What is it about?
IELTS is a test that is used globally to assess students’ readiness to study in terms of their English. This practice is based on the assumption that the English can be tested separately from the subject. Here we argue that this is a false assumption and that the English students need is inseparable from the subject context they will study in. Consequently, we argue they should be tested in English in their subjects, and not through using IELTS.
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Why is it important?
Our findings show that students can be much better prepared for their courses and their study if they are tested in the English in their subject contexts. This in turn would be more ethical to students, and would also help the lecturers who teach them. As a result, we argue it has important implications for metrics measuring the student experience such as NSS and TEF.
Perspectives
As authors we feel this work is important as it questions the fundamental assumption that English can be tested outside the subject context. Whereas other research is conducted in the paradigm that IELTS does this and thus the IELTS requirements need to be raised, our research is unique in that it challenges this assumption. In other words, rather than raise IELTS scores, as others suggest, we argue that the whole testing system should be changed.
Dr Nick Pilcher
Edinburgh Napier University
As authors we feel that this paper compliments other papers we have underlining the importance of seeing that English and the subject are inextricably linked.
Dr Kendall Richards
Edinburgh Napier University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Challenging the power invested in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS): Why determining ‘English’ preparedness needs to be undertaken within the subject context, Power and Education, March 2017, SAGE Publications,
DOI: 10.1177/1757743817691995.
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