Grading IELTS writing

[Michael Doherty]

I've just started eaching a student who needs IELTS for his work. We are using a FCE prep book cos he's moving on to this afterwards. However, he needs to work on writing and the criteria for bands are confidential. How can I point him I the right direction? Help!

[Ieltsman]

M,

I hear your prob about confidentiality.

It depends what the grade the guy is aiming towards. What I do with my students is find out what they need and in general terms I let them know whether they should take the test now or later.

More specifically, once I know their target grade and know their weaknesses, I then work on those weaknesses till I feel they are ready for that target.

By the way, not sure if its a good idea to use an FCE book for IELTS. Haven'tdone FCE for some time but from what I can remember its a different ball game .I use the Jakeman book.

 

[vicki ti-in]

:)

 

Hello:

 

Considering that the writing tasks are for 150 words and 250 words, I would encourage your student to simply keep a daily journal in which he/she writes at least 250 words. The journal should encompass all activities during the day. At regularly scheduled times the journal should be reviewed by a competent English teacher, etc., for grammar, sentence structure and basic story telling. Are all of the important elements included: Who, What, Why, When, Where, How? Does the story flow well? It is easily understood? Is the spelling correct? In our modern world of text messaging very little concern is given to spelling. Spelling is vitally important, of course, as any English instructor will advise. As time goes on more technical subjects could be assigned for the student to write about.

 

The point is that to become a good writer one must write - and write a lot on a regular basis. On the other hand, 250 words are nothing. Even this short post is now well over 150 words. However, the point is practice makes perfect.

 

Vicki vicki@ielts4nurses.org

 

:)