Lesson Plan #2: Level 3 TOEFL Writing-Independent Writing

Rong Cheng
University of San Diego
Teaching Goals
Students will be able to learn about ways in which improve their English writing skills through
implicit and explicit teaching strategies, class activities, presentation, and further practice to
support them in meeting their academic goal of integrating strategies to support them in
responding to TOEFL writing tasks.
Teaching Objectives
Terminal
1. Students will be able to describe personal experience or express personal preference.
2. Students can organize ideas of particular TOEFL writing prompt.
3. Students can express a clear topic statement and supporting evidence and examples with
minimum 300 words.
4. Students will be able to be familiar with what TOEFL independent writing task is and
how to prepare to take the independent writing test.
5. Students will be able to use structure and transition words they learned from the lesson
and apply in their second writing draft.
Materials and Equipment
Textbook: Edmunds, P., & McKinnon, N. (2009). Building skills for the TOEFL iBT:
Beginning (2nd ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Compass Publishing.
Video clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zx3AXbGWNbA
Additional materials: Transition Words List, Peer Editing Form
Computer and projector
White board and markers
Procedures
Lesson Duration: 120 minutes
A. WARM-UP (15 minutes)
The instructor will review the vocabulary with the students learned previously (see Power Point
Jeopardy Game). Then Jeopardy vocabulary game will be given to students. The students will be placed
in three to four groups, and each group has opportunity to choose questions and answer them to get
same amount of money.
B. INTRODUCE TOEFL INDEPENDENT WRITING AND TODAYS TOPIC/PROMPT (15
minutes)
a. Experience sharing
The instructor will ask the students if they have had experiences with the TOEFL writing before, and
then the instructor can let the students talk about their prior knowledge of TOEFL independent writing.
b. Introduce TOEFL independent writing
(Instructor can simply introduce TOEFL writing section through watching video clips to let students

understand the aims of todays class.)

C. EXPLICIT TEACHING (15 minutes)
Based on the important information the video provides about TOEFL independent writing, explicit
teaching will be given to students on identifying supporting points and supporting details. The
instructor will use Power Point to provide explicit or direct instruction. Additionally, using an article in
the textbook is a way to help students distinguish the supporting points and supporting details (see
Power Point).
D. GROUP WORK ACTIVITY (30 minutes)
In the group work activity, students will be arranged in different groups to find out the supporting
points and supporting details of the two sample responses (see appendix B). The instructor will model
the class that provides an example of finding out the supporting points and supporting details in a
sample paragraph. The students will prepare for group sharing of their ideas to whole class.
E. REVIEW TODAYS WRITING TOPIC (10 minutes)
Many students go to universities in a country other than their own. Would you choose to go to school
in your own country or abroad? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
(Instructor will review the prompt and respond to student's clarifying questions. Students will be
prepared to discuses with instructors and classmates about their second draft.)
F. TRANSITION WORDS LEARNING (15 minutes)
Knowing and using transition words in the independent writing task is very necessary for students who
interested in improving their ability to respond to the TOEFL writing prompt to get a higher score on
TOEFL writing test. The instructor can go over each transition word with students explain what the
word mean and how the words can be used in essays (See Appendix A).
G. EXERCISE (15 minutes)
Students turn to page 524 and finish the writing exercise. The essay is a sample response of previous
writing prompt. Students will think of the role of sentences in each part of the essay, and they can look
for ant transitions that link the ideas and underline them. Then students need to put the sentences in the
correct order. This exercise is more related to coherence and organization then on the purpose of
supporting details (see Appendix C).
H. Closing (5 minutes)
Instructor review what cover in this class of supporting points and supporting details, transition words,
and some grammar points or errors.

Appendix A

Transition Words List

Introduction

Body paragraphs

Conclusion

Initially
At the beginning
To start with
As soon as

First
Second
Next
Then
Later
Also
As a result
Meanwhile
Moreover
Furthermore
After that
Additionally
In addition
In other words
For example
For instance
Besides
In fact
But
However
Otherwise
Although
Even though
As well as
Finally
Lastly
All in all
At the end
In the end
In summary
In conclusion

Appendix B
Sample Response #1

Sample Response #2

Appenxi C