Abstract
It is becoming increasingly important for individuals for whom English is a second language to demonstrate their linguistic credentials for academic, work and employment purposes. One option is to undertake International English Language Testing System (IELTS), which involves attempting to meet the linguistic entrance criteria set by a gatekeeping institution in the skills of listening, reading, writing, and speaking. Yet limited information is available in the public domain concerning the success of test-takers in meeting cut-off criteria set by the 10,000 or so organisations that utilise IELTS. The present study analyses the relationship between the test results and stated band score objectives of a cohort of 600 IELTS candidates, who shared their results on a social networking platform. It was uncovered that more test-takers failed to meet their band score goals (n = 281) than achieved them (n = 245), with many requiring high level linguistic goals to maximise their prospects in immigration systems. Thematic analysis was employed to explore the seldom-heard perspectives of the test-takers who missed their targets, and thereby ‘failed’ the IELTS test. Far more candidates held perspectives that constituted a rejection of their overall or sub-test score in comparison with those who were accepting of their results. Candidates’ incredulity was notably acute concerning the accuracy of Speaking and Writing assessment, likely fuelled by a mistrust in single examiner marking and a lack of detailed test performance feedback to explain what went wrong.
Highlights
Of growing importance to global cross-border population movements for work, academic and family purposes is the need for non-native English-speaking (NNES) individuals to obtain recognised and reputable evidence of English language proficiency (ELP) in order to meet the requirements of gatekeepers, such as universities, professional and training organisations, employers and immigration authorities
Evidence of sufficient ELP can be obtained by undertaking International English Language Testing System (IELTS), an English proficiency test developed and managed by the British Council, Cambridge Assessment English and IDP Australia
The present study explores the test performance and perceptions of 600 IELTS testtakers who publicly shared their scores on a Facebook group orientated towards providing peer support to self-directed candidates-in-preparation
Summary
Of growing importance to global cross-border population movements for work, academic and family purposes is the need for non-native English-speaking (NNES) individuals to obtain recognised and reputable evidence of English language proficiency (ELP) in order to meet the requirements of gatekeepers (test-users), such as universities, professional and training organisations, employers and immigration authorities. The study adopted a critical language testing (CLT) dimension by exploring the perceptions of the ‘losers’ in the testing system (Shohamy, 2001), in other words candidates who failed to achieve their desired IELTS scores. Their interpretations of achieved test scores, elaborated in their public wall posts, were analysed thematically (Braun & Clarke, 2006; Fereday & Muir-Cochrane, 2006; Terry, Hayfield, Clarke, & Braun, 2017). To date, such candidates’ voices have been among the least heard in academic research, despite being the participants in the testing system upon which IELTS exerts the most notable negative impact
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