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Despite the fact that UK ELT Master's programmes are numerous, diverse, and financially important, very little research has been conducted on whether they deliver teaching practice (TP) or micro-teaching (MT), and on what students' expectations of these modules are. The present paper addresses this gap by examining how many ELT-related Master's programmes in the UK offer TP/MT modules and by investigating students' expectations of these modules. Drawing on data from document analysis, we show that only 34 out of the 141 UK ELT-related Master's programmes offer a TP module and 12 offer an MT module. Data from pre-/post-study questionnaires and focus groups indicate that students consider practical teaching experience an important part of their programmes, and report that they would like more course time to be spent on it. Based on these findings, we recommend that UK ELT Master's programmes should provide students with ways to gain such practical experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of individuals undertaking IELTS has continued to grow in recent years, standing at approximately 3 million candidates per year in 2016. As a result, this high-stakes, high-pressure test has become firmly entrenched as a global gatekeeping institution, regulating the international flows of people for migration and academic study. This paper provides critical perspectives on the design and administration of the IELTS test from the viewpoint of the often-ignored, yet key stakeholders in IELTS: the test-takers themselves. It argues that, with the growth in the need for recognized and trusted evidence of English language proficiency internationally, the co-owners of IELTS have amassed enormous global power over the lives of millions of people, with considerable ethical ramifications. It critiques seven features of IELTS and suggests implementable solutions to enable IELTS to become a more democratic and humane testing system, imbued with potential for learning, for the benefit of its test-takers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]