Gaming the IELTS Learning Community

Our goal is to build an online learning community for IELTS preparation. Do you need to begin or extend your periods of work, study or residency in Canada? Gaming the IELTS is for immigrants and foreign students who are serious about achieving a high score on the IELTS English proficiency test. Strategy lessons to prepare for the Speaking and Writing tests are offered free of charge, along with access to twelve hand-picked theme vocabulary sets accessed through the members-only Gaming the IELTS website.

Are you aware that on any given IELTS test, 80% of IELTS candidates fail to make the standard minimum university entrance score? Many have started IELTS preparation only weeks before the test date. In contrast, we promote good IELTS habits over time, for those focused on success.

Self-Organized Small Groups
We are opening up IELTS preparation online for serious students of English, but with the option of self-organized study groups and study-buddy practice supported by our ten unit set of interactive resources, games and assignments.
All preparation is designed and conducted by former IELTS examiner Penelope Colville. She holds a Master of Arts in Educational Technology and TEFL accreditation. Penelope tested thousands of students in the biggest IELTS market in the world - China.
A weekly strategy class is offered regularly. Add-on benefits include

1. lesson summaries or “job aids” to back up every strategy lesson
2. full access to auto-scored exercises and skill-building learning games for solo or partnered players.

ABOUT THE STRATEGY TOPICS
Classes range from 45 to 60 minutes.

1. IELTS Myths What you may have been told and should not believe about the test
2. The Writing Test – How It Is Scored You need to know how both the writing tests are scored in order to avoid behaviours that will earn you an ‘automatic 5’ in your Grammar and Task Response subscores.
3. Analyzing a Task 2 Essay Question This lesson teaches you strategies to boost your Task Response and Cohesion & Coherence subscores, and determine how many paragraphs should be in your Task 2 essay and what should be in each.
4. Observing & Imaging - Content Gathering for Essays This fun class exercises your ability to generate content. You know more than you think you know!
5. Paraphrasing - Four Methods Paraphrasing is essential for all parts of the IELTS test: speaking, writing, listening, reading. There are more options than just finding words that mean the same thing.
6. Sentence Variety - More is More! Many IELTS candidates make the mistake of thinking that the more fancy complex sentences you use, the better your score. Wrong. The greater the variety of your sentences, the higher your Grammar score.
7. The Speaking Test - How Each Part Is Scored There are reasons for having three parts. The focus is different for each, which will help you develop control of the test.
8. Nature of the Question - Decode Oral Questions to Power Up Your Score Get the advantage of knowing the four major question types that repeat throughout Parts 1 and 3 of the speaking test.
9. Verb Tenses for the IELTS The proper use of Perfect Tenses and Passive Voice is what moves your score above a 6.
10. Task 1 General A prescription for formal and informal letter-writing
11. Task 1 Academic – Do The Math This lesson teaches you how to avoid “mechanical” Task 1 responses and a disappointing score of 5 for the Task Response subscore.

For all these Task 1 types of questions we address winning tactics vs whatever you are doing now. Learn to tell a story from numbers and pictures.
12. Task 1 Academic – Tables
13. Task 1 Academic – Pie Charts & Bar Graphs
Task 1 Academic – Line Graphs

For all these Task 1 types of questions we give you a formula, language and tactics.
14. Task 1 Academic – Maps & Plans
15. Task 1 Academic – Flow Charts and Processes

MORE

Pop-Up Classes
A. Gaming the IELTS – Introduction to the Site (30 mins)
B. Reading and Listening Practice Resources (30 mins)

Demo Classes
We sprinkle these in between strategy lessons so we can put plan into practice

Demo Classes for Task 2 (60 mins)
When participants complete strategy lessons 1 – 6, they can participate in some Task 2 Essay Practice as a collaborative group with the instructor leading. We build an essay together from analysis to written product. Others may observe.

Demo Classes for Task 1 (60 mins)
When participants digest strategy lessons 11 – 15, they can participate in building the six different tasks as a collaborative group with the instructor leading. As with Task 2, we build the response together, from pattern-seeking to written product. Others may observe.