of Chinese students

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is widely accepted as a reliable means of assessing whether candidates are ready to study or train in the medium of the English language. It consists of four key parts: reading, speaking, listening and writing. Before enrolling onto any HE programmes at the University of Worcester, international students are required to take the IELTS exam and obtain a score of 6.0 and above, indicating a satisfactory command of English. However, despite using the IELTS band 6.0 as an entry criterion, lecturers at Worcester Business School (WBS) still find students ’ language ability one of the key obstacles in learning and teaching activities. This is especially the case with the Chinese students. Lecturers often feel there is a lack of understanding from the Chinese students, despite the students ’ possessing sufficient IELTS scores. So, what went wrong? Is there any significant relationship between students ’ IELTS results and their academic performance