6. Now ask students to read the letter again and circle the other keywords using a pencil. Invite students to compare their answers in their groups. Then check the answers orally with the whole class.

5. Ask students to read the letter carefully and underline the main points on their own suing a pencil initially. Remind them to refer to the ‘Wh-’ questions at the top of the page. Divide the class into groups of four and ask students to compare the main points they have underlined. Go through the letter again sentence by sentence and check the answers.

4. Briefly explain to students that they can understand information more quickly if they identify main points and keywords first. It is a good idea if students remember the questions listed on page 14 so that they can use them when reading through other texts. Ask students to study the questions for one minute, then close their books and say them to their partners to check if they have memorized them.

3. Read the letter to the whole class. You can ask more able students to close their books while you read. Then ask some open questions, e.g., ‘Who is Cindy? Why is Cindy unhappy? What is Cindy’s problem?’ Elicit a list of the details which describe Cindy and her problems. Explain difficult or unfamiliar words.

2. For weaker classes, read the questions on the page together with the students and explain that answering these questions will help them find the main points or ideas in a passage. Tell students that not all the words in a passage are important and that they should always look for keywords (words of great importance) in a passage.

1. Ask more able students what they want to find out when they read a passage. Write ‘What is it about?’ on the board and try to elicit the other questions listed on the page. Underline the ‘Wh-’ words.

3. To guess meaning and generate mental pictures

Background information

This section focuses on encouraging students to look for the main points and keywords in a passage so that they can understand and remember it more easily. The passage which students are required to read and understand in this section is a problem letter by a teenager in ‘Teenagers’ magazine. You need to introduce the genre of problem letters in magazines and newspapers. Arouse students’ interest in the topic by bringing some magazines or newspapers with such letters or replies to them.

Teaching procedures

2. To identify keywords in order to develop general understanding of a passage

1. To find the main points of a passage in order to understand and memorize it more easily

6. While students are practicing the conversation in pairs, move around the classroom providing help with correct pronunciation and fluency.

牛津 8A Unit1 教案(6课时)

Study skills

Objectives