According to the latest report from IELTS, the average score of Vietnamese people in 2022 is 6.2 on a 9-point scale. Of which, the average score of listening and reading skills is equal and ranks highest, at 6.4. Following is the writing skill with a score of 6 and at the "bottom of the list" is the speaking skill with only a score of 5.8. Compared to other Southeast Asian countries, the average IELTS speaking score of Vietnamese people ranks behind the Philippines (6.8), Indonesia (6.4) and Malaysia (6.3).

To hone this skill and perform best in the IELTS exam room, English experts who have achieved IELTS scores from 8.5-9.0 have given many tips to candidates.

Speak clearly using the PIC method

According to Mr. Dinh Quang Tung, Academic Director of YSchool and a former IELTS score of 8.5, the nature of the test is to simulate conversations in an English-speaking environment with different topics and contexts. "Although some questions sound a bit academic, this test is not too 'academic'. The main purpose of the test is to test language ability, so candidates do not need to have specialized knowledge to be able to answer," Mr. Tung emphasized.

That is also the reason why, if you encounter a strange topic or question that leads to "no idea", the male teacher advises candidates to frankly tell the examiner that they have very little knowledge in the above mentioned field, then make predictions or answers based on what they know. "Don't try to find the 'right' answer, because in reality there is no right or wrong answer," Mr. Tung shared.

To improve English speaking skills, Mr. Tung believes that candidates can apply some methods such as shadowing (listening to native speakers speaking English and repeating exactly, helping to adjust pronunciation and learn vocabulary and expressions in spoken language); watching content they like in English (helping them to easily "immerse" themselves in the content being said); presenting opinions according to PIC (point - illustration - conclusion).

If you often pronounce or use words incorrectly, Mr. Tung suggests that candidates write down their answers to find and correct their mistakes. If you find yourself making a mistake during the test, there are two cases to consider. "One is if the mistake is small and does not affect listening comprehension, then temporarily ignore it to avoid affecting the criteria of fluency and coherence. In the opposite case, you should correct it yourself because if the examiner does not understand the message, it will affect your score more," said the male director.

Supplement social knowledge

Mr. Luyen Quang Kien, a test preparation teacher in Hanoi who achieved a score of 9.0 in all IELTS skills, commented that parts 1 and 2 of the speaking test are "quite close" to daily communication, while part 3 is more academic, "like a discussion during the learning process". Therefore, to practice speaking effectively, candidates need to watch many English movies or vlogs to get used to daily communication in many contexts.

"At the same time, you also need to watch podcasts and videos about areas of life such as health, environment,education , etc. to supplement your social knowledge. When you have quality input, candidates should practice speaking what they have heard and read. This can be done by yourself by summarizing the above, or joining clubs and classes to discuss and interact with classmates and teachers," said Mr. Kien.

Agreeing with Mr. Quang Tung, Mr. Kien said that the IELTS test mainly tests the ability to use language, so if candidates are stuck for ideas when speaking, they can completely confess to the examiner and explain why they have no ideas. "This requires a certain level of sophistication in using language, and at the same time helps the examiner have more basis to evaluate the candidate more accurately," the male teacher commented.

"My advice to all candidates is to use the most natural language possible to express their ideas in the exam room. Problems such as which grammar to use, which vocabulary to use, or what to do when you make a mistake will all be solved when we focus on that," Mr. Kien advised, adding that this is also how we use language in everyday life, just like when speaking Vietnamese.

Learn the scoring criteria

Having achieved 8.5 IELTS, Master Khuu Hoang Nhat Minh, Director of Development and Academics at Origins Language Academy (HCMC), advised that when entering the exam room, candidates aiming for a speaking score of 6.0 should "shoot nonstop", trying to speak as much and as clearly as possible. "For those aiming for a score above 7.0, know how to choose the right point for your answer and pause appropriately, avoid rambling and going off topic," said Mr. Minh.

Another point worth noting, according to Master Minh, is that candidates should carefully study and research the speaking test scoring criteria publicly posted by IELTS test organizers (IELTS speaking band descriptors), including 4 contents: "fluency and coherence", lexical resource, "grammatical range and accuracy", and "pronunciation".

"These criteria are also scored from 1 to 9 and account for an equal percentage of points, all at 25% of the total speaking score. The most important point to perform well in the test is that you need to have ideas to convey to the examiner. This can be cultivated by reading articles or news written and broadcast in English and then practicing debating with friends," Mr. Minh gave an example.