IELTS Research Reports

An empirical investigation of the process of writing Academic Readingtest items for the International English Language Testing SystemElizabeth UK1 AUS1 NZ1BA//MACert EdBA (Hons)MA, Dip. Tchg., Dip. TESLB EdMAAdv Dip EdRSA Dip in TEFLAM EdRSA Cert in TEFLA34 years teaching EFL23 years teacher training30 years course design32 years materialspreparation13 years teaching EFLEAP course design4 years as Cambridge ESOLsubject Manager14 years as freelance item21 years teaching EFLDesigned courses andmaterials for IELTSpreparation9 years as IELTS examiner3 years teaching EFL and7 years as Director ofStudies at University EnglishLanguage Centre8 years as IELTS ExaminerTrainer32 years testing/examiningPublished author of IELTSpreparation booksItem writer for other IELTSpapers and Cambridge ESOLtestsPrincipal Examiner for IELTS13 years as IELTS ExaminerPublished author of IELTSand other exam preparationmaterialItem writer - 27+commissionsSo many I can’t remember I can’t recall - 6 years 10 - 12 commissionsAs provided by CambridgeESOL‘I have trained many itemwriter teams for IELTS andwrote most versions of theitem writer guidelines’1 day training sessionRegular update sessions,and visits from CambridgeESOL staffOne formal 2-day course witha Principal Examiner.A couple of informal sessionswith team leaderTen years’ experience ofteaching / materials/testwriting and course designfor courses for medical andscience undergraduatesoverseas providedconfidence and interest inscience and technology andawareness of approaches tothe testing of reading skillsTraining I have received forother CESOL papers hashelped me with IELTS; e.g.production of MCQs andgapfill questions.It is useful to know what typeof material can be targetedusing these items, how towrite good distractors, how toconstrain keys, etc.I don’t know how to answerthis - all the training we havehad has been helpful. Thebest thing is probably editingmeetings.Everything in my backgroundhas been useful.I have used my experienceand what I have gainedfrom the literature on testingreading to build on myunderstanding of other tasktypes that are IELTS-specific.This has helped me constructguidelines for writers.IELTS Research Reports Volume 11335