The activity was to write a five paragraph compare and contrast essay on two different methods of writing.
The topic as written is not interesting to the learners because it sounds too abstract. It can be made more interesting by encouraging the learners to think about their own experience in schools.
The learners are given adequate time to formulate ideas by two prewriting stages (“Brainstorm” and “Plan”) that occur prior to the “Write” stage. However there is not physical space in the book to write their ideas in these stages.
Evaluating whether or not input is given pre-task depends on whether this activity is judged in isolation, or as a cumulation of the unit The textbook is designed for this to be the culmination of the unit. During the unit, input is given on ideas and vocabulary related to the topic (p.92-110), as well as the structure of the essay type (p.111-115)
The activity in the textbook makes references to earlier pages in the unit that the textbook assumes were done on previous days. Assuming these pages were completed, the format and procedure is sufficiently clear.
The goal of the activity is to complete the essay.
As for feedback, the textbook includes a peer review stage, and a self-assessment stage. The textbook leaves ambiguous whether or not the teacher will give feedback on the task, but tells students that they should be prepared to hand in their work or discuss it in class.
I adapted the material in a number of ways. Earlier in the unit, I tried to increase interest in the topic by having students compare their own experience learning to write in Vietnam with a video about the teaching of handwriting in the United States.
During the lesson, I adapted it by putting the textbook activities onto a Google Document. This was done to create physical space for the brainstorming and planning activities (which were not present in the textbook) and also allowed me to monitor the writing in real time. I also created a table for organizing the paragraph planning that the students could fill out. I also changed the pair work activities to group work activities because of classroom management issues with teaching online.
At the beginning of class, students were put into groups to brainstorm ideas. They were encouraged to reflect on what they had learned during the week during this time.
The students then planned their paragraphs using the table. I monitored and gave feedback on ideas.
The students then started to write their essays. They did not complete it in class, but I gave them feedback on what they did create.
From my perspective, the lesson successfully gave students practice in brainstorming and planning an essay. I believe the fact that the students did not complete the essay in class time is due to the lack of urgency and low-level of engagement that accompanies online teaching.
From the students’ perspective, I believe the formal structure of this lesson met their expectations for what an EAP writing lesson would be like, although they probably found it a bit dull. They did, however, get feedback on their essay plans, which I think they value because they know this is of use to them on their upcoming assessment.
Appendix--Materials
Please find below the following materials in the following order
1. Q Skills 4: Reading For Success, Unit 4, pages 119-120
2. Self-created Worksheet for Q Skills 4: Reading For Success, Unit 4, pages 119-120. (This was in the form of a Google Document for the class.)
3. Task Sheets for Youtube Video (Self-created. from the beginning of the week)
4. Q Skills 4: Reading For Success, Unit 4, Writing Skill page 111-113 (This is from the previous lesson. The Writing Skill lesson in the textbook is actually pages 111-116, but I’m only attaching 111-113 because that is all we did in class.)
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