GILC Talk: Matching Headings in the Computer-delivered IELTS (CDI) Test

Chhengheang Lim, ACE Samdech Pan Teacher

Matching headings is considered to be one of the most daunting tasks in IELTS reading. It requires a great deal of concentration, a wide range of vocabulary, essential skills like skimming and scanning, and effective time management. Moreover, the recent introduction of the Computer-delivered IELTS (CDI) test is still an enigma to some despite all the positive feedback it has received. This GILC Talk introduced students to some of the strategies that can help make their reading more efficient while at the same time integrating aspects of the CDI and providing test practice.

Throughout the session, I covered the basics of IELTS reading tasks and what students can expect in the test. When it came to matching headings, I provided several strategies that students can benefit from such as the PEE structure of paragraphs in English. Every IELTS reading passage is divided into paragraphs and in each paragraph there is a trend to the flow of information; PEE or point, example, explanation (or vice versa) is apparent in each. The point is the main idea and is usually called the topic sentence, and it is followed by either an example or explanation. Most paragraphs iterate this PEE structure so as long as you can identify it, you will be able to locate information quickly and identify the point of the paragraph which makes matching headings a lot easier.

Another tip was the one-sentence summary. After reading a paragraph and underlining the PEE sentences, the reader should summarize the paragraph in one sentence. This is to put information into categories or concepts, and eases access to the information. By looking at the summary, you can better understand what the paragraph is talking about and it is easier to interpret the information in the following tasks. In IELTS reading, the headings are usually concepts that can be broad yet confusing, so having a one-sentence phrase to refer to is often very helpful for test takers.

From this session, students learned what to expect from their upcoming CDI test. In addition, they became aware of the type of information, categories and concepts that are important in condensing a paragraph into one phrase which can make matching headings in the IELTS reading test less arduous.

Thanks for reading and good luck in your IELTS journey! If you have any questions, drop me an email at chhengheang.lim@acecambodia.org.