FAQ

1) What is My IELTS Classroom?

My IELTS Classroom is a video course for people who need to pass the IELTS exam with a score of 6.5 or higher. The information in the course is enough to achieve a band 9.0, however, the score you eventually achieve will depend just as much on your basic English language knowledge as your IELTS skills.

2) Does My IELTS Classroom teach the General Training or Academic papers?

Both! There are individual Task 1 courses for both papers.

3) What level of English do I need to understand the lessons?

I have aimed the videos and practice materials at students who need a 6.5 or higher. This means that you need at least B1 level (Intermediate) to watch the videos. Some videos are aimed at students who need a 8.0 or higher. I call these “Advanced Videos” and they are clearly marked. If you aren’t sure if the videos are suitable for you, watch the 12 free videos and then decide. If your level is too low, take a General English course and then come back.

4) Should I watch the videos in a particular order?

Yes! Each video has a number. Start each course at number one and continue until you reach the end. I have designed the course so that all the basic, key skills are taught in the earlier videos. Then, as we progress, we will move from the most common types of question to the least common.

If you have limited time before the exam, start from the beginning and do as many videos as you can before exam day. Do NOT start in the middle, as you will miss very important information and may become confused.

5) How long are the lessons?

The lessons vary in length but are, on average, 30 minutes long. However, remember that you will need to pause the video 2 or 3 times to complete activities during the lesson, so you will probably need between 45 minutes and an hour to complete each properly. Plus, you will need another 30 minutes to complete the practice activities (or longer for the guided practice videos).

6) Do I have to finish the Task 1 course before I start the Task 2 videos?

No! It’s OK to watch a few Task 1 videos and then a few Task 2 videos, but you should start both sections from video one. Actually, I think that it's is a good idea to study both courses at the same time. It is easy to become tired of one type of task, so mixing them together will help keep your interest.

7) When should I watch the grammar videos?

You have two choices:

1) You can do them as an integrated part of the Writing Task 1 and Writing Task 2 video courses. If you choose this option, you can wait for me to direct you in the lessons to a particular grammar video. For example, you need to understand the passive voice to write an Academic Task 1 Process Report, so at the beginning of this video, I tell students to watch the Passive Voice grammar video before continuing. I send students to all the grammar videos during the writing courses, so you can just wait for me to tell you when to complete a grammar video.

OR

2) If you want to, you can do the grammar videos as a separate course. If you do this, I would recommend watching all the grammar videos before you start the Writing Task 1 and Writing Task 2 videos. Again, you should start from video number one and continue until the end.

8) How long will the course take?

That is up to you! I recommend doing a video every day. That way you will have time to do the practice activities and will remember everything you learn. If you do this, the course would take two months to complete. Many students however choose to watch 2 videos a day (or more), so can easily complete the course within a month.

In fact, if your exam is next week(!), you could watch all the videos in a weekend. However, I DO NOT ADVISE THIS! The IELTS exam is a complicated test and requires both a high level of English and detailed exam knowledge to pass. Students who get the highest scores spend between 3 and 6 months preparing. There are no simple tricks that will help you achieve a high score. The only way to ensure that you will get the score you need is to prepare properly, and that takes time!

9) Where can I find the practice activities?

The practice activities are designed to check the knowledge you have gained from each lesson. To download the file, simply click on the link to the right of the video you are watching. You will not be able to see the link until you have subscribed.

10) Can I download all of the practice activities in one go?

No. Why? Well, in my experience, students who do this are unlikely to finish the course. You cannot learn from only doing the practice activities Just like you can’t learn from only watching the videos. They have to be done together for your language to improve, which is why you have to watch the video to access them.

11) Do I need to do the practice activities?

YES! Would you run a marathon without training?! Of course, you wouldn’t. You don’t learn by listening, you learn by doing. The practice exercises are designed to check that you have understood the lesson and can USE the information and language I have given you.

If you find the practice exercises difficult, it means you need to watch the video again. You have to develop very advanced language skills to pass the IELTS exam with a high mark, so don’t be surprised if you need to watch a video more than once to fully understand the ideas. That’s the beauty of an online course. And remember, you can view the videos as many times as you want.

12) Will the practice activities be enough to prepare me for the exam?

Yes! The practice activities are designed to fully-prepare you for the writing exam. I also recommend that you spend time reading and listening to non-IELTS material to help you develop ideas for the speaking and writing tests. You can look at my Facebook page for good IELTS-level reading and listening activities.

13) Where are the Speaking, Listening and Reading videos?

Right now, My IELTS Classroom only offers a writing video course. The writing exam is the most difficult for students, so I decided to start here!

However, you can find my detailed advice about Speaking, Reading and Listening on My IELTS Classroom Blog.

Plus, after 30 hours of listening to the videos, and 30 more doing the practice activities, you will find that your general level of English will improve significantly throughout the course, which will also benefit the other areas of the exam. Don't forget, I also talk about ALL the IELTS skills in my weekly free YouTube lesson, so be sure to subscribe there too.

14) How can I leave comments on a video?

Right now, the site uses Disqus to leave comments, so you will need to create an account to be able to join the conversation. However, in the near future, I am hoping to introduce our own comment system, which won't require an external provider.

15) Can I view the content offline?

Unfortunately, no. Currently you need an Internet connection to stream My IELTS Classroom.

16) Can I watch the content on my phone or tablet?

YES. Just go to www.myieltsclassroom.com, sign in, and you will be able to stream to any device. I have tried to make the text big enough to be read on even a small phone screen.

17) Can I watch the lessons on more than one device?

Yes! But not at the same time, so for security reasons, you should make sure that you are the only person who knows your account details!

18) How much does the course cost?

There are 3 payment options:

1) You can pay £19.99 for a month’s access to ONE course and its practice activities (Writing Task 1, Writing Task 2 or Grammar). This option may be better for students who are taking the exam in the distant future and want to prepare in a more relaxed manner, or for students who have a lower level of English and will need more time to watch and understand the videos.

2) You can pay £34.99 a month for full access to ALL the videos and practice activities on the site. This is the best option for students who are due to sit the exam within the next 2 months, and is the most popular option. Please make sure you chose the correct subscription - Academic and General Training are both available.

3) You can pay £119.99 a month for full access to ALL the videos and practice activities on the site, plus written feedback on FIVE pieces of writing (two letters/reports and three essay) AND my persona guidance about which videos to watch and when. This is the best option for students who have failed the twice before (maybe multiple times) and need help fixing specific issues OR for students who need a 7.0.

MONTHS ARE ALWAYS 30 DAYS in My IELTS Classroom SUBSCRIPTIONS

19) How do I pay for my subscription?

All payments are taken through Stripe, a secure payment system that accepts all major cards from customers around the world. Even though the price of the course is in British pounds, YOU WILL PAY IN YOUR OWN CURRENCY (135 currencies accepted). You will be charged based on the exchange rate on the day you subscribe. You can also pay in bitcoin or with Alipay.

20) I am trying to join the course, but I keep getting a Payment Failed message. Why?

• Check that you have sufficient funds in your account to make the payment
• Make sure that you have signed up to the site before you attempt to pay
• If you are paying from a mobile phone, try paying from a desktop computer instead
• Also, in some countries, it is necessary to contact your bank to inform then that you are trying to make an International payment (if you don't so this, the payment will be automatically blocked)

If you try all of these solution and still cannot make payment, PLEASE contact me so that I can help you access the course.

21) When do I get billed?

You will be billed every month and THE RENEWAL WILL HAPPEN AUTOMATICALLY. It is simple to cancel your subscription, and I will send you an email 2 days before the next month’s payment is taken to remind you. If you have finished with the course or no longer wish to continue, just cancel your subscription.

22) Where can I find my receipt of payment?

Just click on My Account in the menu, and you can download all of your previous invoices. You will also be emailed a receipt.

23) How can I cancel my Subscription?

If you do want to cancel your subscription, just follow these steps:

1. Sign into My IELTS Classroom
2. Visit your Dashboard (do this by clicking on the icon in the top-right of the home page),
3. Choose Subscription
4. You will see your current subscription at the top. Click on the word Change.
5. Scroll to the bottom of this page, and click on Cancel Subscription.
6. A pop-up box will ask "Are you sure" Click "Yes"
7. You are now unsubscribed!

24) I was a student in the past and would like to study again, can I use my old log-in?

Yes! Your log-in details will still be active for a year after you end your first subscription. Jut pay for a new month and start again from where you finished. However, if you studied more than a year ago, you will need to create a new account.

25) Do you have a paid marking service?

Yes. You can send me your writing to mark and receive feedback, You will get an overall IELTS score, a score for each band descriptors, a corrected version of your writing, and advice on how to improve. You can find all the information about my marking service here.

26) Can I have a private Skype lesson with Shelly?

If you would like to book a private Skype lesson with me, then please send an email to hello@myieltclassroom.com so that we can arrange a suitable time and day. You can pay for Skype lessons here.

27) How can I contact My IELTS Classroom if I have a problem?

You can send me us an email hello@myieltsclassroom.com. Please include your name and invoice number so we can solve your problem as quickly as possible. Of course, we also welcome emails from people who don’t have a problem too!

28) I really like the icons you use in your videos. Where can I get them?

All of the icons in My IELTS Classroom come from www.flaticon.com. They are a wonderful service which offers a free and paid service. I wholeheartedly recommend them.

‏Source www.myieltsclassroom.com