IELTS Test or Learn for Life?

IELTS is becoming a major factor in many Chinese students’ lives. Previously the majority of Chinese students were content on taking the National Exam and then wait for placement to a selected University. Now however the times are changing.  It is my opinion that for many students the Chinese educational system offers them no challenge. They see themselves as being permanently rooted in a go-no-where job after gradation due to the lackluster education they receive in the “traditional” Chinese university. Therefore they are looking abroad to further their skills both in language and practical knowledge. This is where IELTS comes into the picture.

IELTS is an examination, which in theory, impartially evaluates the examinees’ English language skills. The areas that are stressed are reading, writing, listening and speaking. All of these areas are in theory impartially evaluated and an overall level of communication skills is given. The score is then used to apply to a college or university abroad. This score is the most important factor in the acceptance/denial process of the school. Acceptable scores range from 5.0 for schools that may have dubious educational facilities, to 7.0 and above for those schools who are of high educational repute.

To most students the IELTS exam results, just like every other educationally based exam in China, if the ONLY reason for studying English. Upon successful completion of the exam, most students have the idea that the SCORE will enable them to successfully compete with Western students after their acceptance to the university. This however is FAR from the truth. The IELTS exam is only the key that opens the door of opportunity to attend a Western university. What remains behind the door is much more difficult, time consuming and possibly frustrating. Chinese students and certainly their parents are not accustomed to failure. However if the student views the Exam as being the most important thing to attending the university they will most certainly face failure at their university and their Western educational experience may be short lived. Many students and certainly their parents are “Examination” -focused due to the present way of evaluating the Chinese educational system. If you just read what I said and you are saying to yourself “the educational system” don’t you mean the Chinese students? No I mean the system. It seems that only the students that attend the “better” schools receive the better scores. Even the brightest students who attend some schools of lower repute never seem to attain the highest scores. This however is for another article.

Certainly to score well in the IELTS examination the examinee must attend training outside the traditional Chinese educational system. The current systems methods of teaching English may not be sufficient for the student to acquire the skills needed to achieve an acceptable score. The reading and writing skills that most students attain through current methods may enable them to attain a score in these areas that is marginal at best. But most certainly their listening and speaking skills need to be developed. But how far should this training go? Just for the Exam? Then what?