Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Contents
Overview
IELTS research
14
IELTS 2007
IELTS
Introduction
2006 was another hugely successful year for IELTS, with entries growing to unprecedented
levels and excellent prospects for further growth over the coming years. At the same time,
recognition of IELTS especially in the USA has increased substantially, and IELTS is fast
becoming the test of choice for immigration and higher education in English speaking
countries.
Many factors contribute to the success of IELTS, including the quality of the test and the
outstanding support provided by the network of IELTS centres around the world, but there
are four key characteristics that make IELTS especially appealing to test takers and
recognising organisations alike:
IELTS is SECURE
IELTS is GLOBAL
IELTS is AUTHENTIC
IELTS CARES
The three IELTS partners British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and University of Cambridge
ESOL Examinations strive to maintain these characteristics, while continually enhancing the
usability of the tests, the service to candidates and recognising organisations, and the
information and support available to stakeholders.
This Review looks at some of the most important developments that took place during 2006.
It also presents some detailed statistics on how candidates performed, and the research
programme that backs up every aspect of the IELTS tests. Together, this information points
to a fifth key characteristic that underpins all of the others:
IELTS is FAIR
IELTS
The new identity is built around a new logo and a motif based on overlapping coloured circles
carrying key messages about what makes IELTS special. It has been applied to all IELTS
publications and to the new-look website www.IELTS.org, and has attracted very positive
feedback from stakeholders, candidates and staff.
In order to support centres in communicating more effectively with their customers, a new
online service provides IELTS administrators with templates, draft texts and other resources
for use in their own publications.
Customer support
The IELTS partners are committed to providing the best possible level of support for
candidates, tutors, administrators, recognising organisations and other stakeholders.
As part of this commitment, we provide a wide range of information in print, on the IELTS
website and in the online IELTS Teaching Resources. During 2006, the IELTS partners
introduced a new range of information leaflets, FAQ sheets and other documents which are
available through IELTS centres worldwide.
Two other key publications were also issued in 2006:
IELTS
2006
Academic
74.4%
General Training
23.6%
Gender
The following table shows the percentage of male and female candidates taking IELTS
in 2006.
2006
Female
Male
Overall
Female 48.3%
Male 51.7%
Academic
Female 51.3%
Male 48.7%
General Training
Female 38.5%
Male 61.5%
Reading
Writing
Speaking
OVERALL
Academic
6.11
6.04
5.73
6.11
6.06
General Training
6.02
5.70
5.83
6.15
5.99
Reading
Writing
Speaking
OVERALL
Academic
5.98
5.90
5.55
5.89
5.89
General Training
5.96
5.66
5.70
6.13
5.93
Below 4
4.5
5.5
6.5
7.5
8.5
15
21
21
15
14
21
22
15
10
For registration as
a nurse
17
28
24
13
For employment
18
29
24
13
For immigration
14
25
2 3
15
Below 4
4.5
5.5
6.5
7.5
8.5
15
20
18
15
10
14
19
19
16
11
16
20
20
16
For employment
13
18
18
12
For immigration
12
17
20
17
12
Place of origin
These figures show the mean overall and individual Band Scores achieved by Academic and
General Training candidates according to their place of origin.
Mean band score by places of origin (Academic)
Listening
Reading
Writing
Speaking
Overall
Bangladesh
5.58
5.38
5.38
5.62
5.55
China
5.47
5.80
5.23
5.39
5.53
Germany
7.44
7.23
6.75
7.26
7.23
Hong Kong
6.70
6.75
5.91
6.06
6.42
India
6.30
5.82
5.79
6.10
6.07
Indonesia
6.10
6.27
5.43
5.83
5.97
Iran
6.04
5.96
5.81
6.31
6.09
Japan
5.87
5.86
5.33
5.80
5.78
Korea
5.87
5.87
5.36
5.72
5.77
Malaysia
6.93
6.85
6.13
6.41
6.64
Nepal
6.34
5.79
5.71
5.88
5.99
Nigeria
5.65
5.84
6.22
6.93
6.22
Pakistan
5.83
5.58
5.49
5.86
5.75
Philippines
6.68
6.27
6.18
6.74
6.53
Russia
6.49
6.48
5.98
6.68
6.47
Sri Lanka
6.27
5.97
5.93
6.39
6.21
Taiwan
5.52
5.81
5.23
5.66
5.62
Thailand
5.82
5.89
5.28
5.70
5.74
United Arab
Emirates
4.99
5.10
4.86
5.43
5.16
Vietnam
5.59
6.01
5.56
5.70
5.78
10
IELTS
11
Listening
Reading
Writing
Speaking
Overall
Bangladesh
5.78
5.30
5.63
6.14
5.77
China
5.82
5.85
5.61
5.77
5.83
Egypt
5.90
5.67
5.73
6.23
5.95
Germany
6.65
6.41
6.33
6.88
6.63
Hong Kong
6.23
6.14
5.76
6.05
6.11
India
6.17
5.54
5.83
6.20
6.00
Indonesia
6.61
6.34
5.95
6.38
6.38
Iran
5.42
5.19
5.54
5.82
5.56
Japan
5.66
5.48
5.24
5.76
5.59
Korea
5.39
5.29
5.03
5.31
5.31
Malaysia
7.08
6.74
6.54
6.98
6.90
Pakistan
5.83
5.38
5.79
6.26
5.88
Philippines
6.27
5.69
6.08
6.43
6.18
Russia
5.80
5.93
5.76
6.13
5.96
Singapore
7.22
6.74
6.58
7.24
7.01
South Africa
7.20
6.71
7.19
8.16
7.38
Sri Lanka
5.77
5.39
5.69
6.14
5.81
Taiwan
5.61
5.60
5.47
5.93
5.72
Thailand
5.42
5.30
5.14
5.59
5.42
United Arab
Emirates
4.64
4.07
4.58
5.39
4.73
First language
These figures show the mean overall and individual Band Scores achieved by Academic and
General Training candidates from the top 20 first language backgrounds.
Listening
Reading
Writing
Speaking
Overall
Arabic
5.53
5.52
5.23
5.93
5.62
Bengali
5.68
5.46
5.45
5.70
5.63
Chinese
5.66
5.95
5.33
5.51
5.67
Farsi
6.04
5.96
5.81
6.31
6.09
German
7.45
7.25
6.75
7.27
7.24
Gujarati
5.99
5.56
5.52
5.73
5.76
Hindi
6.64
6.08
6.00
6.39
6.34
Indonesian
6.09
6.27
5.43
5.83
5.97
Japanese
5.87
5.86
5.33
5.80
5.78
Korean
5.87
5.87
5.36
5.72
5.77
Malayalam
6.23
5.82
5.85
6.14
6.07
Nepali
6.35
5.79
5.72
5.89
5.99
Punjabi
5.93
5.52
5.47
5.71
5.72
Spanish
6.44
6.68
5.96
6.65
6.49
Tagalog
6.68
6.27
6.18
6.74
6.53
Tamil
6.44
5.97
5.89
6.32
6.22
Telugu
6.33
5.75
5.75
6.05
6.03
Thai
5.82
5.89
5.27
5.69
5.73
Urdu
5.93
5.61
5.52
5.90
5.81
Vietnamese
5.59
6.01
5.56
5.70
5.78
12
IELTS
13
Listening
Reading
Writing
Speaking
Overall
Arabic
5.44
5.10
5.30
6.00
5.52
Bengali
5.86
5.38
5.69
6.21
5.85
Chinese
5.89
5.89
5.65
5.84
5.88
Farsi
5.42
5.20
5.55
5.82
5.56
German
6.56
6.24
6.16
6.77
6.49
Gujarati
5.88
5.23
5.55
5.84
5.69
Hindi
6.49
5.87
6.09
6.61
6.33
Indonesian
6.60
6.34
5.94
6.37
6.38
Japanese
5.66
5.48
5.24
5.76
5.59
Korean
5.39
5.28
5.03
5.30
5.31
Malayalam
6.18
5.69
5.97
6.23
6.08
Punjabi
5.86
5.20
5.60
5.86
5.70
Russian
5.80
5.88
5.77
6.13
5.96
Singhalese
5.74
5.36
5.68
6.12
5.79
Spanish
5.89
6.14
5.85
6.39
6.13
Tagalog
6.26
5.68
6.07
6.41
6.17
Tamil
5.91
5.46
5.56
5.99
5.79
Telugu
6.42
5.71
5.89
6.40
6.17
Thai
5.42
5.30
5.14
5.59
5.42
Urdu
5.95
5.45
5.83
6.32
5.95
IELTS research
IELTS is backed by a long-term research programme, as well as extensive ongoing monitoring
to ensure the fairness of the tests.
All IELTS research activities are co-ordinated as part of a comprehensive and coherent
framework for research and validation of the test. A major component of this framework is the
IELTS Joint-funded Research Program which is sponsored jointly by British Council and IELTS
Australia with support from University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations.
The following projects were awarded grant funding in 2006.
Round 12 2006
John Read, Rosemary Wette, The University of
Bedfordshire, UK
UK
Sheffield, UK
Technology, Canada
Cambridge ESOL conducted research activities in the following areas during 2006:
Work towards mapping IELTS to the Common European Framework of Reference
for Languages for the UK Qualifications and Curriculum Authority
Ongoing entry of IELTS scripts into Cambridge Learner Corpus
Work on marking policy proposals including options for Digital Audio
14
IELTS
Published research
Two major publications in 2006 cover academic research in relation to IELTS:
15
16
University of Cambridge
ESOL Examinations
1 Hills Road
Cambridge, CB1 2EU
United Kingdom
Tel 44 1223 553355
Fax 44 1223 460278
email ielts@CambridgeESOL.org
British Council
Bridgewater House
58 Whitworth Street
Manchester, M1 6BB
United Kingdom
Tel 44 161 957 7755
Fax 44 161 957 7762
email ielts@britishcouncil.org
IDP: IELTS Australia
GPO Box 2006
Canberra
ACT 2601
Australia
Tel 61 2 6285 8222
Fax 61 2 6285 3233
email ielts@idp.com
IELTS International
100 East Corson Street
Suite 200
Pasadena
CA 91103
USA
Tel 1 626 564 2954
Fax 1 626 564 2981
email ielts@ieltsintl.org
www.ielts.org
EMC/4426/7Y09
UCLES 2007
IELTS 2007