skkn HOW TO HELP WEAK STUDENTS TO WRITE AN ESSAY EFFECTIVELY IN ENGLISH GRADE 11

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Title:
HOW TO HELP WEAK STUDENTS TO WRITE AN ESSAY EFFECTIVELY
IN ENGLISH GRADE 11

PART
A. NGHIỆM
SÁNG KIẾN
KINH
REASONS FOR CHOOSING THE RESEARCH

HOW
TO
TOand
English in
gradeHELP
11 consistsWEAK
of reading, STUDENTS
speaking, listening, writing
WRITE
ANskillESSAY
EFFECTIVELY
IN
language
focus. Writing
contains many
different types such as writing
letters,

describing information
from a chart, writing
biography, writing
ENGLISH
GRADE
11 an essay and so on.
When writing an essay with the given topic, our students are nervous
because almost of them are weak and their vocabulary, grammar, structures or
language knowledge and writing techniques are limited. They don’t know how to
begin, make an outline, provide evidence to support or develop the point.
Therefore, they have many difficulties in writing.
thựcno
hiện:
THỊ THƠM
In order that theNgười
students
longerNGUYỄN
fear and hate
writing an essay, have
Lĩnh vực nghiên cứu:
some techniques for writing and they feel easier to write, I, teacher of English at
- Quản lý giáo dục

high school, explain in a clear and direct way to teach, help them identify clearer
- Phương pháp dạy học bộ môn: English

aims for writing and develop writing skill effectively at high school.
In this assignment, I only focus on techniques that help me and other English
teachers to teach and our students to learn how to write an essay effectively. The
Có đính kèm: Các sản phẩm không thề hiện trong bản in SKKN

above
lead mePhần
to choose
the topic
to help weak
students
to write an
reasons
Mô hình
mềm
 “How
Phim ảnh
 Hiện
vật khác
essay effectively in English grade 11”

Năm học: 2011-2012


How to help weak students to write an essay effectively in English grade 11
School year 2011 – 2012

SƠ LƯỢC LÝ LỊCH KHOA HỌC
I. THÔNG TIN CHUNG VỀ CÁ NHÂN
1. Họ và tên: NGUYỄN THỊ THƠM
2. Ngày tháng năm sinh: 12- 09 -1981
3. Nam, nữ: Nữ
4. Địa chỉ: 962, tổ 29, khu phố 8, phường Long Bình - Biên Hòa - Đồng Nai
5. Điện thoại: 061.3834289 (CQ)/

(NR); ĐTDĐ: 0984705649

6. E-mail:
7. Chức vụ: Giáo viên
8. Đơn vị công tác: Trường THPT Nguyễn Hữu Cảnh
II. TRÌNH ĐỘ ĐÀO TẠO
- Học vị cao nhất: Đại học
- Năm nhận bằng: 2003
- Chuyên ngành đào tạo: Anh Văn
III. KINH NGHIỆM KHOA HỌC
- Lĩnh vực chuyên môn có kinh nghiệm: Giảng dạy
- Số năm có kinh nghiệm: 7
- Các sáng kiến kinh nghiệm đã có trong 5 năm gần đây:

2


How to help weak students to write an essay effectively in English grade 11
School year 2011 – 2012

Title:
HOW TO HELP WEAK STUDENTS TO WRITE AN ESSAY EFFECTIVELY
IN ENGLISH GRADE 11

PART A.
REASONS FOR CHOOSING THE RESEARCH
English in grade 11 consists of reading, speaking, listening, writing and
language focus. Writing skill contains many different types such as writing letters,
describing information from a chart, writing biography, writing an essay and so on.
When writing an essay with the given topic, our students are nervous

because almost of them are weak and their vocabulary, grammar, structures or
language knowledge and writing techniques are limited. They don’t know how to
begin, make an outline, provide evidence to support or develop the point.
Therefore, they have many difficulties in writing.
In order that the students no longer fear and hate writing an essay, have
some techniques for writing and they feel easier to write, I, teacher of English at
high school, explain in a clear and direct way to teach, help them identify clearer
aims for writing and develop writing skill effectively at high school.
In this assignment, I only focus on techniques that help me and other English
teachers to teach and our students to learn how to write an essay effectively. The
above reasons lead me to choose the topic “How to help weak students to write an
essay effectively in English grade 11”

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How to help weak students to write an essay effectively in English grade 11
School year 2011 – 2012

PART B. REAL SITUATION
• Advantageous conditions
Most of students and their parents comprehend the importance of learning English
language at high school.
Some students are very interested in learning English.
Furthermore English is one of the subjects, which are compulsory in the final
examination at high schools. This will promote students to spend much time
learning and practicing English.
• Difficulties
Some students are not very interested in learning English; do not concentrate
on the lessons, especially in writing lesson. The first reason is that most of them

are lack of basic knowledge, lack of language knowledge as such grammar,
vocabulary and structures. The other important reason is that they do not have
writing techniques. They don’t know how to begin, make an outline, provide
evidence to support or develop the point. Therefore, they have many difficulties in
writing.
The students’ above difficulties make teachers lack time to apply different
activities in teaching so as to motivate students’ activity and interest.
PART C.
WHAT I HAVE CARRIED OUT TO HELP WEAK STUDENTS IN
WRITING
In writing skill of English grade 11, there are available activities designed for
teachers to teach students at high school. However, most of my students are
average and weak at learning English, especially at writing an essay with the given
topic. In order that students are well-motivated and have some basic techniques in
writing an essay in English grade 11, some necessary ways I carry out in Writing
to help students to write an essay effectively.
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How to help weak students to write an essay effectively in English grade 11
School year 2011 – 2012

To make my students know how to write an essay with the topic given in
textbook effectively. I adapt textbook to fit students’

low level by using many

activities in Writing.
If we don’t design activities in writing skill, our students will have many
difficulties in writing an essay and they will waste their time preparing ideas.

Especially, textbook adaptation should be applied flexibly in each particular class
situation.
Here are some activities I use in teaching writing so that our students can
write an essay effectively such as:
1. At the pre-writing stage.
To prepare students for writing an essay effectively, I have some activities
applied:
- In each writing lesson, I tell students the aim of writing and deliver one
focused topic based on textbook by writing the thesis statement of the topic
on the board. This step makes sure that every student knows what they are
writing about. One line of the thesis statement written on board reminds
students that they should focus on this point but not others or can’t go off the
topic. Therefore, the writing is good.
- I give them more new structures and vocabulary. This activity helps students
to have some words, phrases and structures for writing.
- I give students a model essay.
From the model essay, I get students to read carefully, analyze it by
answering a series of questions and identify the task related to the topic. Giving
sample writing and some ideas for some topics can enable students to base on to
write effectively and remember the way to express language in writing. From the
model essay, I guide students to identify a thesis statement or introduction, a topic
sentence for each paragraph, supporting details for each topic statement, a
conclusion, the evidence for the meaning.

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How to help weak students to write an essay effectively in English grade 11
School year 2011 – 2012

2. At the while-writing
- Making the detailed outline
One of the most important activities which help students to write an essay
effectively is making an outline under teacher’s control, organization and resource.
An outline of an essay can be very helpful because it helps make their essay
more organized. A careful plan will help their body paragraphs stay focused on the
ideas in their thesis statement and it saves time for students. Preparing an outline
can take time, but when they are finished,

they will be able to write the rough

draft of their essay more quickly than if they didn’t have an outline.
•

I ask students to work in groups or in pairs to give the detailed outline.
This step encourages students to interact with each other by giving and

getting information about the thesis statement. This is the best way to collect ideas
from students under my control so that the students can’t go off the topic and
reduce the stress in the classroom.
•

I call the leader of each group to present their opinions on the thesis
statement; I take note on the board in an outline form.
When I take note on the board, the whole class can keep up with the flow

of ideas. Besides, students can avoid mispronunciation from the group leaders in
speaking. Strong, average and weak students can base on the outline and develop
the essay.
It is necessary that before writing, I get students to pay attention to clarity by

giving transition words, to punctuation and spelling. I remind students to write all
the sentences begin with capital letters, punctuation marks such as periods at the
end of each sentence.
Furthermore, I explain to students that an essay is a combination of
paragraphs. It will be easier to start writing with a paragraph.

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How to help weak students to write an essay effectively in English grade 11
School year 2011 – 2012

- Writing
In this step, I ask them to follow the sample writing, base on some cues to write
on demand.
3. At the Post-writing
- After they have finished their writing, I make students find out mistakes and get
the whole class to correct them. If they can’t give correct answers, I give suggested
answers.
- If possible, I get students to present their writing in speaking individually, in pairs
or in groups.
PART D. SOLVE THE PROBLEM
In this part, I give the practice in adapting materials in some units to make
writing an essay easier and more suitable for students’ low level at high school. I
have designed some units of the 11 th form textbook such as unit 1, unit 8, unit 12
and unit 13.

Unit 1:

FRIENDSHIP

D – WRIRING

Aim: By the end of the lesson, Ss will be able to write about a friend, real or
imaginary, using the words and expressions that they have learned in previous
lessons.
I. WARM UP: Expending sentence
I write the word “RFIDEN” on the blackboard then I ask students to reorder and
expand it by adding at the beginning or the end of what is already written to make
a meaningful sentence.
“FRIEND”
I model: “I like a friend.”
Then I get some volunteers to expand the sentence in front of the whole class. I
write on the blackboard. The student reads the last sentence is the winner.
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How to help weak students to write an essay effectively in English grade 11
School year 2011 – 2012

Suggested answer:
I like a friend who is friendly.
I like a friend who is friendly and helpful.
…………………………………………………
Then I have them guess the topic to write. I introduce the topic that they are going
to write a friend, real or imaginary.
II. Pre-writing:
Activity 1: Comprehension questions
I give sample writing and ask students to read the passage describing a
person. I get students to work in groups of four to analyze the passage by
answering some questions.

*Sample:
Of all my classmates, I like Ha the best. She is 16. She lives in Binh Son
village. I met her in a school holiday to Mui Ne when we were in secondary
school. She is a pretty girl with short hair. She is tall. She has an oval face. Her
eyes are black and clear. She looks more beautiful in Ao Dai. Ha is honest, sincere
and helpful. I learn honesty and helpfulness from her. I like her because she
teaches me a lot of things. I feel safe to be with her.

I hope that we will be friends

forever.
I give them some cues
Name: What’s her name?
Age: How old is she?
Home address: Where does she live?
Place to meet: When and where did you meet her?
Character: How is she?
Appearance: What does she look like? What’s she like?
What you learn from her: What do you learn from her?
Reason why you like her: Why do you like her?

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How to help weak students to write an essay effectively in English grade 11
School year 2011 – 2012

When students work in groups, I go around to help them if necessary. Then I check
their understanding by asking them to answer the above questions.
From the sample writing, I get the whole class to recognize the ways of expressing

the ideas; three parts of the essay: Introduction, Body and Conclusion; some
necessary structures and the tenses.
III. While- writing
Activity 1: Making an outline
I guide students to identify a thesis statement or introduction, a topic
sentence for each paragraph, supporting details for each topic statement, a
conclusion, the evidence for the meaning.
Then I ask them to make an outline by completing the table below.
1. introduction
2. body

- The topic sentence
- name, age, sex:
- appearance:
- personalities:
- Reason why you like her:
- writer’s feelings

3. conclusion
Suggested answer
1.

- The topic sentence: Of all my classmates, I like Ha the best.

introduction
2. body

- name, age, sex: Ha
- appearance: tall, short hair, oval face, black and clear eyes
- personalities: honest, sincere and helpful

- reason why you like her: because she teaches me a lot of

3.

things and I feel safe to be with her
- writer’s feelings: I hope that we will be friends forever.

conclusion

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How to help weak students to write an essay effectively in English grade 11
School year 2011 – 2012

Activity 2: Writing a description:
From the above outline, I can help students to describe a friend, real or imaginary
without going off the topic.
Some cues:
*Language:
My best friend is......
She is 16.
She lives in.....
I met her in a school holiday to Mui Ne when we were in secondary school /
We’ve studied in the same class since secondary school
She is a pretty girl. She is tall...
She is honest and helpful. ...
I like her because she ......
For good students, they can write themselves about their friends. However, for
weak students, I take some common images so that they can write in groups of

four.
I move around to control and give help with vocabulary.
When they have finished, I collect their writing.
IV. Post-writing: peer correction
- I exchange their writing with another student for peer correction
- I go around and collect mistakes and errors.
- I collect some writings for quick feedback
- I write students’ typical errors on the board and elicit self and peer correction. I
provide correction only when they are not able to correct the errors.
- Finally, I provide general comments on the writings
After correcting mistakes, if I have the time, I add an activity called: “Listening:
describing appearances and characteristics”
I give each student a sheet of paper. Then I call one student to sit in front of the
class. This one describes a person and the rest draw the person being described.
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How to help weak students to write an essay effectively in English grade 11
School year 2011 – 2012

Once student has finished describing that person, he / she reveals that it is and each
student exchanges his/her drawing.

English 11. UNIT 8. CELEBRATIONS Part D. writing
Aim: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to write some popular
celebrations in Vietnam.
I.WARM UP:
Guessing game:
I present some pictures and ask students to look at them and guess what celebration
it is.

1

2

3

4

I ask: “What celebration is it?” or “What festival is this?
Answers:
1.Mid – Autumn Festival 2. Teachers’ Day

3. Independence Day

Day
I ask them: “Have you ever described a celebration in Vietnamese?”
(Yes: Tet, Teacher’s Day, Mid-Autumn Festival)
-I say: “Today you are going to describe a celebration in English.”
-I read the instruction and choose a subject.
II. BEFORE WRITING
Activity 1: Reading task
11

4. Women’s


How to help weak students to write an essay effectively in English grade 11
School year 2011 – 2012

I get students to read the passage about a festival and discuss the main points
included in the passage in pairs. At the same time, I tell them to write down which
sentence(s) belong (s) to which main point.
Sample:
In Vietnam, there is a big festival after Tet Holiday. It is the mid-Autumn
festival. It comes on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month. It’s the time when
the moon looks the most beautiful so it is celebrated to admire the full moon (of the
eighth lunar month). On this day, parents take their children out, carrying
beautiful glowing lanterns. There are also performances at the city center where
large crowds gather to watch children sing and dance. Adults sit outdoors,
drinking tea and having moon cakes. People can enjoy the dragon or lion dance
performed by group of boys who come to each family to dance and receive some
money as rewards.
I like this activity best because it’s so funny and full of joys.
- Then I ask them to read in groups and find the answers
* name of the festival: What festival is this?
* time of the festival: When does it usually occur?
* purpose /meaning of the festival: What do people celebrate it for? Why do
people celebrate it?
* main activities of the festival:

What are some popular activities on this

festival?
* your feeling about the festival (like or dislike): How does the writer feel about
the festival?
Suggested answers:
* name of the festival: Mid – Autumn Festival
* time of the festival: On the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month
* purpose /meaning of the festival: Welcome the brightest full moon of the year.

* main activities of the festival:
- Children carry beautiful glowing lanterns, admire the full moon, sing and dance.
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How to help weak students to write an essay effectively in English grade 11
School year 2011 – 2012

- Enjoy dragon or lion dance, have moon cakes
* your feeling about the festival (like or dislike): Like it because it’s so funny
and full of joys.
III. WHILE-WRITING
Activity 1: Making the detailed outline.
I divide the class into three groups to make an outline about some popular festivals
in Vietnam.
Festivals in

Independence Day

Women’s Day

Teacher’s Day

Vietnam
Time
Purpose

Main
activities

Feeding/
Attitude
After collecting ideas from students under my control, I call the leader of
each group to present their opinions on the thesis statement; I take note on the
board in an outline form. I give the immediate feedback and mark at the same time,
which would encourage students.
Suggested answer
Festivals in
Vietnam
Time
Purpose

Independence Day
On

the 2nd

Women’s Day

Teacher’s Day

day of On the 20th of On the twentieth day

September

October

- Celebrate the day

-Show love and -show respect and

13

of November


How to help weak students to write an essay effectively in English grade 11
School year 2011 – 2012

Main

when President Ho Chi
Minh read out the
Declaration of
Independence
-commemorate the
heroic Vietnamese
struggle for liberation
and independence
-organize a series of

activities

seminars,
exhibitions

respect

for love to teachers.

grandmothers,

mothers

and

sisters

- Have a large -organize traditional

poster meal
and

showings.

film Give

activities,
cards

games,

, dances and plays in

gifts and the recognition of the
best wishes

role of teachers.
-schools

have

meetings

for

teachers and talks
about Teachers’ Day
-

students

flowers
Feeding/

It’s

very

Attitude

Everybody

give
and

beautiful wishes
important. These are days -enjoy it very much
is

proud of country.

very of
good

fun

and (friends gather and

feelings visit teachers, have a

and memories great time)
Activity 2: Writing about some popular celebrations in Vietnam.
From the outline, I get students to describe the festival they have chosen.
I go around to observe and offer help with vocabulary and structures.
The first two groups finishing will give their writing on the board.
*Useful language:
-In Vietnam, there is a big festival after Tet Holiday. It is...
-It lasts .../ is on ...
-The festival has been celebrated since... It aims is to .../ It is for...
-On that day, people....
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How to help weak students to write an essay effectively in English grade 11
School year 2011 – 2012

-I am always eager to welcome the festival.../I don’t like the festival
because...
IV.POST- WRITING
-The first 2 finishing groups give their writing on the board
-I give corrections and comments.

-I give some suggestions.
-Students study the description to report. I call on some groups to present their
writing. A leader tells about a festival they have chosen to write in front of the
whole class. I remind others to listen to and ask them to put some questions for that
group or I ask some other students to answer some questions to check their
understanding or concentration.
Unit 12: THE ASIAN GAMES part D. Writing
Aims: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to describe the preparations
for the coming Asian Games.
I.WARM UP
I ask students to close their book. Then I write seven words with jumbled letters on
the board and tell them to work in groups in order to reorder to make correct
words.
Liudb, deagrpu, dneiw, quiep, vtiserade, criutre, oldh
After they have finished, I give the answers for them to check:
Build, Upgrade, Widen, Equip, Advertise, Recruit, Hold
I lead in the lesson by asking: “What are these words related to?” and then I
say: “we are going to describe the preparations for the Games”
II.PRE - WRITING :
Activity 1: Pre- teaching Vocabulary:
I ask Ss to work in pairs to match a word in A with a line in B to find out the
meaning of the new words
1. To upgrade (v)

a. to advertise sth in order to make it popular

2. To promote (v)

b. to find new people to join an organization
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How to help weak students to write an essay effectively in English grade 11
School year 2011 – 2012

3. To recruit (v)

c. to change something so that it is of a higher
standard

Key: 1-c 2- a 3- b
Checking vocabulary: I tell them to give Vietnamese equivalents
This activity helps students to have some words, phrases and structures related to
the topic of the lesson.
Activity 2: Matching activity
I have them work in pairs to match the verbs in column A with the noun phrases
in column B.
A
1.build
2. upgrade
3.widen
4.equip
5.advertise
6.recruit

B
a. the training areas
b. one more National Stadium
c. people to serve the Games
d. the National Sports Centers

e. hotels with modern facilities
f. a competition to choose an official

song
7.hold
g. sports – places – dates and time
Before doing the task, I get them to guess the meaning of the verbs, then I explain
their meaning.
I let them work in pairs to combine. At the same time, I go around to help if
necessary. After they finish, I check in front of the whole class.
Suggested answers:
1 –b Build one more National Stadium
2- d Upgrade the National Sports Centers
3- a Widen the training areas
4-e Equip hotels with modern facilities
5-g Advertise sports – places – dates and time
6-c Recruit people to serve the Games
7-f Hold a competition to choose an official song
Activity 3: Questions and answers

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How to help weak students to write an essay effectively in English grade 11
School year 2011 – 2012

I get them to open their book and I give a situation that suppose Vietnam is
going to hold the Asian Games. What will we have to do to prepare for the
Games?
I give students a series of questions. The students answer the questions in full

sentences. Before answering, I make them look at some cues in the book (page
143)
Questions
Answers
1. What will you (your company) do
first?
2. Why will we have to upgrade the
National Sports Centres and stadiums?
3. What about the training areas and
the roads?
4. What will we have to equip the
hotels and guests houses with? What
for?
5. Which forms of mass media will be
used to advertise all the preparations
for the Games?
6. Who will you recruit to serve the
games?
7. What competition will we have to
hold?
Some suggested:
1. We’ll have to build one more National Stadium and some sports buildings and
car parks.
2. Because they are not in good condition.
3. We will widen the training areas the roads and the sports buildings.
4. We will have to equip the hotels and guests houses with modern facilities to
welcome foreign athletes and visitors.
5. The radio and television will be used for advertising.
6. We should recruit university teachers and students with good English.
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How to help weak students to write an essay effectively in English grade 11
School year 2011 – 2012

7. We should hold a competition to choose an official song for welcoming Asian
Games.
III. WHILE-WRITING
Activity 1: Making the detailed outline
From the above answers, I get students to make the detailed outline:
I. Introduction- Thesis Statement: Vietnam is going to hold the coming
Asian Games. To meet the need of modern facilities for the Games, we will
have a lot of things to do.
II.Body Paragraph
- build one more National Stadium and some sports buildings and car parks.
- upgrade the National Sports Centres and stadiums
- widen the training areas the roads and the sports buildings.
- equip the hotels and guests houses with modern facilities – to welcome
foreign athletes and visitors.
- promote and advertise all the preparations on the radio and television
- recruit university teachers and students with good English
- hold a competition to choose an official song for welcoming Asian Games
III. Conclusion: It is hoped that the good preparations will help our country
receive good results, good regards from other countries.
To organize and connect specific evidence, I ask students to use:
- some connectors such as First / Firstly / First of all…, And, Then , Finally
,One more important thing is that
- conjunctions such as Because, so, Moreover – Further
- structures: - need to be + pp = need + V-ing

- have to + inf

- tenses: future and simple present
I get students to pay attention to clarity by giving transition words, to punctuation
and spelling, remind them to write all the sentences begin with capital letters and
explain to students that an essay is a combination of paragraphs.
Activity 2: Writing a composition
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How to help weak students to write an essay effectively in English grade 11
School year 2011 – 2012

Then I ask students to write the essay basing on above cues to describe the
preparations for the coming Asian Games in Vietnam.
Students may begin with:
To prepare for the coming Asian Games, we will have a lot of things to do.
First of all, we will build one more National Stadium and
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
IV. POST-WRITING
-The first 2 finishing groups give their writing on the board
-I give corrections and comments.
-I give some suggestions.
-Ss study the description to report.
In the textbook, unit 13 asks students to write about their collection, real or

imaginary with some cues and there aren’t other activities. In real situation, this is
very difficult for my students to write because their vocabulary grammatical
structures are limited. Therefore, to help them to feel easier when writing, I have
designed and given some activities from easy to difficult based on the previous
skills such as reading, speaking and listening lessons.
English 11, Unit 13.

HOBBIES PART D. WRITING

Aims: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to write about a collection.
I.WARM UP:
I ask Ss to close their book and work in groups to find the words going with
pictures:

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How to help weak students to write an essay effectively in English grade 11
School year 2011 – 2012

I ask: - Do people collect something as a hobby?
- Can you tell me something that they often collect?

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How to help weak students to write an essay effectively in English grade 11
School year 2011 – 2012

1

2

5

3

6

8

4

7

9

10

Suggestion: 1. stickers, 2. animals, 3. bottle caps, 4. pens, 5. toy cars, 6. old
money, 7. stamps, 8. pencils, 9. key rings, 10. coins.
- I introduce the lesson that the students are going to write about their real or
imaginary collection.
II. PRE – WRITING
* Vocabulary
First, I provide them with some new phrases.
- be crazy about (exp) ~ very interested in
- provide S.O with ST( context): Forests provide us with wood
- enable S. O to do ST (exp) : Her good English enabled her to get a good
job at a foreign company.

- feel like doing st~ fancy doing st ( synonym)
* Comprehension questions.
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How to help weak students to write an essay effectively in English grade 11
School year 2011 – 2012

I give them a passage as sample writing. Then, I ask them to work in pairs to read
it and answer some given questions in full sentences.
Sample writing
Minh has a modest stamp collection. He buys some from the post office. He
also asks his friends to give him their discarded envelops. Besides, he exchanges
stamps with other stamp collectors in his club. He classifies the stamps into
categories: animals, plants, people, and landscapes. He keeps them in a small
album. He still remembers the day when he first saw a stamp of a landscape. That
was when he was 7. The stamp was so beautiful that he decided to keep it and
collected more. He told that to his mother and she helped him with an album,
which he is still keeping. Keeping and watching the stamps really make him relax
after hard work. He will continue to make his collection richer and richer, and
give it to his children in the future.
Questions:
1. What is Minh’s hobby?
2. How does he collect his stamps?
3. How does he classify them?
4. When did he start his collection?
5. Where does he keep his stamps?
6. Why does he collect them?
7. What does he plan to do next?
After that, I check their understanding by calling on some pairs to ask and

answer the questions. I get the whole class to pay attention to and give
feedback.
Suggested answers:
1. Minh’s hobby is collecting stamps.
2. He buys them, asks his friends to give them and exchanges them.
3. He classifies the stamps into categories.
4. He started his collection when he was 7.
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How to help weak students to write an essay effectively in English grade 11
School year 2011 – 2012

5. He keeps in album.
6. Because keeping and watching the stamps really make him relax after hard
work.
7. He continues to collect, and will give his collection to his children in the
future.
III. WHILE-WRITING
ACTIVITY 1. Write the outline following the guidelines.
I elicit ideas from students.
I ask them to divide the class into three groups to make an outline about some
collections as directed.
Hobby

Collecting stamps

Collecting coins

Collecting English

songs

When to

( last year, 6 years

collect

ago, long ago )

How to

(buy them, ask

collect

someone to give them,

Where to

exchange them..)
( in album, on shelves,

keep
How to

in boxes, in a safe...)
(into categories,

organize

countries, ages,

Why to

colors..)
(to relax, to kill time,

collect

to entertain oneself…)

Plan for the

(continue to collect ...)

future
After eliciting ideas from students under my control, I get the representative of
each group to present their opinions on the thesis statement; I write on the board
for cues. At the same time, I give the immediate feedback and give mark, which
would give students good motivation.
Suggested answers:
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How to help weak students to write an essay effectively in English grade 11
School year 2011 – 2012

Collecting Collecting coins

Collecting English

Hobby
When to

stamps
( last year, 6 years

collect

ago, long ago )

How to

(

collect

someone to give them, antique shop and the Internet

buy

them,

songs

ask -Buy

exchange them..)

from

the -Down load from

buy when travelling -Buy them from the
in foreign countries
-Inherit

bookstores

from -Brother,

sister,

Where to

grandfather
( in album, on shelves, In grass box, bag

friends give
In disc, tapes, files:

keep

in boxes, in a safe...)

put them into the

bookcase.
categories, Classify coins into Classify them into

How to

(into

organize

countries,

Why to

colors..)
or domestic ones,… rap, hip hop…
(to relax, to kill time, Know more about Love English songs

collect

to entertain oneself)

ages, old, new, foreign, kinds: pop, rock,

the

values

of Help

to

learn

history, culture of English
Plan for the

(continue to collect ...)

future

many countries
Continue collecting Continue collecting
coins

English songs

ACTIVITY 2. Writing
From the ideas mentioned in activity 1 and sample writing, I let students write
about a collection. Because most of my students are weak, I have them work in
groups to write on the poster.
I go around to offer help.
I take notes of students’ mistakes for indirect correction.
IV. POST-WRITNG

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How to help weak students to write an essay effectively in English grade 11
School year 2011 – 2012

After they finish writing, I call on two groups to stick their poster on the
blackboard.

I get the whole class to find out the mistakes and correct them.
I give feedback on Ss' work.
I point out some common mistakes made by students when doing this writing task.
Then I remind them to write corrected writing on their notebooks.
- I get students to present their writing in speaking in groups so that they can feel
more self-confident in daily communication.
************
To show textbook adaptation for fitting to fit my aims, my setting and most
of all my students, I have made some changes by adding some activities, making
small changes to the existing material in the textbook, removing a textbook from
the lesson, replacing one activity with another related one which is more suitable to
fit teaching and learning situation.

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