- A fresh start in the Great White North: How IELTS has helped one Filipino begin her dream life in Canada
- IELTS is the world’s most popular English language test, taken by millions all over the world every year
Canada is one of the most popular destination options for Filipinos who want to start a new life abroad. According to the latest figures from the Commission on Filipinos Overseas, Canada was the second most popular country for immigration among Filipinos in 2015 behind the United States. An estimated 410,000 migrations from the Philippines to Canada was recorded that year.
Attracted to the prospect of having a clean slate, the promise of better opportunities, and a better quality of life, many Filipinos dream of moving to Canada. One of those who is now living that dream is Aiza Andres, a Filipina who flew to Canada just three months ago to start her new life there.
“I started living here just this August, and so far, I’m loving it,” Aiza said. “There are a lot of things to do and a lot of places to go. There are also a lot of nice people, which made me feel at home right away.”
Her first few weeks there were not all roses, however. Just like anyone who is adjusting to their newfound environment, it was not a smooth transition for Aiza. One of the challenges she encountered is getting used to the accents used by people there, a hurdle she was able to eventually overcome.
“It was a challenge at first, but I knew I had the fundamentals and I was sure I’ll be able to get used to it in time, and before I knew, talking to the people where I live has become natural. I’ve been wanting to live here, so I really prepared for it.”
For Aiza, being able to adapt quickly to her new life is partly because she chose the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) for her English assessment test. Taking such a test is required for foreigners who would want to study, work, or live in Canada. Aiza chose to take her IELTS with the British Council, a decision she says she is really thankful for.
IELTS is the world’s most popular English language test, taken by millions all over the world every year. It provides an accurate assessment of an individual’s English skills using a test consisting of four sections: Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking.
Of these, Aiza said that what helped her the most were the Listening and Speaking sections. She said that because of the Listening test, it became much easier for her to get used to the accents of native English speakers. Having experienced a face-to-face Speaking test also enabled her to put to practise communicating with native speakers as it simulates actual day-to-day conversations. . Through her preparation for these tests, she felt more confident with her verbal skills, confidence she knows she will carry as she lives her life in a new country.
Aiza also said that the free resource materials offered to those taking the IELTS with the British Council made everything easier for her.
“What I really liked about taking the IELTS with the British Council is not just the quality in the delivery of their services, but also what they offer beyond administering the test, particularly the resource materials offered to registered test takers at the British Council Learning Hub for free” she said.
Among the many resources offered at the Learning Hub, what Aiza made use of the most was the IELTS Library. As a registered test taker of British Council, she had unlimited access to the IELTS preparation books, practice materials and audio CD’s available at the library. She also took advantage of the online preparation course, Road To IELTS. This was very helpful since she didn’t have time to enrol herself in a regular review class.
“In many ways, I think my decision to take IELTS with the British Council is the reason why I’m here, living my dream. I was able to maximise my IELTS test preparation, not only for the test, but also for the new life I have embarked on. I know it’s not going to be smooth sailing from here on out, but at least I’m confident that I can take on what life throws at me,” Aiza said.
