We have already written more than once about what kind of “beasts” IELTS and TOEFL are – the most popular English exams. Now it is time to tell how to “hunt” this “game.” Theoretically, even with average analytical abilities, it is quite possible to independently understand all the nuances of the format of the required exam, especially since many task options are available on the Internet. If you prefer to share the responsibility for success (or failure) with someone else, it makes sense to take a preparation course at a language school.
“The lion’s share of failures in passing exams,” says Nadezhda Samarets, deputy director of the educational center “Komplang,” “comes from the fact that students who have not undergone special training, but have a good level of the language, often simply cannot understand what exactly is required of them, what to pay special attention to, and what they can save time on. Even a basic knowledge of how to properly organize time when completing tasks significantly increases the chance of success. In addition, students must be familiar with how they will be assessed, by what criteria.”
In general, if you want to save your nerves, you cannot do without the intervention of an experienced teacher. Knowing the format, the procedure for taking the exam, and typical test tasks will give you confidence. In addition, the course program usually includes so-called “mock exams,” which can be considered as a dress rehearsal before the important premiere.
As a rule, people do not take international exams out of idle curiosity. In most cases, a person wants to study or work in a very specific English-speaking country. Accordingly, it is better to take a “combat training course” closer to the object of your dreams. It is clear that TOEFL is taken by those who are aiming at the USA and Canada, while IELTS remains for those who prefer Europe and Australia with New Zealand.
Foreign courses last on average from 4 to 12 weeks. True, if you are confident in your knowledge, you can also find a one-week program. For example, at the English school Mayfiower College in Plymouth, a five-day training session is held immediately before the exam, designed to orient students regarding the exam format in a very short time.
They enroll in Exam Preparation courses only if the level of language proficiency is not lower than Intermediate/Upper-Intermediate, or even Advanced. There are several options for further development of events. Firstly, you can choose the “target” course itself, where nothing will distract from the chosen test.
Secondly, you can combine General English with exam preparation in the ratio of 10-20 lessons of “general English” + 10 “exam” lessons per week (such an eight-week program is offered, for example, by the Canadian school Aspect in Vancouver: cost – $3.300 + airfare + consular expenses). In this case, the general English group will have an average of up to 15 people, while those planning to take exams are usually two to three times fewer – five to seven people. In such a close circle, training in exam strategy and technique begins, as well as analysis of questions from previous years.
Thirdly, preparation for the chosen exams in most cases is a mandatory option for those who choose the “Academic Year” program or the shorter “English for Academic Purposes.” For example, at the Colchester English Study Centre, located in the most ancient English city, a total of 25 lessons per week are allocated for mastering Academic English and preparing for IELTS.
The plus of foreign preparatory courses is that exams, as a rule, can be taken immediately after the end of the training period, sometimes even in the school that has already become familiar, whose walls, one would think, will help cope with both excitement and tasks. If the program is chosen “with an eye” on entering a university, it is better to go to a language center at the potential alma mater.
In addition to studying the language, this will give you the opportunity to see with your own eyes how the university lives, how much the pictures from the brochures correspond to reality, and if anything, switch to a “competing firm.” Other pluses – communication with native speakers not only in the classroom, all the latest news from the “exam fields.”
If opportunities allow, it is better to go on a trip abroad in the “off-season.” Firstly, at this time you can get a very significant discount, and secondly, the demand for exam courses will be significantly lower, so the number of people in the group will be smaller, and there will be more attention to each individual. There is a chance to be one-on-one with a teacher, while paying as for group training. In the USA, the “off-season” falls on December-February, in Canada – on October-November, February-March.
On Malta and in the southern cities of the United Kingdom – from October to May. If your choice fell on the USA and Canada, it makes sense to go to some small university town, studying here will cost somewhat less compared to megacities.
The disadvantages of foreign courses are as obvious as the advantages: they are quite long in duration (and this makes participation in them problematic for adults) and not cheap in terms of material costs.
When choosing a school, special attention should be paid to those that are official exam centers. Such are, for example, the British Mayftower College and Colchester English Study Centre, or the Australian School of Languages and International Education at the University of Canberra, RMIT English Worldwide. It is better if the teachers turn out to be current (or at least former) examiners.
Another important issue is the formation of groups. The effectiveness of classes largely depends on how well the entrance testing and distribution into groups were conducted. Traditionally it consists of a written and an oral part, the latter usually taking no more than 15 minutes. True, there are still language centers where this most complex task is solved in a non-standard way. At the American Atiiant International University, all newcomers are examined with all strictness for four hours and only after that a final verdict is issued. By the way, unlike Europe, where a six-level scale for assessing language proficiency is in effect, on the North American continent only five levels are distinguished – from Beginning to Mastery.
In addition to tuition costs, any trip abroad also involves paying for accommodation. In the USA and Canada, a month of living with a family will cost $650-850; in Europe it is customary to quote rates per week – the average cost in the UK is 90-250 pounds sterling, in Ireland and Malta 100-180 euros.
If you prefer to master the exam format on your own, look into the library of the British Council and the American Center; here you can get comprehensive information about the latest changes in exam rules, deadlines, and so on, as well as study all the necessary literature.
The latter is especially relevant, because textbooks from foreign publishers are very expensive (the average price for manuals from Kaptan and Barren's, without which it is almost impossible to prepare for the TOEFL, is $35-40), and before you nevertheless buy something for personal use, it is worth assessing in the quiet of the reading room whether the game is worth the candle. And one more thing. Find someone who has already passed the exam you are interested in and can tell you how it went. After all, there is nothing better than a clear example. Go for it!