Tuesday 29 November, 2011. GUANGZHOU, Guangdong, China. At the interview, Mr. Kris Simpson revealed system methods for success in directing an IELTS teaching operation. A Canadian national, Mr. Kris Simpson directs the IELTS operation at Monash University College in Guangzhou in the Peoples Republic of China. Mr Simpson has a Bachelor's Degree in English from The University of British Columbia and a Master's Degree in Business Administration from Rochville University.
Also, Mr Simpson remarked on the inside methodology for success in teaching IELTS. The following 6 questions were posed to him, and his answers follow.
IELTS Effectiveness
Suite101. How would you characterise the effectiveness of IELTS for measuring a person's ability to function generally in the English language?
Simpson. "As a general tool IELTS can be effective as a basic measure of functional English but I have found that, as with other exams, it can be misleading when one tries to use it as a measure of fluency. Many students are taught tricks and simple phrases to repeat and use during the Writing and Speaking portions of the exam and that in effect, while seeming to improve their scores, does in fact hurt them as the examiners are professionals and see the same tricks again and again. Using an extended exam over a two day period does not always allow students to show their true potential, as many, in my experience, work themselves into a nervous frenzy and thusly lose their abilities and therefore will score on average one band below where they should."
Principles for IELTS Success
Suite101. It appears that you have found specific techniques for raising a person's IELTS scores. What are the key principles for IELTS success?
Simpson. There are three basic and quite simple techniques that are employed in my lessons; some might see them as common sense and others as unconventional. First, I always encourage the students to not follow popular or flashy texts. Those are the ones written by so called "experts" who have spent their "whole lives" learning the secrets and tricks to passing an exam. The only one who profits from reading those is the one who had it published. Second, a very relaxed and light atmosphere where everyone is comfortable, as studying IELTS can be a very tiring and draining experience for all involved. With this the teacher and the student are able to complete vast amounts of work and still feel relaxed by the end of the day or the lesson. Finally as the old adage goes "Variety is the spice of life", that is applied in my classes as one skill set or indeed one specific topic is not continuously repeated day in and day out. Rotating skills every two hours can increase effectiveness as the student is given a chance to absorb the knowledge that has been given."
Catching Poor IELTS Performers in Time
Suite101. How do you pre-identify poor IELTS performers and how do you catch them in time?
Simpson. "Identification of a poor performer is often times as easy as asking a student to sit a short diagnostic test, usually a single reading or listening passage and from there we are able to determine how a student can perform during IELTS classes and situations. That being said, it is not always foolproof, some students are able to pass basic exams but at higher levels we must wait and see what they are capable of through classroom interaction. Catching a poor performer is quite simple as the weaknesses always come out in participation in classroom activities; if a student is unable to understand or if they have difficulty completing an exercise, it is generally a good indication that they have reached the saturation point and now they are in need of help."
Special IELTS Teaching Techniques
Suite101. What special teaching techniques have you developed for increasing the likelihood of IELTS success?
Simpson. "My secret "weapon" is quite simple really, Positive Reinforcement. Interaction with students helps me to find their specific weak points and when we, the student and I, discuss their work I try to guide them to where they are making mistakes and allow them to "discover" it on their own as I have found that students respond better when they see what they have done wrong rather than a teacher saying "Hey, that's not right". The student then feels as if they have accomplished something and that feeling of discovery can carry over into their other work as they are then able to more easily spot their mistakes."
Specific Management Issues
Suite101. When running an English language school for teaching IELTS, are there any specific management issues for which you have developed solutions?
Simpson. "The most common problem that language schools face is when teachers have different methods or ideas on how materials should be delivered. Some prefer a more traditional method of lecture while others, me included, prefer a communicative approach and engaging the students directly. When this issue has cropped up in the past what I have always done is offered a middle ground to the teachers where we are able to accommodate lecture based teaching, such as in writing tasks, with the more open style of communicative based teaching that listening and speaking require."
Special Pre-Admission Assessment Techniques
Suite101. Are there any special techniques for assessing a person's English ability before admitting them to the program?
Simpson. "While many schools will have a very rudimentary entrance examination for potential students, I have always found that pen and paper will only show so much of a person's ability. When faced with a potential student I prefer to engage them in conversation about any topic as this allows me to better understand the student and it also forces them to use their knowledge and not just the simple sentences they had learned from textbooks and they simply repeat hoping I will say "Oh yes, very good". It is always better in my mind to challenge a student to show their ability rather than give them an easy pass into my school and then they fail after a few weeks."
What Is IELTS
IELTS is the 'International English Language Testing System', and is an international standardized test of English language proficiency. It is run jointly by the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations, the British Council and IDP Education Pty Ltd. There are two versions of the IELTS: the Academic Version and the General Training Version. All candidates must complete four Modules - Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking.
Sources:
Personal Interview with Kris Simpson, Guangzhou, November 28, 2011.
IELTS website
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