Example 6a: Responsive Writing: Guided Question and Answer Task Employed as a Formative Assessment
Tool
Level:
B1 (Grade 7) [Note: This exercise was designed for Grade 7 students, but it can be
modified to fit the needs of students at all levels.]
Topic:
Environment *This is Unit 9 in the book. Here, students learn about environmental problems (e.g.,
air, water and noise pollution, climate change, global warming) and their causes (e.g.,
factories, overpopulation, overconsumption, deforestation).
Sub-topics =Finding and reading resources related to the project topic.
=Creating reports answering the reporter’s six questions (i.e., what, where, when, who,
how, why) and giving the writer’s opinion and evaluation of the topic/situation
=Understanding and using vocabulary items and phrases most frequently employed
when discussing the environmental issues
=Constructing grammatically correct affirmative, negative and interrogative sentences
in Simple Present, Simple Past, Present Continuous and Future Tenses
=Using the needed cohesive devices to create logically ordered and connected
paragraphs.
Aim(s):
*Using guiding questions to help Sts write short, simple reports related to environmental
issues (e.g., global warming, deforestation, water and air pollution) (see Example 6b).
*To check whether or not Sts know the grammar needed to discuss environmental
problems (e.g., affirmative, negative and interrogative sentences in Simple Present
Tense, Present Continuous Tense, Past Tense, Future Tense, Imperatives, comparatives,
prepositions).
*To uncover whether or not Sts know and can use appropriately vocabulary items
related to environmental issues.
*To actively involve Sts in the learning process by asking them to research and answer
related questions, give feedback to their classmates and self-assess.
*To create a cooperative environment in which Sts with different skills will work
together towards achieving a joint goal.
Background and
Procedures:
*This is Unit 9 in the book.
*After reading the texts related to environmental issues in class, now it is time to
research a bit more and create reports on an environmental problem threatening a part or
all of the students’ country.
*The T decides to use “Guided Questions” that will help Sts research the topic and
later create reports.
*The T asks Sts to choose partners with whom they will research the topic and create
the report.
