is pure IELTS coaching the way to go?

A discussion in IELTS & Exam Preparation on the SpeakWise Indonesia teacher forum.

So I’ve been pondering this since last Tuesday when one of my students, Rina, aced her practice test. Honestly, she was struggling at first, then I started focusing on pure IELTS strategies with her—like understanding the marking criteria and breaking the tasks down. The main thing is, it helped her see the exam not just as a test but as a series of skills she could master. I’ve had her practice speaking with timed responses and even ironic topics that don't always come up in the classroom. But it wasn’t all about test-taking tactics; I also tried to incorporate some of the English literature themes we’ve been studying. It kind of showed her that there’s real communication involved, not just exam jargon. By the end of the week, she was not only more confident but was using her academic English in a way that felt natural. I think mixing pure IELTS coaching with real-world English definitely works. Anyone else finding similar success with this approach?

1 reply

James Holbrook — IELTS Examiner

I totally get where you're coming from! I had a similar experience with one of my students, too. Once I shifted our focus to those IELTS strategies, it really clicked for him. To be fair, breaking things down like you mentioned can make such a difference in understanding the exam structure. Interestingly, I've found that building confidence plays a huge role as well. Rina's success is a great reminder that it's not just about rote learning but mastering those skills. By the way, have you thought about incorporating mock speaking tests in your sessions? That really helped my student level up!