Is My IELTS Teacher Legit?

Let's face it, IELTS schools are opening every day and are piling up on every corner. With all the choices, how do you make the right choice? How can you judge the quality of education you're receiving? Here are a few simple ways to judge if you are getting a quality education, or scammed.

1. Is your "foreign teacher" really a qualified English teacher?

Scam teachers and language schools are everywhere. Today, language schools are filled with teachers who don't have degrees, don't have teaching certificates, and aren't native speakers. If you're paying for a class NEVER learn from a non-native speaker. Yes, in some cases it is okay to have a teacher of your own nationality to be able to explain things in your own language, but never learn English from the Russians that have flooded the market. How do you tell if you have a native speaker? First, check their documents. A majority of the time this is a for sure way, but I have met some immigrants with American passports teaching abroad with an accent. If you expect some foul play, don't be afraid to reach out to a trusted source with a video. A true native can always tell.

2. Is your teacher providing prompt quality feedback?

Feedback is crucial for IELTS students and a teacher is expected to grade essays EVERY class. You should demand that your teacher grades and provides feedback on all your essays and gets them to you the NEXT class. Lots of teachers purposely postpone giving essays back so their students don't submit them. If the teacher isn't working for you, spread the word and shut them down.

3. Are your lessons structured?

Did the teacher prepare for class or just walk in? Are they a page turner or have they prepared supplementary material? Generally, a good teacher will follow a few general steps.

- Have a warmer to warm up their students language skills.

- Introduce the topic of the lesson or test before they teach.

- Instruct the students.

- Give an opportunity for controlled practice.

- Give an opportunity for freer practice.

- Provide feedback

If the teacher isn't following a structure then you should leave class. You're wasting your time.

4. Does your teacher TTT? (Too Much Teacher Talk)

Hey! My teacher is so funny and awesome! Don't let that fool you. Some teachers bank on their students falling in love with them to cover up the fact that they don't know what they're doing. Your teacher should have is focus on you and give you plenty of opportunity to practice your skills with instant feedback. Your teacher may be cool, but that might not be helping you get the score you want.

5. Where is your material coming from?

Are you only using the book? Is your teacher printing off lessons from the internet and calling them their own? Your teacher should be putting in the time to create lessons that cater to his/her class. If they are using lessons off the internet, you deserve access. Make sure to get the links they use.

Learn how to tell quality and you will be more successful and save your money.