Teaching aims:
After learning this lesson, students will:
1. learn to use the following words & expressions:
challenging, worthwhile, motivated, enthusiastic, tend to, go straight to, be ready to, make a difference, give sb. en edge in,
2. practice connections used to make a list and if-clause to make an assumption
firstly, secondly, thirdly …
besides, moreover, furthermore, what’s more, in addition
on the one hand, on the other hand
if I had …, I would …
3. practice reading and writing skills:
① recognizing the structure of this magazine article
② learning about the importance of a gap year
③ using the information and vocabulary from the article to write a composition about the gap year
④ proofreading and revising their writing in groups
4. learn to work in groups, share ideas and help each other
Teaching procedures:
Step one: lead in ( 2 min )
Task 1: free talk
Q: What do you plan to do this summer after graduation?
Task 2 brainstorming
Play a short video about a gap year and brainstorming:
Q1: What’s the video about?
Q2: What does a gap year mean?
Step two: reading & writing preparation ( 20min )
1. reading for information
ask students to skim the text and finish the tasks.
Task 1: please find out the definition of a gap year.
A gap year is ________________________________________________ .
( suggested answer: a year off between finishing school and starting university)
Task 2: task-based reading( chart 1)
who where activities results
Carol Smith Brail helping save the Amazon rainforest
☆ became more __________
☆ felt like she really made a _______
☆ helped conserve the rainforest
Daniel Jones Ghana teaching poor students from rural area in Ghana ☆ found living among local people __________ but ___________
☆ _________ to face challenges
Martin Johnson India helping build a school in a poor part of India ☆ learnt how to deal with difficult situations
☆ learnt a lot by working with the local people
( suggested answers: independent, difference, challenging, rewarding, ready)
Task 3: read between the lines & beyond the lines
Q1: what attitude does the writer hold towards the gap year?
A positive B. negative C. neutral D. indifferent
Q2: How do you understand the title?
2. reading for useful vocabulary
Task 1: pair work
(1) Read part Ⅲ again and work in pairs to underline all the benefits listed in this part about taking a gap year.
☆ For many students, a gap year teaches them how to work with a group of strangers and how to look after themselves without the help of family or friends.
☆ ----- students who have been on a gap year are better able to work without needing direction, and they tend to work better with colleagues from different backgrounds.
☆ It is a time for personal growth and development, learning new skills and seeing life in a different way.
☆ When students start university, they are enthusiastic and have much motivation.
☆ As well as having a good time and making new friends, taking a gap year may give students en edge in the job market.
( 2) Paraphrase the above sentences and try to make your own sentences.
Example 1:
A gap year teaches students how to work with a group of strangers and how to look after themselves without the help of family or friends.
( other expressions):
① A gap year helps students better cooperate with strangers and look after themselves in the absence of their family or friends.
② A gap year improves students’ ability of make students more capable of cooperation and develops their independence.
…
Tips:
1. 簡單句也能成為好句子
（1） 恰當的形容詞、副詞
（2） 同位語
（3） 評注性短語
（4） 非謂語動詞
（5） 被動語態
2. 適當運用復雜句
（1） 復合句
（2） 倒裝句
（3） 強調句
（4） 省略句
（5） 虛擬語氣
Task 2: work sharing
Ask students to read their sentences and share them in the class.
Task 3: if-clause
Q1: If you had the chance to take a year off between leaving school and going to university, would you do it?
Ss: If I had ______________________, I would __________________________
Q2: If you had the chance, where would you go and what would you do?
( T present some more hot spots for the gap year )
Ss: If I had the chance, I would ____________________________________ __
( T provide some translation to help ss finish this task. )
1. gain life experience_________________2. recommend__________________
3. make a difference __________________4. challenging _________________
5. worthwhile _____________________6. in such conditions ______________
7. be ready to _____________________8. face the challenges ______________
3. reading for structure
Task 1 blank filling( chart 2)
Mind the gap
Part Ⅰ(para1-2) The ___________ of the gap
Part Ⅱ(para3-6) 3 __________ of taking the gap
Part Ⅲ(para7-8) __________ after taking the gap
( suggested answers: popularity, examples, Benefits )
Task 2: structure application
Q: How can we apply the structure in our writing?
Layout
1. definition
2. benefitsadvantages
3. where to take the gap year; reasons
Step three. writing( 20min)
1. writing
Task 1:
work in groups. First choose a group leader and then divide the work among group members.( 1 min)
Work division:
1. benefitadvantage 1
2. benefitadvantage 2
3. benefitadvantage 3
4. reason 1
5. reason 2
Task 2:
work in groups to discuss where to take the gap year and what points should be
adopted as reasons from chart 1. ( 2 min)
Task 3:
write your part ( 6 min)
Task 4:
help group members edit the draft and then put all the parts together. (pay attention to the transitions and conjunctions). ( 6 min)
Topic sentence 1: __________________________________________________
Topic sentence 2: __________________________________________________
Conjunctions:( make a list )
firstly, secondly, thirdly …
besides, moreover, furthermore, what’s more, in addition
on the one hand, on the other hand
2. presentation ( 5 min )
Ask group leaders to present their compositions to the whole class.
Suggested version:
Nowadays, more and more Chinese senior high students choose not to go straight to university. Instead, they take a gap year, which is a year off between finishing school and starting university.
Taking a gap year has many benefits. Firstly, students tend to better cooperate with strangers and look after themselves. Besides, after taking a gap year, students have grown and developed, acquiring new skills and different attitudes towards life. Being enthusiastic and motivated, students will certainly have en edge in the future job market.
If I had the chance to take a gap year, I would go to …. The reason for my preference is simple. Though challenging, my work there will be worthwhile. On the one hand, I can help people in need there and make a real difference. On the other hand, I will be ready to face any challenges in the future after going through a lot of hardships.
Step four. Self-assessment & homework ( 3 min )
Homework
write a complete composition of your own and try to polish it up!
Blackboard Design
Layout
1. definition: a year off between … and …
2. benefitsadvantages: firstly, secondly, thirdly …
3. where to take the gap summer; reasons: on the one hand, … on the other hand …