IELTS special - El Gazette (Interview)
Entries for the International English Language Testing System
(IELTS) have almost doubled in the last three years. In 2007 nearly
a million candidates sat the test.
IELTS is run by an international partnership of the British
Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and University of Cambridge ESOL
Examinations (Cambridge ESOL).
Christine Nuttall is Director, Communications and Stakeholder
Relations at Cambridge ESOL. We talk to Christine about why IELTS
has seen such success in recent years.
To what do you attribute the growth of IELTS in recent
years?
English is now a global language and wherever you go in the
world a good knowledge of the language gives you a distinct
advantage. Therefore you need to be able to prove your language
ability to educational institutions, immigrations authorities and
potential employers. IELTS is a way to do this.
We have seen particularly strong growth in the US as an
increasing number of universities accept an IELTS score. More than
1,400 institutions now recognise IELTS including many Ivy League
institutions like Harvard, Princeton and Yale. It is also
recognised by almost all higher education institutions in the UK
including Oxford and Cambridge University. This makes it a very
attractive option for students who wish to study in an
English-speaking country.
Of course there are other factors in the success of IELTS.
Organisations all over the world recognise IELTS or use it as part
of their candidate application process, including some of the
world’s major professional associations. The UK’s General Medical
Council, the International Commission on Healthcare Professionals
in the US and Engineers Australia all use and accept the test.
Many governments use the test for immigration purposes and for
assessing student visas. An IELTS score is required by immigration
authorities in Australia, and is also obligatory for migration to
New Zealand and Canada. IELTS has also recently received approval
from the UK Home Office for use in the new points-based immigration
system. Non-EU nationals who wish to settle permanently in the UK
can now use an IELTS score towards their application. This will
most likely mean even more growth for the IELTS test over the next
few years.
Why do Universities and institutions recognise or use
the IELTS test?
IELTS evaluates language ability in a way which provides a
realistic picture of a candidate’s abilities. This is what
institutions look for in an English language test. IELTS doesn’t
just test grammar and vocabulary. It tests all four language
skills, set in realistic contexts to make sure that candidates can
understand and use the language effectively. The speaking module is
face-to-face and performed by a certificated examiner. This is an
accurate and realistic way of assessing how candidates can actually
use English in the real world, and many institutions prefer this
method of testing.
We also provide individual scores for each of the four skills as
well as an overall score so if one skill is more important than
another an institution can have that information available to them
when making a decision about what scores to accept.
How do you support institutions?
We give unrivalled support to recognising bodies through our
international support network of partners. The IELTS partners go to
great lengths to ensure that stakeholders are able to use the tests
effectively and understand what scores mean.
We employ a range of security measures, including requiring
photographic evidence for anyone sitting the test. It is also very
easy for institutions to verify an IELTS score online using the
Test Report Form Verification Service. These things, along with our
security enhanced paper means that recognising bodies really can be
sure that a candidate has the score stated. We also provide a range
of support materials from DVD’s to regular seminars and
downloads.
What do students like about the exam?
The fact that IELTS tests all four skills means that students
know they are practicing what they will be doing in the real world.
IELTS is also really flexible as it is available up to 48 times a
year in over 300 locations in 130 countries worldwide. This helps
candidates to fit the test around their individual needs and
lifestyle. If they subsequently need to re-take the test they can
do so at the next available opportunity. Results are also available
just 13 days after the test is taken, ideal for those candidates
who need their results quickly. Candidates also choose IELTS
because of its unrivalled recognition by universities and employers
and its reputation around the world. A student can use one score
for immigrations purposes, entering university or finding a
job.
What growth most surprised you?
We have been pleasantly surprised by the growth in the US given
that IELTS is an international English test rather than an American
English test. However, we do see this as one of IELTS strengths in
a global market. It is apparent that more and more people realise
that if you have a good level of international English, you can
work almost anywhere in the world.
Where do you see future growth?
Immigration is likely to be a big area of growth for IELTS as
entrance requirements tighten and more people want to live in
English-speaking countries. Growing economies are also an area of
growth for IELTS both in the academic and business arenas. For
example in 2005-2006, more students from India went to study in the
US than from any other nation.
