All over the world, people take the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam. They have different reasons for doing so. Some might want to study abroad. Others may want to start a new life in an English-speaking country but they have to prove their language skills before they get there.
Often, people think that IELTS is meant for speakers of other languages who want to test their level of English. That's true but so are all the other scenarios. Besides wanting to score well on their IELTS exam, all these types of students have another thing in common. They all want to know where and how they can find the best IELTS test prep tutors.
Finding an academic tutor is easy. Students can ask their teachers and parents can talk with others in their network. But IELTS is an elective subject.
It's not a part of the school curriculum and Australian employers don't require interview candidates to show their IELTS scores.
At least, not if they were born and went to school in Australia. So where can an Australian IELTS student find a tutor?
Find an IELTS Tutor Through Adverts
Education is big business and elective education is even more so. That's why you see year 'round adverts for IELTS classes. Presumably, students should prepare for their IELTS exams while school is in session and take the test during the holiday.
Amid all the for-profit IELTS course advertising, you'll find adverts for IELTS prep tutors. Independent tutors don't have the budget for fancy graphics and billboards but it costs nothing to advertise on social media. Not everyone uses social media so independent IELTS tutors need to find students in other ways.
Outlets like Gumtree post adverts for just about everything, including tutoring. From a quick scroll through as I write this, tutors have posted adverts as recently as two weeks ago.
But Gumtree is a bit like Facebook; younger users prefer other outlets. If your parents were trying to find a tutor for you, they might have some luck on these sites.
Today, online and social media advertising are free and easy ways to promote a business. But not so long ago, tutors had different ways of finding students. They would post fliers on bulletin boards all over their community.
Those corkboards are still there - in libraries, supermarkets and school offices. And they're still festooned with colourful bits of paper advertising services. Too bad that people today think anonymous adverts are dodgy.
Let's look at other ways of finding IELTS tutors to prepare in IELTS classes Sydney.
Find an IELTS Tutor Through References
Let's say you're wrapping up your Technical and Further Education (TAFE) certificate course. You may want to explore your field of study abroad; maybe become an international student in a graduate program. Or perhaps you'd like to put your new skills to work overseas. In either case, you need to have an IELTS score.
In your time at TAFE, you've come to rely on your teachers and advisors; they've always given you good information. So you might ask them how much an IELTS tutor costs and where you can find one. The first person you ask, probably your teacher, might not have an answer but they could direct you to someone who does.
The same is true if you're in high school or a university student. Your student advisor could point you in the right direction if your English teacher can't. In fact, your school English teacher may tutor evenings and; maybe they'll volunteer?
But perhaps you'd prefer to have a gap between your school and out-of-school lives.
So you might ask your school to furnish IELTS tutor information if they have any at hand. If they don't you might stop by your local tutoring centre on the way home. Sometimes, such agencies have independent tutors on call. It would work the same way as any other private tutor venture; your teacher would come to your home for your learning sessions.
Unless you prefer to receive tutoring at the agency. In this case, you might ask if they have a tutor who specialises in IELTS revision and exam preparation. If they don't have anyone on their rolls, perhaps they'd refer you to another agency that does.
Prepare for your exam with a qualified tutor in IELTS courses on Superprof.
Find an IELTS Tutor by Word of Mouth
Word of mouth is the most powerful and effective form of advertising. Studies show that most people trust recommendations from someone they know over any other form of advertising. Granted, you likely won't know the person at the tutoring centre.
But you might put your trust in them, seeing as they are in the tutoring business.
Such a business might refer you to an IELTS tutoring agency. These are for-profit centres that give classes on IELTS writing and reading comprehension. As you know, this exam will test you on those English language skills, as well as listening and speaking.
These businesses fill a gap in the market but they present the same conditions that make regular education so hit-and-miss.
When you're in a class with 10 or 15 other people, the learning outcomes will be uneven. Some learners will be great at reading comprehension but can't seem to master the type of writing IELTS demands.
Others might need to linger over the listening portion; maybe they just can't grasp the American or British English accent.
But the teacher has a curriculum and a schedule to follow. They can't afford to hold up the class until everyone's on the same page. And they may not have a lot of time for questions or discussion, either.
If you're the type to drill down into your English skills and improve your reading and writing, you should hold out for one-to-one lessons.
As you need an IELTS tutor to guide your revision and share a few study tips - but would prefer not to take IELTS classes, ask around. There's a good chance one of your mates knows someone who had a great tutor help them prepare for their exam.
Don't forget to ask your online friends, too. These days, lots of students prepare for IELTS exams online.
Find an IELTS Tutor Online
In fact, you might choose to take your IELTS exam online. If so, preparing for your test and reviewing the materials online would work well for you.
But if you'd rather take the paper test, it might be best to search for in-person tutoring. You can search for online and in-person tutors on different tutoring platforms.
Online tutoring platforms are businesses too, so they have an interest in promoting only tutors with verified credentials. Knowing all the tutors whose profiles you see are vetted makes it easier for you to search with confidence. We have to point out that not all tutoring platforms are the same, though.
Some don't give their tutors much room to build their profiles. You can only read a few lines of biography, and those mostly detail the tutor's teaching credentials. Other platforms afford tutors enough room to list their credentials and talk about their teaching experience. But you won't find any feedback from students they've taught.
Student feedback is a form of recommendation. If that teacher successfully mentors seven students and they all write glowing reviews, that tutor must know what they're doing! Such testimonials add another layer of confidence to your tutor selection.
Many of these platforms are not transparent in their per-lesson fees. Some tutor profiles we ran across stated 'contact for pricing' rather than listing the price outright. That can be frustrating; you have a lot to think about and do before you hire an IELTS tutor. If you're pressed to get on with your writing practice and listening exercises, you don't have time to wait for a price quote.
What if those lessons are priced out of your range and you have to start your search all over? That's why Superprof IELTS tutors put all that information on their profile thumbnails. When you load the Superprof platform and specify that you need an IELTS tutor, all of the Superprofs in your area with those qualifications appear.
You will see, at a glance, which ones give lessons online and those who gives lessons in person. You'll see how many stars they've earned and how many students rated their teaching skills. Best of all, you'll see how much each tutor charges per hour and note whether they give students their first lesson free.
When you find the tutors that suit your situation and needs the best, click on their photos to learn more about them. If, indeed, they are the tutor you've been searching for, reach out to them. Here's another advantage Superprof tutor profile pages offer: they tell you how long you have to wait for a response.
Superprof has nearly 7000 IELTS tutors available across Australia. The average lesson price with a Superprof is $26, and you only pay for the learning you need. Why wait? The sooner you find your Superprof, the sooner your IELTS revision begins.
Find an IELTS course online and begin studying with a professional tutor on Superprof!
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