Teaching with MINDSET for IELTS –

Needs Analysis

When thinking about taking IELTS, it’s important to spend some time thinking about why you’re taking it, and
what you want from it. Also, it’s good to think about the challenges you might face as you prepare.

GOALS AND EXPECTATIONS

1. Have you taken IELTS before? What were your scores?

Date Reading Writing Speaking Listening Overall

2. What are your reasons for taking IELTS? Tick all that apply.

o Personal interest and / or development

o To gain a professional qualification for work
o To get a promotion at work
o To gain entry to a university or specific program
o Other:

3. What score do you need?

Reading
Listening
Writing
Speaking
Overall

Photocopiable – Cambridge University Press 2018

 4. Have you taken a formal IELTS preparation course before? If yes, what did you like or not like about it?

5. In what other ways have you specifically tried to prepare for IELTS? For example, have you used tutors,
watched YouTube videos, studied with friends?

6. What do you expect from this IELTS preparation course?

1 2 3 4 5
Strongly Disagree Don’t know agree Strongly agree
disagree

I’m attending this IELTS preparation course:

1 2 3 4 5
to improve my grammar for IELTS
to improve my writing for IELTS
to improve my speaking for IELTS
to improve my reading for IELTS
to improve my listening for IELTS
to improve my vocabulary for IELTS
to improve exam skills
to improve my pronunciation
to learn academic writing
to learn about the format of the IELTS test
to learn how to answer each questions type in the IELTS test
to learn how to answer the questions under time pressure
to have my teacher correct my mistakes

Photocopiable – Cambridge University Press 2018

 SKILLS ANALYSIS

1. Which skill(s) do you feel most and least confident about? Rate them from 1 to 4, with 1 being the skill
you feel least confident about.

1. __________ 2. __________ 3. __________ 4. __________

2. What specific parts of each skill area do you need to focus on the most for the IELTS test? For example,
if you need to work on writing, do you struggle with writing complex sentences?

Listening

Reading

Writing

Speaking

3. How exactly do you plan to improve your skills? Please tick all that apply and add any others that you can
think of.

o Reading more academic texts

o Learning more academic vocabulary
o Keeping a vocabulary notebook
o Taking timed practice tests
o Using the MINDSET online components
o Listening to lectures and academic conversations
o Working on specific pronunciation problems
o Working with a tutor, or my classmates, outside of class
o Other:

Photocopiable – Cambridge University Press 2018

 STUDY SKILLS

You’ll probably have to do a lot of work out of class. It would help to know how much time you have to study
by yourself. You need to think of times when you can sit by yourself and concentrate without being disturbed.
Please be honest here, it’s important to be realistic. Tick the description that fits you best or write your own
description.

1. I can study…

o Every day of the week for at least ………….. hours

o Most days for at least ………….. hours
o ………….. times a weeks for at least ………….. hours
o Other:

2. What types of study habits and techniques do you use? Please tick all that apply and add any others
that you can think of.

o Finding a good area to study

o Staying away from my phone
o Making study time a part of my daily routine
o Creating a timetable to organise my study time to include vocabulary, grammar, listening,
reading, writing, speaking
o Taking breaks
o Organising class notes
o Reviewing vocabulary
o Joining a study group
o Other:

3. What kinds of other commitments and obligations do you have that may make it difficult for you to find
time to study enough to reach your goals?

1) …
2) …
3) …

4. How do you use technology to improve your English? When answering, discuss software, apps or
websites, as well as hardware such as laptops, tablets and smartphones.

Photocopiable – Cambridge University Press 2018

 CHECKLIST FOR REACHING MY GOALS

Use this checklist to monitor your progress towards your goals.

1. So far, I’ve regularly worked to improve my:

o Speaking
o Listening
o Reading
o Writing

2. More specifically, I feel I’ve improved my:

3. I still need to work on my:

4. The best / most useful / most interesting thing I’ve learned in my preparation has been:

5. My plan for the rest of the course is to:

Photocopiable – Cambridge University Press 2018