Ielts testing problems

[gareth and lisa]

Hi, I sat the academic version to enable me to get my skills assessed by the ANMC and failed 3 times but got my 3rd remarked into a pass. I kept getting 6.5 in the reading, then on my 3rd got a 6.5 in the writing and i needed 7 and avove in all sections. Embarrassing i know after all i do have a GCSE in English although a while ago and born and bred. If my remark had not been overturned i think i would have given up.

Lisa

[gareth and lisa]

Hi Elbow, i telephoned the australian nursing board and was told that because i was educated and am a native of the UK i do not need the IELTS.

 

Beware this old chestnut has been going around for ages, you do, you dont!!! :goofy: I last heard was you do and they are giving out incorrect info on the phone so just be carefull!!

[Guest Elbow]

Beware this old chestnut has been going around for ages, you do, you dont!!! :goofy: I last heard was you do and they are giving out incorrect info on the phone so just be carefull!!

 

Thanks for your feedback. That's what I am worried about, although the application form (AG0S-04) for general nurse registration Q16 asks ;

 

Have you completed

 

• secondary education taught and assessed in English to requisite level for entry into a nursing/midwifery programme: and

• a nursing/midwifery programme taught and assessed in English.

It then says if you tick no then you need to supply evidence of ielts. So who knows.:arghh:

 

I will just send it off and see how I get on. If I have to resit then c'est la vie but it will have to be in Aus as the next available slots for academic ielts in Mcr is 13th Aug and I go out to Perth on 14th so it will probaby not be the best idea to sit it then.

[midwife2005]

6. English language test results - Full Assessment only

 

 

Required document: English language test results posted directly from test

centre

 

 

All Internationally qualified nurses and midwives who don’t hold current Australian New

Zealand registration and are applying for a migration skills assessment are required to

successfully complete one of the following English language tests:

 

 

Occupational English Test (OET)

 

 

The requirement is to do the Nursing version of the test and to achieve a B pass or

 

 

above in all four sections of the test, in one sitting. The date of the test must be no

more than two years prior to the ANMAC assessment. Receipt of an original test

result directly from Language Australia is required.

 

 

International English Language Testing System (IELTS)

 

 

The requirement is to complete the Academic version of the test and achieve a score

of 7 in all four bands of the test in one sitting. The date of the test must be no more

than two years prior to the ANMAC assessment. Receipt of an original test result

directly from the IELTS Testing Centre is required.

 

 

This is on the ANMC website as what is needed for skills assessment for nurses and midwives, hope this helps.

 

Jen

 

 

[midwife2005]

Sorry Elbow just reread your post and obviously your skills have been assessed cos your making the move soon.....doh! From what I've read on ahpra it seems like what you've been told is true:

 

Outline of English Language Skills Standard

 

 

Internationally qualified applicants who did not complete their secondary education in English must demonstrate that they have the necessary English language skills for registration purposes. For specific requirements for the Nursing and Midwifery professions refer to

Nursing and Midwifery Frequently Asked Questions English Language Skills (185 KB,PDF).

This requires:

 

 

 

• a minimum score of 7 in each component of the IELTS academic module, OET or specified alternatives, with the exception of Pharmacy, which requires a minimum score of 7.5
  
• test results to be obtained within two years prior to registration application.
  

Exemptions

 

National Boards (with the exception of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia) may grant an exemption from the requirements where the applicant provides evidence that they:

 

 

 

• completed secondary education that was taught and assessed in English in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, South Africa, United Kingdom or United States of America and
  
• hold tertiary qualifications in the relevant professional discipline that was taught and assessed in English in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, South Africa, United Kingdom or United States of America.
  

All this is good info for me ;-) x

[Guest Elbow]

Sorry Elbow just reread your post and obviously your skills have been assessed cos your making the move soon.....doh! From what I've read on ahpra it seems like what you've been told is true:

 

Outline of English Language Skills Standard

 

 

 

 

Internationally qualified applicants who did not complete their secondary education in English must demonstrate that they have the necessary English language skills for registration purposes. For specific requirements for the Nursing and Midwifery professions refer to

Nursing and Midwifery Frequently Asked Questions English Language Skills (185 KB,PDF).

 

This requires:

 

 

 

• a minimum score of 7 in each component of the IELTS academic module, OET or specified alternatives, with the exception of Pharmacy, which requires a minimum score of 7.5

• test results to be obtained within two years prior to registration application.

Exemptions

 

 

 

 

National Boards (with the exception of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia) may grant an exemption from the requirements where the applicant provides evidence that they:

 

 

 

• completed secondary education that was taught and assessed in English in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, South Africa, United Kingdom or United States of America and

• hold tertiary qualifications in the relevant professional discipline that was taught and assessed in English in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, South Africa, United Kingdom or United States of America.

All this is good info for me ;-) x

 

 

It is a complete mind field isn't it.

 

I am just going to send off and see what happens, I am sure I can pass it, it is just an extra cost I could do without, and I sure a lot of others.

 

Good luck and thanks for the reply

x x

[connaust]

Have background in teaching English as a foreign language and had been assisting international candidates with study applications when IELTS became compulsory for some nationalities &/or visa types many years ago.

 

It is suspected, by education industry insiders and migration agents, like other requirements for immigration, higher IELTS requirements have the "whiff" of a "neo white Australia" policy as English language skills are one of the real touchstone issue for voters in focus groups in addition to "they all get benefits", "they don't assimilate" etc. etc.. In other words, foreigners, refugees, immigrants and students come to Australia by playing the system, then have insufficient English etc. By coincidence these are mostly Asians..... according to the media, politicians and anti immigration lobby they are a problem for Australia socially (but we are happy to trade with same nations?).

 

IELTS was developed to test academic English ability for those who speak English as a foreign language in their home country (not Australia where it would be a second language, very different linguistic environment) with the then unique feature of an interview, which TOEFL did not have, but that has now changed.

 

Over the years IELTS has become coachable, like TOEFL, especially in Asia where cram schools are the norm, lack of availability or access issues, relatively high cost and recent Australian corruption scandals concerning IELTS in WA (selling tests). That is result of a monopoly..... awarded to IDP (and British Council) by DIAC, who are owned by Universities Australia and Seek a private online recruitment company.......

 

Issues of interest are:

 

Non native speakers who have learnt English well including grammar (which monolingual English speakers in Australia generally have not learnt), and focus upon studying for test, can get higher scores than well educated native speakers (and this will continue as bar gets raised..), with the latter sometimes being at a disadvantage if only monolingual in English.

 

IELTS was neither designed nor intended for assessment of workplace communication skills where you need more than English language ability and high test scores to communicate well.

 

The demand that prospective immigrants etc. have higher English languages skills was pushed by the anti immigration lobby (which has neither linguistic nor workplace communication expertise) to try make Asian etc. immigration more difficult (possibly informed by old white Australia policy which had selective and unfair language tests), and of course private company IDP creating a niche monopoly and income....

 

Although this was not exactly welcomed by employer groups e.g. CPA complained that for their members English alone often is not enough as many require other languages to communicate with trading partners in Asia..... the same prospective employees that many Australians appear not to want..... but surely it is up to employers to decide what language skills their employees need?

 

Related article: Blog Oversighting Melbourne City Council "IELTS Ripping 0ff Australia".

[Guest judyb1940]

I was informed that if you can prove your secondary school education was taught & assessed in English, and your proficient in English communication.... you do not need ielts test....this has happened recently where AHPRA are accepting applications without the ielts.

But they want a letter from your school stating the above, also you will need a transcript of your uni education too!!