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Learning task 2

Vocabulary tasks- Monsanto text

• Vocabulary Word Matching - Student Sheet (Word 57KB)
• Vocabulary Test - Monsanto Text (Word 40KB)

Information transfer task

Read the article GM industry falling apart worldwide (The New Zealand Herald website). Complete the information transfer chart . The teacher models the process to encourage students using their own words. Students write the first one and then share with the rest of the class. If a large class then students should share with each other. Students complete the other two and then share what they have written with their neighbour.

There are many online texts on GM foods. Find two or three that suit the language needs of your students and ask them to list the arguments for or against and then share with a neighbour.

Whole class discussion of arguments for and against GM foods.

Internet research task

Give each student a copy of either the Monsanto internet task  (35 kB), Organic Gardening Internet Task (Word 28KB) , or Potato Farmer Internet Task (Word 31KB) (electronic or hard copy). Complete the tasks (see Resources for URLs) then re-group the class into groups of three so that there is one potato farmer, one organic farmer, and a sales person from Monsanto in each group. Each person reports on their own findings, followed by group discussion of the three perspectives. Whole class discussion on findings.

Say it task

The internet research task must be completed prior to this task.

1. Group students into pairs. Give one Say it scenario out to each pair:
   • Monsanto Say it scenario
     You are employed as sales people for Monsanto Seed Company and get paid a really big commission if you sell genetically modified seeds. It is your job to promote the benefits of GM seeds. What will you say?
      
   • Organic gardener Say it scenario
     You have an organic gardening business. You are against genetically modified food products. You heard that your neighbour who lives 5 km away is thinking of growing a genetically modified potato crop. You are extremely worried that cross pollination will occur and your crops will become contaminated. What arguments will you produce against GM crops?
      
   • Potato farmer Say it scenario
     You have been growing potato crops for years but last year was a bad season. You lost a lot of the crop through potato rot and did not make much money. You are very worried about this. You found information on a web site about how this problem could be controlled and want to know more. What will you say about your situation? What questions will you ask the sales people?
      
2. Allow response time for students to work out together what to say. Students give responses in pairs.
3. Depending upon results, it may be possible to repeat the activity immediately allowing students a second chance to respond.

Learning task 2: Lesson outlines

Preparatory work for US 12420: Reading skills

1. Hand out version 1 (Word 37KB) of the formative reading text for US 12420, "Driving while Asian".
2. Give text to students to read for homework and get them to answer these questions:
   • What is the text mainly about?
   • Where would they be likely to find an article like this - in a magazine, text book or brochure, etc? (in fact they will be given this information at the beginning of the assessment task)
   • What is the writer's purpose? (This can be equally as important as the main idea, and often helps pinpoint the main idea.)
3. Discuss answers to the questions above. Students compare their answers with a partner. Get students to share their answers with the whole class and write them on the board.
4. Give out findingMainIdeas (Word 48KB) . Students follow steps 1 to 4 for the version 1 "Driving while Asian" text.
5. Now give two more short texts for students to practise finding main ideas. These texts could be articles exploring the driving in New Zealand topic or other topics.[Suggestions: New Zealand Listener archive]) Students follow steps 1 to 4 and identify main ideas in selected articles.
6. Expressing the main ideas of texts:
   • Record information from the version 1 "Driving while Asian" text on the left hand side of the whiteboard.
   • Use the joint construction method to write 2 -3 sentences expressing the main idea.
   • Divide the class into small groups and get them to write their own paraphrases for the other practice texts from [2] above.
   • Feedback as whole class to compare answers.
7. Analysing the significance of the main idea:
   • Read the Performance Criteria 1.2 to the class then hand out Explaining Significance of the Main Idea in order to explain the performance criterion.
   • Students go through the matching exercise in the worksheet. [Answers: 2. politically important 3. historically important 4. physically important 5. personally important 6. culturally important].
   • Get students to analyse the significance of the main ideas of the two practice texts in the last exercise.

Identifying the language features of a text

So far, students have become familiar with the first and second performance criteria for US 12420, but they have not yet studied language features or techniques for shaping the text.

Complete the Language features resource sheet (Word 36KB) matching exercise:

1. Cut along the line on table to give three columns: the definition; the example; the effect. Copy these columns onto three different colours of cardboard. Cut the columns into each of the language features, Divide students into small groups and give each group one set of cards for each activity.
2. Students then match the definition to the correct example and effect. In this way they will learn to link language features with examples. Note that the effects listed in both language activities provide initial descriptions of effects only. A more detailed description of each effect is required to meet the standard for 12420.
3. Use the practice texts the students used for finding main ideas, and the "Driving while Asian" text to give them practice identifying some of these language features.

Identifying techniques used to shape the text

The techniques chosen should be relevant for most of the text, that is they should "shape" the text. Look at the "Driving while Asian" text. Identify anecdotes and examples of Asian driving habits throughout the article. Using anecdotes or examples is one technique the writer has used to shape the text. Discuss the effects created by using this technique.

Students can also use their jigsaw reading texts to practise finding main ideas, explaining the significance of main ideas, and finding language features and techniques for shaping the text.

Hand out Getting Around Driving while Asian (Word 806KB) of the formative reading text for US 12420, "Driving while Asian". Read and discuss the questions (Word 25KB) . Students should write answers as a formative activity.

Students compare their answers to those in Getting Around Exemplar A (Word 24KB) . Now compare answers in Getting Around exemplar B (Word 21KB) to those in Exemplar A. Look at the answers for each question in turn, first in Exemplar A then in Exemplar B. Read the annotations underneath each answer. What differences do you notice between answers in each exemplar?

Look at Exemplar A's answers to 1.2 and 1.4. Unit standard 12420 requires analysis to meet both these performance criteria. As a class, talk about the higher level of interpretation evident in the 1.2 and 1.4 answers compared to the explanation required for pc 1.1 or the description required for 1.3.

The summative assessment can be done whenever you feel students are ready. This may be after giving feedback on the formative assessment and after further practice on weak areas.

Possible essay topic link to English 2.2. 

Learning task 3

To assist with forming an argument, students participate in an activity similar to a debate called Academic Controversy. Procedures for this activity are online at the Tasmania English Learning Area. Write the topic for the Academic Controversy, "New Zealand and Australia should have a common border for trade purposes", on the whiteboard.

Extracting and organising Information

 The Information Transfer (Word 29KB) is a graphic organiser to help students organise their ideas for transactional writing.

Preparing to learn at sentence level

1. This range of tasks prepares students for learning, but is placed at the end of the unit as the tasks are designed to introduce the exemplars.
2. The Referral words (Word 44KB) task focus on pronouns.
3. The cohesion (Word 33KB) task can be completed independently or explain how to complete the worksheets and model the first answer.
4. To help students integrate quotes into text a quotes activity (Word 28KB) activity is included.

Learning task 2

Interpreting text

Formative reading text 2: I Feel Like an Animal in a Cage (Word 37KB)

Activating prior knowledge

• Introduce the text by reading a short newspaper article about a current refugee situation, preferably a positive one, on a family that has just arrived here, eg. from the The New Zealand Herald. A good photograph is all that is required.
• If there are refugee students in the class, ask if any are willing to talk to the class about their expectations of arriving in New Zealand. Ask the class if they have heard about what happens to refugees who arrive illegally in Australia.

Pre-teach vocabulary

1. Write up a grid on the whiteboard: "word / your meaning / dictionary meaning" The target words are: regime, oppressive, bribery, corruption, prohibited, reunite, humanitarian.
2. Have the students copy the grid onto a piece of refill, copy the words and fill in the second column with their own meaning.
3. Allocate a word to small groups to fill out the dictionary meaning on the whiteboard.
4. Ask students to copy these onto their own paper.

Predicting text content

1. Study the title of the story. Ask students to predict what the story will be about. Ask them why "i" is written as a lower case letter. Read the story.
2. Ask the class to follow their copy of the text as you read it aloud. Stop at times in mid sentence as you are reading, expect them to say the next word aloud. This is a good check that they are following.

Pre-teach language features

1. Repeat the exercise from above with the new text.
2. More work on language features: teachers who wish to do further work on language features might like to try this Co-operative Reading Exercise (Word 40KB) .

Preparing to write

1. For a paragraph writing practice exercise, go to ReadingText2 (Word 33KB) .

Analysing the language of immigration

1. Revisit the brainstorm that was done at the start of the unit.
2. Ask the class if they could now add more to it from what they have learnt from studying the texts so far?
3. From what they have discovered from reading and viewing, what do they notice about the language used to write about immigration and how it affects people?
4. Ask them to look for any similarities or patterns? Look for positive and negative references? What are the effects created by these references?
   NB: the language is emotive as this issue arouses strong emotions in both the immigrants, depending on their reasons for leaving their own country, and their expectations on arriving, as well as how well they are received by the people of the new country.

Formulating key questions

Ask your students to make up some questions based on the formative texts they have read in class so far. Tell them to make their questions open-ended so that they can include a wide range of sources. The questions need to allow them to include factual information but also to make judgments. Some examples are:

1. What positive and/or negative words have been used in the context of immigration? (factual)
2. What effects do these words have/create? (interpretative)
3. Why did the writers use these words? (interpretative)
4. What purpose did the writers have in using this language? (interpretative)
5. What patterns can be observed in the language of immigration over the last 20 years? (interpretative)

Locating information

Ask the class to study the exemplars in their student instruction booklet.

Organise a jigsaw activity. Divide the class into small groups and ask each one to focus on a particular exemplar. The group must list the sources of information used in their particular exemplar. Have the students feed back to the class.

Record the sources of information on a large piece of paper which can be put up as a poster for later reference.

Suggestions:

• Internet

  It is essential that students use their time efficiently. Teachers need to check that students can search, scan for appropriate sites, skim read to locate information. They need to copy the website reference into their own document. They also need to quote the language from the source that they are going to make their own comments on. They will need to summarise information on the context or situation that language was used in.

• The database EPIC is available to schools from the National Library.

  This provides easy access to a huge number of sources, sites, articles, newspaper material as well as magazines. The databases that are recommended for this topic include EBSCO (Australia/New Zealand Reference Centre), InfoTrac Onefile and RDS Contemporary Women's Issues (One of the GALE databases). Not only is this collection carefully edited, it also carries citation details and all articles have a level of difficulty indicator. The Toolbox is also another excellent feature. To access EPIC you need to enter a user id and password that should have been sent to your principal. If you do have access to EPIC it is strongly recommended that you familiarise yourself with access first before using it with a class.

• Your library also contains personal recounts in literature (short stories, novels). Check through the information file for magazine and newspaper articles, or try INNZ. Another recommended primary oral source would be to interview an immigrant about his or her own personal experiences, preferably someone who has reasonable English.

Key words

In class have students suggest what these might be. Try "immigration" and specify the country, eg "immigration in New Zealand", "immigration issues", "racism in a specify country", "refugees in New Zealand", "adjusting to a new culture", "immigration and refugees". These produced many results on EPIC.

Recording information

Practise note making.

Cut up sections of ReadingText2 (Word 33KB) . Make sure you include sections that contain language features suitable for analysis. Paste the text in paragraph blocks allowing space between each block for students to write a short paraphrase/summary.

Tell students they can use abbreviations and they can write in incomplete sentences. They are looking for the main idea and one or two examples. They must record details of the author, title, publisher and publication date for every example.

Model the exercise on the whiteboard as a class activity.

Students should be given the opportunity to practise summarising skills with every text they encounter for close reading exercises. Use graphic organisers.

Here is another idea that Aida Walqui recommends. Paste the target text in paragraph chunks or slightly longer sections so that there is a 5cm margin down the right hand side of the page headed up "notes". Introduce the content by prefacing what the text is about in a sentence at the start of each section. "The Afghani immigrant, a hardworking man, tells his story. Read about how his family found their arrival in Australia an unpleasant experience" It can also be in question form: "Why is Mr Ahmed worried about his daughter?" These prompts act as hooks to draw the reader into the content. Students read and write notes alongside the text.

Students could also set out their information as follows:

• Date
• Reference
• Information found
• Comments

Learning task 3

Research

1. Students begin their own research. Students can choose their research topics. Reinforce that they may select the language of immigration as their research topic or other topics shown in the exemplars in the student instruction booklet [the Language of War; of Travel; of Sport].
2. Students must gain teacher approval for their topics before beginning research.
3. Having selected their topics, students must frame appropriate research questions. They should consider the types of questions they developed in the formative activity on the language of immigration. Depending on their topics, students should develop about three open-ended questions including factual and interpretative questions. It is important that they include interpretative questions, as these questions help them draw conclusions and make judgements. Students must gain teacher approval for their questions before continuing with their research.
4. Students should begin to collect information to help them address their research questions. They should look back to the previous task to help decide on the methods they will use to record information.

 Timetable

1. Once students have begun their own research it is important to establish a timetable with them of what they should complete by a given due date.
2. With students, work out together how long they have got to complete a certain task. Set deadlines. For example, "by this date you will have located four sources of information, by this date you will have shown me your key questions etc."
3. Check student progress in class. Look for evidence of: keywords, note making, key questions, a data chart or other template where they are recording information including details for their bibliography. Students need to be constantly monitoring their own progress and be prepared to change or modify their questions as they search and sift. A good model is the research cycle.
4. Arrange for students to have access to computers for at least 8 classes.
5. You should constantly monitor students as they work, help them to read and locate information, ensuring they are note making wisely.
6. Take them to the school library to locate other sources of information. They need a range of referenced resources.
7. To ensure that students are managing their time well and staying on task use the Managing Your Time Worksheet (Word 31KB) .

Preparing for writing

1. Study a merit exemplar report. Cut it into sections. Photocopy the labels that identify various language features and the structure.
2. In small groups ask students to reassemble the report into paragraphs and place labels in appropriate places on the report.
3. Once they have completed the task, ask students to walk around and discuss with other groups their choices in the placement of the labels.
4. Students should note that they must structure and organise information and ideas in an appropriate written format in their reports. This should include:
   • An introduction stating the focus of research
   • A body of accurate information presented
   • Relevant conclusions drawn from information presented
5. The Excellence exemplar "The Language of War" in the student instruction booklet is also worth studying in detail, but may be a little daunting for less advanced students. It is important that students get a feel for the standard expected and look at exemplars at all levels.

Writing a bibliography

Show students how to set out a bibliography. For a student handout use How to set out a Bibliography (Word 33KB) .

You be the judge

Writers: Jill Crewe and Jessica Holden

Curriculum links

This achievement standard is derived from English in the New Zealand Curriculum, Learning Media, Ministry of Education, 1994, up to and including Level 7.

Writing: Transactional Writing, Exploring Language, Thinking Critically, often with links to Processing Information

 with links to

Reading: Personal Reading, Close Reading

Speaking: Using Texts

Listening: Listening to Texts.

Guidelines for use

Students write and develop a film review suitable for publication in a school newspaper. The review must be on a film studied in class.

Conditions

The same conditions for assessment apply when assessing the internally assessed writing achievement standard 90376 Produce crafted and developed formal transactional writing [2.2] and unit standard 8825 [Produce transactional written text in complex forms] - or any internally assessed unit or achievement writing standard at any level. Teachers must be satisfied that the work is the students'. Students should complete internally assessed writing work class. If the pieces are to be assessed for summative assessment, teachers should ensure that the extent of teacher input does not compromise assessment validity; in other words, the writing is the students', not the teachers'.

This is an internal assessment and as such should be worked on only in the classroom under teacher supervision. To ensure authenticity, students work should be held by the teacher between periods.

Teachers may guide students actively through the initial tasks helping them to identify techniques mentioned. Teachers may show how the techniques used in the exemplars can be applied to students' own writing.

As they develop drafts, teachers can advise students that their writing may need further work on ideas, language, structure or accuracy in spelling, punctuation or paragraphing but not correct errors. Students should have access to dictionaries to check their writing. Word processing is acceptable providing it is done under teacher supervision.

Consultation should occur with each student prior to the final submission. Students should have several opportunities during the year to develop their transactional writing skills.

NB: Teachers using this unit will need to check that it accords with their school assessment policy.

Teacher background reading

• Franken, M. (1993). "How to get the most out of speaking activities that prepare students for writing". Guidelines, vol. 15 no.2, pp. 45-53
• Ten strategies for supporting the teaching of film

Teaching and learning activities

Learning task 1

Learning task 2

Learning task 3

Assessment

Assessment task

WritingAFilmReview (Word 29KB)
AssessmentSchedule (Word 44KB)

Resources

Electronic

• American Cinema
• Television Production

Other

• Bend it Like Beckham. Gurinder Chada © 2002 Kintop Pictures

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