Appropriacy of IELTS as an International Test: Bangladeshi perspective

Abstract

The study examines the International aspects that IELTS claims as an International English Language Testing System. Basically, this paper examines the appropriacy of IELTS as an International test in Bangladeshi context. The research sites were two different coaching centers of Dhaka city, Saifurs and Mantors coaching centres. The research objectives were to find out whether the testing system confirms the “International” aspects that IELTS claims or not and to discover how the Internationality of a proficiency test like IELTS affects the learning system as well as passing process of students. Both qualitative and quantitative methods have been incorporated in the study in analyzing the data. Different instruments such as teacher questionnaire, student questionnaire have been used to generate data. The findings indicate inappropriacy of IELTS as an International test. This study does not confirm the International aspects that IELTS claims it contains. According to this study, IELTS recognize Inner circle aspects rather than global aspects. Few recommendations have been given for the educators and the testing authorities to overcome the problems that IELTS still has to be a truly International test .