International students face many new challenges at university. One of the most significant is the variety of assessment forms: coursework essays, coursework reports, group presentations, individual presentations as well as final exams, both seen and unseen. Each of these assessment forms has a criteria which examines 3-6 areas such as …
One area where international students often struggle is academic theory and models. For example, in the first year of a business and management degree students are introduced to new models and theories almost every week. In these circumstances developing a basic understanding of each theory is a challenge, no matter …
The verb ‘to iterate’ is one of my favourite in the English language. It describes a series of successive operations or cycles, with each one advancing an overall process another step towards a final objective. For example, a scientist may solve a research problem through a series of hypotheses and …
Using YouTube to support IELTS speaking study is a great idea. This blogpost offers advice for IELTS students keen to improve their speaking grade. The advice will focus on identifying phrases to use in IELTS Speaking Part 3. Topics in IELTS Speaking Part 3 So, in this part of the …
This blogpost will highlight three common types of essay writing mistakes made by East Asian students at academic IELTS writing level 4.5-5.5. Frequently, students from the same geographical regions make similar errors in their writing. There are numerous reasons for this, but some prominent ones are: The effect of the …
Academic journal articles are perhaps the most difficult pieces of text university students are required to read. They tend to feature the most challenging characteristics of academic text: their density of argument, frequent use of specialist research and references to other studies all combine to form significant barriers to understanding. …
Going to university is a challenging time for any young person, and the university years will almost certainly include some life-defining and character-forming experiences for every student. There are some students who have a very clear sense of how to navigate university life, and know exactly how to optimise their …
In this post we’re going to explore inserting critical thinking into argumentative essays, using a simple question about pets. It’s important for students to recognise that incorporating different levels of critical thinking into an essay is vital in achieving high grades. So, each of the main and opposing arguments below …
So, for this post I’ve selected a few online resources I think students can use to improve their English. My source for these digital tools is Nik Peachey’s e-book ‘Digital Tools for Teachers’ which presents learning resources to use to enhance language development. Nik Peachey is a well-established expert …
This is the second half of the IELTS problem/solution model essay which I’ve converted into a university level essay. The analysis provided examines language and structure; the latter focusing on incorporating critical thinking into the essay. As before, a heartfelt thankyou to Christopher Pell at IELTS Advantage for allowing me …
