Lesson and Teaching Plan
(for private circulation only)


Writing Task 2

You should spend 40 minutes on this task. Write at least
Nowadays, more and more foreign students are going to English speaking countries to learn the international language - English. It is undoubtedly true that studying English in an English-speaking country is the best way, but it is not the only way to learn it. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the above statement? 
Include reasons for your answers and relevant examples from your knowledge or experience. 
(KOLLAM, 18 January 2024)

Lesson Plan

Organisation: (Planning) 5 min,

Paragraph 1
Introduction: Paraphrase + Thesis sentence   Time: 5 min.

Paragraph 2  
Body Para 1   Argument 1 
                      Reasons for Argument 1           Time: 10 min.
                      Example for Argument 1
                      Conclusion BP1

Paragraph 3
Body Para 2   Argument 2 
                      Reasons for Argument 2           Time: 10 min.
                      Example for Argument 2
                      Conclusion BP2

Paragraph 4
Conclusion    (Re-phrase Intro.)                       Time: 5 min.

Proof Reading                                                 Time : 5 min.
Total Time: 40 min

Word Control: 
Introduction:          55 - 60
Body para 1.          65 - 75
Body para 2           65 - 75
Conclusion:           55 - 60
Total words:          260 -  270

(a) Paraphrase:
How to write paraphrase?

Paraphrase involves expressing an original idea using different

 words or sentence structures, while retaining the same meaning.

1. Use synonyms: Replace words with their synonyms:

Many people think that cars should not be allowed in city centers.

Many people believe that motor vehicles should  be banned  in urban areas.


2. Transform (i) nouns into verbs, (ii) verbs into nouns, (iii) adjectives into nouns, (iv) nouns into adjectives

(a) Many people find watching cricket interesting.

Many people have an interest in watching cricket .


(b) Some people think that CCTV is an invasion of privacy.

Some people think that CCTV has invaded our privacy


3. Restructure Sentence: Alter the word order of clauses or sentence structure:

Whether the economy will improve, it is difficult to say.

It is difficult to say whether the economy will improve.

4. Active into Passive:

(i) Landslide destroyed the road.
    The road was destroyed by the landslide

(ii) Some people argue that the internet is harmful to children.
      It is often held that the internet is harmful to children.

Question Prompt:

Nowadays, more and more foreign students are going to English speaking countries to learn the international language - English. It is undoubtedly true that studying English in an English-speaking country is the best way, but it is not the only way to learn it. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the above statement? 
(KOLLAM, 18 January 2024) 

The question prompt contains: 
i. Nowadays, more and more foreign students are going to English speaking countries to learn the international language - English. [General Statement, the topic sentence.]

ii. It is undoubtedly true that studying English in an English-speaking country is the best way, but it is not the only way to learn it. [Opinion about the topic.]

iii) Do you agree or disagree with the above statement? [ The question to which you have to answer.]

How to paraphrase?

i. Nowadays, more and more foreign students are going to English speaking countries to learn the international language - English.

Synonyms used:

Nowadays = in recent years

more and more = a growing number of

foreign students = international students

to learn the international language - English = are learning English                                                              in English- speaking countries. 

Paraphrase: In the recent times, a growing number of international students are learning English in English- speaking countries. 


 ii: It is undoubtedly true that studying English in an English-speaking country is the best way, but it is not the only way to learn it. 

Synonyms used:

studying English in an English-speaking country = to learn the                                language in a country where it is natively spoken. 

the best way = beneficial 

but = although

Paraphrase: Although it is beneficial to learn the language in a country where it is natively spoken, there are other ways to acquire it. 


iii. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the above statement? 
Paraphrase: I partially agree with the statement because technology helps one learn online at the comfort of one's own home.

Put them together:  

Nowadays, more and more foreign students are going to English speaking countries to learn the international language - English. It is undoubtedly true that studying English in an English-speaking country is the best way, but it is not the only way to learn it. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the above statement? 

Paraphrase: In the recent times, a growing number of international students are learning English in English- speaking countries. Although it is beneficial to learn the language in a country where it is natively spoken, there are other ways to acquire it. I partially agree with the statement because technology helps one learn online at the comfort of one's own home itself.
 
Thesis Sentence

It is crucial in IELTS Task 2 to write a strong thesis sentence.
Thesis sentence sets the tone for the essay and informs the reader about your main argument.
Remember the following:

* Understand the Question prompt clearly. Identify the key points.
* Consider different angles and perspectives related to the topic.
* Make a claim. Your thesis sentence should be clear and arguable claim.  It's the central point you will explore in your essay.
for instance, if the prompt asks about advantages and disadvantages, your thesis should reflect it.
* Use strong language language: Be assertive in your thesis. Avoid vague language.
* Keep it concise.



[Common mistakes:

1. There is no comma after 'although'
2. 'Although' does not take any other 'contrary conjunctions', such as 'but', 'yet'...
3. 'a growing number of ....' is plural; therefore, 'are' 
4. 'English': 'E' capital - being a proper noun 
5. 'English- speaking' is a hyphenated word
6. 'help': Don't use '-ing'/ 'to' with 'help'
7. 'one' should take 'one's' and not 'his'/'her'
( E.g., One is responsible for his mistakes - X -Wrong.
           One is responsible for one's mistakes. Correct)
8. 'one's own home';  and not,  'house']
9. 'online' does not take preposition
( e.g., 'through online....', 'by online...' are wrong).
10. Do not conclude the Introduction (bluntly) by stating, "I agree with/disagree with,,,," or " I agree with the latter opinion" " the reasons will be cited in the following paras" etc. You lose mark for TA/TR. State why you agree/disagree.]


Body  Paragraph 1 
[Nowadays, more and more foreign students are going to English speaking countries to learn the international language - English. It is undoubtedly true that studying English in an English-speaking country is the best way]

Task requirements:

1. Why more and more foreign students are going to English-speaking countries to learn the international language?

and  why it is undoubtedly true that studying English in an English-speaking country is the best way?

Advantages of studying English in English-speaking countries:

Studying English in an English-speaking country offers unique advantages.

i) Being surrounded by native speakers provides an excellent opportunity to practise the language the language in real-time situations, enhancing language skills. (argument 1)

ii) Immersion in the local culture and customs enriches the learning experience. (Reason 1)

iii) Constant exposure to English facilitates faster language acquisition. (Reason 2)

Example:

Consider a student enrolled in an English language program at a university in London. He would be surrounded by native speakers with whom he has to communicate in English for everyday conversations, both inside and beyond the classroom.

Conclusion of BP1. Obviously, those students can escalate their English skills much faster in such a scenario.


Body Paragraph 2

"...but it is not the only way to learn it." 

Task requirements:

Are there any other ways to  learn English well?

Ans: To embark on, there are multiple ways to enhance your English skills beyond studying in an English-speaking country.

i) Joining online forums, language exchange platforms, or social media groups where you can interact with native speakers and other learners, is one way.

ii) Language apps, such as Duolingo, Babbel or Memrise offer interactive lessons, vocabulary practice, and quizzes. Many of them contain videos, news and more, with interactive subtitles and language exercise.

iii) Reading extensively and listening actively are yet another way. English podcasts, audiobooks, and radio shows give wide exposure to different accents and speaking styles.

iv) Watching TED talks is an excellent way to improve your level of English. They cover a wide range of topics and are available with subtitles.

Thus, with consistency and positive attitude, it is easy to explore different methods, adapt them to your learning style.

[Common Errors:

i) Do not use (discourage using)  weak linkers, such as "Firstly", " On the one hand", "To begin with". Although they are grammatically stable, as per CEFR standardization , they belong to a maximum of 5.0-6.0 band level only. Instead, use a HF ("rarely-used" linker, like "to embark on...." or so, which is a C2 word (9 band) 

ii) Use sufficient linkers to join the different ideas (CC)

iii) Most students ignore/avoid the conclusion of BP1 & 2.


Body Para  2:

 On the flip side,  there are multiple ways to enhance your English skills beyond studying in an English-speaking country. Joining online forums, language exchange platforms, or social media groups where you can interact with native speakers and other learners, is one way. (Argument 1) 

Reading extensively and listening actively are yet another way. English podcasts, audiobooks, and radio shows give wide exposure to different accents and speaking styles. (Reason 1). Watching TED talks is an excellent way to improve your level of English. They cover a wide range of topics and are available with subtitles. (Reason 2). 

For instance, language apps, such as Duolingo, Babbel or Memrise offer interactive lessons, vocabulary practice, and quizzes. All of them contain videos, news and more, with interactive subtitles and language exercise. (Example) 

Thus, with consistency and positive attitude, it is easy to explore different methods, adapt them to your learning style. (Conclusion of BP2)

[Common Errors: Avoid using the word "many", which is only a B2 word. Use several, multiple, numerous, multifarious or even              a plethora of , instead]


Paragraph 4. Conclusion

To conclude, while immersing yourself in an English-speaking atmosphere is indeed an excellent way to learn the language, there are other equally effective methods for improving your English in this tech-savvy era. (Introduction re-phrased)

[Common Errors: Don't use, "in a nutshell". as a linker: it's informal]




Sample Essay

In the recent times, a growing number of international students are learning English in English- speaking countries. Although it is beneficial to learn the language in a country where it is natively spoken, there are other ways to acquire it. I partially agree with the statement because technology helps one learn online at the comfort of one's own home itself.

To embark on, studying English in an English-speaking country offers unique advantages. Being surrounded by native speakers provides an excellent opportunity to practise the language the language in real-time situations, enhancing language skills. Immersion in the local culture and customs enriches the learning experience. Constant exposure to English facilitates faster language acquisition. For example, Consider a student, who enrolled in an English language program at a university in London would be surrounded by native speakers with whom he has to communicate in English for everyday conversations, both inside and beyond the classroom. Obviously, those students can escalate their English skills much faster in such a scenario.

On the flip side,  there are multiple ways to enhance your English skills beyond studying in an English-speaking country. Joining online forums, language exchange platforms, or social media groups where you can interact with native speakers and other learners, is one way. Reading extensively and listening actively are yet another way. English podcasts, audiobooks, and radio shows give wide exposure to different accents and speaking styles. Watching TED talks, which cover a wide range of topics, is an excellent way to improve your level of English. For instance, language apps, such as Duolingo, Babbel or Memrise offer interactive lessons, vocabulary practice, and quizzes and all of them  come with interactive subtitles and language exercise.  Thus, with consistency and positive attitude, it is easy to explore different methods, adapt them to your learning style.

To conclude, while immersing yourself in an English-speaking atmosphere is indeed an excellent way to learn the language, there are other equally effective methods for improving your English in this tech-savvy era. 








  





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