The Impact of Teacher Cognition and Classroom Practices on IELTS Test Preparation Courses in the Australian ELICOS Sector
Chief Investigator:
Dr Philip Chappell
Co-Investigators: Dr Heather Jackson and Ms Janine Delahunty
Aim of the Research
The broad aim of the project is to gain an understanding of English language teachers' knowledge about IELTS, and the relationship this knowledge has with their classroom teaching. While the study has been conceived in order to investigate the impact of the test on the teaching and learning programs of English language intensive courses for overseas students (ELICOS), its focus is narrowed to the cognitive, as opposed to behavioural impact - what teachers think, know and believe about IELTS tests, and how this knowledge relates to their teaching in preparation courses. The project will contribute to a large language teaching sector in Australia which is intricately linked to IELTS (ELICOS programs run by universities and private providers) by profiling the current state of knowledge about IELTS among a key stakeholder group, and identifying opportunities for developing that knowledge to achieve a greater synergy between the role of IELTS and the role of teachers in preparation courses in ELICOS programs.
Background
Of the 1.5 million people who travel to an English speaking country to learn English each year, Australia attracts 13% (almost 200,000 English language students). Of this, 42% are expected use their English study as a pathway to other educational sectors. The mechanisms for this pathway most often require students to have a standardised test score from tests such as IELTS. Thus, approximately 85,000 overseas students taking an English language intensive course in Australia have an interest in gatekeeping tests such as IELTS. A significant number will take preparation courses offered by one of the 250 ELICOS colleges (English Australia, 2012). There are no specific qualifications required for teachers who deliver these courses other than the standard requirement of a three-year degree and a recognised TESOL qualification (NEAS, 2013). Many of the courses providing these qualifications do not include any explicit education or training in tests such as IELTS; further, there is a perceived need for more professional learning opportunities for teachers engaged with or interested in teaching IELTS preparation courses (Badger and Yan, 2012; Benson, personal communication).
Research Questions
Chief Investigator:
Dr Philip Chappell
Co-Investigators: Dr Heather Jackson and Ms Janine Delahunty
Aim of the Research
The broad aim of the project is to gain an understanding of English language teachers' knowledge about IELTS, and the relationship this knowledge has with their classroom teaching. While the study has been conceived in order to investigate the impact of the test on the teaching and learning programs of English language intensive courses for overseas students (ELICOS), its focus is narrowed to the cognitive, as opposed to behavioural impact - what teachers think, know and believe about IELTS tests, and how this knowledge relates to their teaching in preparation courses. The project will contribute to a large language teaching sector in Australia which is intricately linked to IELTS (ELICOS programs run by universities and private providers) by profiling the current state of knowledge about IELTS among a key stakeholder group, and identifying opportunities for developing that knowledge to achieve a greater synergy between the role of IELTS and the role of teachers in preparation courses in ELICOS programs.
Background
Of the 1.5 million people who travel to an English speaking country to learn English each year, Australia attracts 13% (almost 200,000 English language students). Of this, 42% are expected use their English study as a pathway to other educational sectors. The mechanisms for this pathway most often require students to have a standardised test score from tests such as IELTS. Thus, approximately 85,000 overseas students taking an English language intensive course in Australia have an interest in gatekeeping tests such as IELTS. A significant number will take preparation courses offered by one of the 250 ELICOS colleges (English Australia, 2012). There are no specific qualifications required for teachers who deliver these courses other than the standard requirement of a three-year degree and a recognised TESOL qualification (NEAS, 2013). Many of the courses providing these qualifications do not include any explicit education or training in tests such as IELTS; further, there is a perceived need for more professional learning opportunities for teachers engaged with or interested in teaching IELTS preparation courses (Badger and Yan, 2012; Benson, personal communication).
Research Questions
- What are the profiles of the teachers preparing candidates to take the IELTS test?
- What beliefs, attitudes, assumptions and knowledge do teachers hold about the IELTS test?
- How do a teacher’s beliefs, attitudes, assumptions and knowledge of the IELTS test influence their test preparation classroom practices?
- What social, cultural and environmental factors exist in the teachers’ schools and classrooms that have an impact on their IELTS test preparation classroom practices?