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International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and Occupational English Test (OET)

The Wales Asylum Seeking and Refugee Doctors and Dentists group (WARD) offers weekly tuition on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and Occupational English Test (OET) as well as covering the costs of examinations.

Four weekly classes are held in a dedicated WARD training room at the offices of Displaced People in Action in Cardiff Centre. In this training room, our members have access to a library of medical, IELTS and OET textbooks and materials.

Please note due to the Covid-19 pandemic all classes are delivered virtually.

Though classes are focused on either OET or IELTS, all students are welcome to attend both classes.

List of classes
Monday
09:30 to 13:30
Tuesday
09:30 to 13:30
Wednesday
09:30 to 13:30
Thursday
09:30 to 13:30
Grammar and Vocabulary Workshop Grammar and Vocabulary Workshop Grammar and Vocabulary Workshop Grammar and Vocabulary Workshop
Strategies for the OET exam Strategies for the OET exam Strategies for the IELTS exam Strategies for the IELTS exam
Test Practice (reading) Test Practice (writing) Test Practice (speaking) Test Practice (listening)

The above timetable is for week one of a four weekly rotation, with the focus of test practices changing week by week. This is to ensure coverage of every aspect of the exam for students who can only attend the class on a one day of the week.

The ‘Grammar and Vocabulary Workshop’ segment of the lesson is an opportunity for students to clarify any new vocabulary and its meanings or raise questions about any difficulties that they may have with the structure of the English language. The methodology of this section is largely a ‘lockstep’ situation where the learners are free to question the lecturer.

The IELTS exam is very specific in what is required to attain the requisite band score, therefore the ‘Strategies for the IELTS Exam’ focuses on how the learner should approach certain parts of the test e.g. ‘skimming and scanning’ for answers in the reading section. This phase is conducted in a classic P.P.P. (present, practice, produce) format.

Each class finishes with ‘test practice’ for each module, in order to give the student a full idea of what would be expected in the exam, as well as an opportunity to use the skills and strategies that they have learnt to best effect. This is carried out under examination conditions in order to familiarise the students with a true test environment.

Examinations for OET and IELTS are costly. WARD not only provides tuition, but also exam fee grants. These will cover the costs of examinations, and in some circumstances travel and accommodation to the exam.

The project recognises the plight of other professionals and sometimes IELTS/OET tuition and exam fee grants are also extended to dentists and other health professionals. To date 14 dentists have benefited from IELTS tuition.

Please contact our Professional Support Unit via HEIW.professionalsupport@wales.nhs.uk for more information.