IELTS Speaking Part 3 lesson topic - by Simon

IELTS Speaking Part 3: 'lessons' topic

The following answers are at 'band 9' level. Which words and phrases help my answers to get such a high score?

1. What do you think makes a good lesson?

I think a good lesson is one that is interesting and engaging. By 'engaging' I mean that the students should feel involved in the lesson; they should feel that they are learning something new that is relevant to them. In my opinion, a lot depends on how the teacher delivers the content of the lesson in a way that students like. My favourite teacher at university used to involve the students by making us teach some of the lessons ourselves.

2. Do you think it's better to have a teacher or to teach yourself?

Well, there's no substitute for a good teacher. I think you can teach yourself, but you can learn a lot more quickly with the guidance of a teacher. For example, when learning a language, you really need someone to correct your mistakes; you can get the grammar and vocabulary from books, but books can't tell you where you're going wrong.

3. Do you think the traditional classroom will disappear in the future?

I don't think it will disappear, but it might become less common. I think more people will study independently, using different technologies rather than sitting in a classroom. Maybe students will attend a lesson just once a week, and spend the rest of their time following online courses or watching video lessons.

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Friday, June 24, 2011

IELTS Speaking Part 2: describe a lesson

Speak for 2 minutes about the following topic.

Describe an interesting lesson that you attended. You should say

• where you attended this lesson • what it was about • and why you found it interesting

Here are some ideas for a description of a science lesson:

1. I'm going to talk about an interesting science lesson that I attended at secondary school when I was

14 or 15 years old. 2. It was quite a long time ago, so I can't remember every detail, but the lesson was about respiration.

We learnt about how the lungs work, how we breathe, and how oxygen passes into the blood. The science teacher also talked to us about the effects of smoking on the lungs. 3. I found this lesson interesting because my science teacher, Dr. Smith, always introduced new topics

by showing us a video. We watched a short film about how respiration works, and I found this much easier to understand than a science textbook. The film showed diagrams of the lungs to explain the breathing process. Later in the lesson we saw real photos of healthy lungs and lungs that had been damaged as a result of smoking; they had turned black. I think the image of a smoker's lungs is the reason why I remember this lesson.

I could also give more information about the teacher, his personality and why I liked him. The key is to tell a story and add details until the time runs out.

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Friday, June 17, 2011

IELTS Speaking Part 1: 'numbers' topic

One of my students had these questions in her exam last week. I've put an example answer below each one.

1) Do you have a favourite number or a number that is special to you?

Yes, my favourite number is... because it's the day I was born on, and it's my lucky number.

2) Do any numbers have special importance in your country?

Yes, certain ages are special. For example, your 18th birthday is important because it's when you are considered to become an adult.

3) Are you good at remembering numbers? Why / why not?

No, I'm not very good at remembering numbers. I don't think it's necessary to learn them by heart; I just save them on my phone.

4) What numbers do people often have to memorise?

The most important number to remember on a daily basis is the pin number for your bank card. Without this you can't pay for anything or get cash out.

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Friday, June 10, 2011

IELTS …