport (7 essay questions)
Work (16 essay questions)”
Most examinees who sit the IELTS exam do not speak English as a first language and are
not from Western countries that administer the IELTS exam, i.e., Australia and the
United Kingdom (IELTS, 2017d). It is therefore essential that IELTS develops a new
topic variable that is fair and accessible for those from diverse linguistic and cultural
backgrounds (e.g. Uysal, 2009, p. 316).
In its current form, the writing task imposes excessive demands on non-native English
language speakers. IELTS markets itself as an international English language test. In
reality, writing task 2 examines a candidate’s general knowledge and critical thinking
skills on virtually any contemporary social issue or scientific problem and does so from a
Western perspective.
13. 13
At present, IELTS does not publish an open-access curriculum document or syllabus that
specify a selected range of topics that may appear in its exams in a general sense, or
during a defined period such as a particular calendar year (e.g., British Council, 2017i,
NP). This absence of a public guideline document that outlines topic variables makes it
extremely difficult for those who plan to sit for the IELTS exam to devise a strategy to
prepare for writing task 2.
Pedagogy
I argue that IELTS should not impose a hidden curriculum on its ‘customers’ that is not
supported by a curriculum document/syllabus for the following reasons:
● Pedagogical practices
● Emotional health
● Ethical considerations.
The written and spoken components of the IELTS Academic and IELTS General exams
are the most subjective parts of this assessment. It is possible for any person to assess
their reading and listening skills at home. Official IELTS exam practice resources
provide exact answers for reading and listening questions (British Council, 2017i, NP).
14. 14
It is extremely difficult for students to prepare fully for any exam if the examiners use a
marking system that is not disclosed in full and in a timely manner (e.g. Reynolds-
Keefer, 2010, pp. 4 & 6). This lack of transparency in turn may increase the anxiety
levels of those required to prepare for an academic assessment.
The lack of a syllabus to guide instructors and students to prepare for the IELTS exam is
problematic. As argued by IELTS researcher Qinglan Yu (2014, p. 26)
Appropriate IELTS learning materials will play a very important role in
classroom learning. Scientific teaching materials will change the current exercise-
dominated classroom, increase learner's interest, accelerate teacher student
interactions, optimize learning efficiency and virtually improve their performance
in real test. Generally, in joint education program, to prepare students with best
designed teaching materials, professional teachers should form a panel to select
from existing teaching materials, including those imported from abroad, re-
arrange them according to a specific syllabus [emphasis added], whether a
function-notional, or a task-based, or more possible, a communicative syllabus.
I argue that IELTS should switch their writing task 2 format from a critical general
knowledge scholastic format to one that focuses on basic “communication competence”
(e.g. Uysal, 2009, p. 318) skills required of academic scholars, working professionals and
private citizens who engage using the English language. This modification would morph
the IELTS writing task 2 into a system that is more reflective of society-at-large.
The use of secretive business practices in educational settings defies the spirit of fairness,
transparency and accountability which the public expects from educational service
15. 15
providers who trade in the exchange of truth and knowledge (e.g. Hong & Walsh, 2009).
Furthermore, the use of secretive business practices does not reflect a customer-oriented
service delivery model. Such practices are indicative of a monopoly business model
whereby one party aims to preserve its dominance as the gatekeeper of knowledge in a
narrow field (e.g. Zoellner, 2014), such as English language testing.
For comment
I welcome members of the public to provide constructive feedback on this exposure draft.
You may provide feedback in confidence or request to have this uploaded on the School’s
website or GELTR’s website.
Initial distribution list
IELTS instructors;
IELTS stakeholders (global);
Former IELTS test-takers;
IELTS registrants;
IELTS research academics;
Former IELTS staff;
IELTS staff;
Education Minister, Canada.
Education Minister, United Kingdom.
16. 16
Primary evidence
British Council (2017a), Annual Report and Accounts 2015–16,
<https://www.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/annual-report-2015-2016.pdf>.
Accessed 12 March 2017.
–––––– (2017b), China,
<http://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/locations/china>. Accessed 12 March 2017.
–––––– (2017c), IELTS Application: Check Test Availability (Brazil),
<https://ielts.britishcouncil.org/CheckAvailability.aspx>. Accessed 12 March 2017.
–––––– (2017d), IELTS Speaking band descriptors (public version),
<https://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/IELTS_Speaking_band_descriptors.
pdf>. Accessed 12 March 2017.
–––––– (2017e), IELTS TASK 1 Writing band descriptors (public version),
<https://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/IELTS_task_1_Writing_band_descr
iptors.pdf>. Accessed 12 March 2017.
–––––– (2017f), IELTS TASK 2 Writing band descriptors (public version),
<https://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/IELTS_task_2_Writing_band_descr
iptors.pdf>. Accessed 12 March 2017.
–––––– (2017g), India,
<http://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/locations/india>. Accessed 12 March 2017.
–––––– (2017h), Management and structure,
<https://www.britishcouncil.org/organisation/structure>. Accessed 12 March 2017.
–––––– (2017i), Prepare,
<http://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/prepare>. Accessed 12 March 2017.
–––––– (2017j), Test dates fees and locations: Ghana,
<http://www.britishcouncil.org.gh/exam/ielts/dates-fees-locations>. Accessed 17 March
2017.
–––––– (2017k), United Kingdom,
<takeielts.britishcouncil.org/locations/united-kingdom>. Accessed 17 March 2017.
17. 17
IELTS (2017a), Find a test location,
<https://www.ielts.org/book-a-test/find-a-test-location>. Accessed 12 March 2017.
–––––– (2017b), Home,
<https://www.ielts.org/>. Accessed 12 March 2017.
–––––– (2017c), ILSC New York,
<https://www.ielts.org/book-a-test/IELTS/United-States-of-America/ILSC-New-York>.
Accessed 12 March 2017.
–––––– (2017d), Test taker performance,
<https://www.ielts.org/teaching-and-research/test-taker-performance>. >. Accessed 17
March 2017.
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