How to Teach IELTS Speaking
The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is the world’s most popular English exam, often a necessary requirement for work, study or migration. Achieving a high band score is no mean feat, I think even some native English speakers would struggle with the IELTS speaking section. To add to the challenge, sitting the exam is not cheap, students will feel under pressure to achieve their target on the first attempt.
Many will therefore choose to invest in a good tutor to guarantee them IELT success, which is great news for us teachers! But how do you teach IELTS speaking and help your student ace the exam? Here is what I have found to be a successful formula.
Familiarise the Student with the IELTS Speaking Test Format
First things first, you’ll need to let the student know what is expected of them. Perhaps the student has already taken an exam or is familiar with the format. Regardless, talk them through each of the three test sections, what kind of topics are to be expected? What skills are required to tackle each part? What are the respective durations? I suggest that as a teacher you watch as many mock-tests on YouTube as possible to ensure you fully understand how the test is structured.
After talking the student through this information, try to provide some reassurance. The test is tricky, but with the right attitude and preparation they can achieve their target band score. A big part of the challenge is to understand how to play the test, to give exactly the information the examiner is looking for, so assure them that you will guide them every step of the way and that choosing to book lessons shows how serious they are and therefore likely to succeed!
Use Examples
The first time I taught IELTS, I made the mistake of plunging the student straight into the deep end. I ran a mock test, rapidly firing all manner of out of the blue questions at the poor guy and then proceeding to reel off all the mistakes I noticed him make. Do not do this! This was embarrassing for the student, terrible for his confidence and an altogether ineffective method of teaching.
Using this method, it is nigh on impossible to pay close attention to the needs of your student, to really see which area he or she ought to focus in order to improve. The key is to slow the process down and the most effective way that I have found to do this is by examining example responses.
First off, you will need to prepare sample responses for each section of the exam. I like to write personal answers to these questions, especially those about family, hometown or childhood, as it’s a great way to build rapport with your student and will make it easier for him to open up.
Try to include some useful expressions and idioms you would like to teach, I suggest highlighting these in bold, more on that later…
I get the student to read aloud my answers, then after each I ask: what information did I include in my answer? This exercise helps the student to consider the structure of my answer which he can then apply to his own and brings me on to my next step:
How to Approach the IELTS Speaking Questions
When it comes to IELTS success, so much comes down to knowing how to approach the question. The student should understand what information is expected from each question. To teach this I ask him or her to describe the differences between the following answer types:
- Compare
- Comment on
- Speculate
- Explain
- Agree or disagree
After I feel the student has a comfortable understanding of each, I share a selection of questions and ask what type of answer should be given for each. For some questions the student may need to use more than one, for example compare, explain then agree/disagree. Help them to think about the most logical order to do this.
Answer without pressure
Now that the student has seen several examples and grasps how to structure their answer, it’s their turn. Choose a topic that you have already discussed, perhaps one you looked at as an example and ask them to talk about what they would include in their answers for each question.
For the second part of the test, the student will have one minute to prepare their answer. Help the student to prepare notes as they would do in an exam and think about what information to include.
Finally go for it, find some IELTS mock questions and have the student answer just as they would in an exam. As they answer, write down exactly what they say, including any mistakes, in a shared google docs file. After they have finished their answer, kindly give corrections and suggest more natural vocabulary or phraseology.
Keep practicing this step, it is far and away the best exercise to prepare the student for the exam. As you do this, keep an eye on any regular mistakes the student is making that you could address afterwards or set as homework.
IELTS Speaking Vocabulary and Linking Words
We have already touched on teaching vocabulary, I like to do this by looking at example answers. I highlight vocabulary and expressions in bold and ask the student if he is familiar with the meaning of each or if he can work it out from context. On the last sheet of the google docs, I include a glossary of highlighted words and phrases, this will prove useful for the student once the lesson is complete.
Try to always select phrases that will be useful for the student, I suggest finding a list of the most common IELTS test topics. One of my favourite topics to teach is how to describe people, both in terms of physical appearance and personality.
Linking phrases are just as important for IELTS speaking success as vocabulary. While the student may know many linking phrases, does he know how and when to use them properly? An exercise I find good for teaching this is to write some example answers but leave the linking words blank. Then I get the student to fill in the most appropriate.
Mix things up
Of course, you’ll want to make sure that your IELTS lessons remain fun, don’t spend the entire time quick-firing exam style questions or interest will no doubt begin to wane. I like to keep a few additional activities up my sleeve such as:
Describe the picture:
A very simple exercise I often use as a warm-up. Find several images, perhaps something you discussed in your last lesson, and get the student to find as many adjectives and expressions as they can. One variation on this idea that always seems to go down well is describing celebrities.
Jeopardy Quiz
There are plenty of websites that allow you to make your own quiz, you could include questions about vocabulary, linking words or grammar.
Role reversal
This one can get stressful, get the student to ask you the questions and watch how a pro handles the IELTS exam. Afterwards get them to assess you and estimate which band you would have scored.
Instil confidence
Lastly, the most important part: commend your student. Confidence plays a big part in IELTS test success, if the student feels they make lots of mistakes or don’t have the ability to fully express themselves, this can stop them from speaking naturally. So let the student know when you like their choice of words, when they would have scored highly on an answer and made improvements.
If you are teaching in the hours leading up to their exam, this should be the primary focus of the lesson Show them you are confident in their success and ability to achieve the band score they are after.
