IELTS Research Reports

An impact study into the use of IELTS by professional associations and registration entities:Canada, the United Kingdom and IrelandSome candidates (for example, Chinese candidates entering the health professions) have claimed thatthe requirement to sit for an IELTS test is potentially racist. The counterargument to this is that healthprofessionals in particular practising in an English-speaking country must be able to communicateeffectively with patients, colleagues and statutory authorities.Some members of organisations who were dealing with IELTS on a regular basis expressed a wish toexperience the test for themselves so that they were more familiar with the tasks that candidates wereexpected to handle.5.4.6 Risk management and opportunitiesSome comments and issues raised by association staff in relation to the IELTS test are set out in Table10 below. The most significant of these is the perceived preference by many associations involvedin health care for subject-specific content in language tests. Historically, the IELTS test used to havediscipline-specific modules of the test (IELTS 2009, History of IELTS). It may be timely to revisit thisin test review processes.Feedback on IELTS - IssuesNumber of associationsCanada UK IrelandPossible substitution of candidate 1 1Unreliability of assessment in some countries where IELTS is conducted (e.g. India, 1 1China)Lack of subject specific content of test for professions (especially health-related) 2 3 1Lack of availability of the test in some source areas for applicants (e.g. Northern Canada,West Africa, Central America)2 1Fraudulent results document received 1Does not test “fitness to practise” 1Some language in the test is not international (e.g. boot of car, petrol …) 1Table 10. Feedback on IELTS - Issues6 CONCLUSIONSThe UK and Ireland are traditional markets for IELTS in the academic arena, and use of IELTS as anentry criterion to professional workplaces is a relatively recent growth market. In the English-speakingCanadian context, the increase in acceptance of IELTS has also been significant.All participants interviewed demonstrated a strong concern for maintaining the integrity of theirstandards of practice, and this included language competency. Many had either looked to other similarorganisations when making a decision on the minimum levels of English language competency theywould require, or had sought advice from experts or academics familiar with the IELTS test anddescriptors of levels.IELTS Research Reports Volume 1161