IELTS teaching is a curious profession. To the untrained eye, it may seem like I spend my days leisurely correcting essays while sipping a Starbucks coffee. The reality? It’s a chaotic blend of detective work, cheerleading, and occasionally questioning the entire English language. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at my life.
Every IELTS teacher secretly doubles as a chef—but instead of gourmet meals, we’re cooking up metaphors, examples, and strategies.
“Imagine your essay is a sandwich,” I say, while a student looks at me like I’ve lost my marbles. “The introduction is the top slice of bread. Body paragraphs? The fillings! And the conclusion ties it all together like that precious bottom slice.”
What I don’t mention is that my own sandwich is falling apart because life is busy. My lunch break consists of gulping down tea while explaining why Task 1 charts are not a secret plot by the Illuminati.
1. Grammar Detective: The Case of the Missing Articles
If I had a dollar for every time I’ve had to ask, “Where’s your article?” I’d be living on a tropical island, sipping iced tea and grading essays from a hammock.
“The cat is under table,” says a student confidently.
“Under the table,” I reply, smiling.
They nod, then repeat, “Yes, under table.”
At this point, I consider starting an investigative TV show: Grammar CSI: Articles Edition. Each episode would feature me hunting down rogue “the’s” and interrogating suspiciously placed commas and apostrophes.
2. Vocabulary Drama: The Curse of Over-ambition
Every IELTS teacher dreads the moment a student discovers “advanced” vocabulary. Suddenly, sentences like, “I enjoy hiking in nature,” transform into “I partake in a plethora of ambulatory escapades amidst verdant landscapes.”
I try to steer them gently back to simplicity. “Your goal isn’t to sound like a Victorian poet. Just… say you like walking in the forest.”
Their response? “But will I get a Band 9 for forest?”
Sigh.
3. The Listening Test Horror Show
The IELTS Listening test is a battleground where even the bravest students falter.
“It’s multiple choice. How hard can it be?” they say.
Five minutes later: “I think the answer is B. Or C. Wait… maybe it’s A?”
Me: “Why not listen to it again?”
Student: “I did. I’m um… less sure.”
I try not to laugh as they question their hearing, the speaker’s intentions, and occasionally, the existence of logic itself.
4. Writing Task 1: The Art of Chart Decoding
Teaching Task 1 is like leading an expedition into uncharted territory.
“Describe the graph,” I instruct.
“There are many lines,” they reply, staring at it as if it’s an ancient treasure map.
“Yes, but what do the lines do?”
“They go up… and down… and up again.”
“Great! Now, tell me why.”
Cue an existential crisis as they try to interpret data trends while I gently remind them that “skyrocketed like a rocket of sky.” is not really band 9 material.
5. Speaking Test: The Comedy Club
Part 1: Simple. Part 2: Manageable. Part 3: Unpredictable chaos.
“Do you think technology will replace books?” I ask, expecting a thoughtful response.
“No,” they declare confidently.
“Why not?”
“Because books are… books. And technology is… not books.”
I try to coax a bit more depth, but they’re adamant. Books are books, and that’s that.
Sometimes, their honesty is so pure that I have to hide my laughter behind my “teacher face.”
6. The Teacher’s Survival Kit
No IELTS teacher survives without their trusty tools:
- A pen for circling every missing “s” in plural nouns.
- A coffee mug large enough to double as a swimming pool.
- A stress ball for when someone uses “in conclusion” after the first paragraph.
And, of course, a never-ending supply of patience for when students ask, “Can I write my entire essay in bullet points?”
7. The Unexpected Joys
For all its quirks, teaching IELTS is a treasure trove of rewarding moments. There’s nothing quite like watching a student’s confidence grow as they finally nail their essay structure or conquer their fear of speaking.
Plus, you’ll always have a fun answer to “What do you do for a living?” at parties. “Oh, I help people chase their English-speaking dreams while explaining why you can’t start an essay with ‘Firstly, cats are fluffy.’”
And then there are the moments of pure comedy, like the time a student honestly described their dream job as “professional sleeper” or when they declared that pizza should be a human right.
8. In Conclusion (Because This is an IELTS Blog)
Life as an IELTS teacher isn’t always glamorous. It’s a mix of grammar battles, mispronounced words, and philosophical debates over whether “a lot of” is formal enough.
But it’s also filled with laughter, learning, and the joy of knowing you’ve helped someone move closer to their dreams.
And if that dream involves a plethora of ambulatory escapades? Well, at least they’ll describe it with proper grammar.
