What is an IELTS coach?

An IELTS coach works with you to prepare for your IELTS exam. They identify your goal – so what band score you need to achieve and why you need it. Then then identify what level your English is now, and how to bridge the gap between the two. They will act as your motivator and keep you accountable, to make sure you keep focused on your goal.

Think about it like an exercise coach. You know how to run, but a coach will help you increase how far you can run so you can run a marathon. You know how to do yoga poses, but a yoga coach will help you make the poses in a better way to increase your flexibility. Both will make sure you practice regularly and keep you motivated.

A weight loss coach is the same. We all know that to lose weight we need to eat less and exercise more. We use a coach to help us see exactly how much we should be eating and to make us accountable. They will weigh us regularly to see how we are moving towards our goals and change our routines if what we are doing is not effective.

How is it different to an IELTS tutor?

An IELTS tutor will give you training in how to improve your listening and reading skills and what grammar and vocabulary you need. They will teach you how to write well, explain how to construct good essays, and write letters or describe graphs. They will help you become familiar with a wide variety of topics that you might have to write or speak about in your IELTS test.

An IELTS tutor using starts by giving you all this training, and then you start doing the tasks and practicing the parts of the IELTS exam. An IELTS coach believes you know the basics, but you need help increasing your ability towards your goal.

A tutor will still motivate you and keep you accountable. They will still identify your goals and help you work towards them. However, the main focus will be teaching you how to take the IELTS test.

Do you need an IELTS tutor or coach?

Some people just need an IELTS coach. They understand the IELTS test and how to address the different questions and task types. They just need support in achieving the exact band score that they need.

Some people need an IELTS tutor. They need someone to help them understand how to answer the questions and the best techniques to use. They need someone to show them how to improve their vocabulary and grammar, how to write essays, letters or graph descriptions and how to prepare for the speaking test.

If you know what IELTS band you need to achieve and why you want to achieve it, but something is holding you back, then yes. A good IELTS coach will work with you to identify what problems you are having and show you how to solve them.

If you just want to improve your English and you are curious about how IELTS can help you, then no. You do not need coaching. You need an English tutor. We can help with that too, if that is what you need.

Our Writing Coaching package and our Speaking Practice package are where we act as your IELTS coach. You already know how to do the test. What you need now is someone to tell you if you are doing it right, what your areas of development are and to help you to develop in these areas.

Our IELTS courses are where we act as a tutor and will teach you everything you need to know.

Can you afford an IELTS coach?

If you see the cost of education as something which takes money from other, more important areas of your life, then no.

If you see the financial implication of a coach as an investment in your future, then yes.

Remember, you have to pay for the IELTS test. It is not cheap. If you have to pay for it many times because you cannot get the IELTS band score you need, then it may be better value to pay for an IELTS coach or tutor.

Remember, IELTS is just a test to assess your language ability. You might need it to study in an English speaking country, or to study in an English speaking university in your own country. You may need to take IELTS to move abroad to work.

For all these things, you need to have a good level of English. If you are going to study in English, you need to listen to lectures, read academic papers, write essays and assignments, take part in group discussions and do presentations.

If you are going to work in English, you need to read and write emails and reports, talk to colleagues, clients and customers, and understand and take part in meetings.

If you are going to live in an English speaking country, you need to buy things, go to doctors, arrange visas and paperwork, do interviews, talk to neighbours and friends and many other things….all in English.

Working with a good IELTS tutor or coach can help you with these things, as well as preparing for the IELTS exam. Is this worth paying for?

How can you see if a potential IELTS coach is the real deal?

Do they demonstrate a deep understanding of IELTS and academic English?

Anyone can say they are an IELTS tutor. Many people now are taking the IELTS test, getting their band score and then setting up as ‘IELTS tutors’. The only experience they have of IELTS is preparing for the test themselves. This means they know how they got the band score they need, but they do not know how other people can do it. Everyone is different and we all have different ways of addressing the same tasks. Just because the way you do it is not the way they do it, it does not mean you are wrong.

These people regularly give incorrect information to others. They think they know that something they did got them a good score, but actually it didn’t. It was something else.

Other people are doing TEFL courses to train to teach English and immediately deciding to teach IELTS preparation. They have heard that is is in demand and that students will pay well for lessons, so they say they are IELTS tutors. They have never prepared students for IELTS before.They do not actually know the best ways to address each part of the test. They do not know how to teach someone to write well, or the functional language you need to use to perform well in the speaking test. They do not understand the band descriptors or what the IELTS examiners are looking for.

A proper IELTS coach will have worked as an examiner, or worked for one of the major IELTS preparation centres. They may have taken a course in how to prepare students for IELTS. They will fully understand the IELTS band descriptors for speaking and writing and what they mean and they will know techniques and strategies to do the listening and reading.

A good IELTS tutor will also have taught academic English so they will understand how to listen to lectures, understand complex reading texts, and most importantly, know how to teach you how to write academically.

Most importantly, a good IELTS tutor will be an experienced, trained English teacher. They will fully understand the English language and be able to explain grammatical structures and vocabulary to their students. They will know how to present information so that students understand it properly, how to give them useful practice and how to give effective feedback. They will understand the pyschology of adult learners, effective learner strategies and how to motivate and encourage.

Is there social proof of their successes? Can you see past students who have achieved their dreams with their support and training?

Have your friends, family or colleagues used their services and got the score they need?

Look on their website and social media. Are there testimonials from their old students who they have helped? Can you see them help other people in Facebook groups etc.?

If the answers to these question are yes, then they are the real deal.

If you are not sure, then maybe they are not.

Is this IELTS tutor right for me?

Are their beliefs and values similar to yours?

Have you interacted with them in a positive way? If you have watched their videos, is their way of explaining things similar to yours? Can you see their personality? Do they look like someone you would get on with?

Do they feel like someone you would like to spend weeks, and possibly months, working with?

If they don’t make you feel comfortable, then they probably are not right for you. Remember, you need to work with this person and talk to them regularly while you are preparing for your IELTS exam. You need to feel comfortable with them. 

If you feel that they suit you, then maybe they are the right coach for you.

Are we the right coaches or tutors for you? 

Have a look at our About Us page and see what you think. You can also find us most days on Instagram. If you think we might be the right IELTS coach or tutor, then please schedule a consultation call with us and let’s see how we can work together to achieve your dream.

Remember, we can be your coach, or your tutor. If you already know about IELTS and you feel coaching would help you work towards the band score you need, you can take one of our coaching packages.

If you are unclear about IELTS and you feel that you would benefit from some instruction and training on how to take the test in the best way, you can take one of our IELTS courses.

In your consultation, we will talk about what you need and your experiences and we can agree on the best one for you to take.

Get in touch and let’s get started.