CA6 Bright Ideas

Reading 3 14/05/19 - 27/05/19 Tool/Classroom space

Reading Comprehension exercise​ (20% of CA6 mark) Reading 3

TASK 6.1 14/05/19 - 21/05/19​* Tool/Classroom space

Pre-task 6.1 1. ​Bright Ideas Part 1​ self-correcting exercises 1. Materials

2. Do a quiz about innovations 2. Notice board and Forum

TASK 6.1 1. Prepare for video presentation

(40% of CA6 2. ​Which innovation am I? ​Video 2. Langblog
mark) 3. Guess the innovations 3. Langblog

Post-task 6.1 Watch other videos and comment Langblog and Forum

TASK 6.2 22/05/19 - 27/05/19​* Tool/Classroom space

Pre-task 6.2 1. ​Bright Ideas Part 2 ​self-correcting exercises 1. Materials

2. Prepare to write your essay

TASK 6.2 1. ​For and against! ​Essay 1. Forum

(40% of CA6 2. Q & A 2. Forum
mark)

Post-task 6.2 Reflect on essay writing over the course Forum

*Work can be sent in earlier if you wish.

CA6 Objectives

● prepare and give a presentation

● write a discursive essay
● comment on your classmates’ contributions

CA6 Assessment

CA6 is worth 20% of your Final CA mark. See ​Appendix 1​ for the assessment criteria.

In order to pass Continuous Assessment, you must participate in the tasks in ​all six​ CAs.
CA6 Bright Ideas

Important: ​All work you submit for this course must be original. Do not copy-paste from
the web or other sources - your contribution must be written ​in your own words​. Any
material taken from another source must be credited. For more information, see:
http://cv.uoc.edu/adf/~s_eao_0005_u01/plagiarism_IM.htm

 Reading 3 14/05/19 - 27/05/19

This Reading Comprehension exercise is worth ​20% of the mark for CA6​ and will close at
23:59 on ​27/05/2019​. You can do the exercises as many times as you wish but only your
last attempt ​will count. To do this activity, click on ​Reading 3​ in your classroom.

 Pre-task 6.1

1. Bright Ideas Part 1 self-correcting exercises

Start this CA by ​doing the exercises ​in ​Bright Ideas Part 1 ​in ​Materials ​in the classroom.
They’ll help you widen your vocabulary, revise grammar areas and you’ll read and listen to
ideas about the topic in the assessed task.

Don’t forget to share different vocabulary items, expressions and grammar

points that you have learnt in the ​I’ve learnt something today! ​folder in the
Forum.

2. Do a quiz about innovations

Look at the quiz which your teacher will post on the Notice board. Do you know the names
of these innovations? Do you know any information about them? Post your answers ​in your
own words ​to the ​Forum ​> ​CA6 Quiz​ folder. Don’t worry if you don’t know the names of the
innovations because your teacher will post the answers to the quiz in a few days.
CA6 Bright Ideas

 TASK 6.1 Which innovation am I?

1. Prepare for video presentation:​ You see the following advert on a blog:

We are making a new television quiz programme called ​Which innovation am I?​ and we
need volunteers to give presentations on the show describing an innovation for our
contestants to guess.

Make your video of about ​one minute ​describing an innovation and we’ll choose the best
ones to use on the show!

You have decided to make a video so first you’ll need to do some research. ​Research ​some
basic facts about the innovation you choose. For example:

Where and when was it invented?

Who was involved?
What type of invention is it (gadget, appliance, material, etc.)?
Which problem does it solve? What is it used for?
What other inventions are associated with it?

You can also mention how you first heard about this invention and why you like / dislike it.

Which innovation am I?

2​. Post your main video​: give a presentation of about ​one minute ​describing an innovation
but ​DO NOT say​ the name of the innovation. Record your presentation following this basic
outline:

Introduction​: give some basic facts about the innovation

Middle​: describe the innovation and its function(s)

Conclusion​: say why you chose this innovation and what impact it has had on society

3.​ Reply to​ ​at least two​ of your classmates’ videos with your guesses of the innovation being
described. These can be audio or video replies.

Post a follow-up video​ as a reply to your first video to tell us what your chosen innovation
actually is so we can see if we guessed correctly!

Post your video in ​Langblog > CA6 Which innovation am I?

CA6 Bright Ideas

Try to incorporate vocabulary and grammar that you have studied in the self-correcting
exercises in ​Bright ideas > Part 1​ Vocabulary, Communication Strategies and Pronunciation​.
Remember you must ​use your own words​ and not read directly from the Internet or a book as
that is plagiarism. Speak naturally (i.e. don’t read from a written text). You can make and use
notes to remind you of the main points and develop them as you go.

NB:​ It is your responsibility to check the quality of the recording and repeat the activity if
necessary.

 Post-task 6.1

Watch as many other videos as you can for the ​Which innovation am I? ​task and decide which
ones the producers​ ​should choose to be on the show and why. Share your thoughts in the ​I’ve
learnt something today! ​folder in the Forum.

 Pre-task 6.2

For ​TASK 6.2​, you’ll write an ​essay​ about a topic related to the field of technology. To prepare,
do the following pre-task activities.

1. What’s in a name? Part 2 self-correcting exercises

Start by ​doing the exercises​ in ​Bright Ideas Part 2 ​in ​Materials ​in the classroom. They’ll help
you widen your vocabulary, revise grammar areas and you’ll read and listen to ideas about the
topic in the assessed task.

Don’t forget to share different vocabulary items, expressions and grammar points
that you have learnt in the ​I’ve learnt something today! ​folder in the Forum.

2. Prepare to write your essay

There are different types of essays and for this CA activity, you are going to write a ​discursive
essay​, sometimes referred to as a “for and against” or an “argument” essay. As with all essays,
the structure is very important: there should be a clear ​introduction​, the ​main body​ and a
conclusion​.

In a discursive essay, the ​introduction​ should clearly indicate ​what​ you are going to write
about, ​why ​you are writing about it and ​how​ the topic will be presented. The ​main body
should include two opposing points of view. One way to organise the main body is to present
CA6 Bright Ideas
arguments in favour in one paragraph and arguments against in a separate paragraph. Finally,
the ​conclusion​ should sum up the main points in your essay.

Look at the following ​links​ for more information about essay writing:

● http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/english/discursive_writing/revision
● http://www.wikihow.com/Write-an-Essay-Introduction
● http://www.wikihow.com/End-an-Essay

One key feature of a good essay is effective linking of ideas. From the self-correcting exercises,
you have come across a variety of common linking words and expressions, see ​Appendix 2​ for
more.

The ​language​ you use in a discursive essay must be​ formal. ​For instance, you should avoid
using contractions (e.g. I’m/ It’s etc.) and use full forms instead; you should also avoid using
colloquial words/expressions or slang (e.g. kids) and use more formal words/expressions.
Further information is in the self-correcting exercises in ​Bright Ideas > Part 2 Communication
Strategies for Writing​.

Planning your essay will help you make sure the structure of your essay is clear and logical.
Look at ​Appendix 3​ ​for an ​essay plan example ​and notice how the ideas are structured.

 TASK 6.2 For and against! Essay

1. For and against! Essay

Choose ​one ​of the following statements and ​write a discursive essay​ of ​150-200 words​:

● Recent technological advances have had a negative impact on how we relate to

others.

● Innovations nowadays are overrated and just get consumers to buy newer models
with insignificant changes.

● All resources currently used for technological innovation should be focused on

environmental problems instead.

● Anyone can innovate if they are in the right place at the right time.

● The use of technological gadgets is not compatible with a healthy lifestyle.

Use the ​essay plan ​template in ​Appendix 4​ to plan your writing - you need to send your plan
with your essay.
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2. Q & A

Read ​at least two​ of your classmates’ essays and ​think of a question to ask about what
you’ve read.

You can ask questions about the ​content ​of their review or ask them to ​clarify ​something
you didn’t understand. You can also tell them whether you agree with the opinions in their
essay.

Don’t forget to read your classmates’ questions and reply to them.

Remember you must include ​two different points of view​ in your essay
and these do not have to be your own views. If you use any sources in your
writing, they must be cited correctly, both in the essay, and listed at the
end. When you have finished writing the first draft of your essay, check it
for errors, but also check that the paragraphing is clear.

After revising your essay, send it in the body of a new message to the ​Forum > CA6 essays
folder; ​attach your plan ​(as a word document) to your contribution.

You must also upload TASK 6.2 (plan + essay) in a Word document to the Continuous
Assessment Register (RAC/REC).

 Post-task 6.2

Look back at your CA2 essay about learning online, compare it with the essay you have sent
for ​TASK 6.2​ and then post a message to the ​I’ve learnt something today! ​folder answering
the following questions:

● Do you feel more confident about answering essay questions now?

● Do you think planning an essay helps produce a better essay?
● Do you feel you can incorporate linking expressions more effectively?
● Do you think you are able to organise your writing more coherently?
CA6 Bright Ideas

 Appendix 1 Assessment criteria CA6

40% of the mark for CA6 will be based on your contributions to TASK 6.1 in Langblog using
these criteria:

● Completion of ​TASK 6.1 ​(Have you posted two videos and replied to some of your
classmates?)
● Ability to express yourself
● Effective presentational strategies: sentence stress, pauses, fluency, etc.
● Natural intonation
● Use of grammar, vocabulary and expressions from the unit

For more details, see the ​Oral_assessment_criteria_Langblog​ document in the classroom

40% of the mark for CA6 will be based on your writing for TASK 6.2 in the Forum using
these criteria:

● Completion of ​TASK 6.2​ (Have you discussed the statement in your own words
including at least two contrasting points of view and taken part in the Q & A?)
● Use of grammar, vocabulary and expressions from the unit
● Organisation of the text into sentences and paragraphs
● Use of formal language and linkers

For more details, see the ​Writing_assessment_criteria​ document in the classroom

20% of the mark for CA6 will be based on your result for Reading 3

 Appendix 2 Linking words

To show contrast To add To show cause To give an To show the next To conclude
information and effect example step

on the one hand furthermore therefore for example Firstly / to begin with in conclusion

on the other hand above all as a result such as Secondly to sum up

however In addition because of this / for instance Then / next / after to conclude
that

whereas moreover consequently In other words ultimately all in all

CA6 Bright Ideas

 Appendix 3 Essay Plan example

Topic area Telecommunications

Essay question Miracast connectivity without cables is the future.

Introduction A description of Miracast-HDMI over wifi.

Paragraph 2 Positive effects​ of Miracast (for). It can be used without cables and can
connect many items to a Smart TV. Increased functionality using Android
smartphones.

Paragraph 3 Negative effects ​of Miracast (against). It does not always work as
promised. Limited to wifi direct devices. Not compatible with Chromecast
or Apple.

Conclusion Summary and personal opinion.

 Appendix 4 Your essay plan

Topic area

Essay question

Introduction

Paragraph 2

Paragraph 3

Conclusion