Giáo án Skills

Ss activate prior knowledge about heritage sites and identify the central problem of the lesson: how to help people understand a place without damaging it.

Ss look at the title Preserving our heritage and answer the quick-fire question: 'Why do people visit old houses, and what can go wrong when too many visitors arrive?' Ss then brainstorm words they associate with heritage (e.g. museum, wall, guide, damage, protect).

A list of 6–8 words on the board and a one-sentence answer to the question, for example: 'People visit to learn history, but visitors can damage fragile walls if there is no good guidance.' The class agrees on the lesson problem: 'How can we help visitors understand a historic place while protecting it?'

Ss understand the main ideas, the supporting details and the reasons behind the team's decisions in the reading text, and learn to use the stimulus as evidence.

Ss read the text 'An ideas competition asked students how to help visitors understand a local historic house...' in Read and discuss, and complete Worksheet 1 with the key vocabulary: fabric, removable, audio version, verify, consent, recollection, uncertain, large-print, drill into, fragile, preservation and access.
Task: Ss answer two questions in pairs. (1) 'Why did the judges prefer the second idea?' (2) 'How did the team deal with uncertain memories?'
Key concept (Evidence): 'A response must be supported by the supplied stimulus, not an invented detail.'

Completed Worksheet 1 with the vocabulary meanings and two short answers:

• Q1: The judges preferred the removable display because it could be updated without drilling into historic material.
• Q2: The team labelled uncertain memories as memories rather than proven facts, and planned to check dates against museum records.
  Ss also write one key idea in their own words: 'Preservation requires careful choices, not simply making an old building look new.'

Ss identify the structure and cohesive devices of a well-organised argumentative paragraph on independent learning, which will support their own writing in the Application stage.

Ss read the completed writing model 'Self-study can make learners more independent, but it also has limits...'. In groups of four (jigsaw), each group takes one part of the paragraph and identifies its function: (a) topic sentence and the claim; (b) benefits of self-study; (c) limits of self-study; (d) the writer's three-step method; (e) concluding sentence.
Groups use sticky notes to mark the sentences and the linking words such as 'However', 'therefore', 'First', 'Then', 'Finally'.

A group poster or completed Worksheet 2 with the structure map:

• Topic sentence: 'Self-study can make learners more independent, but it also has limits.'
• Benefits: 'they learn to notice difficulties', 'they can pause, review and work at a suitable pace'.
• Limits: 'an error can continue unnoticed', 'distractions can waste time'.
• Personal method: 'First, I try the task...' / 'Then I record the point...' / 'Finally, I explain the method again in my own words.'
• Concluding sentence: 'Self-study is most useful when it develops responsibility and reflection, not when it becomes isolation.'

Ss practise answering reading comprehension questions by finding and quoting evidence from the text.

Ss answer Exercises 2–5 from the Student's Book without rereading the whole text.
Questions:
2. What was the competition's challenge? A. Interpret a historic house without damaging it; B. Replace every old wall; C. Sell the house; D. Build a loudspeaker tower
3. Why prefer a removable display? A. It hides every date; B. It needs no checking; C. It is permanent concrete; D. It avoids drilling into historic material
4. How were uncertain memories labelled? A. As false by definition; B. As anonymous inventions; C. As memories, not proven facts; D. As official dates
5. What access provision was included? A. A compulsory identical route; B. Large-print guides and a quiet route; C. Only audio; D. No written information
For each answer, Ss write the sentence in the text that is the evidence.

Answers with evidence:

• Q2: A – 'Both understanding and protection matter.' Evidence: 'help visitors understand a local historic house without changing its fabric.'
• Q3: D – Evidence: 'it could be updated without drilling into historic material.'
• Q4: C – Evidence: 'It labelled uncertain memories as memories rather than proven facts.'
• Q5: B – Evidence: 'a quiet route for visitors who did not want audio and a large-print guide.'

Ss listen for specific information about a learner's weekly plan and review method, and check their answers against the explanations.

Ss listen to the recording in Exercises 6–10 of the Student's Book. Ss may replay it as many times as needed. Ss must not open the explanations until they have answered.
Questions:
7. When is the weekly plan made? A. Sunday; B. Tuesday; C. Friday; D. Monday night
8. Why leave a free slot? A. To avoid every lesson; B. For copying answers; C. To skip questions; D. For unfinished work
9. What does the learner record? A. Other pupils' passwords; B. A copied essay; C. The exact point of difficulty; D. Only a final mark
10. What is the goal? A. Copy complete answers; B. Explain the method independently; C. Finish without understanding; D. Never ask questions
After answering, Ss check on the NeoEdu interactive exercises for Review 3 Skills.

Answers with explanations:

• Q7: A (Sunday) – the plan is made on Sunday; Tuesday relates to questions.
• Q8: D (For unfinished work) – the free slot allows realistic adjustment of the plan.
• Q9: C (The exact point of difficulty) – specific questions support targeted help.
• Q10: B (Explain the method independently) – the closing contrast emphasises understanding, not copying.
  Ss write one sentence about what they noticed while listening, for example: 'I should record the exact point where I get confused.'

Ss apply the paragraph structure and the self-study cycle to their own learning, producing a coherent paragraph that expresses a personal view.

Task 1 (pairs, 5 minutes): Ss discuss the question 'What is a subject or skill you find hard to study alone? How can the three-step cycle (attempt, record the difficulty, explain again) help you?'
Task 2 (individual, 10 minutes): Ss write a paragraph of 120–150 words, following the structure from Worksheet 2: topic sentence, benefits, limits, personal method with First/Then/Finally, and a concluding sentence. Ss use at least three linking words.
Task 3 (peer check, 5 minutes): Ss exchange paragraphs and check with the checklist: Does it have a clear topic sentence? Are there both benefits and limits? Is the method specific? Are the linking words correct?

A 120–150-word paragraph with the structure, for example:
'Learning English at home can make me more independent, but it also has limits. When I choose a manageable task, I notice my difficulties early and I can pause, review and work at my own pace. However, I may keep an error without noticing it, and social media can waste my time. Therefore, I use a three-step cycle. First, I try the exercise without looking at the answer key. Then I record the exact point where I get stuck and ask a teacher or friend for a hint. Finally, I explain the method again in my own words. Independent study works best when it builds responsibility and reflection.'
Ss also write the peer feedback: one strength and one suggestion for improvement.