Key subject: TEACHING IELTS AND TOEFL

Full name: HOANG VU TRUNG KIEN

Course date: 09 -14 May 2023

Table of contents

I. KEY POINTS FOR TEACHING IELTS AND TOEFL

1. What is IELTS and TOEFL exam preparation?

2. Why answer all questions?

3. Understanding instructions

4. Previewing and predicting effectively

5. Scanning and predicting text

6. Developing skills for listening

7. Developing skills for listening

8. Developing skills for listening

9. Developing skills for listening

10. Developing skills for listening

11. Speaking and pronunciation

12. Elicitation skills

13. Paragraph planning

14. Understanding Idioms and slang

15. Checklist of spelling

16. Techniques for unfamiliar vocabulary

17. Pre testing

18. Memory retention

19. Strategies for higher testing

II. LESSON PLANS

 III. RELEVANT ACTIVITIES

I. KEY POINTS FOR TEACHING ENGLISH GRAMMAR

1. What is IELTS and TOEFL exam preparation?

Preparing for the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) exam requires careful
planning and a structured approach. Here are some steps to help you prepare effectively before
your IELTS exam:

Understand the IELTS Exam Format: Familiarize yourself with the format of the IELTS exam. It
consists of four main sections: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking.

Determine Your Target Score: Identify the IELTS score you need for your specific goals, whether
it's for immigration, academic admission, or professional purposes.

Create a Study Plan: Develop a study schedule that covers all four sections of the exam. Allocate
more time to areas where you need the most improvement. Set specific, measurable goals for each
study session.

Gather Study Materials: Collect official IELTS preparation materials, such as practice tests and
sample questions, from the official IELTS website or authorized test centers.

5. Develop Listening Skills: Listen to a variety of English audio materials, including podcasts,
news broadcasts, and recordings. Practice listening to different accents and regional variations of
English.

6. Enhance Reading Skills: Read a wide range of English texts, including newspapers, magazines,
books, and academic articles. Practice summarizing and paraphrasing key information from texts.

7. Improve Writing Skills: Work on your essay writing skills by practicing writing essays on
various topics. Pay attention to essay structure, coherence, and vocabulary usage. Get feedback on
your writing from a teacher or tutor if possible.

8. Develop Speaking Skills: Practice speaking English regularly with native speakers, language
partners, or speaking clubs. Record yourself speaking on different topics and assess your fluency
and pronunciation. Consider taking a few lessons with a speaking tutor.

Learn Test-Specific Strategies: Understand the types of questions and tasks in each section of the
IELTS exam. Learn test-taking strategies, such as time management and how to approach
different question types.

Take Practice Tests: - Regularly take full-length practice tests to simulate the test-day experience.
- Analyze your performance and identify areas that need improvement. - Practice under timed
conditions to get used to the time constraints.

Confidence Building: - Build confidence by practicing regularly and staying positive about your
progress.

2. Why answer all questions?

Partial Credit: In some IELTS sections, such as the Reading and Listening modules, you can earn
partial credit for partially correct answers. Attempting questions, even if you're unsure, gives you
a chance to score some points.
Potential for Correct Answers: Sometimes, even when you're unsure, you might guess correctly.
IELTS questions are designed to have multiple-choice or fill-in-the-blank formats, which means
there's a chance you'll get it right by chance.

No Penalty for Wrong Answers: IELTS does not penalize you for incorrect answers, so it's to
your advantage to provide an answer for every question.

Time Management: IELTS is a timed test, and you have a limited amount of time to complete
each section. Attempting all questions ensures that you make the most of the available time.
Leaving questions unanswered means missing out on potential points.

3. Understanding instructions

4. Previewing and predicting effectively

5. Scanning and predicting text

Scanning:

Read the Questions First: Before you start reading the passage, quickly skim through the
questions related to it. This gives you a sense of what information you need to find while reading.

Use Keywords: Pay attention to keywords and phrases in the questions. These words often appear
in the passage and can help you locate the relevant information more quickly.

Focus on Headings and Subheadings: Many passages have headings and subheadings that provide
an overview of the content. Use these to guide your scanning.

Focus on Headings and Subheadings: Many passages have headings and subheadings that provide
an overview of the content. Use these to guide your scanning.

Predicting:

Use Context: In fill-in-the-blank or sentence completion questions, use the context of the passage
to predict what kind of word or phrase might fit in the blank. Sometimes, the sentence structure
can guide you.

Be Mindful of Sentence Structure: Pay attention to the structure of the sentence in which the
answer is likely to appear. Sometimes, the structure can help you predict the missing information.

Eliminate Distractors: When answering multiple-choice questions, eliminate answer choices that
are obviously incorrect. This narrows down your options and increases the chances of selecting
the correct answer.

6. Developing skills for listening

7. Developing skills for reading

 8. Developing skills for speaking

9. Developing skills for writing

10. Developing skills for grammar

11. Speaking and pronunciation

Phonetic Awareness: Start by building your students' awareness of English phonetics and sounds.
Introduce them to the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) to understand the specific sounds of
English.

Word Stress and Intonation: Teach students about word stress and intonation patterns in English.
Emphasize how stress can change the meaning of a word and how intonation affects sentence
meaning and emotions.

Listening and Repetition: Use listening exercises where students listen to native speakers and then
repeat what they hear. This helps them mimic natural intonation and pronunciation patterns.

Use of Tongue Twisters: Tongue twisters are excellent for practicing challenging sounds and
improving fluency. Start with simple ones and gradually move to more complex ones.

Role-Playing: Engage students in role-playing scenarios where they use English in context. This
helps them practice both pronunciation and conversational skills.

Encourage Reading Aloud: Assign readings or passages from books, articles, or scripts, and have
students read them aloud. This helps with fluency and pronunciation.

Group work/ pair work: Group work encourages you to actively communicate with your peers.
Engaging in discussions, brainstorming sessions, and group projects provides ample opportunities
to speak and express your thoughts and ideas.

12. Elicitation skills

Open-ended Questions: Asking open-ended questions encourages test takers to provide detailed
responses. Instead of asking questions that can be answered with a simple "yes" or "no," use
questions that require elaboration. For example, "Can you tell me about your favorite book?"
rather than "Do you like to read?"

Probing Questions: When a test taker gives a brief or unclear answer, use probing questions to
encourage them to provide more information. For instance, "Can you explain that in more detail?"
or "Could you give me an example?"

Active Listening: Pay close attention to the test taker's responses, showing that you are actively
listening. Nodding, maintaining eye contact, and providing verbal cues like "I see" or "Go on" can
encourage them to continue speaking.

Flexibility: Be flexible in your approach. Tailor your elicitation techniques to the individual needs
and abilities of the test taker.
Ask CCQ:

13. Paragraph planning

14. Understanding Idioms and slang

Ask Native Speakers: If possible, ask native speakers or fluent speakers of the language about the
meaning of idioms or slang. They can provide valuable insights and examples.

Watch Movies and TV Shows: Watching movies and TV shows in the language you're learning
can expose you to common idiomatic expressions and slang in natural contexts.

Read Books and Magazines: Reading materials in the language will also expose you to idiomatic
language. Novels, magazines, and newspapers often contain idioms and slang.

Practice Conversations: Engage in conversations with native speakers or language learners. Try
using idioms and slang in your conversations, and ask for feedback on your usage.

Cultural Awareness: Understanding the culture associated with the language can help you grasp
the nuances of idioms and slang. Learn about customs, traditions, and the social context in which
these expressions are used.

15. Checklist of spelling

16. Techniques for unfamiliar vocabulary

Contextual Learning: Try to understand the meaning of the word within the context in which it
appears. This can provide valuable clues to its definition.

Flashcards: Create flashcards with the unfamiliar word on one side and its definition, an example
sentence, or an image representing its meaning on the other side. Review these flashcards
regularly.

Practice with Contextual Sentences: Write your own sentences using the new word to practice its
usage. This will reinforce your understanding and memory of the word.

Audio Resources: Listen to native speakers or audio recordings of the language to hear how the
word is pronounced and used in real-life conversations.

Read Extensively: Reading books, articles, and other materials in the language will expose you to
a wide range of vocabulary. Keep a vocabulary journal to jot down and review unfamiliar words.

Engage in Conversations: Try to use the new words in your conversations with native speakers or
language partners. This practical application will help reinforce your memory .

17. Pre testing

18. Memory retention

Relate New Knowledge to Prior Knowledge: Help students connect new information to what they
already know. Building on existing knowledge makes it easier to remember and understand new
concepts.

Reflect and Review: Encourage students to regularly review and reflect on what they've learned.
This helps solidify their memory and understanding over time.

Homework: Require students to review and apply the material they've learned. This repetition
helps reinforce their memory of the content.

19. Strategies for higher testing

Improve Your English Skills: Focus on improving your overall English language proficiency, not
just your test-taking skills. Read English books, watch movies, listen to podcasts, and practice
speaking with native speakers.

Develop a Study Plan: Create a structured study plan that includes a mix of language skills.
Dedicate sufficient time to each section of the test based on your strengths and weaknesses.

Practice Regularly: Regular practice is key to success. Use official IELTS practice materials,
including sample tests, to simulate test conditions and improve your time management.

Time Management: During the actual test, time management is crucial. Practice under timed
conditions to ensure you can complete each section within the allocated time.

Review and Learn from Mistakes: After taking practice tests, thoroughly review your mistakes.
Understand why you got certain questions wrong and learn from those errors.

Stay Calm and Confident: On the test day, stay calm and confident. Remember that IELTS
assesses your English language abilities, so focus on demonstrating what you know.
REFERENCES:

https://ieltsdeal.com/ielts-reading-skills-how-to-guess-predict-the-meaning-of-new-unknown-confusing-
words-with-best-details-explanations-and-examples/

Using Grammar - Kid Sense Child Development

Importance of Correct Grammar (theclassroom.com)

Universal grammar | linguistics | Britannica

What is Structural Grammar? (with pictures) (infobloom.com)

Microsoft Word - 2.Explicit Grammar and Implicit Grammar Teaching for English Major
Students in University.doc (davidpublisher.com)

Grammar Teaching: Implicit or Explicit? - Eslbase.com

Stephen Krashen's Theory of Second Language Acquisition (sk.com.br)

Noam Chomsky’s Theory Of Universal Grammar Is Right; It's Hardwired Into Our Brains
(medicaldaily.com)

Social Development Theory (Lev Vygotsky) - InstructionalDesign.org

Community language learning | TeachingEnglish | British Council | BBC

Slang and Idioms (saylordotorg.github.io)

4 Simple Retention Tricks Th at Will Help Your Students Remember 90% Of What You Teach In Class
(busyteacher.org)

TESOL Glossary: Controlled Practice and Free Practice (tesolcourse.com)

Australian International TESOL Manual book

Australian International TESOL Exam preparation book

II. LESSON PLAN

LESSON PLAN 1 (45 minutes)

LESSON PLAN
Topic: Transports, Article

Level: Upper-Beginner

Age: 8-10

Length: 45

Language Skills:

TESOL Methodology:

Lesson objectives: By the end of the lesson the students will be able to understand the
use of simple articles as well as identify and remember 6 words of
transports: boat, bus, bike, car, truck, plane

Resources:

Stage Activity Description Resource Timing

Warm up + Hangman - The teacher draws a blank line for each Marker
Pre task letter in the word on the board Board
- Tell the students to guess any letters
- Fill the letter in the blanks if the students
guess correctly, and draw part of the
hangman when the students guess wrong
- If the teacher ends up drawing the entire
hangman, the students lose and the game is
 over.
- Every students who guess the correct letter
get a sticker
- The words should be from the previous
lesson and the last word must be
“Transports”
- Then teacher introduces the topic -
transports

Teaching 1

Task 1

Teaching 2

Task 2

Follow up

Homework

Back up (if
any)

LESSON PLAN 2 (60 minutes)

LESSON PLAN
Topic: Felling, past perfect tense

Level: Upper-Intermediate

Age: 15-18

Length: 60

Language Skills:

TESOL Methodology:
Lesson objectives: By the end of the lesson, the students will be able to understand the
form and the use of past perfect tense as well as identify and
remember 6 words of feeling: embarrassed, optimistic, lonely,
delighted, grumpy, hurt

Resources:

Stage Activit Description Resourc Timin

y e g

Warm up

Pre-task - Teacher asks about students’s feeling after

finishing the warm up
- Students may answer simple words like
happy, good,…
- Teacher introduces the topic - feeling

Teaching
1

Task 1

Teaching - The teacher introduces the past perfect tense

2 form by writing "I had finished my work" on
the board.
- The teacher and the students analyze the
structure of the. To make a sentence in the past
perfect tense, we use “had” + past participle.
- The teacher asks the students to make
examples.
- The teacher uses the past perfect tense to ask
several questions about the students' examples

Task 2

Teaching - The teacher asks the students when we use

3 past perfect tense.
- The teacher writes a timeline to explain when
we use past perfect tense.
 - We use the future continuous to refer to
temporary actions and events that will be in
progress at a particular time in the future:
“They will be flying to VietNam from Canada
next week”
- The teacher asks the students to make
sentences to check the students’ understanding.

Task 3

Follow up Dice
game

Homewor
k

Back up (if
any)