You probably know that ClarityEnglish co-publishes the British Council’s Official IELTS Preparation Product, Road to IELTS. But are you aware of all the other resources Clarity has created for teachers preparing their students for IELTS? Here are five which we have developed, refined and upgraded over the last 13 years. All are available free of charge.
1. Classroom activities for IELTS Speaking
This blog post includes three downloadable lesson plans for using Road to IELTS in class to prepare students for the IELTS Speaking test. And you can click on the links at the bottom of the post to see:
- How Paris’s prestigious Sciences Po prepares students for IELTS
- How to run an effective 45-minute IELTS orientation session
- How to prepare your students for IELTS when no class time has been allocated
2. IELTS blog for teachers and test takers
Useful for teachers who are new to IELTS and for all candidates who are serious about developing their test preparation strategies. Recent posts include:
- IELTS Listening: How do I know how good I am?
Sieon Lau looks at how a candidate can find their current level and compare that with their target band score. - IELTS Writing: How important is spelling?
Peter Hare discusses word count, spelling and punctuation — especially for those whose first language does not use roman script. - IELTS Speaking: Using technology to improve your vocabulary
Eyad Darras explains how students can use podcasts, YouTube and TED talks to improve their IELTS Speaking score.
Visit the IELTS blog here.
3. IELTS Study sheets to reduce test stress
One of the reasons tests tend to be more challenging than they should be is that the stress of the situation eats up your working memory — the part of your mind you should be using to focus on the questions. (Read more about that on the IELTS blog here.) One way of reducing that stress is to know exactly what to expect on test day. This is where the study sheets come in. They give all the facts and figures of the test (e.g. how long it lasts, how many questions…) and also what to do if something unexpected happens. Encourage your students to sign up here.
4. IELTS Tips app for micro-learning
This is for candidates with a shorter attention span, less time available every day for IELTS prep or perhaps those who are confident their English is good enough but want to be drip fed exam tips. The IELTS Tips app provides one tip a day for 30 days — from British Council IELTS Managers, IELTS authors, and IELTS teachers around the world.
5. IELTS Facebook page
And finally, daily posts on Facebook. These include tips from successful candidates, and from teachers, FAQs, useful links (such as to the Score Calculator) — all conveniently accessible on your phone. Click here.
Do explore these resources. Drop a comment below or contact us at info@clarityenglish.com if you have a question. We would love to talk!
