When I teach students to take exams for gifted students at NguyenChich Secondary School, I realize that students are very afraid to write aparagraph in English.. So I choose the topic "H
Trang 1II Some things to remember when writing a paragraph 4
E Danh mục các SKKN đã được Hội đồng sáng kiến kinh
nghiệm Ngành GD & ĐT huyện, tỉnh và các cấp cao hơn xếp
loại từ C trở lên
21
A INTRODUCTION
I RATIONALE
In the context of deeper integration, English has become an essential tool
to bring successfully in business, education and life We know that Englishplays an important role in our life And I think that improving the quality ofteaching English at school is very important Thus, every English teacher has to
Trang 2innovate teaching method We have to improve the quality of English teachingand learning in schools It is the task of English teachers
Viet Nam education is trying to innovate the teaching methods insecondary schools and high schools Innovating teching methods has toassociate with the fact, in line with the student audience in order to promote thepositiveness and possibilities of the students Every year, there are a lot ofworkshops on new teaching methods to provide the best academic performancefor students And there are also a lot of workshops on improving the quality ofEnglish teaching in secondary school and high schools
II PRACTICAL BASIS
English is a difficult subject Learning English requires the time,perseverance of learners and specially the ability to apply in practice EnglishLearners must have the right attitude and identify the purpose of learningEnglish clearly
When students begin learning English, they must learn four four skills:Listening, speaking, reading and writing These are important skills thatteachers need to help students practice better and better In my opinion, writing
is a difficult skill for junior high school students, especially writing aparagraph When I teach students to take exams for gifted students at NguyenChich Secondary School, I realize that students are very afraid to write aparagraph in English Because they do not know how to write an outline.Especially they do not know how to write a paragraph with different types ofparagraphs So I choose the topic "HOW TO WRITE A PARAGRAPH IN
ENGLISH FOR GIFTED STUDENTS AT NGUYEN CHICH SECONDARY SCHOOL" to help students to write a paragraph more
effectively
III RESREARCH SUBJECTS AND TIME
- Gifted Students in grade 9 at Nguyen Chich Secondary School
- Time: 11/2017-11/2018
IV RESEARCH PERPOSES.
- Help students learn how to write some kinds of paragraphs
- Help students learn how to use conjunctions and structures
- Teach students to think independently
- Help students enjoy the subject and achieve high results when when taking exams for gifted students
- Helps teachers achieve better results when teaching good students
V RESEARCH METHODS.
- Based on the characteristics of English subjects, according to the
method of teaching secondary education
Trang 3- Check students to find out the current state of writing a paragraph.
- Apply different writing styles
B CONTENT
I HOW TO WRITE A PARAGRAPH.
When writing a Paragraph in English, it must include the full three parts:The topic sentence; The supporting sentences and The concluding sentence
1 The topic sentence
- It is the first sentence of the paragraph and also the most important sentence in the paragraph
- The topic sentence briefly describes what the paragraph is about
- The topic sentence must contain the controlling idea of the paragraph Here are phrases used to express the controlling idea:
+ The following + Noun + Several problems
+ These disadvantages + These disadvantages
+ Three main causes + Three characteristics
2 The supporting sentences
- Give the main ideas to explain, prove the topic sentence
- This section usually includes 3 supporting sentences The
conjunctions is usually used to link the main ideas in the supporting sentences:
+ Firstly, Secondly, Lastly,
+ In the first place, Just in the same way, Finally,
- In each supporting sentences , we write from two to four sentences
called " The supporting details" The conjunctions is usually used to link the sentences in "the supporting details":
+ Consequently + It is evident that
+ It is apparent that + It goes without saying that
+ Without a doubt + Needless to say
+ In the same way + More importantly/remarkably
Trang 4+ In other words + Specifically
3 The concluding sentence
- It is the last sentence Recalling the main idea stated in the topic
sentence in a different way or drawing conclusions based on previous
arguments
- The conjunctions is usually used to end a paragraph:
II SOME THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN WRITING A
PARAGRAPH
1 Don’t use contractions
2 Do not go down the line for a paragraph
3 The paper must contain the full three sections as stated above Do not write too long or too short
4 Do not use "YOU" in a paragraph
5 Do not use "extreme words"
6 Always repeat the" KEY WORDS" in points
7 Use "linking words" correctly and clearly
8 Use "ACTIVE VOICE" instead of "PASSIVE VOICE"
III SOME TYPES OF WRITING A PARAGRAPH
1 Type 1: Describing people:
a Introduction: Who the person is/ When and how you first met or saw
him/her
b Main body:
- Physical appearance: height/build, age, facial features, hair, clothing.
(From the most general aspects to the most specific detail)
Eg: Bill, who is in his early twenties, is quite tall and well-built, withthick black hair and piercing blue eyes He is usually dressed in jeans and a T-shirt
- Personality/ behavior (with justification/examples): give examples of
manner and mannerism
Eg: Mark is rather unsociable, usually sitting silently in a cornerabserving others from a distance
- Life/ lifestyle/beliefs: talk about the person's habits, interests,
profession, daily routine, opinion, etc
Eg: Being both a university student and a part-time assistant in asupermarket, Tom has little free time to go out in the evenings
c Conclusion:
- Comments/ feelings about person
Trang 5* Tips: If the instruction for the writing task ask you to describe
someone related to the present, you will describe the person using Presenttenses eg: " Describe a person who is unusual "
If you are asked to describe somebody related to the past Somebodywho is no longer alive or somebody you met some time ago, you will describethe person using Past simple tenses
* Linking words and Structures: Writing which contains a series of
short sentences or the same simple linking words(such as"and") soon becomesboring and repetitive To avoid this, you should use a wide range of linkingwords and structures:
- with: She is tall and striking, with long blonde hair
- Relative Clauses: who/which/whose
Eg: My neighbour, who is slightly eccentric, has dozens of filthy cats
Eg: He is a scruffy child whose clothes are torn and dirty
Eg: He has a broken nose, which makes hims look like a boxer
- Result: so/such (a) (that)
Eg: She is so beautiful that she looks like a film star
- Addition: in addition to, as well as/ besides, moreover, furthermore,
not only but also ,etc.
Eg: He is very tall, in addition to being very thin
Eg: My grandmother has deep wrinkles, as well as thin grey hair
Eg: He is not only artistic, but also a successful businessman
- Contrast: + but/yet/However/Nonetheless/Even so + Clause
+ Although/(Even) though/ While + Clause + In spite of/ Despite + -ing form/noun/the fact that
Eg: He is temperamental, but/yet he is a loyal friend
Eg: He looks as through he's an old man However, he is only 35
Eg: Although he has a huge, powerful body, he's a very gentle person
Eg: In spite of being very busy, she always has time for her children
- Linking cause and effect:
+ Because/as/since +owing to/due to + As a result/consequence of + A/the result of / as a result,
+so/ therefore/for this reason + The reason(that/why)
Eg: She is popular because she is open and friendly
Eg: She is popular due to being/due to the fact that she is open and friendly.Eg: A result of her being open is that she is popular
Trang 6Eg: She is open and friendly, so she is popular.
Eg: She is open and friendly, therefore she is popular
Eg: The reason she is popular is that she is open and friendly
* Impressions, Opinions and Reactions:
+ I think/feel/etc (that) + It seems to me that + To me/To my mind + As far as I'm concerned + In my opinion/view/eyes + Sb seems/ appear to be
+ Sb stribes people/comes across as (being)
+ Sb gives the impression of being / the impression that
* Compoud Adjectives: Compound adjectives are formed with
+ Present participles: a hard-working student+ Past participles: an open-hearted young man
* Example: Topic: A Close Friend
Jacques has been my close friend for two years I first met him on aschool exchange trip to Calais, France I asked him the way to the library and
we started talking We've been friends ever since Jacques is quite looking He's tall and slim, with olive skin and curly dark hair Like manyFrench people, he has a great sense of style, so he always looks well-dressedeven in casual clothes Jacques is very outgoing He is always friendly andloves to have fun He's got a fantastic sense of humour and he always makes
good-me laugh However, he can be a bit immature at tigood-mes For example, when hedoesn't get what he wants, he acts childishly and stamps his feet Jacques isvery keen on water sports He likes sailing and he spends a lot of time on hisboat He enjoys scuba diving, too, and loves exploring life under sea All in all,I'm glad to have Hacques as my friend It's a pleasure to be with him and Ireally enhoy his company I'm sure we'll always be close friends
2 Type 2 Descibing places/ Buildings
a Introduction: name/ location/ population of the place, reason for choosing
the place
- Factual information such as age, size, colour, material, etc
Eg: The temple, with 10-meter tall marble columns, was built in 800BC
- Details relating to the senses ( sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste) tosuggest mood and atmosphere
Eg: Visitors' footsteps on the wom stone floors echo through the cool, darkcorridors, disturbing the tranquil silence
b Main body: general features and particular details
Trang 7- Place: surroundings, sights, facilities, free-time activities
- Building: surroundings, detailed description of exterior/ interior
d Conclusion: Comments/ feelings or a recommendation
- Past tenses are normal used when describing a visit to a place/building
- First and second conditionals(will/would) can be used when youdescribe your ideal city/house,etc
- When we give factual information about a place or building this isnormally given using Present tenses
Eg: I flew to Madrid last Monday Madrid is situated in the central point
of the Iberian peninsula with a population of about 3,000,000
* Expressing Impression & Reactions
- You can express positive impressions of a place by:
+ Using a variety of adjectives such as: breathtaking, delightedful, eyecatching,outstanding, picturesque, etc
+ Using a variety of present or past participle from such verbs as: astound,amaze, astonish, impress, refresh,etc
Eg: I was/felt astounded at how beautiful Florida is in winter
+ Using a variety of nouns in expressions such as: to my amazement/astonishment/ delight/ surprise/etc
Eg: To my delight, the place had kept its character
- You can express negative impressions of a place by:
+ Using a variety of adjectives such as: disreputable, inhospitable, neglected+ Using a variety of present or past participles from such verbs as: disappoint,shock,etc
Eg: the disappointing view of the unsightly housing
+ Using a variety of nouns in expressions such as: to my disappointment/surprise/etc
* Making comparisons: To compare places or building you can use:
+ (just/nearly) as (positive degree) as
Eg: In those days the main streets were just as congested as they are today
+ The same as
Eg: The cottage was the same as it had been fifty years before
+ (relatively/considerably) less (positive degree) than
Trang 8Eg: The new buildings are considerably less ornate than the old ones.+ (much/far/considerably) more + adjective/ adverbs + than
Eg: The northern area is more picturesque than the eastern area
+ (by far) the most + adjective
Eg: Hill Manor is by far the most elegant hotel in the region
+ comparative + and + comparative
Eg: The streets are becoming dirtier and dirtier
+ the comparative , the + comparative
Eg: The further south you travel, the warmer it becomes
* Example: Topic: Describe your school
My school is in the country It is not big but it is lovely and beautiful Thereare fiften rooms in my school It has a libray There are hundreds of books andnewpapres in the library I and my friends usually go there to borrow books.There is a big yard in my school We usually play games and sports likeplaying soccer, playing marbles, skipping ropes …at recess There are manytrees in the years Some students sit under trees to study or listen to musuc Theteachers of my school are from different places Some lives near the school andsome live far from the school They are all very clever and hard-working Allthe students love them I love my school very much because it is very beautifuland our teachers are friendly and outgoing
3 Type 3 Describing festivals/ events/ ceremonies:
1 Introduction: Set the scene ( name,time/date, place of event, reason(s) for
celebrating)
2 Main body: Preparations( decorations, rehearse,etc.) Description of actual
event (costumes, food, atmosphere, activities,etc.)
3 Conclusion: feelings, comments, thoughts
* Notice: When you describe annual events( a celebration/festival which takes
place every year), present tenses are used and the style is formal However,when giving a personal account of an event which you witnessed or took part
in, past tenses are used and the style may be less formal The passive isfrequently used to describe preparations/ activities which take place
* Example: Topic: The Mid - Fall festival
The Mid-Fall Festival is a wonderful, traditional and ancientfestival in Vietnam The festival is held on the fifteenth of August (according
to Lunar Month) In this festival, the children usually go/ parade on the streetsand sing the famous songs about The Mid-Fall Festival and other songs forchildren They also carry/bring colorful lanterns of different sizes They alsowear the masks with famous characters in children’s films and books,especially comic books Besides, Dances are also traditional so people usually
Trang 9perform the dances like the Dragon dance and Lion dance Furthermore, in theMid-Fall Festival, people always make or buy the traditional cake called BanhTrung Thu or Moon Cake Almost children like eating Moon cake very much.
In this festival, adults usually help the children make the lanterns and teachthem about the history and culture of Vietnam Children in Vietnam like TheMid-Fall Festival very much because It has many interesting activities, theMoon cake is delicious and they know more about the history and culture ofVietnam
4 Type 4 Narratives:
1 Introduction: Set the scene (Who/what/when/where)
Sets the scene (place, time, character(s), etc.), creates an interstingmood/ atmosphere to make the reader want to continue reading, and/or beginsdramatically to capture the reader's attention
2 Main body: Develope the story (Describe incidents leading up to the main
events and the event itself in detail Describe people/ place/ emotions/actions/etc)
3 Conclusion: End the story(complete the plot; describe feelings/ reactions;
explain the conspuences)
* Notice:
- Before writing, you must first think of a suitable story outline, the youshould decide on a detail plot, including how the story will begin, who thecharacters will be, where the story will happen, the events in the order you willpresent them, and how the story will end
- Narratives are normally set in the past, and therefore use a variety ofpast tenses.For example, Past Continuous is often used to set the scene (eg: Thewind was howling ); Past simple is used for the main events(eg: He enteredthe room, looked around, and ); Past perfect is used to describe an eventbefore the main events(eg: She had set out in the morning, full of hope, butnow she felt )
- The sequence of events is important: before, after, then, in the evening,later, in the end, until, while, during, finally, etc
* Techniques for beginning or ending stories:
- You can start your story by:
+ Describing the weather, place, people, etc, using senses
+ Using direct speech
+ Asking a rhetorical question
+ Creating mystery or suspense
+ Referring to feelings or moods
+ Addressing the reader directly
Trang 10- You can end your story by:
+ Using direct speech
+ Referring to feelings or moods
+ Describing people's reactions to the events developed in the main body
+ Creating mystery or suspense
* Past tenses and time words: Past habits are not described using Past
Continuous In stead, use Past Simple, "used to" or "would", with an
appropriate adverb of frequency
* Example: Topic: Tell about your last birthday party
Last Saturday, it was my 14th birthday My parents helped me tohold a party at home They bought a ot of candies and fruits and of course, mymother bought a beautiful birthday cake with fourteen candies on it for me Iinvited a lot of friends and we had a lot of fun The party began at 7.00 p.m.For the opening of the party, I made a short speech and then I blew out (thổitắt) the candles My friends and my family sang the “Happy Birthday” song.They were clapping their hands happily when I blew out the candles Myfriends gave some gifts They are beautiful and meaningful I loved them verymuch We also sang some beautiful songs while we were eating The partyended at 9.00 p.m I felt very happy because we had a wonderful time together
5 Type 5 For and against paragraphs:
Present both sides of an issue, discussing points in favour of a particulartopic as well as those against or the advantages and disadvantages of aparticular question Each point should be supported by justifications, examples,and/or reasons The writer's own opinion should be presented only in the finalparagraph
* Useful expressions and linking words/phrases:
- To list points:
+ Firstly, First of all, In the first place, To begin/start with
+ Secondly, Thirdly, , Finally