IELTS Test

[EEG]

We are applying for an independent skilled visa for australia. My wife will be the prim applicant as she is the accountant. We are unsure which IELTS test to write. The general skilled migration book stated that you only need the general IELTS test but the IELTS spec book stated that the general test is not applicable if you are migrating to Australia. Please advice which test to write?

[aniena]

Hi julle

Ons is ook nog nie deur die hele proses nie, maar sover ek weet doen almal die algemene een. Dis net as jy wil gaan "swot" of klasgee ens. dink ek wat jy die akademiese een nodig het.

Ek is seker hier is ander meer ingeligte mense op die forum as ek wat die vraag kan beantwoord

Groete

Aniena

[The Parsons Family]

Hi

I wrote the academic test.

From what I understand doctors, lawyers and teachers have to do the academic test. I am not sure about accountants, Tommo might know as his wife is an account so maybe PM him....

The academic test wasn't difficult but I suggest you go through the specimen pack, it just makes you feel a bit more relaxed because you know what to expect.

Get that hand warmed up those "essays" are long.

Hope this helps

Gaille

[Swerwer]

Hi

I wrote the academic test.

From what I understand doctors, lawyers and teachers have to do the academic test. I am not sure about accountants, Tommo might know as his wife is an account so maybe PM him....

The academic test wasn't difficult but I suggest you go through the specimen pack, it just makes you feel a bit more relaxed because you know what to expect.

Get that hand warmed up those "essays" are long.

Hope this helps

Gaille

Ja nee, gister het ek toe mos die vereiste IELTS (International English Language Testing System) toets afgelê. Ek moes die General Training een doen.

Ek moet sê: ek was nogal bietjie bang voor die tyd. Dit, ten spyte van die feit dat ek nou al reeds seker al omtrent 23 jaar van Engels leer, Engelse TV kyk, Engelse flieks kyk, Engels as vak op skool gehad het, in Engels gestudeer het, in Engels klas gegee het en nou al reeds 9 jaar in Engels werk. Dis maar een van daai bergies wat ons trekgeselskap in ons trek oor die Drakensberge (die VISA aansoek) moet oorkom.

Laas laweek het ek spesiaal die werkboek deurgewerk om weer te sien of ek nog met 'n pen kan skryf...mens verleer dit nogal na soveel jare se rekenaar werk. Die werkboek het my defnitief gehelp, al was dit net om my voor te berei op wat ek te wagte kon wees.

Sake het so verloop:

Vroeg gisteroggen 7 uur is ek hier weg oppad na die Wits College of Education in Johannesburg....dis waar die "gevreesde" toets afgelê sou word. Mens ry maar met die N1, volg dan die M1 na Johannesburg se middestad en draai by die St. Andrew's afrit links, volg die pad links en so by die 3e kruising of so draai jy links in die Wits kampus se "relatief verlate" gronde in. Ons het in die Boice blok toets geskryf, wat basies die blok aan jou regterkant is net voor jy by die sirkel kom. Hier is die koordinate van die plek: -26.1796390, 28.0425113 (lat,lon)

Soos verskrikte skoolkinders op hul eerste dag op hoerskool het die mense daar in die voorportaal saamgedrom totdat ons in rye gemaak staan is volgens alfabetiese vanne. Ons moes on paspoorte wys (en mense, moet nie net 'n afdruk bring nie asseblief!!) en saam met die paspoort fotos en registrasie vorm ingee. Al die "sakke en boeksakke" is met nommers gemerk en moes buite die lokaal ingegee word. In die "klaskamer" lokale is ons naampies en registrasie nommer netjies op skoolbankies saam met 'n kit-kat, 'n botteltjie gebottelde water, 'n pen en podlood en uitveer neergesit. Ons moes ons selfone afsit en in die gemerkte koevertjies voor ons verseel...dit het hulle later ingeneem...sodat ons nie dalkies vir ons maatjies sal SMS om ons krip notes te stuur nie... Die strak gesigte van die hoofsaaklik wit mense van in hul laat twintigs tot seker so vyftig, was in strak kontras met die British Council se personeel wat geheel en al uit baie vriendelike swart mense bestaan het. Die personeel was duidelik goed georganiseerd...vir elke persoon wat die toets sou aflê was daar plek voorberei op sy lessenaartjie. Niemand het geweet wat presies vir hom wag nie.

Die personeel het die verigtinge bykans 100% volgens die "boek" gedoen...wat hulle bykans woordeliks afgelees het. Vir die luister toets het ons na 'n CD van die British Council geluister op die hi-fi voor in die lokaal. Stroopsoet het almal geluister en kon vir elke 5 van die 40 vrae eers die vrae lees en dan is 'n stuk gespeel waarin die antwoorde in die presiese volgorde van die vrae in die stuk voorgekom het.

Daarna het ons die leestoets gedoen wat ook 40 vrae gehad het. Al raad wat ek kan gee is: moenie die eerste antwoord gee wat jy raaksien in die begrips leestoets nie, want daar 'n paar plekke in die toets waar die sinne lyk of dit die presiese antwoord op 'n vraag is, maar net effens anders, terwyl die korrekte antwoord in effense ander woorde verskuil lê. Moenie net antwoorde soek nie...lees die hele stuk en verstaan dit. Daar is oorgenoeg tyd.

Daarna het ons almal soos in Engelse klas op skool 'n brief en 'n opstel geskryf. Ons moes deurentyd soos in Graad 2 alles in podlood antwoord, maar die "essay" kon in pen gedoen word.

Hierna was die toets klaar. Die koeverte met die selfone in is uitgedeel en die mense het soos druppels uit 'n kraan uit die lokale gestap met hulle botteltjies water in die hand. Die eerste slag van ons stryd was verby, nou het nog net die mondelinge toets voorgelê. Dit was nog vroeg (net na 12) en ek het sommer na 'n winkelsentrum toe gery en by 'n coffee shop 'n club sandwitch gaan eet. Vir my is Johannesburg maar vreemd, want baie van ons Pretorianers kam mos nie baie daar nie. Deur die strate van Johannesburg het 'n paar mense hul gewonde gang gegaan en ek kon 'n paar mense op kanoes sien ry toe ek by die Emmarentia dam verbyry.

Dit was gister baie warm en ek is daarna toe sommer reguit na die British Council se kantore waar ek 16h20 'n mondeling sou doen...om in hierdie hittige weer in die kar te wees was g'n speletjie nie, die aircon ten spyt. Die British Council se parkeerterrein is hier :

-26.1892403, 28.0392012

Ek besluit toe maar om "aan te meld" en daar in die wonderlike lugversorgde kantore se ontvangs te sit en wag. Dis vriendelike mense hierdie, hulle neem my toe sommer deur na war ek die "speech" moet gee. Dit was nog so twee ure se wag vir my, maar om die tyd om te kry besluit ek om met elke kandidaat emmigrant 'n geselsie aan te knoop.

Die onderhoud self behels iemand wat 'n lysie vrae vir jou vra oor jou werk, waarin jy belangstel en watter gebeurtenis jou lewe verander het. Ek kan verstaan hoekom die ou wat die "onderhoud" voer al teen hierdie tyd van die dag die vrae soos 'n resitasie opsê, want daar was seker so 4 lokale van omtrent 100 mense elk wat al deur die arme drommels beoordeel is en teen hierdie tyd vind hulle dit seker al moeilik om werklik belangstellend te lyk in die antwoorde op vrae wat hulle seker al honderde kere gevra het...Hy vra my om hom te vertel oor iets baie interessant in my lewe, en ek besluit om hom te vertel van al ons wedervaringe op ons Scuba ekspedisies by Sodwana...Ek kon sien hoe hy sy lip byt van belangstelling om my nie verder uit te vra nie, maar die ou moet volgens sy lysie werk en ek kan sien dit is baie moeilik.

Wel, dit was my dag by die Engelse toets. Ek sal die uitslae seker een van die dae in die pos kry.

[Sheila2oz]

Dankie vir die inligting, ons gaan die 24ste Februarie vir ons toetse. Sal ook maar deur die goed werk voor die tyd. Gewoond om spel check te doen. Ons maak ons dan reg vir 'n hele dag.

Groete

[Bianca S]

hi Swerwer

Klink of die ouens by die British council se offices baie vriendeliker daar is as hier in Engeland- seker die SA son daar ! Lekker klomp gromgatte hier . Ek moes die akademiese IELTS skryf vir Univ toelating hier, so ruk terug, en hulle was baie nors en kortaf. Seker moeg vir die klomp asylum seekers en BAIE swak Engels.

Wel, ons sal seker weer die toets moet skryf, ek sal nog nie klaar geswot wees teen die tyd dat ons die 136 visa insit nie, en my eerste kwal van SA af is als in Afrikaans - goeie ou PUKKE !

sterkte vir almal daar.

Edited January 14, 2007 by Bianca.UK

[Tracy]

Hi all,

I asked a few questions about the Test and got lots of replies and I said I'd report back....

I wrote it yesterday.

The Academic Version is difficult from a number of perspectives. The reading question is much longer than the piece of work in the General test, and the complexity of the wording plus that of the questions probably makes it the most difficult test I have ever written.

The table we had to analyse was given to us with very little straightforward info; it was very easy to give personal thoughts which would have been wrong to do, and the essay was also one of those higher-order, open-ended things.

We were under very tight time constraints for the whole 3 hours.

Doing the examples from off this site was nothing like doing it under time.

I am a Matric teacher, examiner, consultant to the National Syallbus and marker here in SA - but in Engineering Drawing. So it means I am out of practise with the whole essay writing, interpretation, logical continuation, inferences etc etc. And the last time I did an oral was in my own Matric year!

I thought the listening test was going to be the hardest; it was the easiest, but still very easy to make stupid errors - of which I know I did at least once. ggrrr

If you were lucky enough to complete/attempt all the questions in the reading question, there were lots of candidates who didn't, you had no time to check your answers. Anyway, given the nuances and intricate wording, it would have been suicide to try and check. I know I would have probably changed a lot of my answers!

My only saving grace was that I knew (thanks to the kind people here!) what to expect and what the format was going to be.

My personal opinion is that I think the Academic version is very difficult and biased towards those folk who are of the arts, literature etc and who regularly present work in the kinds of format that the questions are in.

I'd like to see the general Aus teacher write this one!!

To top it all, the pass marks are very high; 7/9.

And there is no way at all that anyone can practise/learn for this; you would have to have in-depth knowledge of how they mark and even submit something of your own to be marked.

To comment about security I think their procedures are correct and with what I know goes on at school/university level in this country, very necessary!

Needless to say I am very worried about the marks I am going to get.

Tracy

[Bianca S]

I also found the academic one tricky, and wanted more time! I have a Scientific background, got 8/9 overall, they are very grumpy here in UK. Will probably have to do the academic one again for visa, as expired, but will check first - its agony!

well done, know your post will help some people.

[Sheila2oz]

I also found the academic one tricky, and wanted more time! I have a Scientific background, got 8/9 overall, they are very grumpy here in UK. Will probably have to do the academic one again for visa, as expired, but will check first - its agony!

well done, know your post will help some people.

Ons familie man/vrou en kinders 20 en 21 gaan vir die algemene toets. My dogter is 'n 4 de jaar onderwys student, ek het hulle gevra toe ek die aansoek gedoen het vir die toetse of sy die akademiese toets moet skryf en die klomp het gese, net as jy klas by 'n universiteit of so iets gaan gee. Nou twyfel ek want sy gaan tog onderwys gee. Kan enige iemand my dalk help. ?

Groete

[Bianca S]

hi, I think it depends on the criteria of the State she is going to teach in - see the registration board of the state you're going to...

did a search and found this on another website

"The Teachers Registration Board only accepts the Academic Module and not the General training module, and a minimum score of 7 for each of the modules, i.e. for Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking."

see http://www.trb.sa.edu.au/

here are all registration authorities:

Teacher Registration Authorities

Australia

Queensland College of Teachers at http://www.qct.edu.au

Tasmanian Teachers Registration Board at http://www.trb.tas.gov.au

Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) at http://www.vit.vic.edu.au

Northern Territory Teacher Registration Board at http://www.trb.nt.gov.au

The Western Australian College of Teaching at http://www.collegeofteaching.wa.edu.au

lots of info there. Hope it helps

Bianca

Edited January 14, 2007 by Bianca.UK

[The Parsons Family]

Hi

Sheila2Oz:- I am a primary school teacher. I was told by our immigration agent and the teaching body in Western Australia that all teachers who were not educated in recognised English speaking countries of which SA is not, would be required to sit the Academic IELTS.

The only thing you need to do for the test is concentrate if you lose focus you will run out of time. I am a Maths/Science person so I was completely freaked out. In university it would take me days to write an essay and in the test I had to write TWO. In the end I came out with 9 and if I can do it, then anyone can.

Sterkte

Gaille

Edited January 15, 2007 by The Parsons Family

[Sheila2oz]

Thank you Bianca and Gaille for the info, i will phone them and make sure that she will do the academic test, Thanks for the help and the web addresses.

This forum is so amazing and helpful.

Regards

Sheila2oz :

[tommo]

Etienne en Elsa : Just to confirm what was said earlier, the general test is fine for accountants...

[aniena]

HI Sheila2Oz on gaan ook die 24 feb vir ons IELTS toets, dit begin 9h00 al moet ons 8h30 daar wees. Sien ons julle daar ?

Groete

Aniena

[Anzel]

Hey Sheila2Oz,

I booked for the general IELTS but now need to change it to Academic (writing 24th of Feb in Cape Town)... did they allow you to change yours?

Regards,

Anzel

[aniena]

Hi

I know this question was asked and discussed before, but I still don't know the answer. (To grey maybe not blond) Can we get 5 point exstra for doing the academic IELTS test ? We need 5 points for the 136.

Regards

Aniena

[tommo]

I think the decision about whether to take the academic or general english test is based on the occupation you want to have in Aus, writing the academic one if you only need to do the general one is not going to get you any extra points.

Have you looked at the following for getting some more points:

Getting points for spouses skills-

http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-ski...lity-spouse.htm

Getting points for investing some money-

http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-ski...-investment.htm

Getting points for Aus work experience-

http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-ski...-experience.htm

Getting points for proving that you know a community language (afrikaans)-

http://www.immi.gov.au/skilled/general-ski...ty-language.htm

[Pippa]

Dear Aniena,

Hi

I know this question was asked and discussed before, but I still don't know the answer. (To grey maybe not blond) Can we get 5 point exstra for doing the academic IELTS test ? We need 5 points for the 136.

Regards

Aniena

If you are already claiming 20 points for Competent English , I don't think you can claim a further 5 points for the Academic IELTS. Not sure though... !

Good luck!

Lovies, Pippa! x