PET for Schools Reading Part 2 Activity Notes for teachers

Description Students read a description of one person then decide which extract from a Part 2 text best suits this person. In groups they take turns to describe their person and extract to the others, who have each read about different people. They discuss how to do a Part 2 task, complete the task on their own, then finally do an activity on synonyms and paraphrasing.

Time required: Materials required:

60 minutes Activity 1 handout cut up into five parts Activity 2 handout Sample paper Part 2 to introduce Part 2 to practise the procedure for answering a Part 2 task to raise awareness of synonyms and paraphrasing.

Aims:

Procedure 1. Ask students what their favourite magazines are and what type of magazine they are. Make a list of them on the board. Then brainstorm other types of magazine and add these to the list on the board. 2. Explain that in Part 2, candidates have to match five short descriptions of people with eight short texts on a particular topic e.g. their favourite magazines. If students have done the overview activity, you could elicit this information from the class. 3. Hand out the cut up descriptions of people (Activity 1) so that each student has one description. Ask them to read their information carefully and underline the key information. 4. Hand out the sample paper Part 2 task and direct students to the page with Teen Magazines choices A H. Ask the students to quickly scan the magazine choices to find how many of the magazine types on the list on the board are mentioned in the text and to choose which magazine choice would be most suitable for their person. 5. Put all the students who have read about Olaf into a group, all the students who have read about Becca into another group and so on. Ask them to compare their answers to step 4 and to reach an agreement about the best magazine choice for their person. 6. Re-divide the class into groups of five so that all five people are covered in one group and ask students to tell the rest of the group about their person, and then their
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magazine choice, using their own words as much as possible and referring to relevant parts of the texts. 7. Ask the following question: Are there any similarities between the people? (Yes, Chris and Olaf both like music and both want to read a magazine that is written by other people of the same age.) Explain that this will often happen in Part 2. Encourage students to read any similar texts very carefully and to think about the differences and not to be distracted by the similarities. There will always be just one correct answer for each question. Explain that this is why word spotting (looking for the same word/phrase in text and description) should be avoided: if you choose an answer just because the same word appears in both texts, you will often get the wrong answer. 8. Review the steps in answering a Part 2 by asking students to fill in the missing words in the steps below (shown on an OHT if possible). read the ___________ read through __________________ and underline the key information read through ______________ carefully, underlining any matches within them _______ each question again and choose the best matching text for it

(Key: read the instructions read through the five descriptions of the people and underline the key information read through all 8 texts carefully, underlining any matches within them re-read each question again and choose the best matching text for it)

There is a copy of this for students at the bottom of the Activity 2 worksheet. 9. Ask students to discuss the following questions briefly in pairs: i) Do you think you should cross out an answer choice as soon as you think you have matched it correctly? No you shouldnt, in case you have made a mistake. You need to make possible matches but keep all the answer choices in mind for each person until you have matched them all. ii) Which of the following does Part 2 test? word spotting (finding the same vocabulary) detailed comprehension paraphrasing

It tests your understanding of paraphrasing and detailed comprehension of the texts. Word spotting can be dangerous as similar texts will contain the same vocabulary, but the use or meaning will be different.
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10. Now ask students to do the sample paper Part 2 alone, using the steps above. Explain that even though they have discussed the answers as a group, they should now practice their skimming, scanning and detailed reading skills and then underline the sections which contain the answers. 11. Explain that paraphrasing and synonyms are used throughout PET for Schools Reading and that the following activity gives some examples of these from the texts they have just read. Hand out Activity 2. Ask students to match the synonyms and paraphrasing which all come from the texts they have just looked at. 12. Whole class check (see key) 13. Round off the class by asking students to decide which magazine they would like to read and to tell their partner, or to describe another magazine if their favourite type of magazine is not here.

Key to the sample task

Key to activity 2 A stories people in bands current affairs stars wildlife and the environment works of fiction singers latest international events famous people the natural world B

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PET for Schools Reading Part 2 Activity 1

Cut up the following descriptions of people and give one to each student

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Activity 2
Match a phrase in A with a phrase in B that has a similar meaning

A stories people in bands current affairs stars wildlife and the environment the natural world famous people works of fiction

latest international events singers

Procedure for Part 2

Read the instructions Read through the five descriptions of the people and underline the key information Read through all 8 texts carefully, underlining any matches within them Re-read each question again and choose the best matching text for it

UCLES 2008. This material may be photocopied (without alteration) and distributed for classroom use provided no charge is made. It may not otherwise be altered, photocopied, reproduced, distributed, published, recorded, made available on another website, or otherwise transmitted by any means without the prior written permission of University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations.

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Sample paper Part 2

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 UCLES 2008. This material may be photocopied (without alteration) and distributed for classroom use provided no charge is made. It may not otherwise be altered, photocopied, reproduced, distributed, published, recorded, made available on another website, or otherwise transmitted by any means without the prior written permission of University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations.

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