METHODOLOGICAL PECULIARITIES OF TEACHING IELTS TO SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNERS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46991/educ-21st-century.v8.i1.076Keywords:
IELTS, ESL learners, pedagogy, communicative language teaching, task-based learning, assessment, methodologyAbstract
This study investigates the methodological peculiarities of preparing English as a Second Language (ESL) learners for the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Recognizing the critical gap between general communicative competence and the rigorous demands of standardized testing, the research proposes a novel integrated pedagogical framework. A quasi-experimental, mixed-methods design was employed at an international language center, involving 52 intermediate to upper-intermediate ESL learners enrolled in a comprehensive 10-week IELTS preparation program. The instructional intervention synthesized Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) to foster fluency, Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) for authentic task familiarization, and explicit assessment-oriented strategy training to address cognitive processing requirements. Quantitative analysis of standardized IELTS-style pre- and post-tests demonstrated a statistically significant improvement across all four language skills (t(51) = 4.76, p < .001, d = 0.92), with notable gains in writing and speaking performance. Concurrently, qualitative classroom observations and systematic reflective analyses revealed significantly increased learner autonomy, enhanced strategic awareness, and improved time management under examination constraints. The findings substantiate that effective IELTS pedagogy must transcend traditional language instruction by systematically integrating linguistic, cognitive, and strategic dimensions into a unified pedagogical model. This study provides a theoretically informed and empirically validated model for curriculum design, teacher training, and assessment literacy within high-stakes ESL contexts, ultimately facilitating sustainable learner achievement.
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