Another month has passed, and we have lots of news to share with you!
We dive deep into academic reports and research to bring you nuggets of information relevant to the IELTS test. We then analyse how this news might impact you.
The Latest IELTS News
As you may know, at the moment the IELTS test has 3 parts and takes between 11-14 minutes.
However, Research by the University of Newcastle has experimented with adding a fourth section and extending the test time.
The IELTS Partners funded the research, which experimented with allowing Speaking candidates to ask questions. In the trial, the candidates had to ask the examiner questions for two minutes – just after the current long turn.
Those of you with a long memory may recall that until 2001 candidates had to ask questions. However, some cultures found taking the lead in an exam context difficult.
The researchers argue that this approach is better than the current test. They also suggest that the test take on a two-candidate format and that both candidates take part in role plays.
You can read the report in its entirety here.
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International Migration To The UK On The Rise
The latest migration statistics by the UK Office for National Statistics show that migration continues to add to the population of the UK.
A closer look at the statistics shows that EU net migration has decreased. However, migration from the rest of the world has more than made up for the deficit.
Now is a great time to move to the UK. The trend for non-EU migration to the UK will continue to rise. The influx will give employers more choice and make the environment increasingly competitive.
Need help passing the test? Click here.
Study In The UK
The number of international students arriving in the UK has increased, and non-EU immigration has started to rise for the first time since 2013.
Home Office data shows a 10% increase in the number of student visas issued.
Chinese and Indian nationals have driven most of the increase.
Again, this demand will continue to rise as the UK becomes a more attractive destination for students.
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In other news…
A report in @globaltimesnews says that 1.45 million Chinese students are studying overseas with an average #IELTS score of 5.6. The US, Australia, Canada and the UK are among the top 5 destinations. Need help joining them? https://t.co/3y9W0E7AGB
— Andy T (@withanexpert) February 14, 2019
Want to #studyintheUK as an #internationalstudent? You will need a good #IELTS score & a good university! @UniversityLeeds is one of the best, & they are travelling overseas to meet prospective students. Will they be visiting your city? Check here …
https://t.co/uKJD3bY9e9— Andy T (@withanexpert) February 21, 2019
1000s of students who took the ‘easier’ TEOIC test were deported after being accused of cheating with no way to prove their innocence. #IELTS has strict security arrangements, making it easy to prove YOU took the test, & is preferred by many embassies https://t.co/HYIfEQQoCD
— Andy T (@withanexpert) February 12, 2019
Improve Your Vocabulary
This section used to introduce vocabulary-rich articles which covered topics relevant to the IELTS test.
However, this part of our newsletter proved so popular that we have now given it a whole page to itself!
Keep an eye on our blog page for the very first edition of our IELTS Vocabulary series.
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That’s all for this issue.
See you in April!