This report examined the teaching methodology used in IELTS preparation classes in China.
The research used Hu’s six element framework for describing teaching methods:
- Pedagogical orientation.
- Instructional content and presentation.
- Language practice activities.
- Teacher and learner roles.
- Learning materials.
- Assessment.
It started with the hypothesis that teachers were making methodological choices between communicative language teaching (CLT), audio-lingualism and grammar translation methods.
Research methods included: questionnaires completed by just under 80 IELTS teachers; stand-alone interviews with 10 teachers; and three stimulated recall interviews following classroom observations. We found that the most common methodology used approximated to CLT but that teachers took a more dominant role and used more Chinese than would be characteristics of CLT.