IELTS Writing

蜻蜓切UID: 201589

IELTS Writing
By Richard Gresswell

An integrated skills lesson with the overall aim of preparing students to write an essay on the issue of public transport/car ownership.

In my experience students often complain that they can抰 come up with any ideas for an essay on such a topic under pressure exam pressure. This may be because of lack of background knowledge on the topic or because of exam nerves. In addition even if they have some ideas they possibly don抰 plan their essays. Furthermore essays written often lack structure, clear linking and paragraphing. This lesson hopes to look at some of these concerns in 4 stages.

Stage 1 ?Speaking in class about transport

Stage 2 ?Reading jigsaw

Stage 3 ?Guided writing practice at sentence level (linking words)

Stage 4 ?Guided writing practice at text level

Stage 1 ? Speaking in class about transport

The aim of this stage is to generate some interest in the topic of transport and to come up with some ideas for the essay at a later stage.

To start with you could ask the students some questions (or group or pair-work) such as those in the box below:



How do you get to work/ school?

Have you got a car? Can you drive?

If yes ?What kind of car is it?

How long have you had it?

How many miles/ Km has it done?

Is it reliable, economical, fast, comfortable etc?

What kind of car would you like to own?

What do you think of the public transport in your town/ city?

How often do you use public transport?

Is public transport expensive? If yes ?would you use it more if it was cheaper, more convenient, quicker etc?

If you are going on a long journey how do you prefer to travel?






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Stage 2 ?Reading jigsaw

This text has been taken from the website of the environmental group ?揟ransport 2000?. You can use the extract we have prepared, or if you wish you can go to their website at www.transport2000.org and then go to 揕earning zone?where you will find a range of articles on car/ public transport issues specially prepared for use as a student resource.

We have prepared two texts from the website which you could use as a pairwork jigsaw.

Text A ? The Real Price of Petrol

Text B ? Transport and Health

Put students in pairs A and B
Give students A text A and students B text B.
Ask the students to read their text
After reading get students to summarise texts making a few notes.
In pairs students discuss the main points of the texts

After this stage you may wish to address any new vocabulary that has come out of the reading. The texts are very clearly written as they have been designed for use in schools. They are language rich on the topic of transport and the environment and you may want to use the texts for further language work. Also you may want to use the texts for further IELTS reading test practice. The texts I抳e chosen could be used to practice the 揾eadings? question type. Why not delete the headings and get the students to give their own headings to each paragraphs in the text

N.B. If you think the text is too small you could enlarge them to A3 on the photocopier or simply download the texts free of charge from www.transport2000.org 搇earning zone?(click on left hand margin).


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Stage 3 ? Guided writing at sentence level

Exercise 1 ?Using logical linking words

This is an exercise to focus on using logical linking words in constructing sentences

Draw on the board a grid as follows


Giving an example
Adding a point

Contrast
Cause/Result



After giving an example ask the students to put the following words in the correct box:

because
however
resulted in
due to
in addition
despite
not only....but also
such as
for example
as well as

Answer Key

Giving an example

for example
such as
Adding a point

in addition
not only....but also
as well as

Contrast

however
despite
Cause/Result

resulted in
because
due to




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Exercise 2 ?Using Sentence headers

Worksheet 1

This is a simple exercise technique used here to practice constructing sentences with linking words from exercise 1.

Handout worksheet 1 containing sentence headers. The students have to complete the sentences using their own ideas or ideas that they have taken from the texts they have read. Of course you could add some more sentence headers of your own and indeed add more linking words if you wish.

Alternatively you could dictate the sentence header and the students finish the sentence off.

After this activity compare the ideas of the students as a group and we recommend you collect the written work for correction as this is very much an exercise focusing on accuracy.


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Stage 4 ? Guided writing at text level

Exercise 1

Write up essay question on board for example:

People should be encouraged to use public transport due to the ever increasing traffic congestion on our roads. How far do you agree with this statement?

Draw a grid on board as follows:

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Yes
because....
No
because....



      


      


      


Students fill in grid with their own ideas.

This will form their essay plan. Set a time limit for this of no more than 3 or 4 minutes, tell them to use keywords only and not sentences as their isn抰 enough time in the exam.

Possible essay plan

Yes
because....
No
because....

Environmentally friendly
produces less greenhouse gases
Timetable inconvenient
can抰 travel late at night

Safe
trains have a better safety record than cars
Can be dangerous
criminals on public transport

Don抰 have to drive - relaxing
can read newspaper on bus to school
Sometimes slower
bus stops very often




Exercise 2 ?Writing the essay

Worksheet 2

For the IELTS writing part 2 I often suggest a four-paragraph structure as follows:

Introduction
Paragraph ?details with examples (e.g. advantages of public transport)
Paragraph ?details with examples (e.g. disadvantages of public transport)
Conclusion ?personal opinion in answer to question
Now handout worksheet 2 which is a guided structure for the students to write their ideas into using the structure mentioned above and referring to their essay plan. This could be done as homework. Instead of using the worksheet you could make your own guided structure and simply write it on the board.

Even though this approach may seem a bit mechanistic it can serve as a useful guide in getting students to think about how to write essays for the purpose of the writing test part 2.

蜻蜓切UID: 201589

有些表格毁了，所以格式稍微有点问题，但应该不会对大家阅读造成障碍

lucy_zq2002UID: 177408

谢谢蜻蜓切!高手出手不凡哦:lol
你让我想到了amorz和我说过的一句话:让我们一起坚持,坚持做最正确的事!
再次谢谢!:hug:

ps:相比程式化的说明,我更期待看到楼主的大作!因为这个是真正个性化的东西!:victory:

[ Last edited by lucy_zq2002 on 2005-5-14 at 22:44 ]

蜻蜓切UID: 201589

呵呵，谢谢鼓励
我争取多发点好东西，大家互相学习