That students are using the same old pedestrian phrases, which, while perfectly correct, are just not going to get them the grades they need?
It's just me, then?
On the other hand, I'm totally against spoon feeding students.
So, what can I do? I don't want to do the work for them but I don't want them to underachieve.
I've started to use the list system.
I'm sure thousands of teachers do this.
This is how it works.
Before starting a piece of written work students write a list of all the different types of words they will need to impress the examiner.
Then they tick them off the list when they have been used.
This could be: connectives, intensifiers, opinion phrases, certain adjectives, verbs with different auxiliaries, etc.
This shouldn't be a printed list or a learning mat.
It has to be one they've made for themselves.
Not you.
When they've completed a draft, they can check it against their list.
If they've not used a word or used a word twice, they can change it.
It will improve their writing and stop them from using words which I have banned, like the German word "sehr".
1 comment:
I haven't tried them choosing their own list to tick off from. Will do so next week! Thank you!
Post a Comment