New lesson plan: Comparison Phrasing

Robin Kosseff

Comparison Phrasing - Upper Intermediate level

Comparison Phrasing
Upper Intermediate level

Description

This lesson will draw students' attention to the use of more sophisticated ways to make comparisons in English. Using a 750-word news article as a starting point, students will identify specific target language and usage, evaluate nuances in meaning, and produce 50-100 word photo captions that demonstrate their ability to apply the TL.

Materials

Text

Logic hand-out: ordering ideas

Short lecture/discussion

Writing activity - online sources

Adjectives worksheet

Text

Logic hand-out: ordering ideas

Short lecture/discussion

Writing activity - online sources

Adjectives worksheet

Main Aims

To provide practice of comparative phrases, adjectives in the context of demographic and social data sets

Subsidiary Aims

To provide gist reading practice using a text about demographics in the context of demographic data

Procedure (73-94 minutes)

Warmer/Lead-in (5-7 minutes) • To set lesson context and engage students

Brainstorm ideas: What kind of information do social scientists gather about human populations?

Descriptive vocabulary (8-10 minutes) • Introduce students to TL

Students match words and phrases to meanings. Compare and check answers.

Reading a text about a demographic study (10-15 minutes) • Provide an opportunity to identify how data is described and compared in a specific context.

Students read article and identify adjectives and comparative language used.

Information/comprehension check (10-12 minutes) • To provide students with opportunity to share ideas about the text content.

Small group discussions.

Listening Activity (5-5 minutes) • To help students identify TL in an audio segment.

Students listen to 3-4 minutes audio, take notes of language/information in the audio.

Testing comprehension (10-15 minutes) • Help students identify how TL is applied

Student use hand-out to think about how comparative ideas are organized, from a linguistic/syntactical perspective.

Language Practice (20-20 minutes) • To provide students with practice of the task language

Using the online sources provided, students select one set of data and write a description/caption for it using the TL and syntax learned.

Presentation (5-10 minutes) • To share what they have produced

In groups of 4-5, students present the writing they have just produced and get feedback from their peers.