Some practical experience in helping students in grade 10 at le loi upper secondary school to improve their parapraph writing skills

CONTENTS Page A INTRODUCTION I Reasons for choosing the research II Aims of the research III Scope, objective and method of the research B CONTENT I Theoretical background Definitions of writing Writing a paragraph II Practical background 1.The writing objectives and required writing tasks listed for students in the new curriculum textbook 10 The teacher’s and students’ attitudes towards the teaching and learning of writing paragraphs 10 III The solutions Applying some effective techniques to help students get the ideas 11 in teaching writing skills to the 10 grade students Providing students with useful exercises to help them to practice writing paragraphs IV The discussion 24 Results after applying the research in teaching 24 The colleagues' comment C- CONCLUSION 24 I Conclusion 25 II Suggestions 26 D REFERENCE BOOKS 27 25 A INTRODUCTION I THE REASONS FOR CHOOSING THE RESEARCH English is the most commonly spoken language in the world It is a subject that features regularly on study timetables all around the world Every country does not want to be isolated in international communication, so it puts English in curriculum of their education at program In Vietnam, English is a compulsory subject at schools and it has recently been chosen as a compulsory subject in the national examination for the General Certificate of Secondary Education or GCSE for short In learning English, there are four skills to be mastered, they are listening, speaking, reading and writing Listening and reading are receptive skills On the other hand, speaking and writing are productive skills It is true that writing is a very important skill in teaching and learning English especially paragraph writing Paragraphs are so important in writing; good paragraphing helps the reader understand and enjoy your writing Good ideas are not enough to write a good essay; they need to be organized so that they make sense However, writing a good paragraph is not a small challenge for most students in general and for the students at Le Loi high school in particular In fact, they have difficulty in collecting and rearranging ideas, writing the topic and concluding sentences, using the transitional words, using various structures and vocabulary and so on Moreover, writing skills take time and regular practice In the school setting, writing of 10th grade plays an important role because it prepares needed things for students such as: grammar points, content, vocabulary and especially helps them write well at higher level when they are obligated to sit for important examinations Otherwise, for the last several years, the final and university entrance exam have put high press on writing skill As a result, most students have been widely aware of the necessity for learning and practicing writing skills Understanding these problems, I decided to choose " Some practical experience in helping students in grade 10th at Le Loi upper-secondary school to improve their paragraph writing skills " as the topic of my experience initiatives with the hope that I can help my students to be more confident in writing and practically, they will succeed in their final examinations II THE OBJECTIVES OF THE PAPER The study is aimed to serve some main objectives as listed following - To give teachers an experience in teaching how to write a paragraph by using some effective techniques which are appropriate and effective in teaching writing skill to the grade 10th students - To give students in grade 10th input to improve their ability and competence in writing skill - To equip students with the system of writing exercises so that they will have chance to practice paragraph writing skills As a result, they will have high motivation to write and they will also know how to write a paragraph effectively III THE SCOPE OF THE PAPER Based on the background and identification of the theme, the paper is limited on teaching writing skill to the students in grade 10th by using some effective techniques The research was conducted at my workplace- at Le Loi high school, Tho Xuan district, Thanh Hoa province The subject consists of 83 students who come from class 10A8 and 10A9 school year 2020-2021 All of them are at the age of sixteenth to seventeenth years old They have to take every skill in each period; learning time is periods per week using new curriculum textbooks IV THE METHODS OF THE PAPER The writer did some steps to this research, they are as follows; - surveying the literature relating to the problem; - defining the problem; - constructing an experimental plan by writing the research design; - design the research instrument; - doing the instrument try-out; - giving the test to the students; - practicing teaching - collecting the data through the posttest; - analyzing the data; - drawing conclusions; - proposing suggestions; - writing the report as subject - Exchanging experience with colleagues B CONTENT I THEORETICAL BACKGROUND Definitions of writing There are a lot of definitions of writing According to Byrne (1991), writing can be defined as the act of forming graphic symbols When we write, we use graphic symbol (alphabet, grammar, and structures) to make visual meaningful utterances Therefore, on one level, writing can be said to be the act of making marks on flat surface of some kinds However, writing is not just simply putting words, sentences together Many researchers tended to focus on the nature of writing as an entity of linguistic creation For example, Brannon, Knight and Neverow-Turk (1982, p 2) pointed out “ writing is a creative art, not as assembly line operation of locking words together into sentence and bolting sentences together into paragraphs in accordance with a predefined plan.” In short, the definitions of writing are various However, writing is characterized with some basic features, i.e being linguistics, creative, progressive and interactive Besides, the word “writing” itself may imply an act, a process, or a skill, which needs practice and study to develop It requires both physical and mental powers from the writers Writing a paragraph 2.1 What is a paragraph ? A paragraph is a group of sentences that fleshes out a single idea In order for a paragraph to be effective, it must begin with a topic sentence, have sentences that support the main idea of that paragraph, and maintain a consistent flow It often ends with a concluding sentence.  2.2 Why is it important to write a good paragraph? Nothing in the writing process is more fundamental than writing a good paragraph A solidly written paragraph takes its readers on a clear path, without detours Master the paragraph, and you’ll be on your way to writing “gold-star” essays, term papers, and stories 2.3 Parts of a Paragraph 2.2.1 Topic Sentence What is the topic sentence? The topic sentence is often the first sentence in a paragraph A topic sentence is an introductory line that addresses what the main idea or thesis of the paragraph is going to be It should contain the most important and relevant point you wish to make regarding your topic, thus summarizing the paragraph as a whole Example: There are various reasons why many people think that friendship plays an important role in their life The most important reason can be that everyone needs at least a friend to share everything regardless of sadness or happiness For me, I like chatting with my friends about what happened every day and discussing personal problems Furthermore, our friends will be ready to help us out of our troubles They will give us some good advice and support when we are in difficulty Finally, thanks to friendship, we will have fun and enjoy a meaningful life In conclusion, in my opinion, without friends, life would be dull and boring 2.2.2 Supporting Details What are supporting sentences? They come after the topic sentence, making up the body of a paragraph What they do? They give details to develop and support the main idea of the paragraph How I write them? You should give supporting facts, details, and examples Example: There are various reasons why many people think that friendship plays an important role in their life The most important reason can be that everyone needs at least a friend to share everything regardless of sadness or happiness For me, I like chatting with my friends about what happened every day and discussing personal problems Furthermore, our friends will be ready to help us out of our troubles They will give us some good advice and support when we are in difficulty Finally, thanks to friendship, we will have fun and enjoy a meaningful life In conclusion, in my opinion, without friends, life would be dull and boring 2.2.3 Concluding Sentence What is the concluding sentence? The concluding sentence is the last sentence in a paragraph What does it do? It restates the main idea of your paragraph How I write one? Restate the main idea of the paragraph using different words Example: There are various reasons why many people think that friendship plays an important role in their life The most important reason can be that everyone needs at least a friend to share everything regardless of sadness or happiness For me, I like chatting with my friends about what happened every day and discussing personal problems Furthermore, our friends will be ready to help us out of our troubles They will give us some good advice and support when we are in difficulty Finally, thanks to friendship, we will have fun and enjoy a meaningful life In conclusion, in my opinion, without friends, life would be dull and boring 2.3 Kinds of Paragraphs 2.3.1 Definition Paragraph When writing a definition paragraph, you take a thing or an idea and explain what it is Example: Write a paragraph giving the definition of a pest The following words can help you to write a good definition paragraph: -"is defined as" ,"is a kind of" Example: A pest is defined as any animal or plant that damages crops, forests, or property 2.3.2 Classification Paragraph When writing a classification paragraph, you group things or ideas into specific categories Example: Write a paragraph discussing two types of energy resources The following words can help you to write a good classification paragraph:  is a kind of/can be divided into/is a type of falls under/belongs to/is a part of/fits into/is grouped with/is related to/is associated with Example: Coal is a kind of non-renewable resource 2.3.3 Description Paragraph In a description paragraph, you are writing about what a person, place, or thing is like Sometimes, you may describe where a place is located Example: Most of Canada's manufacturing is located in Ontario and Quebec 2.3.4 Compare and Contrast Paragraph In a compare and contrast paragraph, you write about the similarities and differences between two or more people, places, things, or ideas Example: However, winter is much colder in Halifax 2.3.5 Sequence Paragraph In a sequencing paragraph, you are writing to describe a series of events or a process in some sort of order Usually, this order is based on time Example: First, you need to become a leader of a political party Second, you need to win a seat in the House of Commons Third, your party must have a majority of seats 2.3.6 Choice Paragraph In a paragraph where you have to make a choice, you need to choose which object, idea, or action that you prefer Often, you will need to give your opinion on a choice of actions or events Example: In my opinion, hockey is more fun than lacrosse 2.3.7 Explanation Paragraph In an explanation paragraph, you need to explain how or why something happens Very often in social studies class, you will be asked to explore causes and effects of certain events Example: Write a paragraph explaining why so many Europeans moved to Canada during the nineteenth century The following words can help you to write a good explanation paragraph: Example: Living conditions in Europe were terrible Thus, many people moved to Canada for a better life 2.3.8 Evaluation Paragraph In an evaluation paragraph, you make judgments about people, ideas, and possible actions You need to make your evaluation based on certain criteria that you develop In the paragraph, you will state your evaluation or recommendation and then support it by referring to your criteria Example: I suggest that pesticides should not be used to control pests 2.4 How to Write a Paragraph 2.4.1 Prewriting Paragraphs What is the prewriting stage? The prewriting stage is when you think carefully and organize your ideas for your paragraph before you begin writing Six Prewriting Steps: Step Think carefully about what you are going to write Ask yourself:  What question am I going to answer in this paragraph ?  How can I best answer this question? What is the most important part of my answer?  How can I make an introductory sentence (or thesis statement) from the most important part of my answer?  What facts or ideas can I use to support my introductory sentence?  How can I make this paragraph interesting?  Do I need more facts on this topic?  Where can I find more facts on this topic? Step Open your notebook Write out your answers to the above questions You not need to spend a lot of time doing this; just write enough to help you remember why and how you are going to write your paragraph or essay Step Collect facts related to your paragraph or essay topic Look for and write down facts that will help you to answer your question Timesaving hint: make sure the facts you are writing are related to the exact question you are going to answer in your paragraph or essay Step Write down your own ideas Ask yourself:  What else I want to say about this topic?  Why should people be interested in this topic?  Why is this topic important? Step Find the main idea of your paragraph or essay Choose the most important point you are going to present If you cannot decide which point is the most important, just choose one point and stick to it throughout your paragraph or essay Step Organize your facts and ideas in a way that develops your main idea Once you have chosen the most important point of your paragraph or essay, you must find the best way to tell your reader about it Look at the facts you have written Look at your own ideas on the topic Decide which facts and ideas will best support the main idea of your paragraph Once you have chosen the facts and ideas you plan to use, ask yourself which order to put them in the paragraph Write down your own note set that you can use to guide yourself as you write your paragraph or essay 2.4.2 Writing Paragraphs What is the writing stage? The writing stage is when you turn your ideas into sentences Five Writing Steps: Step 1: Open your notebook and word processor Step 2: Write the topic sentence, supporting sentences, and closing sentence Step 3: Write clear and simple sentences to express your meaning Step 4: Focus on the main idea of your paragraph Step 5: Use the dictionary to help you find additional words to express your ideas 2.4.3 Editing Paragraphs What is the editing stage? The editing stage is when you check your paragraph for mistakes and correct them Grammar and Spelling  Check your spelling  Check your grammar  Read your essay again  Make sure each sentence has a subject  See if your subjects and verbs agree with each other  Check the verb tenses of each sentence  Make sure that each sentence makes sense Style and Organization  Make sure your paragraph has a topic sentence  Make sure your supporting sentences focus on the main idea  Make sure you have a closing sentence  Check that all your sentences focus on the main idea  See if your paragraph is interesting 2.4.4 Publishing Paragraphs What is the publishing stage? The publishing stage is when you produce a final copy of your paragraph to hand in Three Publishing Steps: Step 1: Make a paper copy of your paragraph Step 2: Show your work to your teacher, tutor, or parents Step 3: Ask them for hints on how to improve your writing II PRACTICAL BACKGROUND The writing objectives and required writing tasks listed for students in new curriculum English textbook 10, Education Publishing House The aim of the course is to equip students with English writing skill for basic communication For grade 10 students, the objective is to develop students’ abilities to provide 120 - 130 word paragraphs on familiar topics In order to realize the course objectives , the writing section focuses on daily and popular topics The required competences and objectives of the writing lesson in each unit are detailed in the following table: Units Family life Your body and you Music For a better community Inventions Gender equality Cultural diversity Required tasks Writing about doing household chores Writing about what to eat and not to eat Writing a biography Writing an application letter for volunteer work Writing about the benefits of an inventions Writing about the disadvantages of working mothers Writing about some typical characteristics of the Vietnamese people New ways to learn Writing about the advantages of electronic device as learning tools Preserving the Writing environmental problems and give some environment practical advice on how to preserve the environment 10 Ecotourism Writing a travel brochure promoting an eco tour The teacher’s and students’ attitudes towards the teaching and learning of writing paragraphs It is a matter of fact that writing is not highly appreciated by the students and even the teachers not take the importance of writing seriously This is because of the main purpose of teaching and learning English at Le Loi high school The results of the final exam and university entrance exam are considered the most importance of teaching and learning English at school so both the teachers and students there focus mostly on grammar and reading skill rather than on other skills such as speaking, listening and writing This certainly affects the students’ writing competence and prevents the improvement of their writing ability Consequently, most of the teachers and the students think the students’ writing competence is bad 2.1 Students’ difficulties in learning writing paragraphs It is clear that the students in my school have to face many difficulties These difficulties are from two causes: (1) from the students themselves, and (2) from the teachers’ lectures In terms of the first cause, the majority of the students have trouble with writing because of their low level of English proficiency Their vocabulary and sentence structures are poor Grammar mistakes and spelling are also a common fear for many of them Besides, their low background knowledge also makes them feel stressed when writing Many of the students said they found it hard to generate ideas and make an outline because of their low background knowledge Their low motivation is also a problem These students consider the result of the exams as the most importance of their learning Therefore, they care much about grammar, structures and reading skill In terms of the second cause, the students not highly asses their teachers’ assistance They find their teachers’ feedbacks are not comprehensive and their teachers’ instructions are not adequate 2.2 Teachers’ difficulties in teaching writing for grade 10 students Not only the students but also the teachers cope with numerous problems when teaching writing The first difficulty my colleague and I are coping with is the low English level of the students Our students often lack vocabulary and have difficulties in word choice The students’ low motivation and low background knowledge are also other problems encountered by the teachers The second difficulty is the problem of large and multilevel classes In multilevel classes, we face difficulties in shortening a big gap between our students In the same class, some students who are good at English are active while many others are de- motivated In addition, English classes at Le Loi high school are very large There are at least 42 students in a class Hence, it is difficult for the teachers to give each of the students individual attention and make sure who is on task and who is off task For the next difficulty, teaching equipment and reference materials are important in the teaching process; however, the teaching condition in my school is not good Teaching aids such as pictures, sub- board are not equipped Teachers often use only textbook, chalk and board in their lessons To make our 10 In conclusion, whether you choose to use all these methods with your students or only one or two, prewriting gives your students the tools and foundation for successful writing Prewriting alleviates students’ anxiety freeing their minds to focus on words after generating ideas instead of completing both steps simultaneously Prewriting will give your students confidence and direction as they write not to mention improve the quality of their ideas and organization in their writing Providing students with useful exercises to help them practice writing paragraphs more actively and effectively 2.1 Types of exercises encouraging students to practice writing the topic sentence Every paragraph should include a topic sentence that identifies the main idea of the paragraph A topic sentence also states the point the writer wishes to make about that subject Generally, the topic sentence appears at the beginning of the paragraph It is often the paragraph’s very first sentence A paragraph’s topic sentence must be general enough to express the paragraph’s overall subject But it should be specific enough that the reader can understand the paragraph’s main subject and point When choosing a topic sentence, remember these guidelines:  The topic sentence should identify the main idea and point of the paragraph To choose an appropriate topic sentence, read the paragraph and think about its main idea and point  The supporting details in the paragraph (the sentences other than the topic sentence) will develop or explain the topic sentence Read all the supporting details in the paragraph and think about the ideas they discuss  The topic sentence should not be too general or too specific When considering the options, look for a topic sentence that is general enough to show the paragraph’s main idea instead of just one of its details The answer should be specific enough that the reader understands the main idea of the paragraph Type 1: Find the topic sentence of the given paragraphs Example : The option to start work straight after school is attractive for several reasons Many young people want to start earning money as soon as possible In this way, they can become independent, and they will be able to afford their own house or start a family In terms of their career, young people who decide to find work, rather than continue their studies, may progress more quickly They will have the chance to gain real experience and learn practical skills related to their chosen profession This may lead to promotions and a successful career Type 2: Insert the given sentence into the correct position A, B, C or D 14 Example 1: Two of the biggest threats to the environment are air pollution and waste (A)Gas emissions from factories and exhaust fumes from vehicles lead to global warming, which may have a devastating effect on the planet in the future.(B) As the human population increases, we are also producing ever greater quantities of waste, which contaminates the earth and pollutes rivers and oceans (C)Governments could certainly make more effort to reduce air pollution They could introduce laws to limit emissions from factories or to force companies to use renewable energy from solar, wind or water power They could also impose ‘green taxes’ on drivers and airline companies In this way, people would be encouraged to use public transport and to take fewer flights abroad, therefore reducing emissions (D) Useful tips: The topic sentence is often the first or the second one Type 3: Complete a paragraph by writing the topic sentence [1] In our modern time, the computer appears in every part of our daily life [2] [3] First of all, at work, the computer helps us, in just a few hours or even seconds, type documents and calculations, which may take a normal brain a life time to finish Besides, with computers people can businesses like stock transactions or design buildings, operate high-tech plants and run machines efficiently [4] Then, in education, with a computer connected to the Internet we can search almost any sort of information we need for our study or learn languages more effectively [5] [Also, teachers or lecturers can make their lessons or lectures more lively and interesting with programs such as Powerpoint or other types of slide-show] [6] Lastly, for entertainment, after working hard we can get relaxed by playing some computer games or listening to our favorite type of music with the computer When we want to see a movie, staying at home, we can search for it on the Internet just in the matter of minutes, without having to go to the theater or anywhere to buy video tapes or CDs [7] It goes without saying that the computer plays a key role in every part of our daily life, from businesses to education or entertainment [8] Without it, everything in life would slow down and life would no doubt be much duller Key suggestion: It plays an essential role at work, in education as well as in entertainment Type 4: Write the topic sentence using the given main points Example 1: Write a paragraph (about 140 words) about the benefits of playing sports The following prompts might be helpful to you: - keeping fit and healthy 15 - releasing stress - meeting people Useful structures: - It is undeniable /true/clear that playing sports brings us important benefits including keeping fit and healthy, releasing stress and meeting different people - Playing sports, in most people's opinions, has three main benefits - It cannot be denied that people benefit a lot by playing sports - It is apparent that sports play a very important role in our daily life for the following reasons 2.2 Types of exercises encouraging students to practice giving supporting information & evidence To support the topic sentence, writers should: explain the first supporting detail, then give an example of this detail (see example transitions below), next writers should unpack this example in a sentence or two, and then repeat this three-step process about two more times Writers should remember to transition between new supporting details within the paragraph (See transitions above) Good Transitions for Giving Examples: For instance, Specifically, In particular, Namely, Another, Other, In addition, To illustrate Type 1: Matching Teacher asks students to read a paragraph about benefits of earbuds and match the details with the benefits ( page 54 task2 – writing skill – New curriculum English 10 textbook) Type 2: Insert the given sentence into the correct position A, B, C or D Example: Read the incomplete paragraph below and complete it by writing the relevant concluding sentence Topic: Advantages of television For example, we can know and understand different cultures and customs around the world just by staying at home to watch TV programs There are several reasons why television is an essential part of our lives (A)First, television helps us see more of the world and learn useful things because TV programs can provide us with general knowledge about many fields (B) Also, television can entertain us with interesting and exciting programs such as comedy shows or movies This is one of the best ways to help us relax and have fun after work.(C) Furthermore, TV can make things memorable because it presents information in an effective way.(D) In short, television has many benefits because it is not only a source of information but also a means of entertainment 16 Key suggestion: B Type 3: Write supporting information & evidence sentences based on the main ideas Teacher asks students to choose one invention to write a similar paragraph about it benefits based on the given main ideas ( page 54 task2 – writing skill – New curriculum English 10 textbook) 2.3 Types of exercises encouraging students to practice writing the concluding sentence Some writers may want to include a summary sentence concluding each paragraph Conclusions for each paragraph are not generally needed, however, because such sentences can have a tendency to sound stilted, therefore writers are cautioned about using them If a conclusion statement is deemed necessary, writers might consider setting up for the next body paragraph by means of a transition statement But again, writers will have to make a discretionary decision on whether or not such sentences are required If writing a conclusion statement, writers may also want to flag that they're concluding the paragraph by offering a concluding transition Transitions for Concluding Statements: Therefore, Thus, Consequently, As a result, Transitions to set-up the next paragraph: Another , … is not the only Type 1: Complete a paragraph by choosing the correct concluding sentence Example Topic : Write a paragraph about your close friends Complete the following paragraph by choosing the correct concluding sentence A, B, or C: Of all my friends, Hanh and Mai are my best friends We are at the same class at the primary school and secondary school We are also neighbors, so we spend most of our time studying and talking together Hanh is a beautiful girl with black eyes and an oval face She is an intelligent student who is always at the top of the class She likes reading and going to the library whenever she has free time Mai isn’t as beautiful as Hanh but she has a lovely smile and a good appearance Mai is very sporty She spends most of her free time playing sports Mai is a volleyball star of our school She is also very sociable and has a good sense of humor Her jokes always make us laugh A In conclusion, in my opinion, without friends, life would be dull and boring B In short, a good friend must be faithful, sympathetic and unselfish C I love both of my friends and I always hope our friendship will last forever Key: C Type 2: Complete a paragraph by writing the relevant concluding sentence 17 Example Topic: Write about your hobby Read the incomplete paragraph below and complete it by writing the relevant concluding sentence I like traveling very much because of several reasons First of all, traveling can make me feel relaxed and happy Enjoying the stunning landscape and spectacular views is one of the best ways to help me get away from stress in my daily life Second, traveling to far places is a good chance for me to broaden my horizons When I travel a lot, I can experience many things such as cultures or customs which make a considerable contribution to my knowledge Finally, we are more likely to make friends with many people in other places, so we will not feel lonely and strange when traveling anywhere Key suggestion: In conclusion, traveling plays an essential role in my life In summary, travelling is my passion because of the three aforementioned/undeniable reasons Useful structures : In summary/To sum up/ To conclude/To recapitulate/To draw a conclusion/ In conclusion/ In short/ In brief/ In a nutshell/ Lastly/ Finally/In conclusion/ In short/ In brief, I must restate that It is undeniable that Type : Write the concluding sentence using the given topic one Example: Topic : Write a paragraph (about 140 words) about your favorite means of transport Write the concluding sentence using the given topic one below: "Of all means of transport, I myself regularly choose the train by dints of its comfort and safety." Key suggestion: In short, the train is my favorite vehicle because it is comfortable and safe Useful tips: It is a common way to write the concluding sentence by rewriting the topic sentence in different way as long as it stays the same meaning Students can use the following methods: - using different part of speech of the key words - using synonyms - changing sentence from active form into passive form - using their knowledge of rewriting sentence in different way as long as it stay the same meaning 18 2.3 Types of exercises encouraging students to use the linking words flexibly Type 1: Complete the paragraph using the given words Example: Complete the paragraph using the given words Furthermore First Also In short For example There are several reasons why television is an essential part of our lives (1) , television helps us see more of the world and learn useful things because TV programs can provide us with general knowledge about many fields.(2) , we can know and understand different cultures and customs around the world just by staying at home to watch TV programs.(3) , television can entertain us with interesting and exciting programs such as comedy shows or movies This is one of the best ways to help us relax and have fun after work (4) , TV can make things memorable because it presents information in an effective way.(5) , television has many benefits because it is not only a source of information but also a means of entertainment Key: First For example Also Furthermore 5.In short Type 2: Complete the paragraph using the relevant words Example : Complete the paragraph using one relevant word for each blanket There are several reasons why television is an essential part of our lives (1) ., television helps us see more of the world and learn useful things (2) TV programs can provide us with general knowledge about many fields For (3) , we can know and understand different cultures and customs around the world just by staying at home to watch TV programs (4) ., television can entertain us with interesting and exciting programs (5) as comedy shows or movies This is one of the best ways to help us relax (6) have fun after work (7) ., TV can make things memorable because it presents information in an effective way In (8) ., television has many benefits because it is not only a source of information but also a means of entertainment Key: First/firstly such because/as/since and example/ instance Moreover/ Furthermore Also/ Additionally conclusion/short/brief Useful tips: Useful expressions Sequencing/ First of all, First(ly), Initially, To begin with; Second(ly); Listing Third(ly); Next; Then; After that (this); Following this (that); Finally; The first reason is…/ The second is…; Last but not least… 19 Adding to what you have said Contrasting Expressing similarity Showing results Giving examples Restating Inferring Summarizing Lesson planning PERIOD 44: Also, Furthermore, In addition, Additionally, Moreover, Besides, As well as, Similarly, not only…but also…, even beside this/ that In contrast to this, On the contrary, In contrast, Conversely, On the other hand, While, Whereas, However, Despite/ In spite of, Although, Even though, Otherwise, Nonetheless Similarly; Likewise, In the same way As a result, As a consequence, Consequently, Hence, Thus, Therefore, So For example, For instance, In particular, Particularly, That is to say, Namely, Such as In other words, That is to say, To put it simply In other words, In that case, or else, Otherwise In summary, To sum up, To conclude, To recapitulate, In conclusion, In short, In brief, In a nutshell, Lastly, Finally UNIT 5: INVENTIONS WRITING Class 10A8, 10A9 I Objectives: Knowledge: By the end of the lesson, students are able to: - Use words and phrases related to the topic Inventions - Write about benefits of inventions based on the main idea and specific information Skills: Writing: write a paragraph about benefits of inventions Educational aims: - Develop the writing skills in general Build up vocabulary supported for writing - To provide Ss some motivation II Methods: Integrated, mainly communicative III Teaching aids: - Teacher: tape, board, chalk, textbook, overhead projector - Students: textbook, workbook, pen, pencil… IV Procedures: Class organization: Old lesson checking: (Omitted) New lesson: TEACHER’S ACTIVITIES STUDENTS’ACTIVITIES 20 A WARM UP: Brainstorming (3 minutes) audio devices - Show pictures of some audio devices and ask students to name the devices - Students say out the name of the audio devices and add some more * Expected answers: Speakers, headphones, earbubs, wireless earbubs B NEW LESSON PRE – WRITING Activity I PRE – WRITING * Expected answers: Activity 1: Discussion (5 minutes) + The speaker can produce sounds loud - Have Ss work in pairs and enough for everybody in a large room to discuss whether or not they have hear any of the audio devices illustrated + Headphones and earbuds not disturb by the pictures other people when you listen to music; - Encourage Ss to extend their earbuds are more convenient than discussion to benefits of each kind headphones because they are smaller in of device size Example: S1: Which audio devices you have/ want to have? S2: I wish to have a pair of earbuds S1: Why? S2: As earbuds not disturb other people when you listen to music; earbuds are more convenient than headphones because Activity 2: Matching (5 minutes) they are smaller in size - Explain to students that one way … to support one idea in a paragraph Activity is to give further explanation or an - Listen to the T’s explanation example - Read a paragraph about the benefits of - Ask Ss to read a paragraph about ear buds and match the details with the benefits of earbuds and match the benefits 21 details with the benefits - Elicit the answers from the students - Give feedback Activity 3: Analyzing model (5 minutes) - Put students in groups of - Have students read the paragraph about ear buds again and complete the outline of this paragraph - Help students to analyze the structure of the paragraph step by step by answering these questions: - Which sentence states the main idea? - Which sentence directly supports that main idea? - Has the writer used the listing words? - Which of the followings did the writer to support the topic: describe, divide into parts, explain, give reasons, etc? - How did the writer end the passage? What did the writer in the end - ask a question, summarize, introduce new point ? - After each group has finished their discussion, let the groups exchange their outline for peer checking - Elicit the answers from the students - Give feedback Inform the class of the lesson objectives: writing a paragraph with details or examples as supporting ideas II WHILE WRITING (12 minutes) - Firstly, work individually to complete the task, then compare their answer with a partner for peer check - Check and correct the answers C A B Activity - Work in groups of A, Topic: the benefits of ear buds B, Thesis sentence (Topic sentence): What are its benefits? C, - Supporting idea and further explanation: Small, light, portable  put in a bag or pocket - Supporting idea and further explanation: Not costly  about 100,000 VND - Supporting idea and further explanation: Use anywhere  We not disturb anybody WHILE WRITING Activity 22 Activity - Put students into groups of three or four -Ask them to choose one invention and discuss what they will write about - Encourage students to make the outline, complete sentences about the benefits of the inventions they have chosen - Call on some students to suggest their group’s thesis sentence and the benefits of the inventions aloud - Work in groups of or - Choose one invention and discuss what they will write about - Some students suggest their group’s thesis sentence and the benefits of the inventions aloud - After finishing group discussion, work independently and write their own paragraph using the outline: III POST WRITING (10 minutes) - Choose one or two paragraphs and ask the whole class to give comments and correction POST WRITING a Topic: The benefits of … b Thesis sentence (Topic sentence): … c Supporting idea and further explanation: …… Supporting idea and further explanation: …… - Have Ss work independently and Supporting idea and further explanation: write their own paragraphs… …… - Walk around and offer help if d Concluding sentence: if necessary necessary e Linking words: - Get students' answers and comments - Get some outputs to highlight and comment and correct the possible mistakes of students -When finish, exchange it with partner for peer comments/ correction - pay comments on their friends’ work - take note some common mistakes - Listen to the T’s correction - give out sample writing for -complete their writing after correcting weaker students C Consolidation: (2 minutes) - Ask Ss to consolidate the main contents - Give feedback - Summarize the main points of the lesson D Homework: (3 minutes) - Vocabulary related to Inventions - Choose another invention to practise writing a paragraph about disadvantages of an invention at home E Self-Evaluation: ……………………………………………………………… 23 IV THE DISCUSSION I Results after applying the research in teaching In the school year 2020 -2021, I boldly applied these initiatives in teaching the students of class 10A8 and 10A9 at my school and achieved very positive results as follows: - Most of the student now can complete a task of writing a paragraph - Writing paragraphs is no longer "scaring" but more enjoyable, active and creative Students can analyze the topic, get ideas They, now, have no difficulty in writing the topic sentence and the conclusion one as well Their ability of developing the topic is improved considerately Also, linking words not concern them - Happily, many students are more interested in writing lessons, which motivates me much in my teaching career This also the reasons leading to the relatively positive results of the school year 2020-2021 in the classes that I am teaching Hopefully, my own small experience will help colleagues enrich their experience in teaching writing skills In the end of I asked students to write a paragraph of about 140 words for the topic :" The advantages of electronic device as learning tools." and their specific results are: Class 10A8 10A9 Total Total number of students 41 42 83 Good No Fair weak Poor % No % No % No % 12 29.3 18 43.9 10 23.8 20 47.6 22 26.5 38 45.8 10 11 21 24.4 26.2 25.3 1 2.4 2.4 2.4 0 0 0 % No Average - In comparison with the result from the beginning of the school year, the figure has changed as follows: Fair Average weak Poor Good Increase Increase Decrease Decrease No 20.5 % 25.3% 3.6% 32.5 % student It is obvious from the chart that applying the techniques and some types of writing exercises improve the students’ writing ability Such experience is very effective and meets the demand of the text book in teaching and learning’s objectives Students find the lessons less difficult, they are highly motivated to improve their writing skills and writing competence in terms of enriching 24 vocabularies, increasing creativity, arranging sentences and organizing ideas As a result, the students’ scores are getting higher in comparison with that before applying these techniques Therefore, I wish to recommend the teacher be creative in selecting and using an effective and appropriate technique and the kinds of writing exercises in the writing classroom so that students can be motivated and interested in learning writing II The colleagues’ comment: - On approval of most of what I had done, my colleagues suggested that I should create more exercises to encourage students to build up their source of vocabulary for each topic This is very precious suggestions that I will, in the near future, try my best to fulfill the study C CONCLUSION I Conclusion Writing, one of the productive skills, through with students can convey and express their own ideas and make them become good thinkers Besides, writing helps students learn other skills Therefore, the importance of writing is undeniable In the process of studying the reality of teaching and learning writing at Le Loi high school, the attitudes of the teachers and students towards teaching and learning writing, the difficulties facing the teachers and students were studied The results from the research reveal the present teaching and learning writing at Le Loi high school are far from satisfaction The students face five main problems at writing class: the low level of English proficiency, low background knowledge, low motivation, teachers’ assistance and time limitation The research also shows the teachers face many problems such as the low level of English proficiency, low motivation, low background knowledge of the students, time limitation, their inexperience of teaching the new curriculum textbook, large and multilevel classes as well as lack of necessary facilities So as to improve the situation, every effort has been made to present some useful writing experience which hopefully can be employed to help the students at Le Loi high school improve their writing skill II Suggestion Considering the results obtained in this study and discussions in the previous parts, there are several suggestions that the writer would like to present For the teacher: - English teachers are suggested to apply some effective techniques mentioned above in writing activities as one of techniques used in teaching writing 25 - Teachers are suggested to be more creative and innovative in using various kinds of interesting teaching techniques which accompany the materials, so that the students will be more active and encouraged to learn in the class For the Students - Students are suggested to apply some effective techniques mentioned above in the process of writing - Students are suggested to practice as many as possible types of writing exercises mentioned above in the process of writing - Only by reading more, enriching the source of vocabulary and knowledge can they control what they write - Students are suggested to write more by applying the technique so they will be more skillful in writing In conclusion, at the high school level, teaching and learning writing play an important role to help students fully develop their language knowledge and skills However, teaching and learning writing skill, especially writing paragraphs should be varied, more flexible and enjoyable Therefore, with this innovative experience I hope to make small contribution to help teachers and students in my school in particular, and at numerous schools in general overcome the difficulties in teaching and learning writing skill and making it more efficiently In my opinion, there are no methods or techniques that show absolute usefulness for the teaching unless the teacher can stimulate his/ her students and arose student’s interest in learning And what I hope to in this research is to teach better and finding the success in educating Due to the short time as well as limited knowledge of the author on this matter, the subject can not avoid limitations which need adding and commenting I would like to listen to the comments of all colleagues so as to make my subject more complete! COMMENTS AND ASSESSMENT Tho Xuan, May 15th, 2021 OF THE SCIENCE COUNCIL I hereby declare that this research is The vice chairman of Le Loi upper- due to the experience I myself have secondary school written, not copy from anybody I sincerely thank you The writer Lê Văn Sáu Lê Thị Minh Hảo 26 REFERENCES Byrne, D (1979) Teaching writing skills London: Longman Gu Yue Gou (1999) English Teaching Methodology Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press Harmer, J (2004) How to teach writing Malaysia: Pearson Education Limited Practical handbook of language teaching (David Cross) A course in language teaching - Practical and Theory (Penny Ur) Cambridge university press Teacher book, new curriculum text book 10 published by The Ministry of Education and Training Phương pháp dạy tiếng Anh Trung học phổ thông (Nguyễn Hạnh Dung) English language teaching Methodology of The Ministry of Education and Training How to write a paragraph - Le Thi Thu Suong 10 Tiếng Anh 10 student’s book (Hoang Van Van, Phan Ha, Hoang Hong Thai, Hoang Thi Xuan Hoa, Kieu Thi Thu Huong, Vu Lan, Dao Ngoc Loc, Chung The Quang) edited by Publishing house of Vietnam Education and The corporation of Pearson 11.Tiếng Anh 10Teacher’s book (Hoang Van Van, Phan Ha, Hoang Hong Thai, Hoang Thi Xuan Hoa, Kieu Thi Thu Huong, Vu Lan, Dao Ngoc Loc, Chung The Quang) edited by Publishing house of Vietnam Education and The corporation of Pearson 27 SAMPLE WRITING It’s no secret that smart phones are everywhere these days and it cannot be denied that smart phones have some benefits which make them more and more popular with people around the world Firstly, it is a useful tool to communicate with friends, family members, or coworkers, etc While this can get your message across, smart phones allow you multiple ways of communicating Not only can they call, text and IM, they give you access to email, video calling and video conferencing You can also remain connected through social networking sites like Twitter, and Face book Secondly, a smart phone is considered as a magic means of entertainment Most models also boast a camera, enabling you to capture and share photos and video It is also a handy CD player allowing you to listen to music wherever and whenever you like Finally, you can use your smart phone to surf web as it can access easily to the Internet In some recent latest models, we can download many useful applications from network into ours, which help we save the time a lot for some purposes such as study or selfie Furthermore, you don’t need to worry if you are lost when you are travelling, because smart phones allow you to find out the way by using a map application Overall, smart phones are really useful for people with many advantages 28 ... students in grade 10th at Le Loi upper- secondary school to improve their paragraph writing skills " as the topic of my experience initiatives with the hope that I can help my students to be more... board in their lessons To make our 10 lessons more interesting, we had to create teaching aids by ourselves The investigation of the students? ?? paragraph writing skills In the process of teaching,... exercises to practice writing paragraphs as well Applying some effective techniques to help students to get the ideas in teaching writing skills to the 11 grade students 1.1 Techniques in pre-writing