WRITING LESSON PLAN

Class Profile:
Age Adults
Number of students 10-12
Level Elementary
The setting CELT Athens
Constraints Borrowed class, outside city/traffic noise

Also, because of the great variety of teachers who teach this free class, homework is rarely given them or if given, done,
because most of the students work as builders or in other manual jobs and have little time for homework. Their progress is
more obvious in their oral work but they are weak writers.

Length of lesson 50-60mins

This class is made up of a mixture of nationalities from different countries: The Congo, Iran, Afghanistan, and
Greece. They are a beginners group, with some students clearly stronger than others. Some have had some exposure to
English in the past in school in their corresponding countries. However, in contrast some of the students have had either
little or no formal education.

Most of the students are refugees and are learning English to better their lives whilst living in Greece. Their refugee
status’ and cultural backgrounds affects their learning style, their actions and also their attitudes in class. Overall, they
are a motivated group who enjoy English lessons for the knowledge and also the social aspect of the lessons.

Victor is a strong-willed man from Congo in his early 30’s. He can only attend lessons every second week. Although his
attendance is sparse he still manages to keep up with the rest of the class. He has had more practice with writing than
speaking and claims it is his stronger skill.

Fifie is the wife of Victor and is a mother of two. She works as a babysitter and teaches French privately. She speaks
relatively well for the level of the class but sometimes does not listen properly to instructions and gets defensive if the
teacher does not understand what she is trying to say.

Ali is from Afghanistan. He is a kind natured man and enjoys English lessons. He is perhaps the strongest student in the
group and loves interactive activities and games.

Mahdi is also a young man from Afghanistan and he is a regular student who has shown some progress., He is at a similar
level as Didar and Akbar another two young man from Afghanistan

Ashmatullah is not a regular attender for lessons, hence quite weak. However, when there he appears to enjoy them a lot.
He is at a similar level with Saed and Hassan who are also keen to participate although quite weak students.

Nikos is is a young Greek man who joined the class more recently – his oral skills are not very strong but his comprehension
is satisfactory – he seems to enjoy the lessons and participates but often needs the teacher’s help.

There are many other students who often do not turn up and then they do, such as Shakiba and Shokofen – two young
women from Afghanistan - as well as other less regular students like Rasul, and Maritina.

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Lesson Aims/ Objectives for students:
Primary Aim(s):
1. To write a postcard to own families, to focus
on the appropriate “content” of expression in
writing, in the TL.
2. To find “purpose” and “audience” in writing.
Sub-Skills of Writing:
Cohesion:
To develop ideas of the same intent, one after the
other and categorize them in the correct order in
the same paragraph.
Coherence:
To develop ideas of different category, to categorize
them appropriately in their paragraphs and to link
them in order to present them complete and uniform
in the piece of writing.
Writing:
To produce multiple drafts and edit them in groups
before producing the final one for final responding
Secondary Aim(s):
Speaking:
To speak fluently in the TL from the beginning of the
lesson with whatever linguistic means they own at
their disposal.
Reading:
To activate top- down and bottom-up reading skills,
to practice skimming and scanning in a model
postcard divided into strips of paper, as an
introduction to purpose, audience, cohesion and
coherence.
. their ideas, as well.
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Evidence:
1. By writing a postcard in groups to their families
back in their country of origin, using group work
and different stages of experimental writing and
comments before the actual writing stage.
2. During group work and reordering of a model
postcard into pieces, will they realize to “how” and
to “whom” they are to write the postcard.
Cohesion:
Brainstorming will assist them to jot down ideas
respective to a paragraph topic and then, by means of
group / whole class work, these ideas will be categorized
accordingly.
Coherence:
At the pre-writing stage, they will categorize all the ideas
into two paragraphs, in their teams, they will link them
thematically, and then, they will switch papers to mark
each other`s work.
Writing:
By producing different drafts of postcards in their teams
and self/ peer evaluating them amongst them, before
producing the complete postcard to send to England.
Speaking:
Learners will communicate in the TL amongst them from
the beginning of the lesson, to exchange life experiences
by talking about their island with a variety of photos
stuck up on around the walls of the classroom.
Reading:
The model postcard cut up into strips of paper will guide
learners to reorder it; hence, they will realize to “whom”
and “why” they are writing and how to develop and link
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Source Aids/Handouts:
1. Different website photos of Paros and Antiparos stuck up on the walls of the classroom, to make students
communicate freely (see H/O1).
2. A photo of Joe (see H/O2) to establish audience in writing.
3. A model postcard cut up into strips of paper for Ss to reorder and use it as a basis and context to
develop their own drafts in the process (see H/O3) adapted from “English for Adults 1” by Longden Fiona
and O’ Brien Cathleen (Grivas Publications August 2003 ) Unit 17 pg.73 –Writing a Postcard.
4. A wh-task sheet (who, to whom, why, what, when, where) to facilitate Ss` exploitation of the model
postcard during pre-writing stage (see H/O4).
5. Layouts of postcards to write multiple drafts, before producing the final one (see H/O5).
6. The w/b and some blue tack for sticking up photos and the strips of paper.
7. Re alia / postcards of Alyki –Paros, one per group of students to produce their final draft (see H/O6).
8. Pens/pencils for writing the drafts.

Linguistic assumptions:
This particular class covered days, months and seasons last year, therefore, they will be able to describe time in
their postcards, effectively. Moreover, the fact that they learnt how to write addresses at their previous
course book, “English in Mind”, will enable them to write the recipient`s addresses on their postcards.
Furthermore, they covered Past Simple forms , both regular and irregular, last March, hence, I believe they
will be able to express their past life experiences on the postcard, with a little help, from the T, if possible, for
a few irregular Past Simple forms. In addition, they have been taught “going to” for indefinite plans in the
future; therefore, it will be a great opportunity for them to practice the tense using future plans on their
postcard, during their holidays.
Finally, the topic of describing holidays on their island as tourists will enthuse and intrigue them to fall
back on describing their life experiences on the island to “families abroad”; a fruitful way to introduce them to
writing postcards.

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Anticipated Language Difficulties:
1. Young adult students will probably not be
familiar with writing postcards as tourists to
their “families abroad”.
2. Learners will definitely have nothing to
contribute about the topic of holidays,
because they never go on summer holidays,
since they get part-time summer jobs.
3. Ss might be stuck with ideas about “what” to
write on each paragraph of the postcard.
4. Ss might be unaware of “audience”
“greetings” and “closings” on the postcard.
Solutions/Remedies:
1. The gradual writing process of writing multiple
drafts in their teams before producing their final
one , in order to familiarize themselves with the
appropriate genre.
2. The chosen topic of holidays on their island will
incite them to open up freely and express their
life experiences about spending holidays on
Paros, which will help them with writing,
afterwards.
3. Reordering of cut up strips of the model
postcard and brainstorming will assist them
greatly to think of and write “holiday” ideas in
their teams.
4. The photo of “Joe” as well as the “Dear Amy,”
and “Love, Joe” “greetings” and “closings” of
the postcard will establish “audience” and
“discourse” on the model postcard.

Timetable Fit:
The class was taught Past Simple forms both regular and irregular, in their affirmative, interrogative and
negative forms some time ago; hence, they will be able to express themselves in writing using the Past,
whenever they have to refer to past life experiences about holidays, with slight guidance, from T, whenever
possible, about irregular Past Simple forms.

Moreover, they have covered ‘going to’ about indefinite plans for the future, therefore, they will be able to
describe such plans in the near future, such as to describe what they’re going to do on some days during
next week. This tense has not been recently revised though – the simple Past has.

Finally, the last unit we covered “at the travel Agent`s” on gathering ideas about holidays, will definitely
enable them to brainstorm ideas relevant to the topic of “Holidays” and use them as a basis for keeping
notes for each paragraph of the postcard and use them in drafts, afterwards.

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Board Plan(s):
Photos of Paros scattered around class walls Unknown Words:

Go sightseeing?
Paroikia Naoussa
Explore (by car)?

Pounda Beach Antiparos Cave?

Strips or paper stuck up on the w/b in the

correct order with “Joe”:
Dear Amy
Greeting

I`m having a great time here in Alyki on

Where she is/ is she O.K.?
Paros.

I arrived on Sunday and yesterday I

When did she arrive?
explored the island by car.
What did she do?

Tomorrow, I am going to ride a bike and go

for a long ride in the countryside.
What is she going to do
tomorrow?
It`s really beautiful
What is it like?

In the afternoon, I am going to cycle to

Santa Maria, a wonderful beach, so I can
What is she going to do in the
try surfing.
afternoon?

On Wednesday, I am going to go sightseeing

to Antiparos and take a lot of photos.
What is she going to do on
Wednesday?
You can see them when I get home.

I am also going to spend a lot of time on

Pounda beach.

Where is she going to be?

I really need some rest.

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See you soon,
Why?

Love,
Closing
Joe

Amy Millis

Ash Lane address

Banbury

England

Commentary:

Most of the students in this particular class come from non-European linguistic backgrounds and
writing has always been a difficult task for them from the beginning of their learning. Right to left
movement in Farsi has been difficult to overcome and this much guided writing lesson aims to help them
develop their writing as well as a more positive attitude to writing.

The main aim of this lesson plan is to enable learners to express communicatively in writing in the
TL. A real life goal will be achieved and this is the one of writing a postcard to friends in England or other
English speaking country, describing their life experiences, i.e. holidays, which according to Sharwood-
Smith (1972), constitutes writing about real life experiences is communication.

In fact, the presentation of photos of Paros, scattered around the walls of the classroom, will hopefully
stimulate emotions and promote language transfer between previously acquired language and the target
one (Odlin 1989) and they also have their say in the production of a piece of writing. (Myles, 2002).

It is also an excellent opportunity, by using the Process Writing approach (White & Arndt 1991) to talk
and write about holidays on the island, since they are not accustomed to going on holidays during summer
seasons, because some of them are not familiar with this type of writing, which is however achievable for
their level.

A variety of activities have been designed to attract the learners` attention and to guide them to
produce drafts of postcards, before producing the final one for responding- to practice writing for content,

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purpose and audience (Raimes cited in Ghaith 2002) in their teams.

The model postcard cut up into strips of paper will guide them to the content of a postcard (genre); it
will activate top-down and bottom-up reading skills of the postcard, its addresses, greetings and closings,
a process which will enable learners to “learn to write” (Tribble 1996, p.118) at the later stages of the
Process Writing Approach.

The wh-task will be used as a springboard for learners to contribute ideas for the brainstorming
session of gathering data to use for producing drafts, later. More specifically, after collection of data, in
two teams, they will be invited to select ideas /establish viewpoints and create a first draft in their teams.

Next, there will be a rough evaluation amongst teams, since they will swap papers and be invited to
comment on each other`s drafts. Based on the comments, they arrange information and structure the text
produce the first drafts, to deliver them to the next group for peer evaluation and responding (White and
Arndt 1991).

After feedback, a second draft will be produced in their teams, with prompting and guidance, this time, to
focus on developing cohesion and coherence between paragraphs- discoursal based approach towards
learner-centres syllabuses (N. Holmes 2000-2004)- before delivering it in for self-evaluation / proof-
reading.

Finally, they will finish editing their final draft on the re alia/postcard and deliver it for final responding to
their classmates, who, in turn read it out to class. It is a process, in which we feel that credit is given for
every aspect of their effort which goes into the writing process. Our goal is to present writing as lively,
stimulating process, which Lu Chi cited in White & Arndt 1991 puts the “matching of matter and manner”,
such that it becomes “the ferry” between the writer and the reader.

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DELTA Lesson Plan
Stage Teacher Activity
Ice- T sticks up different
Breaker: photos of Paros on the
walls of class, before they
enter the class.
Then, when, they enter
the class, she tells them:
“Stand up and look around
you all the photos of Paros
on the walls.
“Look at them and then,
say to others which of
these places you like to go
on holidays and why”
“You have 1’ to do this”
Pre-Writing After feedback, T shows
(a): photo of “Joe” and
informs Ss that he visited
Paros last August for 5
days and he wrote a
postcard to his best friend,
Amy, back in England.
“Unfortunately, this
postcard is in pieces and
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Name: Paraskevi Date: 15/08/08
Andreopoulou
PROCEDURE
Learner Activity Aims Materials Interaction Time
Ss enter the class To warm up the class and H/O1 Plenary Mode 2`
to establish a game-like
atmosphere
Ss stand up and look around To explore around the
them all the photos of Paros on class, to be introduced to
the walls the topic of holidays,
gradually
Ss look at them and then, they
say to their classmates which To exchange views, to
of these places they like to go state preferences /dislikes
on holidays and why and to give reasons for
their choices
Ss observe the task To establish context and to H/O2+3 Plenary Mode 3-4`
use learners` schematic
knowledge of the world to
combine it with the
lesson`s topic
Ss get into two groups- Groups To promote group work,
A+B get their pieces of paper to reorder pieces of paper,
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 you must put it back into
the correct order to find
out what he wrote to her.”
“Do it altogether”.
Pre- After feedback, T advises
Writing (b): learners to look at it
complete and this time, to
find out who writes to
whom and why.
T tells them to talk about
it, in pairs.
Pre- After feedback, T holds
Teaching the attention of Ss to the
Vocabulary: unknown words in
context;
T elicits their meaning in
context, using mime
/gestures; after
presentation,
choral/individual
repetition of it ensues
Pre-Writing After feedback, T assigns
(c): two paragraphs for each
group to work on, of the
model postcard, and hands
out a wh-comprehension
task to complete for their
paragraphs.
Feedback: After feedback, she tells
them to come to the w/b
and put the strips of paper
one under the other.
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of the postcard and try to re-
order them
Ss look at the model postcard
complete and try to find out
who wrote to whom and why
and comment on it in pairs
Ss look at the unknown words,
in context ,and try to guess
their meaning
Ss observe the unknown words
and repeat them chorally/
individually
Ss are assigned to work on two
paragraphs in their teams and
get the wh-comprehension task
to complete for their
paragraphs
Ss get the pieces of paper,
come to the w/b and put them
one under the other
to work out context in
groups and to activate
bottom-up reading skills
To work out in context H/03 Pair Work 1-2`
purpose and audience, in
teams and to activate top-
down reading skills
Topre-teach unknown H/O3 Plenary Mode 1-2`
vocabulary, to work out its
meaning in context, using
mime /gestures and to
practice stress, intonation
and rhythm
To practice reading skills, H/O3+4 Group Work 2-3`
such as scanning and
reading for detail
To reorder the strips of H/O3 Plenary Mode 2-3`
paper on the w/b, to
present it as a whole, and
to use it as a springboard
for the brainstorming
session
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Brainstormi After class feedback, T
ng: tells Ss to think of
themselves as a tourist
who visited Paros last
August for five days.
“What are the things you
did and what are you
going to do the next few
days?”
“Think of those things and
write them down on a
piece of paper, in your
teams.”
During the activity, T goes
around , monitors and
provides help, wherever
necessary
While- After feedback, T informs
Writing them that they will have to
(Rough write their ideas down, in
draft): any order they like, on the
model postcard, - one
group member will write
the draft and the others
will give help and
guidance.
During the activity, T goes
around, monitors and
provides assistance.
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Ss think of themselves as a
tourist who visited Paros last
August for five days
They are going to take down
the things they did and what
they are going to do the next
few days
Ss are going to take them
down on a piece of paper
Ss write their ideas down in
any order they like on the
model postcard, rather fast-
one group member writes the
draft and the others give help
and guidance
To activate their H/O5 and Group Work 4-5`
schematic knowledge of pens/pencils
the world, to combine
their schemata to
culturally targeted topics
And to ask them to
brainstorm ideas in their
teams useful for
producing drafts
To write fast a rough draft, H/O5 Group Work 5`
to select ideas and to
establish a viewpoint
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Peer- After writing, T advises Ss
Evaluation: to change papers with the
other team and give
comments on each other`s
work.
While- After peer feedback, T
Writing advises Ss to re-write the
(First postcard, using the
draft): address, “Dear…”,
“Love….”as well as to
select which ideas will go
to which paragraph, in
their teams;
Ss exchange papers with the
other team and give comments
on each other`s work
Ss attempt to re-write clearly
the postcard, using “Dear….”
“Love…..”, as well as
selecting which ideas will go
to each paragraph, in their
teams;
To promote collaboration H/O5 Group Work 2-3`
amongst group members,
to peer- evaluate, to offer
support and guidance with
written speech
To arrange information, H/O6 Group Work 5`
to structure the text
(White and Arndt 1991),
to use “purpose” and
“audience”

T tells them that one of One group member writes the To work collaboratively to H/O6 , w/b & Plenary Mode
them will write the draft draft and the others help out achieve an aim H/O3 & Group Work
and the others will help
out; at the same time she
points at the model
postcard on the w/b and
explains

Peer After writing, T tells Ss to
Evaluation: swap papers and give
them to the other group to
make comments-
Ss swap papers and give them
to the other group to re-read
them and to make comments
To promote co-operation H/O6 Group Work 2-3`
to achieve a goal, to peer-
evaluate, to respond to the
first draft and to give
feedback on the content
(Raimes cited in Gaith
2002)

While- After feedback, T advises Ss rewrite their drafts To improve the skill of H/O6 Group Work 2-3`
Writing Ss to rewrite their drafts, writing (Charles 1990)
Second much better, now, they`ve
draft): got the feedback from
other groups;

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Editing: After writing, T tells Ss to Ss read out what they`ve To edit, to proof-read H/O6 Plenary Mode 2`
read out what they`ve written content
written;
Post- After feedback, T hands Ss get the postcards and copy To take more Re alia / Group Work 3-4`
Writing out real postcards and tells out on the postcard, what there responsibility for what postcards
(finished Ss to copy out on the is on their papers they write, to present their
draft): postcard, what there is on pieces of writing complete
their papers

Post- T tells Ss to read out their Ss read out their postcards to To get their meaning Re alia / Plenary Mode 2-3`
Writing postcards in class class across to the Postcards
(final readership(Charles 1990)
responding) and to get final responding
: (White & Arndt 1991)
Follow- T thanks for their time Ss thank for time, too None None None None
Up:
APPROX
55 mins

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 APPENDICES (H/O1)

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 (H/O2)

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 (H/O3) (It will be cut up into strips of paper)
Dear Amy,
I`m having a great time here in Naoussa on Paros. I
arrived on Sunday and yesterday I explored the island by car.

Tomorrow, I`m going to rent a bike and go for a long bike

ride around the island. It`s really beautiful. In the afternoon,
I`m going to go to Pounda Beach, so I can try wind surfing.

On Wednesday, I`m going to go sightseeing to Antiparos in

the cave and take a lot of photos. You can see them when I get
home. I`m also going to spend a lot of time on the beach in Amy Millis
Logaras. I really need some rest. Ash Lane
Banbury
ENGLAND
See you soon,

Love,
Joe

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 (H/O4)

Who?

To whom?

Why?

What?

When?

Where?

(H/O5)

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(H/O6) (Realia / postcard)

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