SERC host IELTS teacher training programme

South Eastern Regional College (SERC) International Department recently hosted an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) teacher workshop at the Lisburn Campus in conjunction with the British Council.

The IELTS teacher training workshop is a two-day programme designed for teachers in the institution who are preparing students for the academic module of the IELTS test.

Ten participants attended the course, travelling from as far afield as Thailand to complete this essential training which covered the writing, reading, listening and speaking modules of the IELTS test. This was the fourth year that the programme has ran and has proven very popular attracting participants from across the globe.

The workshop was led by IELTS Stakeholder Manager, Ben Wakeford and Senior Trainer, Rosalind Lee.

The workshop provided participants with a brief outline of the IELTS test including the test format and a guide to test results. This was followed by an analysis of the main features of each paper, focusing on those aspects which students may find more difficult. A brief overview of the British Council’s Road to IELTS online IELTS preparation material was included in each workshop, with suggestions on how teachers can utilise this material, both in class and for student self-access.

The SERC IELTS Test Centre conducts monthly tests in Lisburn. Candidates can choose from two versions of the test – Academic or General Training – depending on the organisation they are applying to and their plans.

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is an English language proficiency test for higher education and global migration, with over 3 million tests taken in the last year. IELTS scores are accepted by over 10,000 organisations worldwide, including universities, employers, immigration authorities and professional bodies.

SERC is committed to providing solutions to meet the needs of local and international markets. The training programme is run in conjunction with the British Council and is offered annually.