8 Famous IELTS Mistakes And How To Avoid Them

I cannot stress this enough – the success in IELTS test largely depends on students' ability to follow the instructions. It sounds ridiculously simple, and yet it is a common mistake to underestimate the importance of following the instructions precisely. So here is a list of 8 most famous IELTS pitfalls that cost test takers precious points.
1. More is less. A very common mistake is to answer in more words than instructed. If the task says "Not more than 3 words", answering in 4 or more words will definitely cost marks.
2. Less is less. The length of a written task is crucial. When instructions mention a minimal number of words (250 for essay, 150 for report or letter), it means that any work shorter than required will be penalized.
3. Longer essay doesn't mean better mark. Another common misconception is that longer essays score better in IELTS. Not only is this a myth, but also a dangerous one. Writing a long essay can indirectly cost marks, because the chances of making mistakes increase with the number of words and sentences.
4. Changing the subject is unacceptable. Every so often a student is asked to write on topic, that he doesn't understand. To avoid the disaster of missing a whole task they decide to write on a slightly – or entirely - different topic. The sad fact is that no matter how beautiful the submitted work is, the wrong topic means zero score. Another similar pitfall is to omit parts of the given topic or ignore the guidelines in your work. Every point the topic refers to needs to be covered because the examiners will be actually counting them.
5. Good memory can get you in trouble. Having seen that the topics sometimes repeat, "smart" students with good memory decide to memorize essays. This is a terrible mistake to make because the examiners are trained to look for memorized essays and have firm instructions to disqualify such works on the spot.
6. Accent is not important. Pronunciation is.! IELTS, being a test for non-native English speakers can't penalize people for having an accent. The problem here is that not everyone knows the difference between speaking with an accent and mispronouncing the words. No matter how strong of an accent a person has, the words are to be pronounced correctly or it will cost marks.
7. It is not the ideas that are important, but the way they are described in. Many students think that expressing the wrong ideas (whether it is in essay, letter or discussion) can harm their score. The truth is that no idea can be wrong and the ideas are not important on their own, it is the way they are expressed in that important.
8. Connective words: the more is not always the better. Smart students know that one of the essay marking criteria are coherence and cohesion, and what better way is there to demonstrate cohesion than to use lots of connective words, right? Wrong. Overuse of connective words is a know problem, which is easily recognized and penalized by the examiners.
And in conclusion, a word of advice: to stay out of trouble, it is equally important to be aware of the pitfalls and to practice enough before the exam. Being familiar with the structure and the procedure of the test will build up confidence and that will reflect in your score.

Workshop Pengajaran Bahasa Inggris dan Pekan Budaya Jepang

Invitation for All

WAKTU DAN TEMPAT
a. Bunkasai
Hari, tanggal : Minggu, 22 Februari 2009
Waktu : Jam 08.00 s/d selesai
Acara : Pekan Budaya Jepang dan perlombaan kompetensi bahasa Jepang
Tempat : Lingkungan kampus Unipdu
b. Workshop
Hari, tanggal : Senin, 2 Maret 2009
Waktu : Jam 08.00 s/d selesai
Acara : English Training Workshop
Tempat : Audittorium Kampus Utama, Unipdu
E. PESERTA KEGIATAN
• Workshop diikuti oleh perwakilan dari Guru tingkat SMA sederajat serta pondok pesantren yang ada sekolah formalnya se-Kabupaten Jombang.
• Adapun data SMA, pondok pesantren sekabupaten jombang sebagaimana terlampir
• Bunkasai diikuti oleh perwakilan dari SMA dari kabupaten Jombang, Nganjuk, dan Kediri
• Adapun data SMA yang mempunyai program bahasa jepang di kabupaten Jombang, dan Kediri sebagaimana terlampir

F. NARASUMBER
Adapun narasumber dan fasilitator dalam kegiatan ini adalah:
a. Mr. SUE RODGER (ELT Materials and Training Coordinator)
b. Afifa Zulfikar, SS. M. Sc (Pembantu Dekan III FBS)

G. MEKANISME PELAKSANAAN
Workshop
Adapun mekanisme penyampaian dalam English Training Workshop ini adalah:
• Presentasi
• Tanya Jawab/Dialog
Bunkasai
1. Pelaksanaan lomba:
• Rodoku (membaca)
• Kakitori (menulis)
• Soudou (kaligrafi)
• Cerdas cermat
• Memasak
2. Pameran Bunkasai
3. Informasi beasiswa dari Konjen Jepang dan pemutaran film Jepang.

H. AGENDA KEGIATAN
WAKTU AGENDA ACARA KETERANGAN
Minggu,
22 Februari 2009 Bunkasai dan Lomba
07.00─07.30 Persiapan Panitia
07.30─08.00 Daftar Ulang Peserta
08.00─09.00 Pembukaan All
09.00─10.45 Pengarahan dari Konjen Peserta
10.45─13.00 Kakitori (Dikte) Peserta
Shoudou (Kaligrafi) Peserta
Masak Peserta
Rodoku (Membaca) Peserta
13.00─13.30 I s t I r a h a t All
13.30─16.00 Cerdas Cermat Peserta
16.00─16.30 B R E A K All
16.30─17.00 Penutupan dan Penyerahan Hadiah All
17.00─selesai Nonton bersama All
Senin,
2 Maret 2009 Workshop
07.00─08.00 Persiapan Panitia
08.00─08.30 Cheking peserta Panitia
08.30─09.30 Opening Ceremony ALL
09.30─11.45 Session I Peserta
11.45─12.15 B R E A K ALL
12.15─15.30 Session II Peserta
15.30 C L O S I N G ALL

Sekretariat Panitia: BEM FBS UNIPDU Peterongan Jombang 61481

Contact Person:Ach Ghozali. Hs 085645430497
Agus M Herlambang 081359960974
Adib Masruhi 08563447613

Beasiswa Fullbright

FULBRIGHT MASTER’S DEGREE PROGRAM

Preference will be given to applicants who serve as faculty members of state and private institutions of higher education
in Indonesia. Applicants will possess:

1. a Sarjana (S1) degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0 (4.00 scale)
2. leadership qualities
3. a good understanding of Indonesian and international cultures a
4. demonstrated commitment to the chosen field of study
5. a willingness to return to Indonesia upon completion of the Fulbright program
6. a minimum TOEFL score of 550

HOW TO APPLY
Candidates should complete the appropriate application forms. Forms are available either by mail or in person at the AMINEF Office, Gedung Balai Pustaka, 6th floor, Jl. Gunung Sahari Raya 4, Jakarta 10720.

Please return to AMINEF your complete application package by the application deadline that includes:

1. Completed application form. This includes a clearly written and concise study objective.
2. Copy of your most recent, less than two years old, TOEFL score report.
3. One letter of reference, either from your current employer or previous lecturer.
4. Copy of academic transcript (English translation).
5. Copy of identity document (KTP or passport).

CONTACT INFORMATION
Specific questions regarding the application process may be addressed via e-mail to the following address: infofulbright_ind@aminef.or.id. We do not accept email applications. Hard copies must be sent or delivered to American Indonesian Exchange Foundation.

APPLICATION FORM
http://www.aminef.or.id/file/fulbright/2009%20FULBRIGHT%20APPLICATION%20FORM.doc

DEADLINE
The deadline for the submission of application materials for all programs is May 31, 2009.

Note: Program requirements are subject to change without notice.

More information visit:
http://www.aminef.or.id/fulbright.php?site=fulbright&m=ip-pro-ma-fulbrightma