Macmillan IELTS Improving students' answers in IELTS Writing Task 1 Sam McCarter

Abstract The talk will look at different techniques to improve students writing in Task 1 in the academic version of the IELTS examination.

Writing Task 1 Question type Graphs/ Bar charts/ Tables Maps/ Processes Combined data presentations Rubric Summarize and select main features Paraphrasing Objective vs. subjective

General and specific Overviews Public marking scores Time Length

Writing Task 1 Language features Checklist for students

Data Simple Present/ Past/ Present Perfect/ Simple Future/ Future Perfect Comparison Complex sentences Conjunctions Verbs of rise/ fall

Introductions Trends Purpose Noun phrases – synonyms Singular/ plural Active/ Passive General vs. specific

Maps Tenses Vocabulary Location Processes Stages Tenses Active/ passive Transitive and intransitive verbs

Techniques Interpreting visuals – easy for all students? Orally in groups/pairs Game- test/ develop recall- how many items – 7 plus or minus 2- use electronic smart-board/ OHP No writing- only discussion Create text orally General phrases and statements in isolation

Give summary statements/ overviews and ask to prove Give specific three or four sets of data and ask to summarize/ give overview Use a stop watch Teach to react not memorize Vocabulary checklists – created by students Match phrases to parts of the graph/ chart Number/ annotate the graph Models or samples ?

Thank you!