Giáo án Writing

Ss activate prior knowledge about self-study and get ready to read a model article on the topic 'Becoming independent'.

T asks Ss to think about one advantage and one disadvantage of studying alone, then compare their ideas with a partner. Key words: independent (tự lập), self-study (tự học), manage (quản lí), self-motivated (có động lực tự thân).

Each pair lists at least one pro and one con of self-study, for example:

• Pro: I can study at my own pace.
• Con: Nobody checks my mistakes, so I may not notice them.
  These ideas become the background for the model article.

Ss identify the genre, purpose, audience, message and structure of the model article, and explain how its opening and closing sentences work.

Ss read the model article on the projector (Genre: an article about the pros and cons of self-study). Ss complete Worksheet 1 in pairs:

• Purpose of the article
• Intended audience
• Opening substantive sentence
• Closing substantive sentence
• Two specific supporting details
• The writer's message
  Question for Ss: 'Why does the writer say that self-study is most useful when it develops responsibility and reflection?'

Completed Worksheet 1, for example:

• Purpose: to explain to fellow learners the pros and cons of self-study and how an independent attempt and focused feedback can help.
• Audience: fellow learners (students of the same age).
• Opening sentence: 'Self-study can make learners more independent, but it also has limits.'
• Closing sentence: 'Self-study is most useful when it develops responsibility and reflection, not when it becomes isolation.'
• Supporting detail 1: 'When students choose a manageable task and check their understanding, they learn to notice difficulties instead of waiting for every instruction.'
• Supporting detail 2: 'First, I try the task without copying a model. Then I record the point where my reasoning becomes unclear...'
• Message: self-study works best with independent attempts and focused feedback, not in isolation.

Ss recognise cleft sentences in the model and transform simple sentences into cleft sentences that highlight one part while keeping the original event, tense and actor.

T presents the structure:

• Lan made the plan. → It was Lan who/that made the plan.
• Lan made it on Monday. → It was on Monday that Lan made it.
  Rules: use who for people; use that for other focuses; keep the original event, tense and actor unchanged; do not use a cleft to imply an unsupported contrast. Ss complete Worksheet 2, Part A.

Ss understand and write the structure:

• It was + focus + who/that + rest of the original sentence.
  Example Ss can write in Worksheet 2, Part A:
• Ms. Hoa checked the homework on Monday. → It was on Monday that Ms. Hoa checked the homework.
• Minh wrote the article. → It was Minh who wrote the article.

Ss consolidate their understanding of the model by answering questions about purpose, details, opening and closing, and by applying the same structure to a summary.

Ss work in groups of four using a jigsaw-style task. Each pair in the group takes one question from Exercises 2 to 6 of the textbook:

• Exercise 2: state the purpose and audience of the article, and support your answer with one detail.
• Exercise 3: explain how the opening introduces the topic and identify the opening sentence.
• Exercise 4: select two useful details and explain why they are better than saying only that the topic is important.
• Exercise 5: write a three-sentence summary using only information in the model, keeping the essential limit.
• Exercise 6: choose one sentence from the middle of the model and explain its contribution to the message.
  Groups then compare answers.

Answer key for the group discussion:

• Ex 2: Audience: fellow learners. Purpose: to explain how independent attempts and focused feedback improve self-study. Evidence: 'Self-study can make learners more independent, but it also has limits.'
• Ex 3: The opening sentence is 'Self-study can make learners more independent, but it also has limits.' It introduces the specific situation before the supporting details.
• Ex 4: (1) 'When students choose a manageable task and check their understanding, they learn to notice difficulties instead of waiting for every instruction.' (2) 'Self-study is most useful when it develops responsibility and reflection, not when it becomes isolation.' Each detail is concrete and shows the benefit, which is more persuasive than a general statement.
• Ex 5: 'Self-study can make learners more independent, but it also has limits. When students choose a manageable task and check their understanding, they learn to notice difficulties instead of waiting for every instruction. Self-study is most useful when it develops responsibility and reflection, not when it becomes isolation.'
• Ex 6: 'I therefore prefer a cycle of independent attempt and focused feedback.' It gives a concrete method and links to the opening's point about limits.

Ss write a short article about the pros and cons of self-study with a coherent message, specific support and an appropriate register for fellow learners.

Ss write a complete article of about 120–150 words on 'Becoming independent', for fellow learners. Ss must:

• state the purpose and audience in the first lines
• give one pro and one con, each with a specific detail
• use at least one cleft sentence (It was … who/that …)
• end with a clear closing sentence that completes the message
• use at least three of the words: independent, self-study, budget, priority, manage, self-motivated
  For any example data or proposal, Ss must label it as an example (for instance: 'For example, a student could…').

A complete article in the following structure:

• Opening: a sentence introducing the topic and situation.
• Development: one pro with a specific detail; one con with a specific detail; the writer's suggested cycle or method (labelled as a proposal if needed).
• Closing: one sentence that completes the message without unsupported promises.
  Criteria: coherent message, specific supporting details, appropriate register for fellow learners, correct cleft sentence and vocabulary.