Sarah McGuire Sarah McGuire

Writing: A Day in my Life
Beginner level

Description

In this lesson, students are introduced to reading a short text for gist and detail, including matching sentences, as well as preparing to write through controlled tasks such as completing sentences and analyzing sequencing of daily routines, and writing a paragraph and editing peer work, all within the context of "A day in my life".

Materials

Main Aims

  • To help students develop their productive skill set by practicing accuracy of language, guided writing with model language, process writing by drafting, and unguided writing by writing freely, all within the context of "A Day in My Life".

Subsidiary Aims

  • To expand and consolidate student's vocabulary and lexis when writing about events and routines.

Procedure

Engage: Vocabulary and Grammar Review (5 minutes) • To review the language of the unit in a fun and active way.

Tell students that we are reviewing vocabulary and grammar from previous lessons. Draw the diagrams that students will be using on the whiteboard. Fill in one answer to provide a demonstration. Show students the handout. Tell the students that in pairs, they will match the words and phrases (show) to the correct verb (show). Students will glue the matching word/phrase onto the page with the verb. ICQs: Are you matching the words and phrases? (demonstrate) Are you matching the words and phrases with the verb? (demonstrate) Monitor. Provide answer key post-activity.

Reading Task (10 minutes) • Introduce the topic of "A Day in my life" by reading a short text.

Tell students that they will read a story. After reading the story, students are to answer the questions: What is the story about? Who is the story about? Tell students that they should guess who the story is talking about. ICQs: Do you answer the questions first or read the story first? Do you work in pairs or by yourself? Monitor. Post-activity, ask students if there was any unknown vocabulary and clarify.

Study Exercise: Matching Activity (5 minutes) • Students practice doing a matching exercise in a very tightly focused task to develop accuracy.

Show students the cutout sentences in one hand and the times in the other. Tell students that they will read the text again and then match the sentence with the correct answer. Tell students that the answers are in the text. Model an example on the whiteboard: The person wakes up: early late whenever she wants Mime referring to the text to search for the correct answer and finding it and matching the sentence with the time on the board. ICQs: Will you match a sentence with the word? Will you use the text to find the answers? Will you work alone or groups of three? Monitor. Provide answer key post-activity.

Preparing to Write (10 minutes) • Provide controlled practice in which students complete useful language items and organize events sequentially by time.

STAGE 1: Show students the sentences. Choose a sentence and write it on the board. Complete it (ie. I have breakfast at 8 o'clock). Tell students they are to complete the sentences individually based on their day. Here, explain that some students make get up at different times, eat at different times, so there is no right or wrong answer. ICQs: Will you fill in the sentences with information about yourself or about someone else? Will you work alone or in pairs? Monitor. Provide feedback (T-S). STAGE 2: When students have completed the activity, tell them that they will put their sentences IN ORDER. Model this on the board: I get up at 6:00. I go to school at 9:00. I have lunch with friends at 11:00. I eat breakfast at 8:00. Elicit from students- which comes first? Put them in order with help from the students. Tell them to do the same with their completed sentences. Monitor. Ss switch pairs and check each other's work. Provide feedback (T-S).

Process Writing (15 minutes) • Students write about a day in their life with suggested useful phrases and have their drafts peer edited by another student, then the teacher.

STAGE 1:Tell students that they will write a paragraph about a day in their life. Refer them to the short text handout as an example of the length and content required. Write useful phrases on the board and tell students that they can use these to help them. Tell them that the events have to be in order. Useful phrases: -Start/finish work at..... -At six o'clock/half past seven..... -In the morning/afternoon/evening.... -At night..... -I get up at..... and then I.... -After that, I... ICQs: Are you going to write about a day in your life? Will you put the things you do in order- starting with the first thing and ending with the last thing you do? Will you use the phrases on the board to help you think of what to write? Will you work alone? STAGE 2: When students are finished, pair them up to have them review and provide feedback on each other's work. When finished, students should come show me their individual work. ICQs: Will you work with a partner? Will you look at what your partner wrote and give them help if they need it? Will you come see me when your partner is done correcting your paper? Monitor.

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