María Fernanda Arango María Fernanda Arango

Writing Lesson
Elementary level

Description

In this lesson, students will have the opportunity to practice their writing skills by writing an email about holidays.

Materials

Abc Face2face: Elementary Student's Workbook
Abc PowerPoint Presentation
Abc Powerpoint presentation
Abc Powerpoint presentation
Abc Powerpoint presentation
Abc Powerpoint presentation

Main Aims

  • To provide product writing practice of a email in the context of holidays

Subsidiary Aims

  • To provide practice of holiday lexis in the context of writing an email

Procedure

Warmer/Lead-in (3-5 minutes) • To set the lesson's context and engage students in the topic

• Show images of famous vacation spots in Japan and Canada, as well as a written list of five different vacation activities to do in each country. • Ask students what activities they would like to do and invite them to rank them in order of preference. Elicit answers and opinions from the students on guiding questions and encourage interactions between them: What country would you like to go on holiday to? Why? Do you prefer Japan or Canada? Which activities would you like to do there? Which is your least favourite activity? Do you like the hobby that "x" student just mentioned? Why/why not? • Nominate students to explain the reasons for their answers, express their individual preferences, and interact with their classmates. However, do not spend too much on this introductory part of the lesson. Do you agree/disagree with x student? What do you think about what x student said?

Text Exposure (12-15 minutes) • To provide a model of written production expected in the upcoming writing task

• Present students with a model of the email shown in the Student's Workbook on p.15. This will be the writing model that students will use to identify the structure and language to be used in the final writing task. • Give clear instructions as you send the first handout through Zoom's chat: Here we have an email between Barry and the couple Jack and Nancy. Your first task is to answer the questions in the handout about the text's topic, its language, and its structure. I just sent the handout through the chat, but you can also take a screenshot of the questions right now. You will first have some time to read the questions and the text before you work in pairs to discuss your answers. • Check if students have any questions using ICQs. Ask students with different levels of English to make sure that there is a collective understanding of the task: What do we have to read first? Where are the questions? What are you going to analyse? The grammar or the structure and language? • Give students two minutes to quickly read the text and prepare answers for the questions. Then, when the time is up, divide them into pairs in the BORs, depending on the number of students present in class. • If there aren't enough students to use the BORs feature, turn off your camera and mute your microphone to give students a private space to discuss their answers and work together without teacher intervention. Make sure to monitor their language use and jot down common errors, as this can then be mentioned in a brief DEC session at the end of the lesson. • When the time is up, reunite the students and project the answer key. Give students the space to share their answers and raise any questions if they have any doubts. Given the different levels of English proficiency in the group, make sure - as much as possible - that students from distinct levels of fluency were able to follow the activity through. • Provide feedback on the spot if considered appropriate and encourage self and peer correction. Otherwise, make notes on the side to discuss later at the end of the lesson.

Productive Task (18-20 minutes) • To provide an opportunity to practice writing skills

• Introduce the writing task using clear instructions. Also, project the model email on the screen to give them an idea of what they can do (Student's Workbook p.15): Now that you are familiar with the structure of an email and the language about holidays, it is your turn to write an email about a real or imaginary vacation. This task is done individually, but you will be in BORs in groups of 2-3 students so you can help each other during the writing process. I just sent you the instructions and an email model in the second handout through Zoom's chat. If you can't access it, take a screenshot of the instructions. Today we are going to use Jamboard, an online Google application where each of you will write your email. Each of you has a blank page where to write. • Send the Jamboard link through the chat and quickly go through the basics of the platform so that students can start writing. The use of this platform will be key during the feedback peer session at the end of the lesson, because all of them will be able to access their peers' work. • Even though students have a model answer, quickly write down the introduction of an email using Zoom's annotation feature. For example, I will send the email to my friend Daniela: "Hello Dani! I have so much to tell you since last time we got together. Can you imagine I went to Japan?...." • Check student's understanding using ICQs and clarify any doubts students may have. You will have 15 minutes to write your email and then we will share our work with the rest of the class. Remember that if you have any questions, you can ask your colleagues in the BOR, but this task is done individually, not in groups. What do we have to do now? Is this activity done in groups or individually? What do you have to write about? • Divide students into BORs in groups of two to three learners. Make a first quick monitoring round of each group, ensuring that they have the instructions, the model email and know what to do. If not, clarify any doubts on the spot. • When students are in their BORs, go through the different groups and monitor their work every two minutes. Make notes on common mistakes, individual errors, and positive language use. This could be discussed at the end of the lesson during the feedback session. • Do not interrupt students, but if they ask for help, address their doubts and questions on the spot.

Feedback and Error Correction (8-10 minutes) • To provide feedback on students' production and use of language

• Bring back students into the main session and, once they are all back from the BORs, ask them how difficult they felt the activity: What did you write about? Was it difficult or easy? • Then, give instructions for the final feedbak session: Now that your emails are ready, you will check your classmates' written email using a checklist/criteria that I have just sent through Zoom's chat. If you cannot access it, take a screenshot of the checklist. You will use this criteria to grade and evaluate 1-2 of your peers' email. • Go to Jamboard and model a possible answer: For example, imagine that I will grade Guadalupe´s work one night. I need to see her written email and give her feedback on her strengths and weaknesses. • Once instructions are clear, divide studnets into BOR if the size of the class justifies their use. If not, turn off you camera and allow them to work in the main session. • Go through the different rooms and monitor that students are actually reading each other's work, focusing on content and structure of the email, and not so much on the grammatical aspect of language. • To prevent elevating TTT, encourage peer and self-correction. This will also help to boost students' motivation and autonomy when capable of noticing their own mistakes. • Once the time is up, reunite students in the main session and praise students for their good work. • Closing remarks: This is the end of the lesson. Thank you for coming and for your wonderful participation. See you next lesson.

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