English teachers to get better training

To improve English-language teaching, the British Council and Beijing Language and Culture University have started the first official teacher training program in the Chinese mainland for the International English Language Testing System, known as IELTS.

The IELTS Teacher Essentials program offers online and face-to-face training for IELTS teachers that is aimed at deepening their understanding of the test often used by universities for admission, including examination philosophy and evaluation systems.

Greg Selby, director of examinations for East Asia at the British Council, which designed the program, said the program seeks to better serve and support test takers.