Course: Triton College Advanced Writing ESL E24-002

Date: 6/9/15
Length of Class: 3.5 hours
Level: Advanced (mixed)
Class Profile: 11 Spanish-speaking, 2 Polish, 1 Italian
Course Goal:
Read a paragraph or story and demonstrate comprehension.
Write paragraphs with a topic and correct sentence structure.
Write a cohesive multi-paragraph essay with connectors and logical progression.
Speak with classmates about different topics; express ideas orally and in written formats.
Listen and respond to questions in everyday conversations.
Terminal Objectives: At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

Demonstrate understanding of the features of a problem/solution essay by outlining a sample essay.

Distinguish causes/effects and problems/solutions by categorizing evidence.
Demonstrate understanding of zero and first conditional by using the tenses in context.
Outline their own problem/solution essay.

Materials:

Writing Power 3
SmartBoard
Conditionals exercise PDFs from Perfect English Grammar

STAGE TIMING

AIM

PROCEDURE

INTERACTION

POTENTIAL
PROBLEMS & SOLNS

Beg.

Fluency
building

Freewriting

Indiv.

P: Ss dont know what to

write.
S: Teacher gives
suggestions. (I.e. Pretend
your friend has a low
grade in English. Give

him/her advice on how to

raise the grade.)
Life Skills
Ss read a Dear Abby example letter
together.
In small groups, Ss write a response saying
how to solve the problem.
Ss read responses to class.
When do we give advice? Do we know
how to give advice in English? What do
you do when you have a problem?

Warmup

Schema
activation

Pre-task

Schema
activation,
scaffolding

Task

Posttask

Presentation P. 172: problem/solution format

Whole class, pairs,
explanation. (*T explains that it can also be small groups
called a persuasive essay.)
P. 174: problem/solution outline
T reminds Ss of types of evidence from p.
111 that may be useful for supporting their
solutions.
T reminds Ss that this essay takes some
critical thinking: put on your thinking caps!
Ss practice soring problems and solutions
on p. 175 ex #6 A & B in pairs.
Ss practice outlining and reading on p. 176178 ex #7 A-C in small groups
Correction
Small groups,
Ss compare completed outlines as a class.
whole class

Pre-task

Scaffolding

T asks Ss to list types of examples,

supporting materials possible; asks Ss to
look at p. 131 and decide whether we can

Whole class, small

groups, whole
class

P: Ss dont have
solutions.
S: T gives them a starting
point.

Whole class

P: Ss dont know what

advice is.
S: T reminds them of
Dear Abby activity.
P: Ss dont understand
that theres a bit of
cause/effect too
S: T points out what
cause/effect is and how
thinking critically is
important in such
relationships.

Whole class

P: Ss outlines dont
match.
S: T gives outline from
book.
P: Ss think they can use
everything.
S: T explains that it

use those to convince people.

Task

Practice,
scaffolding

P. 173 ex #5 A in small groups.

Small groups

Posttask

Synthesis

Ss compare their problems and solutions to

other groups.

Small groups,
whole class

Pre-task

Schema
activation

How do we give advice in English?

Whole class

Task

Posttask

Grammar
Zero conditional: true, cause/effect
presentation
statements. (If you sit in the sun, you get a
sunburn) If simple present, then simple
present.
First conditional: true in specific cases. (If
you sit in the sun, you will get a sunburn. If
I pet a cat, I will sneeze.) If simple present,
then simple future.
Picture of Ss grades; Ss predict in pairs
what will happen next year if they continue
the way they are.
Zero and first conditional practice if time.
Synthesis
How is this grammar structure helpful for
your essays?

Writing

Practice

Ss outline their problem/solution essay

Whole class, small

groups

Whole class

Whole class, indiv

depends on the type of

essay (formal/informal)
P: Ss dont know what to
use for supporting
evidence.
S: T reminds that for our
purposes, personal exs
are fine.
P: Ss probs & solns are
the same.
S: T offers alternates.
P: Ss dont remember.
S: T goes back to Dear
Abby activity.
P: Ss dont understand
difference between zero
and first conditional.
S: T gives extra practice.

P: Ss dont understand
how it will be helpful.
S: T reminds them of
what problem/solution
essays need.
P: Ss dont understand
the topic.

 Topic: many immigrants dont speak

English very well. Say 1) why this is a
problem, and 2) some possible solutions.
Requirements: at least 4 paragraphs;
academic essay and paragraph format; at
least 2 different types of supporting
evidence; correct use of conditionals
discussed in class
General Comments:

S: T gives sample outline.