Yun Zhang LP: Paired Choice Independent Task

Level3TOEFLSpeakingPairedChoiceIndependentTask
LessonGoal:
Studentswillbeabletoexpresstheiropinions,ideas,andexperiencesbyusingtransitional
wordsandphrases.Theinstructorwillpromotestudentstobrainstorm,share,andcompose
ideasinwholeclassdiscussions,individualandgroupwork.
Studentsshouldbeabletospeaksuccessfullyinandoutsidetheclassroom.Thestudents
shouldbeabletospeakeffectivelyinacademicsettings.
Studentswillbeabletomakeanddefendapersonalchoicebetweentwocontrastingbehaviors
orcoursesofaction.
TargetStudents:
Lowerintermediateinternationalstudents(SpeakingLevel3)atEnglishLanguageAcademy.
Thisclasshas19students;5arefromChina,1fromVietnam,and13fromSaudiArabia.
LessonDuration:
75minutes
BackgroundKnowledge:
Thestudentshavelearnedpresent,past,future,andpresentperfectverbtenses.Someofthe
studentsknowpastpresenttense.
Thestudentshavebasicknowledgeinrecognizingandspeakingindifferentverbtensesin
sentences.
Thestudentshavelearnedbasictransitionalwordsandphrases(inmyopinion,inaddition,
finally,inconclusion)toorganizetheirspeaking.
Objectives:
1. Studentswillbeabletochooseasidefromthepromptthattheinstructorprovided,and
expresstheiropinionsandideas.
2. Studentswillbeabletounderstandtheirotherclassmatesopinions.
3. Studentswillbeabletoparaphrasetheirclassmatesopinions.
4. Studentswillbeabletocomposearesponsewiththreemainideastoanswerthe
promptquestion.
5. Studentswillbeabletousetransitionalwordsandphrasestoorganizetheirideas.
Materials/Equipment:
(1) PowerPointPresentation:Reviewtransitionalwordsandphrase;providedirectionsfor
activities
(2)Worksheets:WK1:Guidingsentencestructures;Transitionalwordsandphrases;WK2:
SampleResponse;WK3:Checklistsforbothpeerreviewandselfevaluation

Yun Zhang LP: Paired Choice Independent Task

(3)Handout:Blanksandguidingsentencestructure
(4)OtherMaterials:WhiteBoard,Markers,Timer
Procedures
1. Warmupactivity(3min)
ShareTheFeelingofGrades
(Thestudentsjustreceivedtheirgradesformidtermtwodaysago)
TheaimoftheWarmupistobringupthemainpromptfortheclassthatrelatestograding
system,andactivatestudentslearningmoodandstarttoconcentrateonEnglishlisteningand
speakingpracticeaboutthetopicofgrading.
ClassroomSetting:
Studentsworkinpairs
Procedures:
1.TheinstructorwillpairupthestudentsandletthemsharetheirfeelingsaboutLetter
GradingandPass/Failgrading,andtheiropiniononhowthepreferredmethodofgradingthey
wouldlikeforthisclass.
2.TheinstructorwillexplainwhatareLetterGradingandPass/FailGrading.
3.Thestudentswillsharetheirthoughtsinclass.
2. Brainstorm(1015min)
Prompt:Insomeuniversityclasses,studentsaregradedaccordingtoaPass/Failsystem.In
otherwords,theonlypossiblegradesthatyoumayreceiveareP(Pass)orF(Fail).Inmost
classes,howeverstudentsaregradedaccordingtoamoretraditionalsysteminwhichmay
lettergradescanbegiven(A+,A,A,B+,etc.).Explainwhichofthesetwosystemsyou
preferandwhy.Includedetailsandexamplesinyourexplanation.
Theaimofthisactivityistomakeanddefendapersonalchoicebetweentwocontrasting
behaviorsorcoursesofaction.
ClassroomSetting:
Wholeclassdiscussion&Followingbytwocampswithopposingviewpoints(L:Letter
GradingandP:P/Fgrading)
Procedures:
1.TheinstructorwillshowthepromptonthePPT.
2.Thestudentswillchoosewhichsidetheyprefertobegraded.
3.Thestudentswillbeseparatedintotwolargecamps.
4.ThestudentswillsharetheadvantagesforLetterGradingorP/Fgradingsystem.

Yun Zhang LP: Paired Choice Independent Task

5.Theinstructorwillwritethestudentsideasonthewhiteboard.
3. ShortLectureandModeling(15min)
Introducetherulesforfishbowlactivity;Reviewtransitionalwordsandphrases;
providesentencestructuresthatthestudentswilluseinthefollowingactivities
Theaimoftheshortlectureistoclarifyhowtodothefishbowlactivityandscaffoldhowto
constructlogicalandhigherorderresponsesinthestudentsspeaking.
ClassroomSetting:
Studentsworkinpairs
Procedures:
1.TheinstructorwillexplaintherulesabouttheFishbowlactivity.
Direction:
Ineachcamp(LandP),eachthreestudentswillformasmallgroup.Ineachsmallgroup,
StudentAwillchooseoneideafromyourcampcategoryonthewhiteboardandmakeashort
speech.OthertwostudentswilllistentoAsspeechandmakesimplenotes.
StudentBwillparaphraseAstudentsspeechfirst,thenchooseadifferentideafromhis/her
campcategoryonthewhiteboard,andmakeashortspeech.Othertwostudentswilllistento
Bsspeechandmakesimplenotes.
StudentCwillparaphraseAstudentsspeechfirst,Bstudentsspeechsecond,thenchoosea
differentideafromhis/hercampcategoryonthewhiteboard,andmakeashortspeech.
StudentAwillwrapupallthreeideasinthesmallgroup.
Whenallthethreestudentsinthesmallgroupfinishtheirwork,eachofthemneedtoconduct
theirownstructuredresponsesandpracticeansweringthepromptbyusingthethreeideasthat
theycomeupwithinFishbowlactivity.
2.TheinstructorwillmodeltheFishbowlactivity.
3.Theinstructorwillprovideandgooverthesentencestructuresandtransitionalwordsthat
thestudentscanuse.(WK1)
4. FishbowlActivity(1520min)
TheaimoftheFishbowlactivityistopracticebothstudentslisteningandspeakingskills.
Whenthestudentslistentotheotherclassmatesspeech,first,theyneedtounderstandthe
meaningandthenparaphrasethesentencebutkeepinthesamemeaning.Whenthestudents
conducttheirownspeech,theyneedtouselogicalstructuretoorganizetheiranswers.
ClassroomSetting:
Studentsworkinsmallergroupswithinthecamps
Procedures:
1.Theinstructorwillcheckwiththestudentstoseeiftheyunderstandhowtodotheactivity.
2.Theinstructorwillcallupstudentstorepeatwhattheyneedtodofortheactivity.
3.TheinstructorwillpostthesentencestructureandtransitionalwordsonthePPTslide.
4.Theinstructorwillstarttheactivity.

Yun Zhang LP: Paired Choice Independent Task

5. IntroductionfortheTimerActivity(510min)
TheaimoftheexplanationistobringuptherequirementofTOEFLSpeakingTasks.The
promptthattheinstructorprovidesisaTOEFLspeakingtask.Intherealtest,thestudentswill
have15secondstopreparetheiranswersanduse45secondstofinishtheirspeech.
ClassroomSetting:
Studentsworkinsmallergroupswithinthecamps
Procedures:
1.TheinstructorwillshowthestudentstheinstructionsandrubricabouthowETSassess
studentsspeakingskills.
2.Theinstructorwillgetstudentsintopairs.OnestudentisfromLcamp;theotherisfromP
camp.
3.TheinstructorwillmodeltheTimeractivitywithErika(mentorteacher),andintroduce
anotherstructurethatthestudentsmayuseinansweringtheprompt.Thatalsohitthemeaning
ofTimeractivity.
6. TimerActivity(15min)
TheaimoftheTimeractivityisprovidingachancethatthestudentscantrytoexperiencethe
TOEFLspeakingtaskattheirfirstattempt.Italsohelpsstudentstolistentheircounterparts
opinionsandpracticetheirreversethinkingability.
ClassroomSetting:
Studentsworkinpairs
Procedures:
1.Theinstructorwillgivethestudents3minutestoreorganizetheirideasthattheyneedto
sharewiththeirpeersandbrieflywritedowntheirideasonapaperthattheyneedtohandin
aftertheclass.
2.Theinstructorwillhandouttheworksheetofsentencestructuresandtransitionalwords.
3.Theinstructorwillhandouttheevaluationform.
4.Oneofthestudentsneedstosharetheanswersfirst;theotherwilldothepeerassessment
andviceversa.Thestudentswillhave2minutestosharetheirresponses.
5.Atthesecondtime,allthestudentsneedtorecordthemselvesin1minuteand30secondsby
usingtheirphones.
6.Afterrecording,allthestudentsneedtodoaselfevaluation.
7.Theinstructorwilltimethestudents.
7. Closure:
Theinstructorwillletthestudentssharetheirfeelingsabouttheclass,thequestionstheyhave,
andtheobstaclesandchallengestheyhave.Theinstructorwillcollectthestudentsevaluation.

Yun Zhang LP: Paired Choice Independent Task

Work Sheet I
Sentence Structure

Take a position + give a reason+ provide an example

Take a Position:
1. In my opinion, the letter-graded system/ pass and fail system is better.
2. Personally, I like the letter-graded system/ pass and fail system.
3. In my point of view, I prefer the letter-graded system/ pass and fail system.
4. I believe that the letter-graded system is better/ worse than the pass and fail
system
5. One could argue that, the letter-graded system is better/ worse than the pass
and fail system
6. As far as I concern, I would like to choose letter-graded system/ pass and fail
system
Give a Reason:
1. The reason why I choose it is because
2. because
3. since
Provide an Example:
1. For example,
2. For instance,
3. According to my own experience,

Transitional Words and Phrases

To show sequence:

Yun Zhang LP: Paired Choice Independent Task

1. First, second, third, then, finally

2. First of all, in addition, furthermore, moreover
To conclude or summarize:
1. In conclusion,
2. Therefore,
3. Thus,

Work Sheet 2
Sample Response
Personally, I prefer the letter-graded system. The reason why I prefer this system is
because first, it is clear for students to see their levels. For example, according to
my own experience, the letter-graded system has a detailed rubric. These clear
criterions help students understand which part they do well, and which part they
need to keep working on.
In addition, when I know which part I did not do well, I will set up a goal that
motivates me keep learning. Thus, letter-graded system stimulates my learning
interest.
Furthermore, grades are a way to compare students academic performance. Lettergraded system provides a clear ranking that helps future employers to evaluate
their job applicants. For example, if all applicants have a pass grade, it will be hard
for employers to make decisions about who did well in their academic life and who
has stronger learning abilities.
In conclusion, I feel letter-graded system is better than pass and fail graded system.

Yun Zhang LP: Paired Choice Independent Task

Work Sheet 3
Peer Review
Your name:

Peer name:
Good

Overall Delivery
1.

Pronunciation

2.

Fluency

Overall Language Use

1.

Grammar

2.

Vocabulary

3.

Sentence Structure

Overall Topic Development

1.

Transitions

2.

3 Ideas

3.

3 Examples

What grammatical errors you find in your peers response:

Subject-verb Agreement:
Plural Form:
Other:

Fair

Weak

Yun Zhang LP: Paired Choice Independent Task

Self Evaluation
Your name:
Good
Overall Delivery
1.

Pronunciation

2.

Fluency

Overall Language Use

1.

Grammar

2.

Vocabulary

3.

Sentence Structure

Overall Topic Development

1.

Transitions

2.

3 Ideas

3.

3 Examples

What grammatical errors you find in your response:

Subject-verb Agreement:
Plural Form:
Other:

Fair

Weak