The Presidency School of Liberal Arts and Sciences (PSOLAS), Presidency University, Bangalore, witnessed the participation of its PhD research scholars in a one-day Train-the-Trainer Workshop on IELTS organised by IDP India on Wednesday, 21 January 2026, at The Chancery Pavilion, Residency Road, Bangalore. The workshop was conducted by Mr Andrew Steele, a highly experienced IELTS expert, teacher trainer, examiner, and content writer who regularly collaborates with IDP India. The programme brought together PhD research scholars from the Department of Languages along with practising and aspiring IELTS trainers from across the city.

The primary objective of the workshop was to familiarise participants with the IELTS band descriptors for the Writing and Speaking modules, enabling accurate assessment and effective feedback for test-takers. Mr Steele provided detailed insights into evaluating written responses for both Academic and General Training modules, with emphasis on task response, coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, and grammatical range and accuracy. Participants worked collaboratively on sample scripts to practise awarding band scores, which helped them distinguish clearly between different proficiency levels. The session also underscored the importance of adopting a skills-based approach to IELTS training, supported by engaging classroom practices.

The second half of the workshop focused on the Speaking test assessment, where participants analysed recorded speaking samples and applied the band descriptors to score performances. Mr Steele concluded the session by sharing research-informed strategies to help test-takers develop transferable skills that support reading and listening performance. Participants received relevant study materials, and the workshop concluded with a question-and-answer session, followed by the awarding of certificates of participation and group and individual photographs to mark the successful completion of the programme.