Lesson Plan: Task 1

Name of class: IEP 0940 Academic Writing for University Exams IV

Number of students: around 14-15
Class date: TBA
Class time: TBA
Teacher: Melinda D. Childs
Materials: pre-made Quizlet with target unit vocabulary; matching word-definition paper strips;
model pictures; picture description task with space for planning notes listening notes, and
question-to-topic sentence prompt; post-task discussion questions

BASED ON ELLIS (2003) FRAMEWORK

Goal
To practice note-taking and active listening; to provide an opportunity to employ
content-related vocabulary related to Human Geography unit; to practice academic
writing based off notes, examples; to convert writing prompt questions to topic sentences
Input
Pictures of developed and less-developed human landscapes with vocabulary labels of
difficult objects, written text: an example sentence for post-task writing
Conditions
Information gap (e.g. split information), divergent, semi-open
Procedures
Pair work, during-task planning time, delayed feedback, group discussion/reporting
Predicted Outcomes
Product: open; listening notes; short answer (5-7 sentences) reporting on the contrast
between two human geographical landscapes
Process: negotiation for meaning of academic vocabulary related to content (linguistic),
paraphrasing and re-forming topic sentences from writing prompts (cognitive/linguistic),
contrasting two different scenes and discerning important differentiation factors
(cognitive)
LESSON PLAN OUTLINE
Time Interaction Description TBLT Features
Warm-up: 2-3 rounds of HG vocabulary
via Quizlet to activate schemata
Classroom management: taking
attendance
Collaborative activity in small
random groups, working together to
determine who has the right answer
to the vocabulary question/definition
11:00 Vocabulary: development, fair trade,
gender empowerment, human Explicit focus on forms
11:15
Ss-Ss development index, less developed (academic vocabulary);
(learner country (LDC), literacy rate, more LRE potential (negotiate
centered developed country (MDC), primary meaning through learner-
activities) sector, productivity, secondary learner interaction);
sector, structural adjustment, intentional learning
tertiary sector, transnational (Hulstijn, 1993);
Pre-task corporation, value added involvement load (search
o From The Cultural
stage & need, specifically,
Landscape text supplement
Hulstijn & Laufer, 2001)
for course (by J. Rubenstein)
Pairing off pre-task activity: high-low
pairs (pre-determined by Melinda)
Students mingle to find their
11:15 partnerthe other S whose
11:25 term/definition matches their own
Upon successfully locating each
other, student pairs create a sentence
using their term; share/report on
white board
Picture description task (info. gap):
Ss-Ss same high-low pairs as pre-task activity
Modeling; planning time
(learner Ss sit across from each other in (Skehan, 1998); explicit
centered, dyads to avoid cheating by instruction; focus on
11:25 learner- looking at partners pictures forms; convergent; open;
11:55 driven) Picture description is modeled by affects on accuracy,
Mary & Melinda fluency, complexity;
Ss have 3-5 minutes for planning; reporting
Task writing down notes to self about
their pictures and how they want to
describe it to their partner
 4-5 minutes for description while
partner is active listener/note-taker,
then switch roles for 4-5 minutes
12-15 minutes to revise their notes
and use them to write answers to
topic question Contrast your
landscape to your partners
landscape; key component:
paraphrasing question to topic
sentence
~5 min reporting to class LDC vs.
MDC characteristics, lead in to post-
task activity
Post task discussion: dyads combine to
make small groups of 4 for discussion
questions

Ss-Ss Content based: gender

(learner- empowerment in home country, LDC Focus on meaning;
11:55- vs. MDC distinction contrasted to
driven, revision/feedback;
12:05 home country, primary vs.
teacher learner-driven outcomes
mediated) secondary sector jobs in home
countries, HDI as an accurate
measure of development
How would you change your short-
essays after what you discussed with
your groups? 5 min revision time
12:05 Post-task assessment: anonymous Assessment; tie back to
Ss
12:10 feedback on taskquestionnaire needs analysis
T-Ss
12:10 Turn over to Melinda: housekeeping,
(teacher
12:15 homework assignments
centered)
Primary Sector Development LDC
Literacy Rate Productivity Value Added

1 This is a country that is still developing.____________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

2.____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

3.____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

4.____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

5.____________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________
Country B:

1.____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

2.____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

3.____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

4.____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

5.____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Compare your country to what you know about your partners country.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________
 Secondary Sector Development MDC
Literacy Rate Value Added Productivity

1.____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

2.____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

3.____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

4.____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

5.____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Country A:

1.____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

2.____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

3.____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

4.____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

5.____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Compare your country to what you know about your partners country.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________