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6 Ways to Be a Successful IELTS Tutor + FAQs
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Are you an IELTS tutor or an English tutor who is helping your students prepare for the IELTS exam? If so, then you know how important it is to make sure that they are well-prepared for the test.
The IELTS exam is a very important test for non-native English speakers, and it can be quite challenging. That’s why, as English tutors, it’s so important to make sure that your students are well-prepared for the test.
Many IELTS instructors are assigned the subject without any additional preparation. This can be stressful! If this describes you, then this blog post is a great place to start your IELTS tutor journey.
IELTS Tutor Tips: Quick Summary
Before you can prepare your students, you need to prepare yourself. Start by learning about the exam itself before creating a lesson plan. You’ll be able to develop more effective teaching strategies as you gain experience with fundamental introductory reading.
As time goes on, you’ll be able to teach important skills and strategies that students will require.
What is IELTS?
IELTS stands for International English Language Testing System. It is an acronym for the test that is used to measure a person’s ability to speak, read, write, and listen in English. The takes approximately three hours
The test has gotten more popular over the years, so it is now available in many different places around the world. This means that more people are looking for help to prepare for the test. The demand for preparation courses is higher than ever.
How to Prepare Students for the IELTS?
There are a few things that you can do to make sure that your students are well-prepared for the IELTS exam. First, it’s important to make sure that they understand the format of the test and what is expected of them.
There are four parts to the IELTS exam that cover reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Each part of the test is important, so it’s important to make sure that your students understand each part and what is expected of them.
It’s also important to make sure that your students are familiar with the types of questions that will be on the IELTS exam. There are three main types of questions on the IELTS exam: multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, and essay questions.
Each type of question requires a different approach, so it’s important to make sure that your students are familiar with all three types of questions.
Finally, it’s important to make sure that your students are aware of the time limits for each section of the IELTS exam. The IELTS exam is a timed test, so it’s important to make sure that your students are aware of the time limits and are prepared to work within those time limits.
But how do you actually DO all of that? Keep reading for a more detailed explanation.
IELTS Tutor Tips to Better Help Students
1. Get Familiar with the IELTS Exams
Like any exam preparation course, you need to be intimately familiar with the test format. Students will have questions about all sorts of things, from “how long is the Listening exam?” to “Do I write in pen or pencil?”
The best place to get this information is directly from the source, so check out the British Council website for everything you need to know. You’ll find lots of useful resources here geared toward both teachers and students.
Students will appreciate this information just as much as the skills, language, and exam techniques you’ll teach in the course. Try incorporating them into your lessons in some manner; perhaps through mini pop quizzes, warm-up activities, or task setup.
2. Get to know the IELTS Exam assessment criteria
As IELTS tutors, it’s important that we understand not just the overall scoring of the IELTS exam, which comes in Levels 0 – 9 (9 being most proficient), but also how each skill is assessed according to the IELTS rubric.
Understand what Band Descriptors and a Band Score are, too. This way, we can help our students set goals, give feedback, and assess their progress.
There are four criteria that IELTS writing is assessed on: Task Achievement, Lexical Resource, Cohesion & Coherence, and Grammatical Range & Accuracy. Each criterion is worth 25% of the overall score.
Task Achievement is based on whether or not the candidate fully answered the question.
Lexical Resource is based on whether or not the candidate used a variety of vocabulary in a natural way.
Cohesion & Coherence is based on whether or not the candidate organized their ideas well and connected them with paragraphs.
Grammatical Range & Accuracy is based on whether or not the candidate used a variety of grammar structures correctly.
For example: The writing rubric is broken into 4 parts, each worth 25% of the overall score (0-9).
| Task Achievement | Lexical Resource | Cohesion & Coherence | Grammatical Range & Accuracy |
| “Did the candidate fully answer the question?” | “Did the candidate use lots of different vocabulary in a natural way?” | “Did the candidate organize their ideas well? And did they connect these ideas with paragraphs?” | “Did the candidate use lots of different grammar structures correctly?” |
Once we are familiar with the IELTS assessment criteria, it is much easier to identify our students’ strengths and weaknesses. We can then adapt our teaching to focus on the appropriate areas until they improve.
3. Find IELTS Exam Resources
There are now many IELTS exam resources available for online lessons. IELTS tutors can direct their students to the British Council website for general information and lesson plans.
For more specific IELTS preparation, there are academic-style textbooks available through Cambridge Assessment.
Additionally, there are tons of blogs dedicated to teaching IELTS, with helpful videos, tips, and model answers that will help IELTS tutors improve their teaching.
Some commonly used sites by IELTS tutors are:
Finally, advise students to invest in the official past paper books to support their independent study. By using a variety of IELTS resources, you as an IELTS tutor can provide your students with the best possible preparation for the IELTS exam.
4. Use Examples and Models for IELTS Exam Preparation
IELTS tutors can use examples and models from past papers to help their students prepare for the IELTS exam. This is a great way to show students what works and what doesn’t work in relation to the IELTS band descriptors.
Tutors can use official IELTS past papers, texts produced by students, or even create their own texts. Using models of the productive skill exams (Speaking & Writing) is also a great way to prepare students for the IELTS exam.
In addition, Tutors can use official IELTS past papers, or create their own texts based on student ability. By raising awareness of what works and doesn’t work in relation to the IELTS band descriptors, students will be better prepared for the IELTS exam.
5. Offer Solid Strategies for Taking the IELTS Exam
One of the most important things IELTS tutors can do to help their students is to offer strategies in the IELTS lessons for taking the IELTS exam.
This test is not only a test of understanding and using English, but students also need to know how to make the most out of the limited time they have, and how to complete certain questions and tasks.
IELTS tutors should make their students aware of the strategies they can apply to the IELTS test, for each skill. For example, when it comes to speaking and writing, students need to know how to plan efficiently.
And when it comes to reading and listening, students need to know how to predict information. By offering these strategies, IELTS tutors can help their students feel more prepared and confident going into the IELTS exam.
6. Practice, Practice, Practice
As an IELTS tutor, you know how important it is for your students to get plenty of practice with IELTS-style questions and passages. After you’ve gone over strategies with them, such as “scan reading,” give them a series of passages and questions to practice with.
Pro Tip: Mock tests can help students a lot, so they aren’t as nervous when the time comes to take the real thing.
As they improve, add time limits to make it more like the actual IELTS exam. Your students may not thank you at the time, but they’ll be grateful later when they see their IELTS scores improve.
If you’re new to teaching IELTS, don’t worry – it gets easier with experience. And it’s incredibly rewarding to see your students achieve their goals, whether it’s getting a high IELTS score so they can move to their dream country, or being accepted into their first-choice university.
FAQs About IELTS Tutoring
Need to know more about the basics of the IELTS exam for your IELTS tutoring business? Read on and we’ll address every question we can. If you think of one we didn’t list, contact us so we can help you out!
Do I need a special certificate or training to be an IELTS Tutor?
No, you don’t need a special certificate or training to be an IELTS Tutor. There is no formal IELTS certification.
However, it is recommended that IELTS tutors have a strong understanding of the IELTS exam, and ideally have experience taking the IELTS exam themselves. Being a former IELTS examiner can also be helpful background in order to become an IELTS tutor!
Most IELTS tutors have a TEFL certificate as well as several years of experience in English language teaching. Experience in Business English teaching is also helpful, too
Are you seeking certification for teaching English?
If you are or want to be an online ESL tutor, then certification is required by many companies & desired by many private clients.
We recommend this TEFL course! They even offer post-completion job support and resources.
How much should I charge for IELTS Tutoring?
IELTS Tutoring rates vary depending on the tutor’s experience, location, and the type of IELTS Tutoring being offered. However, IELTS Tutors can typically expect to charge between $20 and $60 per hour.
What is the best way to advertise IELTS Tutoring services?
There are a few ways to advertise IELTS Tutoring services. One way is to post a message on online ESL forums and websites, such as Dave’s ESL Cafe or Craigslist.
Another way is to put up flyers offering a free or discounted trial lesson in local cafes, bookstores, or community centers. And finally, IELTS Tutors can also create their own websites or blogs to attract students.
You can also create IELTS tutoring content on the Tutor Resource for other tutors to use in their own IELTS tutoring programs.
Related Reading: 20 Ways to Find Online Students + Bonus Tips
Do I need to be a native English speaker to be an IELTS Tutor?
No, you don’t need to be a native English speaker to be an IELTS Tutor. However, it is recommended that IELTS tutors have excellent knowledge of speaking, reading, and writing English.
They should also have a strong understanding of the IELTS exam, and ideally have experience taking the IELTS exam themselves.
Conclusion: Tips for Being an IELTS Tutor
By following the tips above, IELTS tutors can help their students feel prepared and confident going into the IELTS exam.
If you’re new to teaching IELTS, don’t worry – it gets easier with experience. And it’s incredibly rewarding to see your students achieve their goals, whether it’s getting a high IELTS score so they can move to their dream country, or being accepted into their first-choice university.
So what are you waiting for? Get out there and start IELTS tutoring!
