CYCLE 4, THIRD GRADE

SCHOOL TERM 2014-2015

GRADE:

UNIT:

Third grade

SOCIAL PRACTICE:
LEARNING
ENVIRONMENT:
SPECIFIC
COMPETENCY:

5A

Produce texts to participate in academic events

Academic and Educational
Write arguments in favor or against a topic to participate in a debate.
CONTENTS

ACHIEVEMENTS

DOING WITH THE LANGUAGE

KNOWING ABOUT THE

LANGUAGE

BEING THROUGH
THE LANGUAGE

PRODUCT

Detects and establishes

links between a personal
stance and information
which agrees or
disagrees with it.

Explore a topic of interest from various sources.

Determine purpose and intended audience.
Identify function of graphic components.
Predict topic from previous knowledge.
Read texts and interpret general sense, main ideas, and some details.
Clarify meaning of words.
Identify main ideas in agreement or disagreement with a personal stance.
Establish connections between a personal stance and information in
agreement or disagreement with it.
Identify expressions used to express opinions in agreement and/or
disagreement about atopic.
Identify relationships between parts of a text.
Use strategies to point out information in agreement and/or disagreement with
a personal stance.
Write agreements or disagreements about a topic of interest to participate
in a debate.
Search for information from various sources.
Select information to write agreeing and disagreeing arguments.
Organize information in agreement or in disagreement with a personal stance
in a graph.
Write sentences to express agreeing and/or disagreeing arguments.
Organize information in agreement or in disagreement with a personal stance
in a paragraph.
Write sentences to express agreeing and/or disagreeing arguments.
Paraphrase or select information to broaden, exemplify and explain sentences
that express agreements and disagreements.
Emphasize or clarify agreements and /or disagreements.
Use words and punctuation marks to link sentences together in a paragraph.
Write a shot text that expresses agreements and/or disagreements.
Edit agreement and or disagreements.
Read to check punctuation and spelling conventions.
Solve doubts and promote feedback.
Write a final version

Topic, purpose and

intended audience.
Textual and graphic
components.
Repertoire of words
necessary for this social
practice of the language.
Synonyms.
Verb form: passive.
Connectors.
Possessive genitive (e.g.,
worlds diversity and
humans features).
Pronouns: personal and
reflexive.
Contrast between British
and American variants:
regular and irregular verbs
(e,g., burned, burnt, spelled,
spelt).
Word endings (e.g., -y, -ie,
and -e).
Punctuation

Use language to
solve conflicts,
propose foundations
for collective work
and promote
cooperation.
Provide constructive
criticism.

DEBATE

Emphasizes or clarifies
agreements and/or
disagreements.
Writes short texts which
express agreement or
disagreement.
Solves doubts and
encourages feedback in
order to edit agreements
and/or disagreements.

Stage 1
Choose a topic of interest.
Stage 2
Read texts from different
sources.
Stage 3
Take a personal stance
regarding the information read.
Stage 4
Write agreements or
disagreements depending on
the personal stance each one
has adopted.
Stage 5
Write a short text with the
agreements and/or
disagreements.
Stage 6
Edit the text and make a clean
version in a notebook or a
sheet, card, etc.
Stage 7
Decide the place and date for
the debate of each team.
Stage 8
Choose a moderator and
define times and turns for
presentation and reply.
Stage 9
Present the agreements and/or
disagreements in the debate,
using the text to support
participation.

SEP. Programa Nacional de Ingls en Educacin Bsica. Segunda Lengua: Ingls. Programas de estudio 2010. Ciclo 4. Fase de expansin. Mxico, 2011

Fomento a los procesos de estudio de una segunda lengua (ingls)

antes PNIEB

PRODUCT
STAGES

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES

Stage 1

Stage 2

Stage 3

Stage 4

Stage 5

Stage 6

Stage 7

Stage 8

Stage 9

Ask Ss if they have participated in or seen a debate. Elicit from them information about the format of a debate, the roles people take, the kind of topics
included, etc. Highlight vocabulary related, e. g., speakers, moderator, arguments, persuade. Finally, ask Ss to list 5 reasons why debates are useful.
In teams Ss to think of topics they are interested in that are controversial. Ask Ss to vote on these topics to come to a final decision.
When Ss have chosen their topic they should start planning where to look up information related. Elicit ideas from Ss: newspapers, the Internet, magazines,
textbooks, etc. Ask Ss to rank them according to the ones in which they can find more accurate information.
Ask Ss to bring material related to their topic. If possible, take them to the ICT lab in order to find more information. Monitor a lot and be careful with the
level of reading input Ss have access to. Help Ss identify unknown vocabulary and look it up in different sources. If the level of the group requires it, supply
ideas by bringing articles on those topics that are at the Ss level to guarantee its accessibility.
The second step to reach understanding is for Ss to identify main ideas. Ask them to identify key words. Then, ask Ss to answer questions about their texts
(what, where, when, etc.) to identify supporting details. This information can be incorporated into a graphic organizer or mind map for Ss better
understanding. If Ss find difficulty in this task, analyze one text with the whole class first.
Ask Ss to draw a graphic organizer of two columns, grids or ovals, in order to organize the information into: arguments in favor and arguments against.
Ask Ss to rank the arguments in each column according from the most to the least persuasive or convincing. Then, ask Ss to consider a counter argument
for each of them.
Ask Ss to add a third column to their graphic organizer with their comments pro and against this particular topic. To make it clearer and easier for Ss, take a
topic that was not chosen by any team and do this exercise with the whole class first.
While Ss are expressing their viewpoints, equip them with expressions to state their stance, to agree and disagree and then to come to final positions, for
example: I think, I disagree with you, Thats a good point.
Having had some oral practice from Stage 3, ask Ss to attempt writing their points in agreement or disagreement with what has been stated. If possible,
provide Ss with a model: introductory paragraph, a paragraph in favor, a paragraph against, and a conclusion. Monitor quite closely to anticipate problems
and help Ss produce the better English they can produce.
While doing this, take time to have Ss read their pieces in a loud voice in preparation for the actual debate. Encourage Ss to pay particular attention to the
message and the congruence of the contents and the position taken; either in favor or against.
With the help provided in Stage 4 ask Ss to rewrite their texts. In this second draft Ss should concentrate on cohesive devices of different sorts: first group to
enumerate a series of ideas: firstly, then, next, finally; second group to contrast information: but, however, although; third group to add information: and, in
addition, also; fourth group to show cause and effect: so, therefore.
Try different exercises before attempting this in the context of the social practice. Do this separately with topics that are clearly controversial where Ss may
contribute their own ideas and find it easy to connect them, for example: Driving a car is more comfortable. However, gasoline is expensive.
With the vocabulary, the contents and the cohesive devices in combination, the Ss should be better equipped to express their ideas more assertively. Help
them with short chunks of language rather than very complex so that they do not get lost when it comes to the final presentation to the rest of the groups.
Have Ss rehearse as much as necessary so that the production is more fluent and understandable for the others.
Ask Ss to make arrangements for the debates to take place. All groups should have the same chance to participate. Have a special commission for some Ss
to talk to the school authorities to arrange the space and decide on the dates and time slots assigned to this task. It may be one representative from each
team, who could in turn be the moderator. In the meantime, the rest of the team continues rehearsing their participations.
Give Ss some training to participate on equal terms: same duration, same format, same number of interactions and time limit. Make absolutely certain that
the Ss know the format, the way to participate, turn-taking and give the ground to different members of the team. It is important that Ss have already decided
on who are for, who are against, and perhaps who are neutral.
Monitor closely to give Ss final tips for the presentation. Make final recommendations and remind the teams who are listening to others debate to get ready
for taking notes in order to complement and give additional comments once the debate has come to its conclusion.
Present the debates according to the agenda already organized. Try to make this extensive to other groups, levels and the school authorities. If time allows,
have proper invitations, programs and credits given to Ss for their research and participation.
Remind Ss to listen attentively to their classmates, and to be polite and respectful.
Well ahead of time prepare an evaluation instrument to ask Ss to evaluate one another. Make sure they know what the descriptors refer to in order to avoid
misconceptions and injustice. Train Ss to use the instruments as a platform to offer feedback to their classmates at the front.
Fomento a los procesos de estudio de una segunda lengua (ingls)
antes PNIEB

BOOKS
Publishing house

Teachers Book

Activity Book

Readers

All Ready! 3
Macmillan

pp.127-139

pp.126-141

Readers
pp.111-123

Brilliant! Teens 3
Santillana

pp.169-187

pp. 162-179

Introduction
pp.129-142

Crossover 3
University of Dayton

pp.182-201

pp. 89-98

Informative
pp.53-66

Teens Club 3
Castillo

pp.132-141

pp. 148-165

Informative
pp.28-38

Yes, we can! 3
Richmond

pp.T84-T93

pp. 84-93

Nonfiction
pp.49-60

Other resources
http://www.onestopenglish.com/teenagers/skills/warmers/
http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/
http://www.learn-english-today.com/fun/fun_activities.html
http://genkienglish.net/juniorhigh.htm
http://www.cambridge.org/gb/elt/students/zones/item2325607/Secondary/?site_locale=en_GB&currentSubjectID=2325607
Debates: http://theteachingfactor.wordpress.com/2013/01/10/50-persuasive-speech-debate-topics-relevant-today/
http://www.vocabulary.cl/Lists/Opinions.htm
http://www.englishclub.com/speaking/agreeing-disagreeing-topics.htm
https://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson/lesson304b.shtml
http://busyteacher.org/7245-conducting-class-debate-essential-tips.html
http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/636

Fomento a los procesos de estudio de una segunda lengua (ingls)

antes PNIEB