One of the four major language skills that the IELTS measures is the test-taker’s listening skill. Essentially, this part of the exam assesses how well a person is able to comprehend spoken English by testing his or her ability to understand main ideas and factual information, recognise the opinions and purpose of the speaker, and grasp the development of a certain argument.
What are the common IELTS Listening difficulties
Before going into the helpful tips and practices for IELTS Listening score improvement, it is important to discuss the common difficulties that past test-takers have encountered in answering this part of the assessment.
For one, most candidates agree that a challenging factor is the fact that they only get to listen to each recording once. Hence, if a test-taker did not listen attentively to the recording and thus was not able to absorb all the information shared in it, he or she will most likely have a difficult time recalling the particulars and answering the post-listening questions.
Another challenge is the fact that the passages get more complex as the exam progresses.Thus, if a test-taker had only prepared for a certain level of difficulty and did not anticipate listening to complex listening passages, this would surely be a problem come test time.
The limited vocabulary and/or grammar mastery of the candidate would, of course, hinder him or her in excelling in the Listening section of the IELTS, and which would also be applicable to the other portions of the exam.
What can be done to overcome these difficulties
Now that the common difficulties have been identified, it becomes easier to determine corresponding steps that will help target these challenges.
IELTS Listening may be challenging, but it definitely is surpassable! Here are some things you can do, which might not seem like much, but actually contribute to your readiness for this portion of the exam.
1. Familiarise yourself with the test format.
Knowing the test format, including structure and time limit, among others, allows the test-taker to properly strategise during the review period and the IELTS test proper, as well as reduces the anxieties brought about by the uncertainties and the unknown. You can read more about it in our previous blog post: Dissecting the IELTS.
For the IELTS Listening in particular, important to note is the fact that each test-taker will listen to four different recordings during the exam, which varies in format, content, and level of difficulty. Two recordings involve conversations in both everyday/social and formal/professional contexts, while the other two are monologues in both contexts as well.
Of course, the kinds of post-listening questions are something that you must be aware of, too. IELTS Listening features a variety of different exam question types: multiple choice questions, short-response questions, matching type, diagram and chart completion, sentence completion, mapping, and labelling.
2. Practise listening to similar and appropriate audio/video materials.
In relation to the previous point, looking for appropriate materials is a lot easier after learning what kinds of recordings will be played during the exam and in what context they will be in. Similarly, doing post-listening exercises based on what we know are the IELTS Listening question types is a helpful practice in preparation for the actual exam.
For example, you can try looking for speeches uploaded from commencement ceremonies, conferences, and other similar events, and then make an outline on the main ideas presented. Another helpful exercise is listening to how-to audio/video recordings (ex: how to get to a certain place, how to build something, or how to do a particular task), and then making a diagram of the procedural steps discussed. These drills, although simple and may not be exactly similar to the ones included in the IELTS, are nonetheless effective exercises to train your brain for active listening, information retention and processing, among others.
For this activity, video-sharing websites will be your best friend, as these platforms have a great number of materials that you can practise with. An alternative would be watching the daily news, interviews, and talk shows on the television, which can also train you to listen attentively and digest newly acquired information.
3. Identify your weak points.
Self-assessment is a sure-fire way to help improve performance in the IELTS Listening portion, or any other test for that matter. Every time you do the exercises above, ask yourself: Which part of the exercise did I find most challenging? Did I have a difficult time paying attention to the recordings? What post-listening activities am I most unsure of or unconfident about?
Identifying your weak points helps you adjust and zoom in on the skills that need to be worked on. Note that these self-assessment questions should not, in any way, discourage you; they are asked precisely to guide and support your progress.
Surely, there are ways to improve yourself, particularly for IELTS Listening, in your own time and in the comforts of your home. These self-help drills are just some of them. After doing these, follow through with our IELTS Review courses! Our academic team is here to help you secure your excellent performance in the IELTS and get that desired band score. Send us a message to enquire!
