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PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Lesson 1 Read aloud Time allocated: 60 minutes

Step 1: Introduce the Item Type This is a long-answer item type that integrates speaking and reading skills, and requires test takers to read a short text aloud, using correct pronunciation and intonation.

Look at the text below. In 40 seconds, you must read this text aloud as naturally and clearly as possible. You have 40 seconds to read aloud.

Recorded Answer Current Status: Beginning in 40 seconds.

Analysts were impressed by the improvement in margins reported across all regions, apart from the United Kingdom, and said that this reflected a clear effort to improve profitability across the business. Although the turnaround is still in its early stages and the valuation looks full, given the challenge of turning around such a large and complex business, this is certainly an impressive start.

Step 2: Present the Item Type Strategies Strategy 1

You have 30–40 seconds to go through the text. Read it silently trying to decode any words you do not know using context and word structure clues.

Strategy 2

When you speak into the microphone, read every single word. Do not skip words or rush through. Apply your letter-sound knowledge or phonemic awareness to pronounce unfamiliar words.

Strategy 3

When you speak, try to link the words within phrases and do not emphasize grammar words such as prepositions and articles. This will help you achieve native-like rhythm and phrasing, and sound more fluent.

Step 3: Explain and Practice Each Strategy Strategy 1 Explain to your students that they will have 30–40 seconds to prepare and familiarize themselves with the text before the microphone opens. They should use the time to try to decode and understand any unfamiliar words, as well as the content of the text. 1 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 1: Read aloud

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies Context clues are usually any surrounding words that will give your students hints about the words they do not know. Word structure clues are clusters of letters that occur frequently in words. These are prefixes (un-, re-, in-), suffixes (-ful, -ness, -est), and inflectional endings (-ed, -ing, -es). Associating meaning and sounds to these clusters of letters will lead to more rapid and efficient word identification. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities in pairs:

• Display the first sentence from Item 1: “Analysts were impressed by the improvement in margins reported across all regions, apart from the United Kingdom, and said that this reflected a clear effort to improve profitability across the business.” Have students work out the meaning of the underlined word and discuss what context clues helped them decode the correct meaning, e.g., meaning – gross profits; context clues – improve, profitability, business.

• Now ask students to look at the words improvement and profitablity, identify the roots and suffixes (-ment, -able, -ity), and sound them out. Then give students copies of Item 1 and have them highlight all prefixes, suffixes and inflectional endings, and discuss their meaning and pronunciation. Strategy 2 Explain to your students that they should read all words in the text. To become skilled readers, they should be able to identify and/or predict words quickly and accurately. They must be proficient in decoding the printed words into spoken language. In addition to using word structure clues discussed above, decoding also involves recognizing sight words, i.e., common words that should be recognized on sight such as should, ought, and associating spelling with sounds. Approximately 84% of English words are phonetically regular. Therefore, teaching the most common soundspelling relationships in English is extremely useful for readers. To apply this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities:

• Have your students make a list of sight words, e.g., another, because, here, there, where, whole, could, enough, though, etc. and practice reading them to each other in pairs.

• If students are familiar with the phonetic symbols, write down a list of vowels (e.g., / /, / /, / /) and have them think of all letter representations that are associated with each sound, (e.g., / / , , , ) and provide example words. Do the same for the more difficult consonants (e.g., /f/ as in full, effort, half, phone, cough). Strategy 3 Explain to your students that it is important to understand how the combination of stressed and unstressed syllables helps to create the sentence rhythm in English. They should also know how to group syllables together into larger units such as phrases or thought groups. Thought groups include short sentences, phrases, clauses, and transition words and phrases that make the organization of the text clear (e.g., on the other hand, for example, in fact). In addition, students should try to link the final sounds of words to the next word in the phrase. For example, if the final sound of a word is a consonant and the next word starts with a vowel, they should blend the last consonant of the word with the next word, e.g., They lived in Hong Kong sounds like They live din Hong Kong. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities in pairs:

• Display the first sentence from Item 1: “Analysts were impressed by the improvement in margins reported across all regions, apart from the United Kingdom, and said that this reflected a clear effort to improve profitability across the business.” Have students divide the sentence into thought groups and mark the unstressed syllables. Then have them practice reading it to each other.

• Now ask students to mark the words that can be linked in each thought group. Have them practice reading it until they are fluent readers.

• Display the other sentence from Item 1 and repeat the activities.

2 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 1: Read aloud

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Step 4: Respond to a Read Aloud Item Explain to your students that they will now respond to a test item simulating the test conditions. They will have 40 seconds to read the text silently and 40 seconds to read it aloud. Remind students of the three strategies covered in this lesson and ask them to apply these strategies. Now give students copies of Item 2. If possible, seat students at separate workstations or away from each other. Have students record their responses using the recording devices on their mobile phones or computers.

Step 5: Provide Feedback Ask your students if they were able to use the strategies. Which one was the most difficult to apply? Which one do they think was the most useful? If students have recorded their responses, ask them to compare and evaluate each other’s responses in pairs or groups. Play the three sample responses in audio files [L1_Read_aloud_2_Response_B1], [L1_Read_aloud_2_ Response_B2] and [L1_Read_aloud_2_Response_C1], and ask students to rank the responses from the weaker to the stronger. Then provide the explanations for Item 2.

3 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 1: Read aloud

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 1 Look at the text below. In 40 seconds, you must read this text aloud as naturally and clearly as possible. You have 40 seconds to read aloud.

Analysts were impressed by the improvement in margins reported across all regions, apart from the United Kingdom, and said that this reflected a clear effort to improve profitability across the business. Although the turnaround is still in its early stages and the valuation looks full, given the challenge of turning around such a large and complex business, this is certainly an impressive start.

4 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 1: Read aloud

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 2 Look at the text below. In 40 seconds, you must read this text aloud as naturally and clearly as possible. You have 40 seconds to read aloud.

Once most animals reach adulthood, they stop growing. In contrast, even plants that are thousands of years old continue to grow new needles, add new wood, and produce cones and new flowers, almost as if parts of their bodies remained "forever young". The secrets of plant growth are regions of tissue that can produce cells that later develop into specialized tissues.

5 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 1: Read aloud

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 2: Explanations Audio [L1_Read_aloud_2_Response_B1] Speech is staccato and labored. The rate of speech is uneven and phrasing is irregular. Inappropriate stress and incorrect pronunciation of some consonants might require listeners to adjust to the accent of the speaker. Audio [L1_Read_aloud_2_Response_B2] One word is omitted and one word is read inaccurately. Phrasing is somewhat staccato and there are two repetitions. Omission or incorrect pronunciation of some consonants does not affect understanding. Audio [L1_Read_aloud_2_Response_C1] One word is omitted. Speech is at a conversational rate and demonstrates appropriate phrasing. Minor pronunciation errors do not affect understanding.

6 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 1: Read aloud

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Lesson 2 Repeat sentence Time allocated: 60 minutes

Step 1: Introduce the Item Type This is a short-answer item type that integrates listening and speaking skills, and requires test takers to understand and remember a sentence, and repeat it using the same wording and pronunciation.

You will hear a sentence. Please repeat the sentence exactly as you hear it. You will hear the sentence only once.

Status:

Beginning in 3 seconds.

Volume

Recorded Answer Current Status: Beginning in 10 seconds.

Step 2: Present the Item Type Strategies Strategy 1

Try to memorize the sentence. To do so, you need to train your short-term memory or working memory.

Strategy 2

Pay attention to the sentence structure, e.g., if the sentence starts with there or the impersonal it, or if the verb is in active or passive voice. Knowledge of the word order of the main sentence structures will help you reconstruct the sentence correctly without omitting words or substituting with the wrong words.

Strategy 3

Pronounce all consonants and vowels clearly, and place word and sentence stress correctly. Remember that in English the sentence stress is usually on the last content word or important words.

Step 3: Explain and Practice Each Strategy Strategy 1 Explain to your students that short-term memory is a very important cognitive skill that helps us in our daily activities. This skill is also essential for spoken language learning and communication. When test takers try to 1 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 2: Repeat sentence

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies recall the sentence that they heard a few seconds earlier, they are actually calling on their short-term or working memory. That is why it is important for students to train their working memory. Explain that utterances will vary in length, and the best way to memorize longer sentences is to break them into manageable chunks of language. Students should also understand the speaker’s intended meaning. This task should not be treated as a mechanical repetition of words without meaning. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities in pairs:

• Ask your students to read sentences to each other beginning with short ones and gradually increasing the length, complexity and form. For example, Staff make notes available. Teaching staff make notes available. Teaching staff make their notes available. Most teaching staff make their notes available. Most teaching staff make their lecture notes available. Most teaching staff make their lecture notes available online.

• During the practice, ask the student who reads the sentences to assess his/her partner’s performance by crossing out words that were omitted, inserting words that were added, putting a checkmark next to sentences that were repeated correctly, etc. Strategy 2 Remind your students of the basic word order of English: Subject, Verb, Object. Students should be aware that English has a fixed word order, and there are a certain number of sentence structures that they should remember. This will help them reconstruct the sentences correctly without omitting words or substituting with the wrong words. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities in pairs: •

Ask students to list all the sentence types in English and their structures that they are familiar with. Encourage them to use academic vocabulary and topics when they provide the example sentences.

•

Ask students to read sentences to each other, beginning with the core parts: the subject and the verb, and gradually increasing the complexity by adding other parts of speech such as objects, adverbs, adjectives, prepositional phrases, etc. For example, Adults learn. Most adults learn. Most adults learn best. Most adults learn best when information is presented. Most adults learn best when novel information is presented. Most adults learn best when novel information is presented through a variety of experiences.

•

Repeat the activity with other sentence structures. For example, There are some structural and behavioral adaptations. It is estimated that 40% of the nation’s energy comes from petroleum. The federal government advised people to evacuate their homes. People were advised by the federal government to evacuate their homes. Strategy 3

Explain to your students that pronunciation accuracy is an important aspect of this item type, and they should systematically improve their pronunciation so that they sound not just intelligible, but as natural as possible. There are two areas students should pay attention to: 1) sounds and 2) word and sentence stress. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities:

• Identify which sounds your students have difficulty pronouncing. This will depend on their first language. For example, for Chinese learners, pronouncing some diphthongs as in how/now or phone/cone is a problem. Find some minimal pairs for students to listen to and repeat, e.g., John and Joan.

• Provide some sentences and have them distinguish between content and function words, and mark the stressed syllables.

• Ask students to identify the sentence stress, i.e., the last content word which usually provides new information. For example, Learners are actively involved in using language.

• Ask students to repeat utterances without looking at the written sentences.

Step 4: Respond to a Repeat Sentence Item Explain to your students that they will now respond to a test item simulating the test conditions. They will have 15 seconds to give their response. Remind them of the three strategies covered in this lesson and ask them to apply these strategies. © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 2: Repeat sentence

2

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies If possible, seat your students at separate workstations or position them in a way that they will not interfere with each other when speaking. Play the audio [L2_Repeat_sentence_1]. Have them record their responses using the recording devices on their mobile phones or computers.

Step 5: Provide Feedback Ask your students if they were able to use the strategies. Which one was the most difficult to apply? Which one do they think was the most useful? If students have recorded their responses, ask them to compare and evaluate each other’s responses in pairs or groups. Play the three sample responses in audio files [L2_Repeat_sentence_1_Response_B1], [L2_Repeat_sentence_ 1_Response_B2] and [L2_Repeat_sentence_1_Response_C1], and ask students to rank the responses from the weaker to the stronger. Then provide the explanations.

3 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 2: Repeat sentence

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 1: Transcript and Explanations Transcript:

There will be a conference here next summer on using the web for academic research. Audio [L2_Repeat_sentence_1_Response_B1] There are several hesitations, one repetition and one long pause. The rate of speech is uneven. Incorrect pronunciation of vowels and consonants make several words unclear. Audio [L2_Repeat_sentence_1_Response_B2] Some words in the sentence are omitted, and some words that are not in the sentence are added. Phrasing is uneven, and there are a few hesitations and one repetition. Incorrect pronunciation of vowels and consonants make several words unclear. Audio [L2_Repeat_sentence_1_Response_C1] Phrasing is somewhat uneven, but the response is spoken at a conversational rate. Minor pronunciation errors do not affect understanding.

4 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 2: Repeat sentence

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Lesson 3 Describe image Time allocated: 60 minutes

Step 1: Introduce the Item Type This is a long-answer item type that assesses speaking skills, and requires test takers to describe an image from an academic source such as a graph, map, chart, table or picture.

Look at the graph below. In 25 seconds, please speak into the microphone and describe in detail what the graph is showing. You will have 40 seconds to give your response.

iTunes Purchased Songs 1,100

1,000

990

850

Songs Purchased (millions)

880

Recorded Answer

770 Current Status:

660

Beginning in 25 seconds.

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550 440 330

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220 110 0

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1 5 0

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25 30

50 45

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Week Number

Step 2: Present the Item Type Strategies Strategy 1

You have 25 seconds to study the image. Try to understand the main ideas or features of the graph, map, chart, table or picture.

Strategy 2

Use appropriate statistical vocabulary to describe bars or segments, and their values in pie charts and bar charts, and to describe movements or trends in line graphs. Use a different set of language expressions when describing pictures.

Strategy 3

Make sure your description is simply and logically structured. Start with an introduction, followed by the main body, and end with a conclusion.

Step 3: Explain and Practice Each Strategy Strategy 1 Explain to your students that they will only have 25 seconds to look at the image before the microphone opens. They should use the time efficiently to study the image and identify the main features that can be defined by answering questions such as, What is happening? What are the smallest numbers? and What are the biggest numbers? If the image is a time graph, they should establish the changes or the trends. Explain that “trends” means the main changes or differences over time.  © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 3: Describe image

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities in pairs:

• Display Item 1. Give each pair 30 seconds to discuss and identify two to three main ideas represented in the graph, e.g., 1) during the first 60 weeks, the songs purchased increased gradually; 2) there was a rise in week 60; 3) sales shot up in week 90.

• Now ask students to support each idea with details from the graph, e.g., 1) between week 1 and week 60, only 100 million songs were purchased; 2) after week 60, the number of songs purchased rose to 200 million in 30 weeks (almost doubled); 3) after week 90, there was a rapid rise to 1,000 million songs in only 60 weeks. Strategy 2 Explain to your students that it is important to use correct vocabulary to describe statistical information. They may also need to use a different set of expressions to describe pictures. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities in pairs:

• Display some categories related to statistical information: prepositions, movements down, movements up, adjectives, adverbs, no movement, and have students brainstorm appropriate vocabulary for each category. For example, Prepositions: from/between 1990 to/and 2010 Movements up: increased, rose, grew, went up Movements down: decreased, declined, dropped, went down Adjectives: slight, gradual, sharp, sudden, steady Adverbs: slightly, gradually, sharply, suddenly, steadily No movement: remained steady/stable, was unchanged, stabilized

• Ask students to look at Item 1 and make appropriate sentences to describe different features or trends within the graph using the vocabulary they have brainstormed.

• Now have students think about the phrases they can use to describe a picture. Display the following categories: kinds of pictures and perspectives, structure, scene description, impression, intention, and have students brainstorm appropriate vocabulary or expressions for each category. For example, Kinds of pictures and perspectives: viewer, photograph, bird’s eye view, worm’s eye view Structure: foreground, background, in the upper/lower part, in front of, behind, next to, on the right/left, from behind/above/below Scene description: describes, shows a scene, shows an image of (place), from a distance, Impression: attention focused on Intention: evoke/express something, put forth a perspective Strategy 3 Explain to your students that they should include an introduction, a main body and a conclusion in their descriptions. The first sentence should introduce the image and provide a brief description, e.g., The graph shows/displays the number of ITunes songs bought …, In this graph, we can see the number of ITunes songs purchased …, The photo/image shows a (scene, buildings, place) from a distance. In the body, students should describe each feature or main idea as identified in Strategy 1, and provide supporting details. They should conclude with one sentence summarizing their description and drawing the relevant conclusion, e.g., The information indicates …, From the chart/graph, we can conclude that …. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities in pairs:

• Have each pair come up with one sentence to introduce the graph, e.g., what is being described in the graph.

 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 3: Describe image

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

• Ask students to decide on the most logical order to present the main ideas or features, e.g., time graphs/ charts usually present information in chronological order so the most logical order would be to structure their descriptions from earliest to latest.

• Have students summarize their descriptions. • Remind students that this item type may also include pictures, and have them think about the most logical structure for a picture descripion, e.g., from left to right; from the foreground to the background, or from general impressions to details.

• Provide some suitable pictures for students to describe (e.g., of famous buidings) and have them work in pairs or groups to plan the structure of their descriptions.

Step 4: Respond to a Describe Image Item Explain to your students that they will now respond to the test item simulating the test conditions. They will have 25 seconds to study the image and 40 seconds to give their response. Remind students of the three strategies covered in this lesson and ask them to apply these strategies. If possible, seat students at separate workstations or position them in a way that they will not interfere with each other when speaking. Have them record their responses using the recording devices on their mobile phones or computers.

Step 5: Provide Feedback Ask your students if they were able to use the strategies. Which one was the most difficult to apply? Which one do they think was the most useful? If students have recorded their responses, ask them to compare and evaluate each other’s responses in pairs or groups. Play the three sample responses in audio files [L3_Describe_image_1_Response_B1], [L3_Describe_image_ 1_Response_B2] and [L3_Describe_image_1_Response_C1], and ask students to rank the responses from the weaker to the stronger. Then provide the explanations.

 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 3: Describe image

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 1 Look at the graph below. In 25 seconds, speak into the microphone and describe in detail what the graph is showing. You will have 40 seconds to give your response.

iTunes Purchased Songs 1,100

1,000

990

850

Songs Purchased (millions)

880 770 660

500

550 440 330

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220 110 0

1 5 0

10 15

25 30

50 45

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Week Number

 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 3: Describe image

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 1: Explanations Audio [L3_Describe_image_1_Response_B1] There is no discussion of the relationships between elements of the graph; only the content of the graph is described and the description is disorganized. This response has an uneven rate, several hesitations and at least two repetitions, which negatively affect fluency. Incorrect pronunciation of vowels and consonants make several words unclear. This response demonstrates limited control over simple grammatical structures. There is frequent pausing for lexical planning, and the overall response is labored. This response is 39 seconds. Audio [L3_Describe_image_1_Response_B2] While the response describes basic elements of the graph, it is disorganized and there is little discussion of the relationships between elements. The speech is somewhat uneven, but the speed is acceptable and contains several long utterances. Incorrect pronunciation of vowels and consonants make several words unclear. Ideas are expressed through linked discourse. Language use is acceptable, although several grammar and vocabulary errors are present. This response is 30 seconds. Audio [L3_Describe_image_1_Response_C1] Although the major aspects of the graph are accurately described, the discussion of the relationships between elements contains one misinterpretation. This response contains several long runs of language with an even tempo. Word and phrase stress is appropriate. Incorrect pronunciation of some consonant clusters does not affect understanding. This response demonstrates good control of standard English grammar with very few grammatical errors. The vocabulary used is precise and appropriate for the context. This response is 35 seconds.

 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 3: Describe image

Lesson 4

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Speaking: Re-tell lecture Time allocated: 60 minutes

Step 1: Introduce the Item Type This is a long-answer item type that integrates listening and speaking skills, and requires test takers to understand and re-tell a lecture.

You will hear a lecture. After listening to the lecture, in 10 seconds, please speak into the microphone and retell what you have just heard from the lecture in your own words. You will have 40 seconds to give your response.

Status:

Beginning in 2 seconds.

Volume

Recorded Answer Current Status: Beginning in 86 seconds.

Step 2: Present the Item Type Strategies Strategy 1

Write your notes in a systematic and effective way. Listen for content words which convey key information. Don’t worry about the spelling of words, but make sure you understand the meaning.

Strategy 2

You only have 10 seconds to prepare before the microphone opens. Quickly review and connect the ideas in your notes.

Strategy 3

Try to think in English when you speak. Don’t translate from your native language into English.

Step 3: Explain and Practice Each Strategy Strategy 1 Explain to your students that in the test they will hear the lecture only once so they should try to make effective notes which will help them improve their performance. Remind them not to get distracted by the speaker’s accent and delivery mode. Explain that test takers can’t write down every single word, but they should try to take down the following: main points and principles, supporting details and examples, important dates and numbers. They should note connections between the main ideas or points, e.g., whether they support or contradict each other, and their hierarchical relationships.  © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 4: Re-tell lecture

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies Students should also think of a simple layout for their notes that they will try to follow when speaking. If the lecture is accompanied by an image such as a graph or map, the headings may include some of the keywords that they will need to re-tell the information. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities:

• Display Item 1 and explain to your students that they will hear an interview. First, read out the first question and the interviewee’s answer, and have your students take notes. “In an article that you wrote that I just read, you said you wished you could take everyone back to decades ago to look at the Florida Keys.

Fifty years ago. Think about how much change has taken place in that short period of time. We have managed to consume on the order of 90% of the big fish in the ocean: the tunas, the swordfish, the sharks. They're mostly gone. Until recently, people have had the belief that there isn't much we puny human beings can do to change the nature of the ocean. But in fact, we have, not just because of what we've been taking out and the destructive means often applied to take fish and other creatures from the sea, but also what we're putting into the sea, either directly or what we put into the atmosphere that falls back into the sea.” The instructions for this item type have been modified for this lesson to include an interview. In the actual test, the instructions will generally refer to a lecture.

• Now read out the next question and answer, and have your students take notes. “So if you were going to give a grade on the health of the oceans today what would it be?

Well, it depends on which aspect. Across the board. Huh. The oceans are in trouble. It's hard for me to assign a specific grade. Maybe C”

• Play the complete audio of the interview [L4_Re-tell_lecture_1] and have students check their notes and add any additional points.

• In pairs, ask them to compare the notes they have taken and explain how they have organized them. Topic: article about fish in the Florida Keys

50 years – much change Consume 90% of big fish Belief – humans can’t change ocean But – humans descructive ➔ take fish out of sea; put things back Health of oceans – in trouble, grade C Strategy 2 Remind your students that in the test they will only have 10 seconds to prepare for speaking. They should not try to re-write their notes or add more information. Instead, they should review them quickly and select the key information and points, and think about how to present them in a logical way using connectives and transition words. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities in pairs:

• Have students quickly review their notes and think about how to present them, and what connectives and transition words they need to use.

• Ask your students to practice re-telling the information to each other. Strategy 3 Remind your students that their response to the test item should be smooth and effortless, and delivered at a natural rate with appropriate phrasing. So it is important that they try to think in English when they speak and avoid translating from their native language. Translation may result in slow, hesitant and unnatural speech. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities in pairs:

• Assign two topics to each pair, e.g., population growth, sustainable living, eco-diversity, etc. Ask students to practice giving a short presentation of no more than one minute on each topic to each other. On the first  © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 4: Re-tell lecture

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies topic, they should think in their first language as they prepare their notes and translate in their heads as they speak. On the second topic, they should think in English as they write notes and speak. If possible, have them record the presentations and compare the mode of delivery. They will probably notice that the first approach of translating in their heads results in slower, labored speech.

• Have your students look at their notes for Item 1 and have them present the information to their partners. Encourage them to think in English without translating in their heads.

• Play the three sample responses in audio files [L4_Re-tell_lecture_1_Response_B1], [L4_Re-tell_lecture_1_ Response_B2] and [L4_Re-tell_lecture_1_Response_C1] and ask students to discuss the mode of delivery and rank them from the weaker to the stronger. Then provide the explanations.

Step 4: Respond to a Re-tell Lecture Item Explain to your students that they will now respond to a test item simulating the test conditions. They will have 10 seconds to prepare after the recording finishes and 40 seconds to record their response. Remind them of the three strategies covered in this lesson and ask them to apply them. Seat your students at separate workstations or position them in a way that they will not interfere with or disrupt others while speaking. Give out copies of Item 2. Play the audio [L4_Re-tell_lecture_2], and ask students to record their responses on personal recording devices such as computers and mobile phones.

Step 5: Provide Feedback Ask your students if they were able to use the strategies. Which one was the most difficult to apply? Which one do they think was the most useful? If students have recorded their answers, ask them to evaluate each other’s responses in pairs or groups. Play the three sample responses in audio files [L4_Re-tell_lecture_2_Response_B1], [L4_Re-tell_lecture_2_ Response_B2] and [L4_Re-tell_lecture_2_Response_C1]. Ask students to rank the responses from the weaker to the stronger. Then provide the explanations for Item 2.

 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 4: Re-tell lecture

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 1 You will hear an interview. After listening to the interview, in 10 seconds, please retell what you have just heard from the interview in your own words. You will have 40 seconds to give your response.

Distribution of large fish 2005-06

10%

90%

Remaining in the oceans

Caught and consumed by humans

 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 4: Re-tell lecture

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 1: Transcript Interviewer:

In an article that you wrote that I just read, you said you wished you could take everyone back to decades ago to look at the Florida Keys.

Interviewee:

Fifty years ago. Think about how much change has taken place in that short period of time. We have managed to consume on the order of 90% of the big fish in the ocean: the tunas, the swordfish, the sharks. They're mostly gone. Until recently, people have had the belief that there isn't much we puny human beings can do to change the nature of the ocean. But in fact, we have, not just because of what we've been taking out and the destructive means often applied to take fish and other creatures from the sea, but also what we're putting into the sea, either directly or what we put into the atmosphere that falls back into the sea.

Interviewer:

So if you were going to give a grade on the health of the oceans today what would it be?

Interviewee:

Well, it depends on which aspect. Across the board. Huh. The oceans are in trouble. It's hard for me to assign a specific grade. Maybe C-.

 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 4: Re-tell lecture

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 1: Explanations Audio [L4_Re-tell_lecture_1_Response_B1] While the response includes a few points, other key information is not discussed and some details are misinterpreted. Although some words are spoken in continuous phrases, several hesitations, false starts, and long pauses negatively affect fluency. Incorrect pronunciation of some consonants and vowels does not affect understanding. This response demonstrates limited control over simple grammatical structures. This response is 39 seconds. Audio [L4_Re-tell_lecture_1_Response_B2] While the response includes some main points and a conclusion, other key information from the lecture is omitted. Fluency is negatively affected by staccato speech, many hesitations and false starts. Minor pronunciation errors do not affect understanding. Language use is weak; grammar and vocabulary errors are present and the word choice is repetitive. This response is 36 seconds. Audio [L4_Re-tell_lecture_1_Response_C1] The topic has been accurately discussed and several supporting points included. There are a few instances of reformulation and some hesitations, but speech is continuous. Pronunciation of most consonants and vowels is standard. The vocabulary used is appropriate for the context and varied. This response is 32 seconds.

 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 4: Re-tell lecture

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 2 You will hear an lecture. After listening to the lecture, in 10 seconds, please retell what you have just heard from the lecture in your own words. You will have 40 seconds to give your response.

 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 4: Re-tell lecture

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 2: Transcript The shuttle was designed to be a space truck; it's a multi-purpose vehicle. We've done a tremendous number of different things with it. It's the most versatile space vehicle that has ever been built. We've used it to launch satellites. We've used it to repair satellites in orbit and put them back into orbit. We've used it to capture satellites and bring them back to Earth for repair. We've outfitted it with the space lab built by our European partners and used it before the era of the space station to do scientific research. We used it as part of our partnership with the Russians, which is still continuing, first as part of the Mir space station, where we actually prolonged the useful life of Mir by several years through logistical supply visits with the shuttle. And now, of course, we're using it to build the new international space station, which is a…a huge international partnership.

 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 4: Re-tell lecture

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 2: Explanations Audio [L4_Re-tell_lecture_2_Response_B1] The response includes some main points from the presentation, but with a degree of inaccuracy. Speech is uneven and contains several hesitations. Incorrect pronunciation of some consonants and vowels might require listeners to adjust to the accent of the speaker. This response demonstrates limited control over simple grammatical structures. The vocabulary is basic. This response is 32 seconds. Audio [L4_Re-tell_Lecture_2_Response_B2] Several main points are retold, but the omission of key details demonstrates only a moderate understanding of the lecture. Speech is somewhat staccato and there are instances of hesitation and reformulation. Minor pronunciation and grammatical errors do not lead to misunderstanding. This response is 39 seconds. Audio [L4_Re-tell_lecture_2_Response_C1] The test taker accurately retells most of the main points in the lecture. Although phrasing is somewhat uneven, speech continues comprehensibly and with acceptable speed. Incorrect pronunciation of some consonant clusters and vowels does not affect understanding. This response demonstrates good control of standard English grammar. The vocabulary used is appropriate for the context and varied. This response is 39 seconds.

 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 4: Re-tell lecture

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Lesson 5 Answer short question Time allocated: 30 minutes

Step 1: Introduce the Item Type This is a short-answer item type that integrates speaking and listening skills, and requires test takers to understand a recorded question and provide a brief and accurate response.

You will hear a question. Please give a simple and short answer. Often just one or a few words is enough.

Status:

Beginning in 3 seconds.

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Recorded Answer Current Status: Beginning in 8 seconds.

Step 2: Present the Item Type Strategies Strategy 1

Activate your background knowledge to answer the question. Identify the topic and think about what you already know about it.

Strategy 2

Try to infer the meaning of unfamiliar words from the context.

Strategy 3

Listen for the “direction” words which will help you interpret the question accurately.

Step 3: Explain and Practice Each Strategy Strategy 1 Explain to your students that this item type will test the skills and knowledge that they have acquired through education and experience. Although the questions include topics of academic interest, these are generally things that are commonly known.

 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 5: Answer short question

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies To increase their general knowledge, learners should read more books, journals and articles online, which will also help them acquire more vocabulary and develop word skills. Improving long-term memory will result in retaining more information. Your students should try to make connections between different information they acquire, which will facilitate easy retrieval of any information they need. Explain that this strategy will not only lead to better test results, but will also help students improve their general language ability and aid success at academic study. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities in pairs:

• Give students some academic topics, e.g., cardiology, hemispheres, astronomy, and have them discuss what they know about each one and provide some definitions.

• Assign a topic to each pair and have them brainstorm any associated words. Strategy 2 Explain to your class that questions associated with this item type will be based on academic language, and they should try to build good academic vocabulary knowledge. This will also help them figure out the meaning of any unfamiliar words in context. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities:

• Display the following question: If telescopes are used to locate distant objects, what instrument is employed to magnify miniscule objects? Point to the word telescope and have students identify the context clues, e.g., explanation of function or purpose – to locate distant objects; category – instrument.

• Now point to the word miniscule and have students identify the context clues, e.g., verb clues – magnify (to make things look bigger). Strategy 3 Explain to your students that the question will contain some “direction” words that will help them identify what type of information they are required to provide. These direction words usually carry stress and stand out in the utterance. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities:

• Display the question: If telescopes are used to locate distant objects, what instrument is employed to magnify miniscule objects? and have students identify the “direction” words (instrument, magnify). What other “instrument” is mentioned in the question? (telescope). Have students think about names of all scientific instruments they know. What magnifying instruments do they know? (spectacles, binoculars, microscopes)

• Read out the question and have students provide the answer (microscope).

Step 4: Respond to an Answer Short Question Item Explain to your students that they will now respond to a test item simulating the test conditions. Remind students of the three strategies covered in this lesson and ask them to apply these strategies. If possible, seat your students at separate workstations or position them in a way so that they will not interfere with each other when speaking. Play the audio [L5_Answer_short_question_1], and ask students to record their responses using the recording devices on their mobile phones or computers. If this isn’t possible, ask students to write their answers on a piece of paper.

Step 5: Provide Feedback Ask your students if they were able to use the strategies. Which one was the most difficult to apply? Which one do they think was the most useful? Ask students to compare their responses in pairs or groups. Then provide the correct and incorrect answers.

 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 5: Answer short question

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 1: Transcript and Answer Key Transcript

What organ do cardiologists specialize in? Correct answer: (the) heart, hearts Incorrect answer(s): (the) body, medicine, lungs, liver, stomach, skin, kidneys

 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 5: Answer short question

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Lesson 6 Summarize written text Time allocated: 60 minutes

Step 1: Introduce the Item Type This is a short-answer writing item type that integrates writing and reading skills. It requires test takers to understand, analyze and extract information from a reading passage and summarize the key points in one sentence.

Read the passage below and summarize it using one sentence. Type your response in the box at the bottom of the screen. You have 10 minutes to finish this task. Your response will be judged on the quality of your writing and on how well your response presents the key points in the passage. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has released a new report on anthropogenic climate change. The findings of the report include the following:

• • • •

•

The world's average surface temperature has increased by around 0.74°C over the past 100 years (1906 - 2005). A warming of about 0.2°C is projected for each of the next two decades. The best estimates for sea-level rise due to ocean expansion and glacier melt by the end of the century (compared to 1989 - 1999 levels) have narrowed to 28 - 58 cm, versus 9 - 88 cm in the 2001 report, due to improved understanding. However, larger values of up to 1 m by 2100 cannot be ruled out if ice sheets continue to melt as temperature rises. Sea ice is projected to shrink in both the Arctic and Antarctic regions. Large areas of the Arctic Ocean could lose year-round ice cover by the end of the 21st century if human emissions reach the higher end of current estimates. The extent of Arctic sea ice has already shrunk by about 2.7 per cent per decade since 1978, with the summer minimum declining by about 7.1 per cent per decade. Snow cover has decreased in most regions, especially in spring. The maximum extent of frozen ground in the winter/spring season decreased by about 7 per cent in the Northern Hemisphere over the latter half of the 20th century. The average freezing date for rivers and lakes in the Northern Hemisphere over the past 150 years has arrived later by some 5.8 days per century, while the average break-up date has arrived earlier by 6.5 days per century. It is "very likely" that precipitation will increase at high latitudes and "likely" it will decrease over most subtropical land regions. The pattern of these changes is similar to what has been observed during the 20th century.

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Step 2: Present the Item Type Strategies Strategy 1

Remember to skim and scan. Quickly skim the text first for gist, and then scan it and note keywords.

Strategy 2

Once you have noted the keywords, use them to write quick notes to sum up the main argument of the text without looking back at the passage. Use your own words to condense these notes into a clear, precise summarizing sentence.

Strategy 3

When you have finished writing, check for the following: 1) you have written one sentence only which is within the required word count (between 5 and 75 words); 2) you have retained the essence of the text; 3) your grammar and spelling are correct. Remember that if your sentence is shorter or longer than the required word count, your response will automatically be scored zero.

1 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 6: Summarize written text

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Step 3: Explain and Practice Each Strategy Strategy 1 Explain to your students that they will have ten minutes for this item type. Although this may seem like a long time to write one sentence, extracting the essence of the text and condensing this in their own words may take longer than they realize. It is therefore important that students remain focused and skim and scan the text as quickly and thoroughly as possible to identify the gist, the keywords and the main arguments. Remind your students that we skim for gist and scan for details. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities:

• Give students copies of Item 1. • Give students 30 seconds to quickly skim the text and identify the gist (e.g., climate change: increasing surface temperature causing rising sea levels, shrinking sea ice and snow cover, and changes in precipitation).

• Give students one minute to scan the text and write down keywords and important points (e.g., UN report, climate change, surface temperature increase, sea level rise, ocean expansion, glacier melt, etc). Strategy 2 Remind your students that once they have noted the keywords, they need to construct their summary as quickly as possible. One way to do this is to use the keywords to write quick notes or phrases that sum up the main argument(s) of the text. Remind them to try to do this without looking back at the passage. Explain that students should then use their own words to condense these notes into a clear, precise summarizing sentence. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities in pairs:

• Have students quickly read the passage for Item 1 again. • Display the following phrases: UN report, climate change, surface temperature increase, sea level rise, ocean expansion, glacier melt

• Ask students to arrange these keywords into brief notes that sum up the main argument of the text. Remind them not to look back at the passage and encourage them to paraphrase the keywords where possible (e.g., UN report on climate change states that …; increases in surface temperatures are causing sea levels to rise, oceans to expand, and glaciers to melt …)

• Have students share their ideas with the class. • Have students work with a partner to create a clear and precise summarizing sentence. Again, encourage them not to look back at the passage and to paraphrase where possible (e.g., A UN report on climate change states that increasing temperatures are causing glacier melt, rising sea levels and loss of coastal land.)

• Have students share their sentences with other pairs and discuss the differences in the sentences they have written and what could be improved. Strategy 3 Explain to your students that once they have written their sentence, it is important for them to take a moment to check that they have written one sentence only, that it is within the required word count (5 to 75 words), that they have retained the essence of the text, and that their grammar and spelling is correct. Remind them that their response will not be scored if it does not meet the word count requirements. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities in pairs:

• Give students five minutes to compare the notes they made in the first activity and work together to write a sentence that accurately summarizes the passage. Explain that the time they have is for planning and writing, and that they will have extra time for checking afterwards.

• After five minutes, give students one more minute to check their work. Remind them of what they need to check for, i.e., that they have written one sentence only, that it is within the required word count (5 to 75 words), that they have retained the essence of the text, and that their grammar and spelling are correct.

2 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 6: Summarize written text

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

• Put pairs into groups of four and have them check and evaluate each other’s sentences. • Give each group four copies of the sample sentences for Item 1. Have students check the sentences for length, content, grammar and spelling, etc. Ask them to also rank the sentences from the weaker to the stronger.

• After they have done this, show the explanations for Item 1.

Step 4: Respond to a Summarize Written Text Item Explain to your students that they will now respond to a test item simulating the test conditions. They will have ten minutes to read the passage and write their response. Remind them of the three strategies covered in this lesson and ask them to apply these strategies. Give out copies of Item 2.

Step 5: Provide Feedback Ask your students if they were able to use the strategies. Which one was the most difficult to apply? Which one do they think was the most useful? Ask students to compare and evaluate each other’s responses in pairs or groups. Then show the three sample responses for Item 2 and ask students to rank the responses from the weaker to the stronger. Then provide the explanations for Item 2.

3 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 6: Summarize written text

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 1 Read the passage below and summarize it using one sentence. Write your response in the box at the bottom of the page. You have 10 minutes to finish this task. Your response will be judged on the quality of your writing and on how well your response presents the key points in the passage.

The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has released a new report on anthropogenic climate change. The findings of the report include the following: – The world's average surface temperature has increased by around 0.74°C over the past 100 years (1906 - 2005). A warming of about 0.2°C is projected for each of the next two decades. – The best estimates for sea-level rise due to ocean expansion and glacier melt by the end of the century (compared to 1989 - 1999 levels) have narrowed to 28 - 58 cm, versus 9 - 88 cm in the 2001 report, due to improved understanding. However, larger values of up to 1 m by 2100 cannot be ruled out if ice sheets continue to melt as temperature rises. – Sea ice is projected to shrink in both the Arctic and Antarctic regions. Large areas of the Arctic Ocean could lose year-round ice cover by the end of the 21st century if human emissions reach the higher end of current estimates. The extent of Arctic sea ice has already shrunk by about 2.7 per cent per decade since 1978, with the summer minimum declining by about 7.1 per cent per decade. – Snow cover has decreased in most regions, especially in spring. The maximum extent of frozen ground in the winter/spring season decreased by about 7 per cent in the Northern Hemisphere over the latter half of the 20th century. The average freezing date for rivers and lakes in the Northern Hemisphere over the past 150 years has arrived later by some 5.8 days per century, while the average break-up date has arrived earlier by 6.5 days per century. – It is "very likely" that precipitation will increase at high latitudes and "likely" it will decrease over most subtropical land regions. The pattern of these changes is similar to what has been observed during the 20th century.

4 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 6: Summarize written text

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 1: Sample Responses Key Points A new UN report finds that increasing surface temperature around the world is causing rising sea levels, shrinking sea ice and snow cover, and changes in precipitation. B1 Response United intergovermental panel on climate change report that climatict changes in northern hemisphere will cause drastick change in sea current and will raise the sea level. B2 Response Due to the latest report of IPCC about the wordwide climate, Green House Effect has affected the earth severely on various aspects. C1 Response A new UN report finds that increasing surface temperatures around the world are causing rising sea levels, shrinking sea ice and snow cover, and changes in precipitation.

5 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 6: Summarize written text

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 1: Sample Responses and Explanations B1 Response United intergovermental panel on climate change report that climatict changes in northern hemisphere will cause drastick change in sea current and will raise the sea level. Explanation: While the response includes one key detail, other information from the passage is omitted or misinterpreted. Missing or incorrect use of prepositions and verbs prevents the response from receiving full credit for grammar. The vocabulary used is appropriate for the context. There are three spelling errors. Although poorly constructed, the response is one complete sentence. B2 Response Due to the latest report of IPCC about the wordwide climate, Green House Effect has affected the earth severely on various aspects. Explanation: The summary does not include any supporting points or key details. A minor grammatical mistake prevents this response from receiving full credit for grammar, although the intended meaning of the sentence is clear. The use of “due to” instead of “according to’’ makes it seem that the IPCC report caused the greenhouse effect. There is one spelling error. The response is one complete sentence. C1 Response A new UN report finds that increasing surface temperatures around the world are causing rising sea levels, shrinking sea ice and snow cover, and changes in precipitation. Explanation: The topic has been accurately discussed and the supporting points are included. The vocabulary used is precise. All words are spelled correctly. The response is one complete sentence.

6 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 6: Summarize written text

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 2 Read the passage below and summarize it using one sentence. Write your response in the box at the bottom of the page. You have 10 minutes to finish this task. Your response will be judged on the quality of your writing and on how well your response presents the key points in the passage.

For millions of years, Mediterranean sea turtles have been coming to the shore of southern Lebanon to lay their eggs. Every summer, their babies hatch and literally run for their lives on the strip of sand that separates their nests from the sea. An endangered species, they had been largely ignored in this part of Lebanon until two women set out to protect them. Mona Khalil was inspired by a walk on the beach during a visit to her homeland, when she first saw the turtles. Upon learning that they were close to disappearing from her country, Khalil decided to "come back and do something about them." The next year, 2000, she returned and teamed up with Habiba Fayed, who shares her passion for the environment. They opened a bed-and-breakfast in the Khalil family home to finance their efforts. Guests could simply vacation or, in the spirit of ecotourism, they could help the owners protect the turtles' nests and keep the beach clean. Female turtles travel to the exact spot where they were born to dig their nests in the sand, laying an average of 70 to 100 eggs. This is the moment when the women intervene. They protect the nests from predators by burying an iron grid in the sand above the eggs. The spaces on the grid are large enough to allow the baby turtles to emerge after a month and find their way to the sea…and to a chance at life.

7 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 6: Summarize written text

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 2: Sample Responses Key Points Thanks to Moan Khalil and Habiba Fayed, the sea turtles in Lebanon have a chance for survival. B1 Response For the millions of years the turtles were coming laying their eggs in summer and the babies run seperates their nests, ignoring in war torn until two women set out to protect them and mona khalil saw the turtles and decided to do something so in the end the baby turtle to emerge after a month. B2 Response Mediterranean sea turtles which is an endangered species lay their 70 to 100 eggs at the shore of southern Lebanon but now Mona Khalil with her team protecting turtle's egg from dameging or from pradators by buring iron grid in the sand above the nests. C1 Response After millions of years of being endangered in war-torn coast of southern Lebanon, Mediterranean sea turtles were finally protected by two women, Mona Khalil and Habiba Fayed, who opened a bed-and-breakfast and with the help of the guests, protected turtles’ eggs by burying an iron grid in the sand above the eggs.

8 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 6: Summarize written text

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 2: Sample Responses and Explanations B1 Response For the millions of years the turtles were coming laying their eggs in summer and the babies run seperates their nests, ignoring in war torn until two women set out to protect them and mona khalil saw the turtles and decided to do something so in the end the baby turtle to emerge after a month. Explanation: While the response includes some main points, other key information from the passage is omitted and information not in the passage is present. This response demonstrates limited control over simple grammatical structures. The vocabulary is basic. There is one spelling mistake. The response is one sentence. B2 Response Mediterranean sea turtles which is an endangered species lay their 70 to 100 eggs at the shore of southern Lebanon but now Mona Khalil with her team protecting turtle's egg from dameging or from pradators by buring iron grid in the sand above the nests. Explanation: The topic has been accurately discussed and the supporting points are included. Missing or incorrect use of prepositions and verbs prevents the response from receiving full credit for grammar. The vocabulary used is appropriate for the context. There are three spelling errors. The response is one sentence. C1 Response After millions of years of being endangered in war-torn coast of southern Lebanon, Mediterranean sea turtles were finally protected by two women, Mona Khalil and Habiba Fayed, who opened a bed-and-breakfast and with the help of the guests, protected turtles’ eggs by burying an iron grid in the sand above the eggs. Explanation: The topic has been accurately discussed and the supporting points are included. This response demonstrates good control of standard English grammar with very few grammatical errors. The vocabulary used is appropriate for the context. All words are spelled correctly. The response is one sentence.

9 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 6: Summarize written text

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Lesson 7 Write essay Time allocated: 60 minutes

Step 1: Introduce the Item Type This is a long-answer item type that assesses writing skills and requires test takers to write a persuasive or argumentative essay on a given topic.

You will have 20 minutes to plan, write and revise an essay about the topic below. Your response will be judged on how well you develop a position, organize your ideas, present supporting details, and control the elements of standard written English. You should write 200-300 words.

Some people think placing advertisements in schools is a great resource for public schools that need additional funding, but others think it exploits children by treating them as a captive audience for corporate sponsors. Choose which position you most agree with and discuss why you chose that position. Support your point of view with details from your own experiences, observations or reading.

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Step 2: Present the Item Type Strategies Strategy 1

Make sure you understand what you are being asked to do. It is important that you read the prompt carefully and identify both the focus of the question and the point of view from which you are required to write. If you write off topic, your essay will be scored zero.

Strategy 2

Think of one strong sentence to sum up the main argument. Then think of one strong opening sentence and one strong closing sentence. This will help to focus your ideas. Once you have done this, expand the sentence you have written to sum up the main argument with details and supporting points to create the body of your essay. Then expand the opening sentence to create your introduction and the closing sentence to create your conclusion.

Strategy 3

Once you have written your essay, check it carefully. Make sure that you have written within the required word limit, that your essay has the correct topic focus and point of view, and that your grammar and spelling are correct.

1 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 7: Write essay

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Step 3: Explain and Practice Each Strategy Strategy 1 Explain to your students that this item type requires them to write about a topic from a particular point of view. For their response to be scored, students need to make sure that they have correctly identified the topic and followed the requirements of the prompt exactly. The prompt may ask them to:

• respond to a question • agree or disagree with a particular point of view • take one of two sides in an argument • describe a situation • write about the advantages or disadvantages of a particular opinion Looking for keywords in the prompt will help students identify both the topic focus and the required point of view. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities in pairs:

• Give students copies of the following prompt: Some people think placing advertisements in schools is a great resource for schools that need additional funding, but others think it exploits children by treating them as a captive audience for corporate sponsors. Choose which position you most agree with and discuss why you chose that position. Support your point of view with details from your own experiences, observations or reading.

• Ask students to underline the keywords that identify the topic focus and to circle the keywords that identify the point of view from which the topic should be written.

• Provide feedback to the whole class: This prompt requires students to write about the topic of placing advertisements in schools. It also requires them to identify two opposing points of view and choose which one they most agree with, namely, either that placing advertisements in schools is a great resource for schools that need additional funding or that placing advertisements in schools exploits children by treating them as a captive audience for corporate sponsors. Strategy 2 Tell your students that once they have identified the topic focus and the point of view required, they need to construct a sound persuasive or argumentative essay. First, remind them of the basic essay format: introduction (presentation of topic, argument and counter argument), main body (details refuting counter argument, details supporting own point of view) and conclusion (restatement of argument and supporting claim). Explain that to focus their ideas in a methodical way, students should first try to think of one strong sentence to sum up the main argument, then think of one strong opening sentence and one strong closing sentence. Once they have done this, they can add details and supporting points to expand the sentence that sums up the main argument to create the body of their essay. They can then develop the opening sentence to create the introduction and the closing sentence to create the conclusion. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities in pairs:

• Ask students to decide with a partner which point of view they both most agree with, or can agree to write about together.

• Give each pair a large sheet of paper. Tell them to write the topic and their point of view at the top of the page. Then tell students to write the following in a column on the left: Introduction (presentation of topic, argument and counter argument) Main body (details refuting counter argument, details supporting own point of view) Conclusion (restatement of argument and supporting claim) © IG Education Ltd 2011

2 Lesson 7: Write essay

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

• Give students a few minutes to brainstorm ideas. Tell them to write their ideas on the paper next to the most appropriate sections of the essay. (e.g., Introduction: advertising in schools = great idea for school funding; Main body: many schools underfunded, controlled advertising could bring in needed money, students/teachers could vote on which companies are allowed to advertise, schools do not need to accept advertising from inappropriate companies, …Conclusion: controlled advertising in schools could be very beneficial …)

• Once students have written their sentences, have them share their ideas with the class. • Explain that, having summed up the main argument and opening and closing ideas, they now have a framework for their essay, which they can expand on.

• Give students time to expand their sentences with details and supporting points to create a draft essay. Strategy 3 Remind your students that they should write their essay as quickly as possible, keeping in mind the topic focus and point of view and remembering to leave time to give their work a final check. Once they have written their essay, they should make sure that they have written within the required word limit, that their essay has the correct topic focus and point of view, and that their grammar and spelling is correct. Explain to your students that they will now review their brainstormed notes to check the topic focus, the point of view and the appropriateness of their ideas. To practice this checking strategy, ask your class to do the following activities:

• Ask each pair to compare their drafts with other pairs. Have students discuss whether they think their drafts have covered the topic appropriately and extensively enough, or whether they have missed out any key areas, lost focus or strayed from the point of view.

• Although they only have drafts at this stage, you could ask students to check their work for spelling or grammar mistakes.

• Have students share their experiences with the class and discuss any problems or queries. • Put pairs into groups of four or six and give them copies of the sample essays for Item 1. Have students check the essays for length, topic focus, point of view, and grammar and spelling. Ask them to rank the essays from the weaker to the stronger.

• After they have done this, provide the explanations for Item 1.

Step 4: Respond to a Write Essay Item Explain to your students that they will now respond to a test item simulating the test conditions. They will have 20 minutes to read the prompt and write their essay. Remind students of the three strategies covered in this lesson and ask them to apply these strategies. Give out copies of Item 2.

Step 5: Provide Feedback Ask your students if they were able to use the strategies. Which one was the most difficult to apply? Which one do they think was the most useful? Ask students to evaluate each other’s essays in pairs or groups. Now show the three sample essays for Item 2 and ask students to rank the essays from the weaker to the stronger. Then provide the explanations for Item 2.

3 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 7: Write essay

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 1 You will have 20 minutes to plan, write and revise an essay about the topic below. Your response will be judged on how well you develop a position, organize your ideas, present supporting details, and control the elements of standard written English. You should write 200-300 words.

Some people think placing advertisements in schools is a great resource for public schools that need additional funding, but others think it exploits children by treating them as a captive audience for corporate sponsors. Choose which position you most agree with and discuss why you chose that position. Support your point of view with details from your own experiences, observations or reading.

4 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 7: Write essay

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 1: Sample Responses B1 Response In my opinion, placing advertisement is a good way for public schools to increase their funding for the additional needs. Though there are some bad affects in this method, yet I think it has more advantages and the school can carry out some actions to avoid the bad affects of this method. Advertisement can bring many different informations to the school children. Since the schools can only bring limited informations about the word, advertisement can be an other medium for the children to know more about the world. Advertisement can bring informations about countries, news friends and interesting for the school children in the world. School gets money from advertisings. If they need money since to build or make new building or more computer or eqipment, they can make event or ask help in advertisement. Some people not happy advertisement ask somethings especaly the money. Some advertisings are bad like expensive mobile phone. They make people to feel bad. Also alchol not good to and not appropriate. Schools can stop the advertisements wich will have bad impact on children from putting in the schools. In my opinion depends the topic. Schools can decide the tpoic and take an action to never to do it. B2 Response Some people think placing advertisements in schools is a great resource for public schools and need additionally funding, however, others think it exploits children by treating them as a captive audience for corporate sponsors. In my opinion, advertisemnts should not be placed in schools on the purpose of rasing fund. Schools are different places with other organizations in the society. It is the place where children receive education. Most of them are like naive blank slate compared with adults. Kids get the knowledge of maths, English, science etc. Placing advertisement in schools will distract those kids who don't have controlling power on themselves. Clean and clear places should be protected in order to garantee a better education quality in schools and healthy growth of the students. I remembered when I was in primariy school some advertisements of food were put in our school. Everyday some kids just watched the advertisments and discussed with fellow classmates which kind of food was better. They did not focus on their studies. After they went back home, they just cried for the food from their parents. Later the advertisments were cancelled. In conclusion, schools are quiet and non-profitable organization where children got their education. Advertisment should be banned from the schools. We should ensure a good and quiet place for kids to study. C1 Response Whilst public schools are largely underfunded, advertisements in schools can often condition children to grow up with certain superficial values. Often public schools have extremely intelligent students who cannot afford to attend a better funded school due to family circumstances. Although it could be argued that such a great mind could be better utilised and developed in a better funded school with more opportunities available, advertisements may hinder the growth and negatively impact the child. The minds of children are easily molded and influenced, especially within the context of the school environment where learning is enhanced. Advertisements encourage consumerism, superficiality and can often condition a brain against independent thought. I believe that advertisements only show what is 'in vogue' which would discourage individual expression (whether it be through clothes, hairstyles or tastes). As it is, school playgrounds are highly complex social environments, where segregation frequently occurs and many students are osterizised and teased. Displaying advertisements at school would only reinforce what society deems as acceptable and would further isolate any students who felt 'different' to their peers. Furthermore, advertisements encourage consumerism and make impressionable students want to spend money on expensive things to validate themselves and fit in with their peers. School can often be a very difficult and confusing time, as students are growing up and learning more about themselves. The fewer expectations placed on them (particularly from society; through advertisements), allows them to grow into more confident adults who are comfortable with themselves, can accept themselves and have the right values.

5 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 7: Write essay

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 1: Explanations of Sample Responses B1 Response Explanation: This essay minimally answers the question on the topic. The supporting points do not demonstrate a coherent and well-developed logic that supports the test taker’s position on the topic. The introduction states the test taker’s position, the second paragraph contains minimal supporting points, and the conclusion is unrelated to the test taker’s stated position. Incorrect use of plural nouns and preposition errors prevent this essay from receiving full credit for grammar usage and mechanics. The vocabulary is limited and imprecise. Some words are inappropriate for the context. There are several spelling errors. This essay is 204 words. B2 Response Explanation: This essay answers the question on the topic and is well organized. There is a clear introduction, body and conclusion. Personal experience is used to support the main idea. There are obvious grammar errors in sentences with complex grammatical structures. However, most grammatical errors do not impede communication. Imprecise vocabulary prevents the response from receiving full credit for general linguistic range. There are four spelling errors. This essay is 219 words. C1 Response Explanation: The position is discussed in the first paragraph, supported by the details in the second paragraph and then summarized in the conclusion. The response demonstrates very good general linguistic and vocabulary range and control of standard English grammar. There is 1 spelling error. This essay is 253 words.

6 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 7: Write essay

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 2 You will have 20 minutes to plan, write and revise an essay about the topic below. Your response will be judged on how well you develop a position, organize your ideas, present supporting details, and control the elements of standard written English. You should write 200–300 words.

Some people believe that exploring outer space is important. Other people believe that space exploration is a waste of money. Choose which position you most agree with and discuss why you chose that position. Support your point of view with details form your own experiences, observations or reading.

7 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 7: Write essay

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 2: Sample Responses B1 Response In my point of view, I am agree with the statement “exploring outer space is important”. Nowdays, some people might not be consider about what would happen in the future. By exploring outer space, we could describe and detect the situation over there. It’s very important that we could see how far the outer space growth and the effect of global, instead of doing nothing by save our money indeed. We learn many thing in space and may be make another place. The moral thing about this case is different person has a different perspective to look after their future life. We need to spend money for our future and knowledges. Don’t to spend the moni to war, break building and an kill. Spend the moni to explor and make plan for future. Also another enegy in space. We need to know others people in space. May be other far the outer space. We need to find. May ne they come here and make war. Exploring outer space is important to learn. May be we need space. There are more people, more building house every day. In the future we need other place to live. Space is other place if we know. B2 Response Nowadays you can travel without problems to the moon if you have enough money. In a few years it will be the same with other planets. Regarding that the earth is in danger, scientologists pretend there are just a few years left, it is very important to look for alternatives. If there is a planet where human being is able to survive it should be found soon. Otherwise menhood will die out. As already mentioned, we actually have to be scared about the world going under. Based on experts it will come soon, nature will take its place back either by water or by erruptions/earth quakes. Thus, we really need an alternative. As I know a planet similar to our Earth has already been found. Now there are doing some test about the ability to life there. I think in future travelling from Earth to Saturn will be like today travelling from Sydney to Melbourne. Thus, it is really important that they are goining on doing tests there. To sum up, it is a good idea to examine space. There is hope, that something even better than Earth will be found. Actually, I would like to see another planet, but I think that won't happen in that time. C1 Response I believe that space exploration has its advantages and its disadvantages. However, I feel that its disadvantages outweigh its advantages. Firstly, many people argue that the universe is so big and that it would be an awful waste of space if we were the only ones occupying it and it is for this reason that we should explore new frontiers in the space. I do not agree with this stance because we have enough to discover here on our planet as it stands. There are uncharted territories and breath-taking vistas that we have yet to encounter or even species of flora and fauna that have yet to be identified. Secondly, there is talk of us humans having so much to learn from the universe and that the cure for our diseases and pain is out there somewhere in the universe. If we were to look at the amount of money being pumped into space exploration we will see that billions of dollars are essentially being 'wasted'. Back in the 1950s there was the 'Space Race' between Russia and the USA to put the first man into space. All the money spent on the race could have been put to much better use i.e. preventing world poverty. I firmly believe that money spent on space could be spent on much more important research here on earth such as finding a cure for cancer or even just better quality of life in third world countries. In conclusion there are still many things to do here on our beautiful planet. As humans we are the only species that does not contribute to the ecosystem -we make things worse off for everyone. I think we should work towards making our planet a better place instead of just looking for a replacement.

8 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 7: Write essay

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 2: Explanations of Sample Responses B1 Response Explanation: This response addresses the prompt by agreeing that “exploring outer space is important.” However, the details are not developed and do not strongly or logically support the test taker’s position on the topic. There are obvious grammar errors. The vocabulary is limited and imprecise. The vocabulary range is basic. Some words are not appropriate for the context. There are several spelling errors. This essay is 202 words. B2 Response Explanation: This essay addresses the topic by taking a position in favor of space exploration. The main ideas and details relate to the topic of the essay and the test taker’s position is explicitly stated in the final paragraph. Ideas within paragraphs are not organized and there is no introduction to the essay. There are obvious grammar errors in sentences with complex grammatical structures. However, most grammatical errors do not impede communication. Imprecise vocabulary prevents the response from receiving full credit for general linguistic range. The vocabulary range is basic. There are several spelling errors. This essay is 208 words. C1 Response Explanation: The test taker’s position is clear and supporting details are provided and explained. The essay follows a logical structure. Minor grammatical mistakes prevent this response from receiving full credit for grammar usage and mechanics, although the intended meaning of sentences with grammatical errors is clear. General vocabulary range is good. There are no significant spelling errors. This essay is 297 words.

9 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 7: Write essay

Lesson 8

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Reading: Multiple-choice, choose single answer Time allocated: 50 minutes

Step 1: Introduce the Item Type This is a multiple-choice item type that assesses reading skills. It requires test takers to read, analyze, understand and assess a short text on an academic subject and choose a single correct response.

In many ways Britten's most ambitious effort is the War Requiem of 1961, a flawed but still impressive work for chorus, soloists, and orchestra. It weaves together the traditional Latin Mass for the Dead with antiwar poems by Wilfrid Owen, a young officer killed in World War I. The point of War Requiem is how the words of the liturgical text are reinterpreted and often rendered hollow by the realities of death in war. In this work we see Britten's prodigal inconsistencies on display. For all its problems, the War Requiem will probably survive as one of our time's most impassioned indictments of war and its heroic myth.

Read the text and answer the multiple-choice question by selecting the correct response. Only one response is correct.

Which of the following most accurately summarizes the opinion of the author in the text?

He finds the weaving together of the Latin Mass and antiwar poems to be quite effective. He is critical of Britten's inconsistencies as observed in the War Requiem. He admires the War Requiem of Britten but finds it far from perfect. He questions whether Britten's work will endure.

Step 2: Present the Item Type Strategies Strategy 1

Tackle each reading item in a different way. Adapt your reading strategy according to the direction of the question and the purpose of your reading.

Strategy 2

If the topic of the reading passage is unfamiliar to you, concentrate on what you understand rather than worrying about words that are new to you. Focus on extracting the general gist of what is in the text rather than the meaning of individual words and phrases.

Strategy 3

After you have chosen your response, quickly check the remaining response options against the passage one-by-one, to make sure they can be eliminated.

Step 3: Explain and Practice Each Strategy Strategy 1 Explain to your students that there is no one way of approaching multiple-choice reading items, and each item should be approached in a way that matches the purpose of the reading. To do this, students need to first identify the direction of the question and the type of information that needs to be extracted. Once they have done this, students should decide on their reading strategy and then read the passage accordingly. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities:

• Explain that the questions for multiple-choice items can require them to extract different types of information. Tell students that they are going to work in pairs and decide on the best reading strategy for each of the following different types of questions, e.g.:

What is the main idea/main aim/point … ? (main idea or gist; useful reading strategy: look for topic sentence(s)) 1 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 8: (Reading) Multiple-choice, choose single answer

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

According to the text, which of the following …? (supporting information; useful reading strategy: read for specific details, look for key words in the options and find similar words in the text) Why does the writer …? (writer’s purpose; useful reading strategy: look for reasons or words indicating reasons) What is the writer’s point of view/opinion on … ? (writer’s opinion; useful reading strategy: look at the conclusion or concluding sentence)

• Have pairs share their thoughts with the class and explain the reasons for their choices. • Give students copies of Item 1. Tell them to read the question and the options, and compete to see which pair can be the first to identify an appropriate strategy (e.g., look at the concluding sentence) and decide on the correct response option.

• Have students discuss their experiences with the class. Explain that the correct response will be confirmed in the following activities. Strategy 2 Explain to your students that if the topic of the reading passage is unfamiliar to them, they should concentrate on the information they understand rather than worrying about words and phrases that are new to them. Encourage them to focus on extracting the general gist of what is in the text rather than the meaning of individual words and phrases. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities:

• Display a copy of Item 1. Tell students not to read the text fully but just to quickly scan the question, the response options and the reading passage for unfamiliar or confusing words.

• Ask individual students to come to the front of the class and underline any words or phrases where the meaning is not fully clear to them.

• Now have students reflect on the activity for Strategy 1 and confirm the correct response to Item 1. Have students discuss whether their understanding of these unfamilar words stopped them from being able to decide on an appropriate response option. Strategy 3 Explain to your students that after they have chosen their response, they should quickly check the remaining options against the passage one-by-one, to make sure they have made the right choice. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities in pairs:

• Have students read through each incorrect response option one-by-one and check the text carefully to find a reason why each one is not correct.

• Have pairs discuss their reasons with the class. Discuss any problematic or unclear options and, if necessary, explain words or phrases identified as problematic in the previous activity.

• After they have done this, show the answers and explanations for Item 1.

Step 4: Respond to a (Reading) Multiple-Choice, Choose Single Answer Item Explain to your students that they will now respond to a test item simulating test conditions. Remind them of the three strategies covered in this lesson and ask them to apply these strategies. Give out copies of Item 2.

Step 5: Provide Feedback Ask your students if they were able to use the strategies. Which one was the most difficult to apply? Which one do they think was the most useful? Ask students to compare and evaluate each other’s responses in pairs or groups. After they have done this, show the answers and explanations for Item 2. 2 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 8: (Reading) Multiple-choice, choose single answer

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 1 Read the text and answer the multiple-choice question by selecting the correct response. Only one response is correct.

In many ways Britten's most ambitious effort is the War Requiem of 1961, a flawed but still impressive work for chorus, soloists, and orchestra. It weaves together the traditional Latin Mass for the Dead with antiwar poems by Wilfrid Owen, a young officer killed in World War I. The point of War Requiem is how the words of the liturgical text are reinterpreted and often rendered hollow by the realities of death in war. In this work we see Britten's prodigal inconsistencies on display. For all its problems, the War Requiem will probably survive as one of our time's most impassioned indictments of war and its heroic myth. Which of the following most accurately summarizes the opinion of the author in the text? He finds the weaving together of the Latin Mass and antiwar poems to be quite effective. He is critical of Britten's inconsistencies as observed in the War Requiem. He admires the War Requiem of Britten but finds it far from perfect. He questions whether Britten's work will endure.

3 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 8: (Reading) Multiple-choice, choose single answer

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 1: Answer Key and Explanations Which of the following most accurately summarizes the opinion of the author in the text? Incorrect: He finds the weaving together of the Latin Mass and antiwar poems to be quite effective. Explanation: This response is incorrect. Although the passage mentions that Britten’s work weaves together the Latin Mass for the Dead and antiwar poems, it does not comment on the effectiveness of this combination. Incorrect: He is critical of Britten's inconsistencies as observed in the War Requiem. Explanation: This response is incorrect. The author recognizes inconsistencies and flaws in the work, yet still praises the War Requiem as “one of our time’s most impassioned indictments of war.” Correct Answer: He admires the War Requiem of Britten but finds it far from perfect. Explanation: This response is correct. The writer describes Britten’s War Requiem as “impressive” and gives details of what the work accomplishes. However, the writer also describes the work as “flawed” and refers to the work’s “prodigal inconsistencies” and “all its problems.” Incorrect: He questions whether Britten's work will endure. Explanation: This response is incorrect. The writer hypothesizes that the work will endure by stating, “the War Requiem will probably survive.”

4 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 8: (Reading) Multiple-choice, choose single answer

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 2 Read the text and answer the multiple-choice question by selecting the correct response. Only one response is correct.

The approach to the methodology of learning and teaching has to be comprehensive, presenting all options in an explicit and transparent way, and avoiding advocacy or dogmatism. It has been our fundamental methodological principle that the methods to be employed in language learning, teaching and research are those considered to be most effective in reaching the objectives agreed in the light of the needs of the individual learners in their social context. Effectiveness is contingent on the motivations and characteristics of the learners as well as the nature of the human and material resources which can be brought into play. What point is the writer making in this paragraph? Motivation is worth more than intelligence in learning. Language can be effectively learnt through play. There is no single best method for learning. Teachers should regularly change their methods.

5 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 8: (Reading) Multiple-choice, choose single answer

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 2: Answer Key and Explanations What point is the writer making in this paragraph? Incorrect: Motivation is worth more than intelligence in learning. Explanation: This response is incorrect because the passage does compare the impact of motivation and intelligence on learning. Incorrect: Language can be effectively learnt through play. Explanation: This response in incorrect. The writer uses the phrase “brought into play” figuratively to refer to the “material resources” which can be used. The text does not suggest a method of language teaching. Correct Answer: There is no single best method for learning. Explanation: This response is correct because the writer consistently uses plurals when discussing methodology as in “presenting all options” and “the methods to be employed…are those considered to be most effective.” This indicates that there is more than one method. Incorrect: Teachers should regularly change their methods. Explanation: This response is incorrect. The passage discusses factors to consider in the selection of teaching methods but does not address how frequently to change these methods.

6 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 8: (Reading) Multiple-choice, choose single answer

Lesson 9

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Reading: Multiple-choice, choose multiple answers Time allocated: 30 minutes

Step 1: Introduce the Item Type This is a multiple-choice item type that assesses reading skills. It requires test takers to read, analyze, understand and assess a short text on an academic subject and choose more than one correct response.

Who Are Aborigines? Aborigines are Australia's indigenous people. Recent government statistics counted approximately 400,000 aboriginal people, or about 2% of Australia's total population. Australian Aborigines migrated from somewhere in Asia at least 30,000 years ago. Though they comprise 500-600 distinct groups, aboriginal people possess some unifying links. Among these are strong spiritual beliefs that tie them to the land; a tribal culture of storytelling and art; and, like other indigenous populations, a difficult colonial history. The Dreamtime: Aboriginal spirituality entails a close relationship between humans and the land. Aborigines call the beginning of the world the "Dreaming" or "Dreamtime". In the "Dreamtime", aboriginal "Ancestors" rose from below the earth to form various parts of nature including animal species, bodies of water, and the sky. Unlike other religions, however, aboriginal belief does not place the human species apart from or on a higher level than nature. Aborigines believe some of the Ancestors metamorphosed into nature (as in rock formations or rivers), where they remain spiritually alive. Storytelling, Art, and the Didgeridoo: The oral tradition of storytelling informs aboriginals' vibrant cultural life. Songs illustrate the Dreamtime and other tales of the land, while dances and diagrams drawn in the sand accompany oral tales. In the Northern Territory, aboriginal art includes sculpture, bark and rock paintings, and baskets and beadwork. Rock carvings and paintings can be found in such places as Arnhem Land, Ubirr, and Nourlangie. Many aborigines earn a living through selling native artworks. Aboriginal music is often recognizable for its most famous instrument, the didgeridoo. A wind instrument typically made from bamboo, it extends about five feet and produces a low, vibrating hum. Aborigines use didgeridoos in formal ceremonies at such events as sunsets, circumcisions, and funerals.

Read the text and answer the question by selecting all the correct responses. More than one response is correct.

Which of the following statements about Australian Aborigines can be supported from this text?

It is estimated that the population of Australian Aborigines peaked at about 400,000 some 30,000 years before white settlement. Despite being recognised internationally, the Aboriginal musical instrument the didgeridoo, rarely plays a significant role in Aboriginal cultural ceremonies. Today Aborigines comprise approximately 2% of the Australian population.

Aboriginal culture is based on a belief that people, animals, and the land are integrally linked. Unlike many other indigenous cultures, Australian Aborigines developed equitable relationships with colonial powers.

Step 2: Present the Item Type Strategies Strategy 1

Decide whether or not it is appropriate to draw on your background knowledge of the topic to help you answer the question.

Strategy 2

Use the structure of the reading text, the section headings, sub-headings and paragraphing, etc. to help you locate information. Direct your reading according to the information you need to find. Identify the “focus” of both the question and response options, and redundant information that can be ignored.

Strategy 3

Identify keywords and clues in the response options, and look for words and phrases with similar meanings in the text to locate the information you need.

Step 3: Explain and Practice Each Strategy Strategy 1 Explain to your students that although the test does not assume or need them to have background knowledge of any academic topic to be answered correctly, in some cases they may find it useful to draw on their knowledge of a topic to help them to respond to multiple-choice items, but in others this approach may not be appropriate. To help students decide which approach to use, they must first identify the focus of the question. © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 9: (Reading) Multiple-choice, choose multiple answers

1

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities:

• Show students the following sample questions. Have them work in pairs to decide whether drawing on background knowledge is an appropriate approach in each case and why or why not.

According to the text, how are online news sources making the news industry more competitive? (No; clue “According to the text…”) Which of these countries uses electronic voting machines? (Yes; background knowledge of the topic of voting and elections may be useful in helping students predict or select correct responses) What does the writer believe is likely to happen in future? (No; clue “What does the writer believe…”) Which of the following can be inferred from the text? (No; clue “... can be inferred from the text…”) One present indicator of climate change is . (Yes; background knowledge of the topic of climate change may be useful in helping students predict or select correct responses)

• Have students share their thoughts and explain their reasons to the class. Strategy 2 Tell your students that in order to answer items of this type efficiently, it is important for them to quickly identify the type of reading text they have to work with, and to use the structure of the reading text, the section headings, sub-headings and paragraphing, etc. to help them locate the information they need. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities:

• Give out copies of Item 1. Give students a few seconds to read the question and skim the response options and text structure, e.g., the subheadings and topic sentences of each paragraph, etc., (but do not read the text), and think about the approach they would use to answer this item efficiently.

• Have students share their initial ideas. • Then have your students quickly identify in which section the information for each response option is most likely to be found. Ask them not to read the text in detail, but just consider the overall structure. Strategy 3 To quickly locate specific information, your students should first identify keywords and clues in the response options, and then scan the reading text for words and phrases that are either the same or have similar meanings. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities in pairs:

• Have students underline the keywords in each response option in Item 1 (e.g., Option 1: population, peaked, 30,000 years before white settlement; Option 2: musical instrument, didgeridoo, cultural ceremonies; Option 3: comprise, 2%, population; Option 4: culture, people, animals, linked; Option 5: other indigenous cultures, equitable relationships, colonial powers).

• Ask students to find and underline matching information in the text as quickly as possible. • Ask students whether they can already eliminate or choose any of the options. Have them explain their decisions and reasons.

• Once students have discussed their decisions, show them the answers and explanations for Item 1 and discuss any queries.

Step 4: Respond to a (Reading) Multiple-Choice, Choose Multiple Answers Item Explain to your students that they will now respond to a test item simulating test conditions. Remind them of the three strategies covered in this lesson and ask them to apply these strategies. Give out copies of Item 2.

2 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 9: (Reading) Multiple-choice, choose multiple answers

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Step 5: Provide Feedback Ask your students if they were able to use the strategies. Which one was the most difficult to apply? Which one do they think was the most useful? Ask students to compare and evaluate each other’s responses in pairs or groups. After they have done this, show the answers and explanations for Item 2 and discuss any queries.

3 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 9: (Reading) Multiple-choice, choose multiple answers

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 1 Read the text and answer the question by selecting all the correct responses. More than one response is correct.

Who Are Aborigines? Aborigines are Australia's indigenous people. Recent government statistics counted approximately 400,000 aboriginal people, or about 2% of Australia's total population. Australian Aborigines migrated from somewhere in Asia at least 30,000 years ago. Though they comprise 500-600 distinct groups, aboriginal people possess some unifying links. Among these are strong spiritual beliefs that tie them to the land; a tribal culture of storytelling and art; and, like other indigenous populations, a difficult colonial history. The Dreamtime: Aboriginal spirituality entails a close relationship between humans and the land. Aborigines call the beginning of the world the "Dreaming" or "Dreamtime". In the "Dreamtime", aboriginal "Ancestors" rose from below the earth to form various parts of nature including animal species, bodies of water, and the sky. Unlike other religions, however, aboriginal belief does not place the human species apart from or on a higher level than nature. Aborigines believe some of the Ancestors metamorphosed into nature (as in rock formations or rivers), where they remain spiritually alive. Storytelling, Art, and the Didgeridoo: The oral tradition of storytelling informs aboriginals' vibrant cultural life. Songs illustrate the Dreamtime and other tales of the land, while dances and diagrams drawn in the sand accompany oral tales. In the Northern Territory, aboriginal art includes sculpture, bark and rock paintings, and baskets and beadwork. Rock carvings and paintings can be found in such places as Arnhem Land, Ubirr, and Nourlangie. Many aborigines earn a living through selling native artworks. Aboriginal music is often recognizable for its most famous instrument, the didgeridoo. A wind instrument typically made from bamboo, it extends about five feet and produces a low, vibrating hum. Aborigines use didgeridoos in formal ceremonies at such events as sunsets, circumcisions, and funerals. Which of the following statements about Australian Aborigines can be supported from this text? It is estimated that the population of Australian Aborigines peaked at about 400,000 some 30,000 years before white settlement. Despite being recognised internationally, the Aboriginal musical instrument the didgeridoo, rarely plays a significant role in Aboriginal cultural ceremonies. Today Aborigines comprise approximately 2% of the Australian population. Aboriginal culture is based on a belief that people, animals, and the land are integrally linked. Unlike many other indigenous cultures, Australian Aborigines developed equitable relationships with colonial powers.

4 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 9: (Reading) Multiple-choice, choose multiple answers

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 1: Answer Key and Explanations Which of the following statements about Australian Aborigines can be supported from this text? Incorrect: It is estimated that the population of Australian Aborigines peaked at about 400,000 some 30,000 years before white settlement. Explanation: This response is incorrect. 400,000 is the current estimated Australian Aborigine population. Incorrect: Despite being recognised internationally, the Aboriginal musical instrument the didgeridoo, rarely plays a significant role in Aboriginal cultural ceremonies. Explanation: This response is incorrect. The passage says that the digeridoo is used “in formal ceremonies at such events as sunsets, circumcisions, and funerals.” These are significant events in Aboriginal culture. Correct Answer: Today Aborigines comprise approximately 2% of the Australian population. Explanation: This response is correct because it accurately conveys information from the second sentence in the passage: “Recent government statistics counted approximately 400,000 aboriginal people, or about 2% of Australia's total population.” Correct Answer: Aboriginal culture is based on a belief that people, animals, and the land are integrally linked. Explanation: This response is correct. The “Dreamtime” paragraph says that aborigines believe that the people, animals and land share a common ancestry. Incorrect: Unlike many other indigenous cultures, Australian Aborigines developed equitable relationships with colonial powers. Explanation: This response is incorrect because the passage does not describe Australian Aborigines’ relationships with colonial powers as being different from those of other indigenous cultures. Rather, the passage says that Australian Aborigines had “like other indigenous populations, a difficult colonial history.”

5 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 9: (Reading) Multiple-choice, choose multiple answers

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 2 Read the text and answer the question by selecting all the correct responses. More than one response is correct.

Adaptations enable living organisms to cope with environmental stresses and pressures. Adaptation can be structural or behavioral. Structural adaptations are special body parts of an organism that help it to survive in its natural habitat (e.g., skin color, shape, body covering). Behavioral adaptations are the ways a particular organism behaves to survive in its natural habitat. Physiological adaptations are systems present in an organism that allow it to perform certain biochemical reactions (e.g. making venom, secreting slime, being able to keep a constant body temperature). Adaptations are traits that have been selected for by natural selection. The underlying genetic basis for the adaptive trait did not arise as a consequence of the environment; the genetic variant pre-existed and was subsequently selected because it provided the bearer of that variant some advantage. Which of the following are true statements about adaptations? They can be structural, behavioral, or physiological adaptations. They mostly occur in physical appearances of special body parts of an organism. They are new genes created to increase an organism's chance of survival. They are genes selected due to the benefits they offer in a particular environment. They are created by the environment to help an organism survive in its habitat.

6 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 9: (Reading) Multiple-choice, choose multiple answers

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 2: Answer Key and Explanations Which of the following are true statements about adaptations? Correct Answer: They can be structural, behavioral, or physiological adaptations. Explanation: This response is correct. The passage describes different types of structural, behavioral and physiological adaptations. Incorrect: They mostly occur in physical appearances of special body parts of an organism. Explanation: This response is incorrect because it makes a statement that was not made in the text. The passage says that there are structural and behavioral adaptations but does not say which occur more often or what proportions of each are present in an organism. Incorrect: They are new genes created to increase an organism's chance of survival. Explanation: This response is incorrect. The passage says the “genetic variant pre-existed” but does not discuss the creation of new genes. Correct Answer: They are genes selected due to the benefits they offer in a particular environment. Explanation: This response is correct. The passage says that the “genetic basis for the adaptive trait” was selected because it gave an advantage to the organism that possessed it. Incorrect: They are created by the environment to help an organism survive in its habitat. Explanation: This response is incorrect because it conflicts with information given in the passage. The text says that the genes for the adaptation “did not arise as a consequence of the environment.”

7 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 9: (Reading) Multiple-choice, choose multiple answers

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Lesson 10 Re-order paragraphs Time allocated: 60 minutes

Step 1: Introduce the Item Type This item type assesses reading skills. It requires test takers to be familiar with the organization and cohesion of academic texts and arrange text boxes in a single correct order.

The text boxes in the left panel have been placed in a random order. Restore the original order by dragging the text boxes from the left panel to the right panel.

Source

Target

But in Scotland three banks are still allowed to issue banknotes. When this bank was founded in 1695, Scots coinage was in short supply and of uncertain value, compared with English, Dutch, Flemish or French coin.

To face growth of trade it was deemed necessary to remedy this lack of an adequate currency. The first Scottish bank to do this was the Bank of Scotland. In most countries it is only the government, through their central banks, who are permitted to issue currency.

Step 2: Present the Item Type Strategies Strategy 1

Quickly and quietly read the content of the text boxes to yourself. While you are reading, listen for one text box that sounds complete by itself and makes most sense alone. This sentence is likely be the most logical introduction to the paragraph or topic.

Strategy 2

Once you have identified the introduction or topic sentence, quietly read the remaining boxes to yourself again to listen for flow. While you are reading, look for language patterns that will help you identify a sequence. Check the language patterns in each box to confirm your sequence (i.e., use of connectives, use of indefinite articles for first reference, definite articles for further reference, use of pronouns, etc).

Strategy 3

Quietly read the boxes to yourself in the order that you have sequenced them. This will help you check whether the sentences flow smoothly from one to another, and whether the passage makes sense and sounds logical and correct as a whole. 1

© IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 10: Re-order paragraphs

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Step 3: Explain and Practice Each Strategy Strategy 1 Explain to your students that for this item type it is important to be able to quickly recognize the topic of the passage, the topic or opening sentence and the overall sequence. One way to help them quickly identify a flow within the passage is to read the text quietly to themselves. “Hearing” the text may help them recognize patterns and flow that they might oversee when skimming or scanning. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities:

• Ask students to listen carefully. Explain that you will read out loud the jumbled sentences of a paragraph and that they should listen for the sentence that sounds most like an opening or topic sentence.

• Read the sentences from Item 1 out loud, one-by-one. After each sentence, ask students to tell you whether they think the sentence is a topic sentence or not and to explain their reasons.

• Once they have agreed, display the topic sentence. (In most countries it is only the government, through their central banks, who are permitted to issue currency. This is the first text box because it provides background information that makes the rest of the information in the passage stand out as significant.) Strategy 2 Remind your students that once the topic sentence or introduction to the passage has been identified, they must then sequence the remaining boxes. Explain that they should now read out loud the remaining boxes again to listen for flow and look for language patterns that will help them identify a sequence. Remind them that flow and sequence within English texts is created with connectives, the use of indefinite articles for first reference and definite articles for further reference, the use of pronouns to replace nouns that have been identified earlier and so on. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities in pairs:

• Give students copies of Item 1. • Ask them to first read the sentences out loud to each other and identify the sentence that follows most logically from the topic sentence. (But in Scotland three banks are still allowed to issue banknotes.)

• Discuss their choices with the class and ask them to explain their reasons for choosing this sentence. (This is the second text box because it introduces the subject of the passage. However, it is not the first sentence because “But” and “still allowed” signal that this sentence is referring to a restriction described in a previous sentence.)

• Ask students to continue to re-order the remaining sentences in pairs. Strategy 3 Explain to your students that the final step is to re-read the whole passage quietly, in the sequence that they have re-ordered the sentences, to check for logic and overall sense as well as flow. At this point, your students should be able to hear whether the text sounds good or whether further adjustments need to be made. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities:

• Put pairs into groups of four. Have pairs swap work and read the sentences out loud in the order specified. Have students listen carefully to each other to check whether their responses sound correct when read out loud by another pair. Ask them to discuss any sentences that they do not agree on.

• Feed back their responses to the class by getting pairs to read out loud their responses. Ask students to discuss the reasons for their choices.

• After they have done this, show the answers and explanations for Item 1, and compare their explanations with those given. Discuss any queries.

2 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 10: Re-order paragraphs

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Step 4: Respond to a Re-order Paragraphs Item Explain to your students that they will now respond to a test item simulating the test conditions. Remind them of the three strategies covered in this lesson and ask them to apply these strategies. Give out copies of Item 2.

Step 5: Provide Feedback Ask your students if they were able to use the strategies. Which one was the most difficult to apply? Which one do they think was the most useful? Ask students to discuss their choices and evaluate each other’s responses in pairs or groups. Then provide the answers and explanations for Item 2.

3 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 10: Re-order paragraphs

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 1 The text boxes in the left panel have been placed in a random order. Restore the original order by drawing a line from the text box on the left to the space provided on the right.

Source

Target

But in Scotland three banks are still allowed to issue banknotes. When this bank was founded in 1695, Scots coinage was in short supply and of uncertain value, compared with English, Dutch, Flemish or French coin. To face growth of trade it was deemed necessary to remedy this lack of an adequate currency. The first Scottish bank to do this was the Bank of Scotland. In most countries it is only the government, through their central banks, who are permitted to issue currency.

4 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 10: Re-order paragraphs

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 1: Answer Key and Explanations Correct Answer: 1. In most countries it is only the government, through their central banks, who are permitted to issue currency. 2. But in Scotland three banks are still allowed to issue banknotes. 3. The first Scottish bank to do this was the Bank of Scotland. 4. When this bank was founded in 1695, Scots coinage was in short supply and of uncertain value, compared with English, Dutch, Flemish or French coin. 5. To face growth of trade it was deemed necessary to remedy this lack of an adequate currency. Explanations: 1. In most countries it is only the government, through their central banks, who are permitted to issue currency. This is the first text box because it provides background information that makes the rest of the information in the passage stand out as significant. 2. But in Scotland three banks are still allowed to issue banknotes. This is the second text box because it introduces the subject of the passage. However, it is not the first sentence because “But” and “still allowed” signal that this sentence is referring to a restriction described in a previous sentence. 3. The first Scottish bank to do this was the Bank of Scotland. This is the third text box because it gives an example of one of the three banks in Scotland mentioned in the previous sentence. Also the phrase “to do this” refers to the phrase, “to issue banknotes” in the previous sentence. 4. When this bank was founded in 1695, Scots coinage was in short supply and of uncertain value, compared with English, Dutch, Flemish or French coin. This is the fourth text box because “this bank” refers to “the Back of Scotland” mentioned in the third sentence. 5. To face growth of trade it was deemed necessary to remedy this lack of an adequate currency. This is the fifth text box because it concludes the paragraph by giving a reason why the Bank of Scotland issued its own currency.

5 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 10: Re-order paragraphs

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 2 The text boxes in the left panel have been placed in a random order. Restore the original order by drawing a line from the text box on the left to the space provided on the right.

Source

Target

These markets had become rapidly dominated by powerful enterprises who were able to act in their own interests, against the interests of both workers and consumers. Mill was able to see an expanded role for the State in such legislation to protect us against powerful interests. He was able to argue that the State was the only organ that was genuinely capable of responding to social needs and social interests, unlike markets. There had already been some legislation to prevent such abuses - such as various Factory Acts to prevent the exploitation of child workers. Markets may be good at encouraging innovation and following trends, but they were no good at ensuring social equality.

6 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 10: Re-order paragraphs

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 2: Answer Key and Explanations Correct Answer: 1. Markets may be good at encouraging innovation and following trends, but they were no good at ensuring social equality. 2. These markets had become rapidly dominated by powerful enterprises who were able to act in their own interests, against the interests of both workers and consumers. 3. There had already been some legislation to prevent such abuses - such as various Factory Acts to prevent the exploitation of child workers. 4. Mill was able to see an expanded role for the State in such legislation to protect us against powerful interests. 5. He was able to argue that the State was the only organ that was genuinely capable of responding to social needs and social interests, unlike markets. Explanations: 1. Markets may be good at encouraging innovation and following trends, but they were no good at ensuring social equality. This is the first text box because it introduces the topic of the paragraph. All of the other text boxes contain clues that they refer to some previous sentence. 2. These markets had become rapidly dominated by powerful enterprises who were able to act in their own interests, against the interests of both workers and consumers. This is the second text box because the sentence in it begins with “These markets” which is a sign that a sentence about markets came immediately before it. 3. There had already been some legislation to prevent such abuses - such as various Factory Acts to prevent the exploitation of child workers. This is the third text box because it discusses government response to the situation described in the previous text box. The phrase “such abuses” refers to the previous sentence’s mention of enterprises acting against the interests of workers. 4. Mill was able to see an expanded role for the State in such legislation to protect us against powerful interests. This is the fourth text box because it contains the phrase “such legislation” which refers to the “Factory Acts” in the preceding sentence. 5. He was able to argue that the State was the only organ that was genuinely capable of responding to social needs and social interests, unlike markets. This is the fifth text box because it concludes the paragraph by providing a solution to the problem raised in the first sentence. Additionally, “He” could only refer to “Mill”, which is in the previous text box, since “Mill” is the only proper name of a person used in the paragraph.

7 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 10: Re-order paragraphs

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Lesson 11 Reading: Fill in the blanks Time allocated: 40 minutes

Step 1: Introduce the Item Type This item type assesses reading skills and requires test takers to use contextual and grammatical cues to complete a reading text by identifying the single correct answer for each blank.

In the text below some words are missing. Drag words from the box below to the appropriate place in the text. To undo an answer choice, drag the word back to the box below the text.

Considering their lingering reputation as man-killers, it's hardly surprising that hackles are raised any time someone brings up the idea of

wolves to the Scottish Highlands. Debate on this topic has been raging for years; would like to see the Highland environment returned to its natural state. Opponents

the animals'

for killing livestock.

proponents

reacquainting

activitists

accuse

propensity

reintroducing

cite

Step 2: Present the Item Type Strategies Strategy 1

First read the whole text quickly to make sure you understand the general topic and meaning.

Strategy 2

Look at the context around the gap and try to predict the word or type of word that could logically fill each gap before you look at the word options.

Strategy 3

Look at and analyze the options. Choose the one that best matches your predictions.

Step 3: Explain and Practice Each Strategy Strategy 1 Explain to your students that for this item type it is important to quickly skim the whole text first to get an overall sense of the meaning. When we read gapped texts quickly for gist, our mind automatically predicts and fills in gaps in our reading with logical information. 1 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 11: (Reading) Fill in the blanks

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities:

• Give each student a copy of the text for Item 1 without the word options. • Ask students to quickly skim the text in 1 minute and then tell you the gist. • Provide comments on your students’ ideas and confirm the answer (reintroduction of wolves into Scottish countryside). Strategy 2 Tell your students that once they have established the gist of the text, they should read it through again without looking at the word options. This time they should try to predict the word or part of speech that is needed to fill each gap. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities in pairs:

• Ask students to read the text again and work with their partner to predict the word or part of speech that is needed to fill each gap.

• Go through each sentence one-by-one, asking students to share their ideas and explain their thoughts (e.g., sentence 1 needs a verb in -ing form; sentence 2 needs a subject, looking at sentence 3 gives a clue that it should perhaps be a subject that counterbalances/is an antonym for “opponent”; sentence 3 needs a present tense verb and a noun).

• Display and discuss possible options. Strategy 3 Looking at each gap in turn, students should analyze the options to see how or whether each one matches their earlier predictions, and pick the options that are best matches grammatically or in terms of meaning. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities in pairs:

• Show the word options for Item 1. • Ask students to work together to analyze the options according to the predictions that they made in the previous activity. Tell them to look for words that match their predictions in terms of meaning and part of speech.

• Provide comments on students’ responses, and then display the answers for Item 1.

Step 4: Respond to a (Reading) Fill in the Blanks Item Explain to your students that they will now respond to a test item simulating the test conditions. Remind them of the three strategies covered in this lesson and ask them to apply these strategies. Give out copies of Item 2, and tell them that they will have three minutes to complete the text.

Step 5: Provide Feedback Ask your students if they were able to use the strategies. Which one was the most difficult to apply? Which one do they think was the most useful? Ask students to compare and evaluate each other’s responses in pairs or groups. After they have done this, show the answers for Item 2 and have students discuss why these answers are most appropriate.

2 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 11: (Reading) Fill in the blanks

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 1 In the text below some words are missing. Fill in the blanks by writing the words in the blanks.

Considering their lingering reputation as man-killers, it's hardly surprising that hackles are raised any time someone brings up the idea of

wolves to the Scottish Highlands. Debate on this topic has been raging for years; would like to see the Highland environment returned to its natural state. Opponents

the animals'

for killing livestock.

proponents

reacquainting

activitists

accuse

propensity

reintroducing

cite

3 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 11: (Reading) Fill in the blanks

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 1: Answer Key Considering their lingering reputation as man-killers, it's hardly surprising that hackles are raised any time someone brings up the idea of

reintroducing

proponents the animals'

wolves to the Scottish Highlands. Debate on this topic has been raging for years;

would like to see the Highland environment returned to its natural state. Opponents propensity

cite

for killing livestock.

4 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 11: (Reading) Fill in the blanks

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 2 In the text below some words are missing. Fill in the blanks by writing the words in the blanks.

A charge often leveled against organic agriculture is that it is more philosophy than science. There's some truth to this indictment, if that is what it is, though why organic farmers should feel perhaps, of our fetishism of science as the only

about it is itself a mystery, a relic, tool with which to approach nature. The philosophy of

natural processes precedes the science of understanding them.

supportive

mimicking

logic

repeating

credible

defensive

5 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 11: (Reading) Fill in the blanks

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 2: Answer Key A charge often leveled against organic agriculture is that it is more philosophy than science. There's some truth to this indictment, if that is what it is, though why organic farmers should feel perhaps, of our fetishism of science as the only mimicking

credible

defensive

about it is itself a mystery, a relic,

tool with which to approach nature. The philosophy of

natural processes precedes the science of understanding them.

6 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 11: (Reading) Fill in the blanks

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Lesson 12

Reading & writing: Fill in the blanks Time allocated: 50 minutes

Step 1: Introduce the Item Type This item type integrates reading and writing skills, and requires test takers to use contextual and grammatical cues to complete a reading text by identifying a single correct answer for each blank.

Below is a text with blanks. Click on each blank, a list of choices will appear. Select the appropriate answer choice for each blank.

Umami was first identified in Japan, in 1908, when Dr. Kikunae Ikeda concluded that kombu, a type of edible seaweed, had a different taste than most foods. He conducted

that found that the high concentration of glutamate in kombu was

what made it so tasty. From there, he crystallizedexperiences monosodium glutamate (MSG), the seasoning that would become contests experimentsdefined as one of the five individual tastes sensed by receptors on the the world over. Decades later, umami became scientifically attempts . Then in 1996, a team of University of Miami researchers studying taste perception made another breakthrough. They discovered separate taste receptor cells in the tongue for detecting umami. Before then, the concept was uncharted. "Up until our wisdom in the scientific community was that umami was not a separate sense. It was just a

research, the

combination of the other four qualities (salty, sweet, bitter, sour)", explained Dr. Stephen Roper, the University of Miami physiology and biophysics professor who helped zero in on the taste along with Nirupa Chaudhari, the team's lead researcher.

Step 2: Present the Item Type Strategies Strategy 1

Use your knowledge of collocation and grammar to help you guess or predict the word or type of word that best fits each blank.

Strategy 2

Eliminate options that you know are not appropriate in terms of meaning or the grammatical context.

Strategy 3

Read each sentence in your head several times, inserting each of the remaining possible options one-by-one. This will help you activate your knowledge of collocation. Listen to the way the sentence sounds and choose the option that sounds best in the sentence.

Step 3: Explain and Practice Each Strategy Strategy 1 Explain to your students that activating and using their knowledge of collocation and grammar will help them guess or predict the word or part of speech that best fits each blank. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities in pairs:

• Give pairs a copy of Item 1 without the answer choices. • Ask students to skim the text quickly first to get an idea of the gist. • Have students work together to establish which part of speech is needed to complete each sentence and to brainstorm words that collocate with the words on either side of each blank (e.g., blank 1 needs a plural object, tests, experiments, etc. to collocate with conduct; blank 2 needs an adjective, famous, accepted, etc. © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 12: (Reading & writing) Fill in the blanks

1

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies to collocate with around the world; blank 3 needs a noun, tongue fits logically; blank 4 needs an adjective, perceived, accepted, etc. to collocate with wisdom).

• Have students share their responses and explain their thoughts. • Display the suggested words for each blank for students to see. Strategy 2 Tell your students that once they have made their own predictions, they should study the options and eliminate any words that they know are inappropriate in terms of meaning or the grammatical context. This will help them narrow down the choices and make it easier to select the correct option. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities in pairs:

• Give pairs the options for each blank in Item 1. • Ask them to work together to establish which of the options can be eliminated in each case. • Have students share their responses and give reasons for their choices. Strategy 3 Tell your students that they should now read each sentence out loud to each other several times, inserting each of the remaining possible options one-by-one. This will help them activate their knowledge of collocations. Tell them to listen carefully to the way the sentence sounds and to choose the option that sounds best in the sentence. Remind them to also pay particular attention to the meanings of homophones and homonyms which may be confusing. Also remind students that although for this practice activity they are reading out loud, in the actual test they should say sentences to themselves in their heads. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities in pairs:

• Tell students to work together and read each sentence out loud to each other several times, each time inserting one of the remaining possible options.

• Remind students to listen carefully to the way the sentence sounds each time and to choose the option that sounds best in the sentence.

• Have students share their responses and give reasons for their choices. • After they have done this, show the answers for Item 1.

Step 4: Respond to a (Reading & writing) Fill in the Blanks Item Explain to your students that they will now respond to a test item simulating test conditions. Remind them of the three strategies covered in this lesson and ask them to apply these strategies. Give out copies of Item 2.

Step 5: Provide Feedback Ask your students if they were able to use the strategies. Which one was the most difficult to apply? Which one do they think was the most useful? Ask them to compare and evaluate each other’s responses in pairs or groups. After they have done this, show the answers for Item 2 and have students discuss why these answers are most appropriate and the other options are not.

2 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 12: (Reading & writing) Fill in the blanks

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 1 Below is a text with blanks. Select the appropriate answer choice for each blank.

Umami was first identified in Japan, in 1908, when Dr. Kikunae Ikeda concluded that kombu, a type

(1) experiences contests experiments attempts

of edible seaweed, had a different taste than most foods. He conducted (1) that found that the high concentration of glutamate in kombu was what made it so tasty. From there, he crystallized monosodium glutamate (MSG), the seasoning that would become (2)

(2) spread exported exclusive popular

the world over. Decades later, umami became scientifically defined as one

of the five individual tastes sensed by receptors on the (3)

. Then in 1996, a

team of University of Miami researchers studying taste perception made another breakthrough. (3) They discovered separate taste receptor cells in the tongue for detecting umami. Before then, the concept was uncharted. "Up until our research, the (4)

fingers mouth tongue jaws

wisdom in the

scientific community was that umami was not a separate sense. It was just a combination of the other four qualities (salty, sweet, bitter, sour)", explained Dr. Stephen Roper, the University of Miami physiology and biophysics professor who helped zero in on the taste along with Nirupa Chaudhari, the team's lead researcher.

(4) predominate insignificant important erroneous

3 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 12: (Reading & writing) Fill in the blanks

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 1: Answer Key Umami was first identified in Japan, in 1908, when Dr. Kikunae Ikeda concluded that kombu, a type of edible seaweed, had a different taste than most foods. He conducted (1) experiments

that found that the high concentration of glutamate in kombu was what

made it so tasty. From there, he crystallized monosodium glutamate (MSG), the seasoning that would become (2)

popular

the world over. Decades later, umami became scientifically defined as one of the five individual tastes sensed by receptors on the (3)

tongue

. Then in 1996, a team of University of Miami researchers studying taste perception made another breakthrough.

They discovered separate taste receptor cells in the tongue for detecting umami. Before then, the concept was uncharted. "Up until our research, the (4) predominate

wisdom in the scientific community was that umami was not a separate sense. It was just

a combination of the other four qualities (salty, sweet, bitter, sour)", explained Dr. Stephen Roper, the University of Miami physiology and biophysics professor who helped zero in on the taste along with Nirupa Chaudhari, the team's lead researcher.

4 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 12: (Reading & writing) Fill in the blanks

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 2 Below is a text with blanks. Select the appropriate answer choice for each blank.

Global climate change is the greatest environmental challenge we face. We have at most a few

(1) colossal nominal negligible customary

decades to make the necessary investments to prevent the most serious impacts of climate change. Future generations will judge us based on the investments we are considering now. In its February 2007 report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warns that global emissions must peak no later than 2015 if we are to hold average global temperature increases to 2.4°C

(2)

(4.3°F) or less. Moving to an emissions pathway that will hold temperature increases to a minimum will require a (1)

effort. There is no time to lose given the long lag in research

and development cycles, and energy-intensive (2) Fundamentally, (3)

agriculture architecture infrastructure conjecture

and product turnover.

the world's energy system is unlikely to occur within this

(3)

timeframe. It is thus imperative to find means to reduce the footprint of the existing system - most

altering revoking comparing analyzing

particularly, of coal, which is the most greenhouse gas intensive of the fossil fuels driving climate change. It is in this context that Carbon Dioxide Capture and Sequestration (CCS) becomes one of the most critical technologies in the menu of choices. It is the only option that provides a potentially near-term solution to rapidly expanding coal use here, in China and around the world. CCS must play the critical role of (4) are ready.

growth in emissions from coal until other alternatives

(4) sustaining curbing dividing increasing

5 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 12: (Reading & writing) Fill in the blanks

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 2: Answer Key Global climate change is the greatest environmental challenge we face. We have at most a few decades to make the necessary investments to prevent the most serious impacts of climate change. Future generations will judge us based on the investments we are considering now. In its February 2007 report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warns that global emissions must peak no later than 2015 if we are to hold average global temperature increases to 2.4°C (4.3°F) or less. Moving to an emissions pathway that will hold temperature increases to a minimum will require a (1)

colossal

effort. There is no time to lose given

the long lag in research and development cycles, and energy-intensive (2) infrastructure Fundamentally, (3)

altering

and product turnover.

the world's energy system is unlikely to occur within this timeframe. It is thus imperative to

find means to reduce the footprint of the existing system - most particularly, of coal, which is the most greenhouse gas intensive of the fossil fuels driving climate change. It is in this context that Carbon Dioxide Capture and Sequestration (CCS) becomes one of the most critical technologies in the menu of choices. It is the only option that provides a potentially near-term solution to rapidly expanding coal use here, in China and around the world. CCS must play the critical role of (4)

curbing

growth in emissions from coal

until other alternatives are ready.

6 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 12: (Reading & writing) Fill in the blanks

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Lesson 13 Summarize spoken text Time allocated: 60 minutes

Step 1: Introduce the Item Type This is a long-answer item type that integrates listening and writing skills, and requires test takers to understand, analyze and combine information from a spoken text, and then summarize the key points in writing.

You will hear a short report. Write a summary for a fellow student who was not present. You should write 50-70 words. You have 10 minutes to finish this task. Your response will be judged on the quality of your writing and on how well your response presents the key points presented in the report.

Status:

Beginning in 12 seconds.

Volume

Cut

Copy

Paste

Total Word Count: 0

The instructions for this item type have been modified for this lesson to include a report. In the actual test, the instructions will generally refer to a lecture.

Step 2: Present the Item Type Strategies Strategy 1

Write down as much information as you can, and always note down any new terms, definitions, facts and statistics. Do not write names of speakers or people mentioned, but refer to their titles or jobs, e.g., psychologist, researcher, reporter, etc.

Strategy 2

Do not repeat all the information that you have noted down while listening. Shorten, simplify, paraphrase and synthesize the information into 50–70 words.

Strategy 3

Check and edit any grammatical and mechanical errors.

1 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 13: Summarize spoken text

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Step 3: Explain and Practice Each Strategy Strategy 1 Remind your students that they will hear the spoken text only once so they should try to note down as much key information as possible. They can use the Erasable Noteboard Booklet that they are provided with at the test center, or simply type their notes on screen. It is also important to note down any terms, especially academic ones, definitions, factual and statistical information. Students should also pay particular attention to words and phrases that indicate the structure of the spoken text (e.g., features a series of studies, First, Then, Next, That brings us to, Let’s consider, The problem is), highlight importance (e.g., most significantly/importantly, very specific, especially), signal contrasting ideas (e.g., But, However) and give examples or supporting details (e.g., For example/instance). Instead of writing down the names of the people mentioned, students should note their jobs or titles, e.g., professor, lecturer, researcher, psychologist, etc. It is also important to organize notes in the order of importance, e.g., main idea, supporting ideas, supporting example(s) and detail(s). Explain that speakers may also return to some points or ideas they have mentioned. That is why it is important that students leave space around their notes in case they need to add new points closer to the relevant idea. Remind students that they should not write in complete sentences, but use keywords or their own abbreviated forms, and omit unimportant details. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities:

• Play the audio [L13_Summarize_spoken_text_1] and have students take notes. • Ask students to explain how they have organized their notes. Strategy 2 Explain to your students that they will have ten minutes to write their summaries. This may seem like a long time, but they should stay focused and keep an eye on the timer in the top, right-hand corner of the screen when they take the test. Students should use this time to carefully go through their notes and condense the information into 3–4 sentences, starting with a topic sentence to introduce the main idea or ideas followed by 2–3 sentences providing supporting points or examples. They do not have to include all the examples from the recording. They can shorten some or omit the less important details. It is also important that students paraphrase the information using their own words or sentence structures. They can do this by changing word forms, using synonyms, changing grammar structures and word order. When writing their summaries, students should synthesize the key information and indicate any contrasting ideas or conflicting points of view. Remind them of some transition words, adverbs or sentence patterns to indicate contrasts and opposites. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities in pairs:

• Have students carefully read though their notes and think about the following: – topic sentence to introduce the summary – the main idea(s) – some supporting details/points/examples •

Ask students to draft their summaries.

• Provide the model summary below and have students compare their summaries to it: Model summary: It is believed that touch can communicate a wide range of specific emotions. Touch has been ignored by researchers in the past, and has not been focused on until recently. A person describes an experiment carried out into touch and emotion to prove that touch can communicate a range of specific feelings.

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Lesson 13: Summarize spoken text

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies Strategy 3 Remind your students to give themselves a couple of minutes to check their summaries for grammatical errors (e.g., incomplete sentences, tense errors, subject-verb agreement, pronoun agreement, singular and plural forms, word forms) and mechanical errors (e.g., misspelled words, wrong punctuation and capitalization). To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities:

• Display the three sample summaries for Item 1. • Have students work in pairs to identify and correct any grammatical and mechanical errors. • Explain that these are authentic responses from test takers. Have students analyze these responses and rank them from the weaker to the stronger. Then provide the explanations about the sample responses for Item 1.

Step 4: Respond to a Summarize Spoken Text Item Explain to your students that they will now respond to a test item simulating the test conditions. They will have ten minutes to complete the task. Remind them of the three strategies covered in this lesson and ask them to apply these strategies. Play the audio for Item 2 [L13_Summarize_spoken_text_2], and have students write their summaries on a piece of paper.

Step 5: Provide Feedback Ask your students if they were able to use the strategies. Which one was the most difficult to apply? Which one do they think was the most useful? Ask students to evaluate their summaries in pairs or groups. Display the model summary for Item 2 and have students compare their summaries to it. Provide the three sample responses for Item 2 and ask students to rank them from the weaker to the stronger. Then provide the explanations about the sample responses for Item 2.

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Lesson 13: Summarize spoken text

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 1: Transcript Scientists are discovering that when you touch someone, you communicate very specific emotions such as sympathy, disgust, gratitude, or even love. The current issue of the scientific journal Emotion features a series of studies about touch. Reporter Michelle Trudeau touched base with the lead researcher. Michelle Trudeau:

Psychologist Matt Hertenstein from DePaul University in Green Castle, Indiana decided to study touch while he was watching parents interacting with their babies - making faces and cooing sounds, squeezing, stroking, nuzzling them.

Mr. Matt Hertenstein: And all of a sudden it struck me one day and I thought, you know, I wonder if touch (DePaul University) can communicate distinct emotions, much like the face and the voice. Michelle Trudeau:

Decades of research has been done on the face and the voice and the distinct emotions that they communicate. But touch has been relatively neglected by researchers until Hertenstein stepped in and began his experiments.

Mr. Matt Hertenstein: We invited two participants into the lab. And we put a curtain up between those two people. Michelle Trudeau:

So they couldn't see or hear each other. One participant, the sender, was told to try and communicate twelve different emotions, one-by one, to the other participant, the receiver.

Mr. Matt Hertenstein: The receiver would put his or her arm underneath the curtain, on to the sender's side. Michelle Trudeau:

The sender would then touch the receiver's forearm, trying to communicate the specific emotion, such as envy, fear, love, embarrassment, anger, gratitude, pride, disgust. The receiver had to then decide which emotion was being communicated.

© IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 13: Summarize spoken text

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PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 1: Sample Responses 1) Scientists have researched that touch has more emotional signals to human’s feeling, even stronger than hear and see, for we see or hear people, we may not feel much. Scientists have done an experiment involved in two participants, one can see and hear each other, while the other one can only touch the other one, they found that through touch people feel more about human’s feeling, like envy, love. 2) Research shows emperical evidence on the role of touch in communicating emotion like gratitute, love,,etc. It can be observed through parents making face, cuddling their children. One experiment was made with 2 participants, one the sender and the other the reciever of touch. The 2 are separated by a curtain and the sender is asked to touch the reciever to communicate 12 types of emotions like anger and disgusting, 3) Touch has been neglected as an avenue of communicating distinct emotions, relative to studies involving facial and vocal communication. The journal Emotion featured studies involving touch. One researcher was motivated to study after seeing how parents and babies use physical contact in addition to facial and vocal expressions to communicate with one another. In one study, the sender was asked to communicate twelve distinct emotion, e.g. fear and love.

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Lesson 13: Summarize spoken text

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 1: Explanations of Sample Responses 1) B1 Response While the response contains relevant information, the test taker misrepresents the main point, leading the reader to believe the report is about an experiment which proved the importance of touch over sight and sound. This response demonstrates poor grammar control; verbs and nouns are not properly formed and several prepositions are missing. The vocabulary is basic and imprecise. The spelling is fine. This response is 69 words. 2) B2 Response The main point has been discussed and supporting points are included. This response demonstrates weak grammar control, which hinders understanding. The vocabulary used is appropriate for the context. There are several spelling errors. This response is 69 words. 3) C1 Response The response is an accurate and detailed summary of the main point and several supporting details discussed in the report. The grammar follows standard conventions. The vocabulary used is appropriate for the context. There is one spelling error. This response is 69 words.

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Lesson 13: Summarize spoken text

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 2: Transcript About 20 years ago Kent Anger and Barry Johnson came up with 750 chemicals that could harm the brain during development. Nobody has since then dared to update that number, it's just a guess today, there has to be more than a thousand if there was 750 twenty years ago. But the problem is also that we have put too little emphasis on this type of, uh, research. For example, it has taken so far the OECD 10 years to devise a battery of tests that they could recommend for systematic testing of chemicals for developmental neurotoxicity. That panel, that battery, has not yet been completed and authorised by OECD so it's taking way, way, way too long because it is complicated. But there is so much at stake. Children are just losing IQ points and losing their concentration span, memory or motor functions. But in the present world where there's so much emphasis on knowledge and brain functions this can also translate into dollars. The EPA has calculated that every time a child loses one IQ point because of chemical pollution it costs society something like $8,000 or $10,000.

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Lesson 13: Summarize spoken text

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 2: Model Summary About twenty years ago, it was estimated that there are 750 chemicals that can affect the developing human brain, and today there may be over 1000. There is little emphasis on the possible damage caused to developing children from these chemicals. It has taken the OECD ten years to develop an index to test for developmental neurotoxicity. Economically, each IQ point lost to chemical poisoning has an impact of $8,000-$10,000.

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Lesson 13: Summarize spoken text

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 2: Sample Responses 1) The lecture mentions chemical test for brain development. There are 2 level of chemical test. The first one is conducted by OECD on the systematic test chemical. They found that it takes a long time and too compicated for this test. The second is carried out by EPA which tried to find out some chemical solution. 2) About 20 years ago, scientists came up with 750 chemicals that could harm the brain. It might be more than that nowadays. Research on the harmful chemicals is complicated and could take too long. Chemical pollution has various effects on children, for example loss of concentration span, memory and IQ points. 3) 20 years ago, the list of chemicals which affected brain development was numbered at 750. Today, this number has increased to about 1000. There is insufficient research on the testing of such chemicals by OECD. These chemicals cause harmful effects like the loss of IQ, concentration, memory and motor functions. It is estimated that for every lost IQ point of a child, society stands to lose 8,000 to 10,000 dollars.

9 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 13: Summarize spoken text

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 2: Explanations of Sample Responses 1) B1 Response While the response contains several keywords, it does not summarize the main issues described by the speaker. It demonstrates weak grammar control which hinders understanding. The vocabulary used is appropriate for the context. There is one spelling mistake. This response is 56 words. 2) B2 Response While the response includes some main points, other key information from the passage is omitted. It demonstrates good control of grammar. The use of vocabulary is appropriate to the context. There are no spelling mistakes. This response is 51 words. 3) C1 Response The response is an accurate and detailed summary of the main point and several supporting points discussed in the lecture. The grammar follows standard English conventions. The vocabulary used is appropriate for the context. There are no spelling mistakes. This response is 70 words.

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Lesson 13: Summarize spoken text

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Lesson 14

Listening: Multiple-choice, choose multiple answers Time allocated: 40 minutes

Step 1: Introduce the Item Type This is a multiple-choice item type that assesses listening skills. It requires test takers to listen to, analyze, understand and assess a short recording on an academic subject and choose more than one correct response.

Listen to the recording and answer the question by selecting all the correct responses. You will need to select more than one response.

Status:

Beginning in 7 seconds.

Volume

What happened as a result of the arrival of colonists? Huge areas were deforested. Old farming methods were abandoned. Large expanses were planted with new species. Stone quarries were depleted. Sections of land were delineated with stones.

Step 2: Present the Item Type Strategies Strategy 1

Draw on your background knowledge of the topic to help you focus your attention before you listen.

Strategy 2

Focus your listening on the information you need to listen for. Identify the “direction” of both the question and response options, and listen out for redundant information that can be ignored.

Strategy 3

If the topic of the listening passage is unfamiliar to you, concentrate on what you understand rather than worrying about words that are new to you. Open your mind to the general gist of what is being said rather than focusing on individual words and phrases.

Step 3: Explain and Practice Each Strategy Strategy 1 Explain to your students that using their background knowledge of a topic can help them focus their attention before a listening activity and predict what they might hear.

1 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 14: (Listening) Multiple-choice, choose multiple answers

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities:

• Show students the question and response options for Item 1. Have them identify the topic and the focus of the question (e.g., colonial arrivals in foreign countries; changes that occurred in colonized countries after the arrival of colonial people).

• Ask students to work in groups to brainstorm countries that have been colonized and people who have been colonizers (e.g., India, Australia, various countries in South America, various countries in Asia, etc.; the Spanish, the British, the Portuguese, etc.).

• Have students think about the changes that various colonizers have brought about in the countries that they colonized (e.g., wiped out populations, destroyed wildlife and flora, exploited resources, built railways, built farms, etc.).

• Once students have discussed their ideas, have them look at the response options to see which ones best match their ideas, and to see whether they can already make a guess at which options might be correct. Strategy 2 Remind your students that they must focus their listening on the information they need to listen for as some of the information they will hear in the recordings will not be relevant to the question. Once students have identified the “direction” of both the question and response options, they can also listen out for redundant information that can be ignored. Being able to identify redundant information is a skill we use to help us quickly understand the gist of what we hear in our everyday lives. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities:

• Ask students to look again at the question and tell you what cues or words they might hear in the recording that will indicate the information that follows is relevant (e.g., When the colonizers arrived …, After the arrival of the colonists…, As a result…, From that point on… etc.).

• Tell students that they will now listen to the recording. Tell them to listen carefully for language cues that signal what follows is relevant to the question.

• Play the audio [L14_Multiple-choice_choose_multiple_answers_1). Ask students to raise their hand when they think they hear a cue. When a student raises his/her hand, stop the recording and ask him/her to identify the cue he/she heard (i.e., … one of the first things that happened as increasing waves of colonists arrived was…). Explain that this signals the point from which students should pay careful attention to the details that follow. Strategy 3 Tell your students that if the topic of the listening passage is unfamiliar to them, or they hear a lot of unfamiliar words, they should remain focused and concentrate on the information they do understand rather than worrying about individual words and phrases that are new to them. Explain that staying calm will help them understand the general gist of what is being said. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities:

• Tell students that they are going to listen carefully to the remaining part of the recording. Explain that they should try to concentrate on the gist of what they hear, and at the same time mark down a small question mark on a piece of paper each time they hear a word or phrase that they are unsure of.

• Play the remaining part of the audio [L14_Multiple-choice_choose_multiple_answers_1] (from Certainly one of the first things that happened as increasing waves of colonists arrived was…).

• Have students show how many question marks they have all written. • Explain that although many of them probably heard some unfamiliar words or unclear information, they are still likely to have understood the gist of what they heard.

• Ask students what they can tell you about the gist of the passage. If necessary, ask prompt questions such as What was the first thing that happened after the colonizers arrived? (they cleared land) Why did they clear land? (for farms), etc. Confirm the gist or main points of the passage with the class (i.e., the colonizers cut down trees to clear land for farming, the wood was used for building, and the colonizers built stone walls). 2 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 14: (Listening) Multiple-choice, choose multiple answers

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

• Ask students to look at the response options and identify those that are correct. After they have done this, provide the explanations and discuss any queries.

Step 4: Respond to a (Listening) Multiple-choice, choose multiple answers Item Explain to your students that they will now respond to a test item simulating the test conditions. Remind them of the three strategies covered in this lesson and ask them to apply these strategies. Give out copies of Item 2 and play the audio [L14_Multiple-choice_choose_multiple_answers_2].

Step 5: Provide Feedback Ask your students if they were able to use the strategies. Which one was the most difficult to apply? Which one do they think was the most useful? Ask students to compare and evaluate each other’s responses in pairs or groups. After they have done this, show the answers for Item 2 and provide the explanations. Discuss any queries.

3 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 14: (Listening) Multiple-choice, choose multiple answers

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 1 Listen to the recording and answer the question by selecting all the correct responses. You will need to select more than one response.

What happened as a result of the arrival of colonists? Huge areas were deforested. Old farming methods were abandoned. Large expanses were planted with new species. Stone quarries were depleted. Sections of land were delineated with stones.

4 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 14: (Listening) Multiple-choice, choose multiple answers

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 1: Transcript, Answer Key and Explanations We are led to believe that basically much of eastern North America was heavily cloaked in mature forest, forest that today we covet as old growth, and yet at one time it was the sort of ancestral, um, botanical blanket that covered much of certainly Massachusetts and New England…. Certainly one of the first things that happened as increasing waves of colonists arrived was the need to clear the land, um, and this clearing of the land is something that started, um, really in the form of small, subsistence farms, uh, the timber was used for building houses, um for building ships, for firewood, for all manner of things. The boulders the erratic, ah, the glacial erratic stones that were so much a part of the New England landscape, um, are today sort of ah what we find in the latticework of stone walls that one can find practically anywhere in the landscape, ah, if it's in a relatively untouched condition. … By the early part of the ah, nineteenth century, ah, it's thought that generally the zenith of clearing had taken place, ah, sometime in the 1830s 1840s … and the trees and the forests were essentially clear-cut, ah, to an extent that is almost unbelievable.

QUESTION: What happened as a result of the arrival of colonists? Correct Answer: Huge areas were deforested. Explanation: This response is correct. The speaker says that one of the first things that happened as increasing waves of colonists arrived was the clearing of the land. The speaker also says that sometime in the 1830s and 1840s, the trees and the forests were essentially clear-cut. Incorrect: Old farming methods were abandoned. Explanation: This response is incorrect. Abandonment of old farming methods is not discussed in the recording. Incorrect: Large expanses were planted with new species. Explanation: This response is incorrect because new species are not mentioned in the recording. Incorrect: Stone quarries were depleted. Explanation: This response is incorrect. The speaker does not mention stone quarries in the recording. Correct Answer: Sections of land were delineated with stones. Explanation: This response is correct. The speaker says that the glacial erratic stones that were so much a part of the New England landscape are today “sort of” what can be found in the latticework of stone walls that one can find practically anywhere in the landscape. This implies that stones were used to delineate sections of land.

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Lesson 14: (Listening) Multiple-choice, choose multiple answers

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 2 Listen to the recording and answer the question by selecting all the correct responses. You will need to select more than one response.

The purpose of this talk is to suggest ways to make indoor lighting more economical. encourage listeners to think creatively about mundane items. illustrate how an everyday object could inspire new technology. describe an artistic exhibition using familiar items. persuade listeners to participate in a scientific study.

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Lesson 14: (Listening) Multiple-choice, choose multiple answers

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 2: Transcript, Answer Key and Explanations If you think about light bulbs, they're an enormous infrastructure. They're in every building in the world, more or less, they have kind of a privileged position above us, around us, they can see, if you think about it, you know, most parts of any room. The kind of key was to say, well, what if we consider a light bulb not to be a light bulb, but actually to be a digital projector. It just happens to be really low resolution. In fact, it's a one by one pixel digital projector. You turn on the wall switch and a giant pixel comes out and paints your room. OK, well, that's ludicrous, but what if you put a higher resolution projector inside that same familiar glass bulb? Well, now you have a device that can illuminate. If you turn on all the pixels the same color you still have a light bulb in the usual sense. But if you turn on the pixels different amounts and different colors, then you're kind of projecting information out into the world. And if at the same time that you're doing that, you put a little tiny camera inside the bulb, then not only is information flowing out of the glass, but you're collecting optical information. So screw one of those into every one of these fixtures and suddenly you have a means potentially to put display and interaction everywhere throughout the world.

QUESTION: The purpose of this talk is to Incorrect: suggest ways to make indoor lighting more economical. Explanation: This response is incorrect. The speaker asks listeners to think about light bulbs and what could be done with them but does not discuss this in terms of money. Correct Answer: encourage listeners to think creatively about mundane items. Explanation: This response is correct. The speaker invites listeners to think about light bulbs then talks about their use in an unusual way. The speaker goes on to discuss the light bulb in ways most people don’t think about: “they’re an enormous infrastructure,” “they have a kind of privileged position above us,” and that each light bulb projects one giant pixel that “paints” the room. Correct Answer: illustrate how an everyday object could inspire new technology. Explanation: This response is correct. The speaker begins by considering a light bulb and what it does and then imagines what could be done with it. As the speaker adds features to this imaginary light bulb, it changes from a low resolution projector, to a high resolution projector, to a device that projects and collects optical information. Incorrect: describe an artistic exhibition using familiar items. Explanation: This response is incorrect. Art, art galleries, museums and exhibitions are not discussed in this recording. Incorrect: persuade listeners to participate in a scientific study. Explanation: This response is incorrect because the speaker does not mention a scientific study.

7 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 14: (Listening) Multiple-choice, choose multiple answers

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Lesson 15 Listening: Fill in the blanks Time allocated: 60 minutes

Step 1: Introduce the Item Type This is an item type that integrates listening and writing skills, and requires test takers to listen for missing words in a recording and type the missing words into a transcription.

You will hear a recording. Type the missing words in each blank.

Status:

Beginning in 7 seconds.

Volume

One seminal difference in policy remains; the

has not matched what is Labor's most important innovation promise.

That is to bring together responsibilities for innovation, industry, science and research under one single federal minister. Innovation responsibilities

lie within the powerful Department of Education and Science, and while there is a

industry department, it has little influence within Cabinet. This has innovation policies a distinctly science and research

policy development and given Australia's . It is the scientists rather than the engineers who call the

tune in innovation policy in Canberra, so it's no surprise our policies are all about and later

government funded research

their results.

Step 2: Present the Item Type Strategies Strategy 1

You only have seven seconds before the recording starts playing. Quickly read through the text and try to predict the words you will hear from the context.

Strategy 2

After the recording starts, do not stop listening to write or type in the full answers, but make sure you write at least the word roots. When the recording finishes, go back and complete the words based on your knowledge of grammar and contextual clues.

Strategy 3

Make sure that each word fits logically and grammatically into the sentence. Trust your intuition and do not think about other possibilities after you have typed the words and are certain that these are the words you heard.

Step 3: Explain and Practice Each Strategy Strategy 1 Explain to your students that they only have seven seconds to go through the text. Skimming the whole passage should help them figure out the general topic or subject area. They should also use the time to focus on the words directly before and after the blank that can provide clues. For example, an article before the blank indicates that the missing word is a noun. The article “an” also gives an additional clue that the word will start with a vowel.  © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 15: (Listening) Fill in the blanks

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities in pairs:

• Give students copies of Item 1 and have them skim through the text and identify the topic, e.g., Australia’s Labour government policy.

• Next, have students focus on the words around the blanks, and try to guess the part of speech, and make some predictions, e.g., first blank – noun starting with a consonant: government, party. Remind students that they will only have seven seconds before the recording starts so they should do this very quickly.

• Ask students to explain their predictions. Strategy 2 Explain to your students that the recording for this item type is 30–60 seconds long. Remind them that they will hear it only once and should not stop listening to write the long words or correct spelling. If they cannot type on screen or write the words on the Erasable Notboard Booklet fast enough, they should only write the word roots and continue following the text. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities:

• Display some word roots and have students brainstorm different words containing these roots, e.g., assign – assignable, assignee, assignment; gene – genealogist, genealogy, genealogical.

• Write a few sentences using incomplete words or root words, e.g., Make sure you understand your assign before you start writing, This genealog table traces the descendancy of four families, and have students work out the correct words based on grammar and contextual clues.

• Dictate some long words very quickly and have students write down only the word roots. • Now have students look again at the copy of Item 1 that you have distributed. Play the audio [L15_Fill_in_ the_blanks_1], and have them write the words or the word roots in the blanks. Strategy 3 Remind your students that each word should fit logically and grammatically into the sentences. Once the recording finishes, they should read the text again focusing on each gapped sentence. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities in pairs:

• Display some sentences with incorrectly used parts of speech, e.g., The aim of psychologic is to describe and explain thoughts, feel and act. Psychology try to understand the cognite, emotion and motivation process of human experience. Have students work in pairs and correct the mistakes.

• Now have students look at the item that they responded to and check that each sentence makes sense, the correct part of speech has been included and the seven words are correctly spelled.

• Provide feedback on students’ responses, and then show the answers for Item 1.

Step 4: Respond to a (Listening) Fill in the Blanks Item Explain to your students that they will now respond to a test item simulating the test conditions. They will have seven seconds to skim the text and 30–60 seconds to give their response. Remind them of the three strategies covered in this lesson and ask them to apply these strategies. Give out copies of Item 2 and play the audio [L15_Fill_in_the_blanks_2].

Step 5: Provide Feedback Ask your students if they were able to use the strategies. Which one was the most difficult to apply? Which one do they think was the most useful? Ask students to compare and evaluate each other’s responses in pairs or groups. Then provide the answers for Item 2.

 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 15: (Listening) Fill in the blanks

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 1 You will hear a recording. Write the missing words in each blank.

One seminal difference in policy remains; the

has not matched what is Labor's most important innovation

promise. That is to bring together responsibilities for innovation, industry, science and research under one single federal minister. Innovation responsibilities is a

lie within the powerful Department of Education and Science, and while there industry department, it has little influence within Cabinet. This has

policy

development and given Australia's innovation policies a distinctly science and research

. It is the

scientists rather than the engineers who call the tune in innovation policy in Canberra, so it's no surprise our policies are all about government funded research and later

their results.

 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 15: (Listening) Fill in the blanks

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 1: Transcript and Answer Key

One seminal difference in policy remains; the

coalition

has not matched what is Labor's most important innovation

promise. That is to bring together responsibilities for innovation, industry, science and research under one single federal minister. Innovation responsibilities is a

separate

currently

lie within the powerful Department of Education and Science, and while there hampered

industry department, it has little influence within Cabinet. This has

development and given Australia's innovation policies a distinctly science and research

bias

policy . It is the

scientists rather than the engineers who call the tune in innovation policy in Canberra, so it's no surprise our policies are all about boosting

government funded research and later

commercializing

their results.

 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 15: (Listening) Fill in the blanks

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 2 You will hear a recording. Write the missing words in each blank.

We've decided to adopt, just as a loose theme for the course, a

theme so that you can see the

between chemistry and biology and the things that you might consider doing in the future. We want you to think about the going on and how

that are relevant to your body, the processes that occur in your body, the chemistry that's plays a role. And we divided the course into four sections and after each section there

will be a mid-term. The first one, or an exam. The first one is about

.

 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 15: (Listening) Fill in the blanks

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 2: Transcript and Answer Key

We've decided to adopt, just as a loose theme for the course, a connections think about the going on and how

biological

theme so that you can see the

between chemistry and biology and the things that you might consider doing in the future. We want you to molecules energy

that are relevant to your body, the processes that occur in your body, the chemistry that's plays a role. And we divided the course into four sections and after each section there

will be a mid-term. The first one, or an exam. The first one is about

matter

.

 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 15: (Listening) Fill in the blanks

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Lesson 16 Highlight correct summary Time allocated: 60 minutes

Step 1: Introduce the Item Type This is an item type that integrates listening and reading skills, and requires test takers to understand, analyze and combine information from a recording, and then identify the most accurate summary of the recording.

You will hear a recording. Click on the paragraph that best relates to the recording.

Status:

Beginning in 10 seconds.

Volume

Unless major oil consumers invest in exploration now (which would be the first time major funds have been invested since 1964) global oil production will level out and be unable to meet increased demands from India and China.

With the continuation of improvements in technology, geology, and with government support, there is little doubt that further major reserves of oil will be found in the near future. This should result in sustainable oil supplies for a further 150 years.

While we are not about to run out of oil, we are certainly past the peak of oil production, which occurred about 40 years ago. This is despite improvements in technology, geology, and with tax-subsidized investment in exploration.

Oil consumption reached its first peak in 1964. Since that time the world has become increasingly dependent on oil. It is unlikely that there will be any new major oil discoveries in the immediate future or at any subsequent time.

Step 2: Present the Item Type Strategies Strategy 1

You only have ten seconds before the recording starts playing. Skim over the paragraphs to obtain the overall sense of the recording you will hear.

Strategy 2

When the recording starts, make effective notes organized in a general outline. Focus on the main ideas and omit descriptions and explanations. Try to identify the topic sentence.

Strategy 3

Re-read your notes and very quickly summarize all the information in your head. Then focus on each paragraph and eliminate the wrong ones as you compare each one to your notes and the mental summary you have created.

Step 3: Explain and Practice Each Strategy Strategy 1 Explain to your students that they only have ten seconds to go through the paragraphs to find out what the recording is about. While they are skimming the texts, they should think about the topic and make a mental note of some keywords. They should not try to understand every word as each paragraph is up to 60 words in length. Identifying and anticipating the topic is the best way to concentrate on listening when the recording starts. 1 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 16: Highlight correct summary

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities:

• Display Item 1 and give students ten seconds to quickly skim through the text. Then remove it, and have students identify the topic, e.g., impact of culture on consumers.

• In pairs, have students try to recall as many keywords as they can and write these words down. Strategy 2 Remind your students about what makes a good summary, i.e., it briefly restates the key ideas or the most important information in a passage. Explain that the main idea may be introduced in a topic sentence, which can appear either at the beginning of the passage or anywhere else. Sometimes, the main idea is not directly stated, but is implied. They should listen carefully to all the details and try to work out the main idea. Remind students of the note-taking techniques they practiced in the Re-tell lecture lesson. They should try to create a general outline of the main idea(s) with supporting points and not too many details. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities in pairs:

• Read out the following text, and have students identify the topic sentence and the main idea: So what influences consumers in different parts of the world? Many factors affect how we, as individuals and societies, live, buy and consume. And it should be readily apparent that culture has a profound impact on the way consumers perceive themselves, the products they buy and consume, and the processes by which those products should be purchased, and the organization that sells those products. (topic sentence: Many factors affect how we, as individuals and societies, live, buy and consume.)

• Read out the text again and have students write their notes following a clear outline. Then ask students to compare their notes, e.g.:

influences > consumers many factors culture – profound impact on: – perceive themsleves – products they consume – processes of purchase – organization selling them Strategy 3 Explain to your students that once the recording finishes, they should quickly go through their notes and try to connect the information in their outline and summarize it in their heads. They should not add more information, but quickly move to the paragraphs on the screen. Then students should focus on each paragraph and eliminate the wrong ones as they compare each one to their notes and the mental summary they have created. This should be done very quickly, within a minute or so, as the timer for the listening part will continue running. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities in pairs:

• Have students look at their notes again quickly and summarize them orally to their partners. • Now display the four summaries for Item 1 again, and have students read them in pairs and eliminate the wrong ones.

• Have pairs compare their answers. Then provide the explanations for Item 1.

Step 4: Respond to a Highlight Correct Summary Item Explain to your students that they will now respond to a test item simulating the test conditions. They will have ten seconds to skim the summaries, then listen to the recording, and have 60 seconds to give their response. Remind them of the three strategies covered in this lesson and ask them to apply these strategies. Give out copies of Item 2 and play the audio (L16_Hightlight_correct_summary_2).

2 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 16: Highlight correct summary

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Step 5: Provide Feedback Ask your students if they were able to use the strategies. Which one was the most difficult to apply? Which one do they think was the most useful? Ask students to compare their responses in pairs or groups. Then provide the answer and explanations for Item 2.

3 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 16: Highlight correct summary

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 1 You will hear a recording. Choose the paragraph that best relates to the recording.

Culture throughout the world plays a mutually beneficial role in the consumer markets of a society. Through culture, consumers are able to identify the products most important to them, and at the same time, culture is able to adapt to what buyers and sellers desire at any given moment. Throughout the many cultures found in the world, consumers have behaved predictably. While each society may have different values, the level of consumption as compared to other cultures is relatively equal. Globalization ensures that consumers adopt the same process when buying goods and services. The way a consumer buys, uses, and values a product is independent of cultural influence. A consumer may purchase desired products and still practice the beliefs and customs of their culture. Even the organizations responsible for bringing various products to consumers operate without regard to cultural sensitivities. Consumers in different cultures value different things. These values, which can be unique from one culture to the next, impact not only what kinds of products these consumers buy, but also who they buy them from, how they buy them, and for what uses and reasons.

4 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 16: Highlight correct summary

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 1: Answer Key and Explanations Incorrect Culture throughout the world plays a mutually beneficial role in the consumer markets of a society. Through culture, consumers are able to identify the products most important to them, and at the same time, culture is able to adapt to what buyers and sellers desire at any given moment. Explanation: This response is incorrect because the speaker indicates that culture affects what products people buy. The speaker does not state or imply that organizations that sell products have an effect on culture. Incorrect Throughout the many cultures found in the world, consumers have behaved predictably. While each society may have different values, the level of consumption as compared to other cultures is relatively equal. Globalization ensures that consumers adopt the same process when buying goods and services. Explanation: This response is incorrect because the recording directly contradicts this summary as the speaker says that culture affects the processes by which consumers purchase products, implying that culture informs values and thereby influences purchasing. There is no discussion of the predictability of consumer behavior or the level of consumption. Incorrect The way a consumer buys, uses, and values a product is independent of cultural influence. A consumer may purchase desired products and still practice the beliefs and customs of their culture. Even the organizations responsible for bringing various products to consumers operate without regard to cultural sensitivities. Explanation: This response is incorrect because the speaker indicates that culture “has a profound impact” on which products consumers buy and use, how they buy them, and which organizations they buy them from. Correct Answer Consumers in different cultures value different things. These values, which can be unique from one culture to the next, impact not only what kinds of products these consumers buy, but also who they buy them from, how they buy them, and for what uses and reasons. Explanation: This response is correct. The speaker says “culture has a profound impact on … the products they buy and consume” which implies that culture influences consumer decisions, leading people from one culture to make different purchases from those in another culture. According to the recording, culture also affects “the processes by which those products should be purchased, and the organization that sells those products” which addresses “how they buy them” and “who they buy them from.”

5 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 16: Highlight correct summary

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 2 You will hear a recording. Choose the paragraph that best relates to the recording.

Unless major oil consumers invest in exploration now (which would be the first time major funds have been invested since 1964) global oil production will level out and be unable to meet increased demands from India and China. With the continuation of improvements in technology, geology, and with government support, there is little doubt that further major reserves of oil will be found in the near future. This should result in sustainable oil supplies for a further 150 years. While we are not about to run out of oil, we are certainly past the peak of oil production, which occurred about 40 years ago. This is despite improvements in technology, geology, and with tax-subsidized investment in exploration. Oil consumption reached its first peak in 1964. Since that time the world has become increasingly dependent on oil. It is unlikely that there will be any new major oil discoveries in the immediate future or at any subsequent time.

6 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 16: Highlight correct summary

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 2: Transcript We’re not running out of oil. The first thing that one can say with absolute confidence is that we’re not about to run out of oil, we are definitely not. But what we are approaching is the end of the first half, and this is one way to describe it and this chapter in history lasted about a hundred and fifty years since the first oil was produced. And we’re coming to the end of that, and you have to find oil before you can produce it, and when we look back into history we can find that the peak of discovery was in 1964, and that the discovery of oil has been falling ever since, relentlessly, em and its been falling despite the world wide search, always aimed at the biggest and best prospects, no one’s looking for the smallest and the worst, the biggest and the best. It’s been falling despite amazing technological and geological advances, we understand this business so much more than we did. And finally, it’s been falling despite a very happy economic environment, whereby most of the cost of exploration is written off against tax. So I would say in view of all of those incentives, and all of those benefits, if discovery has actually been falling relentlessly, er, there is no good reason to think that this trend is going to change direction. So in other words we’ve passed the peak.

7 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 16: Highlight correct summary

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 2: Answer Key and Explanations Incorrect Unless major oil consumers invest in exploration now (which would be the first time major funds have been invested since 1964) global oil production will level out and be unable to meet increased demands from India and China. Explanation: This response is incorrect. The speaker says “the peak of [oil] discovery was in 1964” and “the discovery of oil has been falling…despite the world wide search” and all of the advances and tax incentives. The speaker mentions neither India nor China and says nothing about increased demand. Incorrect With the continuation of improvements in technology, geology, and with government support, there is little doubt that further major reserves of oil will be found in the near future. This should result in sustainable oil supplies for a further 150 years. Explanation: This response is incorrect. The speaker says “oil discovery has been falling…despite amazing technological and geological advances,” and “there is no good reason to think that this trend is going to change direction.” Correct Answer While we are not about to run out of oil, we are certainly past the peak of oil production, which occurred about 40 years ago. This is despite improvements in technology, geology, and with tax-subsidized investment in exploration. Explanation: This response is correct. The speaker asserts, “We’re not running out of oil” at the beginning of the recording. The speaker then says that the peak of oil discovery was in 1964, and that the rate of oil discovery “has been falling ever since” despite “amazing technological and geological advances.” He also mentions that “most of the cost of exploration is written off against tax.” Incorrect Oil consumption reached its first peak in 1964. Since that time the world has become increasingly dependent on oil. It is unlikely that there will be any new major oil discoveries in the immediate future or at any subsequent time. Explanation: This response is incorrect because the speaker does not discuss the world’s dependence on oil.

8 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 16: Highlight correct summary

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Lesson 17

Listening: Multiple-choice, choose single answer Time allocated: 30 minutes

Step 1: Introduce the Item Type This is a multiple-choice item type that assesses listening skills. It requires test takers to listen to, analyze, understand and assess a short recording on an academic subject and choose a single correct response.

Listen to the recording and answer the multiple-choice question by selecting the correct response. Only one response is correct.

Status:

Beginning in 5 seconds.

Volume

What is the main idea that the speaker is trying to convey in her comments?

Governments can play a key role in chronic pain management.

Authorization for the prescription of opiates is required every thirty days.

The rate of morphine addiction has not increased over the past 18 years.

The dose of opiates needed to treat chronic pain is usually 80 milligrams.

Step 2: Present the Item Type Strategies Strategy 1

Read the response options carefully and identify the ones that do not match the focus of the question and eliminate them.

Strategy 2

Note keywords on the Erasable Noteboard Booklet and use these words to help you choose the correct response option.

Strategy 3

Listen out for supporting points as well as main points in the recording to help you identify the incorrect options. If you do not know the answer, make a guess rather than leave the item blank. Both unanswered and wrong answers will be scored zero so you have nothing to lose.

Step 3: Explain and Practice Each Strategy Strategy 1 Explain to your students that once they have identified the focus of the questions, they should read the response options carefully and identify which ones match the focus of the question, and whether any of them do not match and can therefore be eliminated immediately. 1 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 17: (Listening) Multiple-choice, choose single answer

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities:

• Display the question and response options for Item 1, and have students identify the focus of the question (i.e., What is the main point…?).

• Have students read the options carefully and identify the focus of each one. • Once they have done that, have students discuss in pairs which options sound like plausible main points for a commentary (e.g., options 1 and 3) and which options sound more like supporting points (e.g., options 2 and 4). Ask students to explain their reasons (e.g., options 1 and 3 cover broad, general topics; options 2 and 4 cover more detailed minor points).

• Explain that options 2 and 4 can therefore be eliminated. Strategy 2 Explain to your students that while listening to the recording, they may find it useful to note keywords on the Erasable Noteboard Booklet that they are provided with at the test center, so that they can use these notes to help them choose the correct response option. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities:

• Get ready to write keywords on a piece of paper. • Play the audio [L17_Multiple-choice_choose_single_answer_1], and ask students to listen carefully and note keywords.

• Have students compare and discuss the keywords they have noted in pairs. • Then ask students to identify the response option that they think is correct. • Have students share their thoughts and give reasons for their choices. • Explain that they will confirm the correct option after the next activity. Strategy 3 Remind your students that they should listen out for both supporting points and main points in the recording, as this will also help them identify incorrect options. Remind them that if they do not know the answer, they should make a guess rather than leave the item blank. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities:

• Play the audio [L17_Multiple-choice_choose_single_answer_1] again. Ask students to listen carefully, note the points they hear and indicate whether they think each of these points is a main or supporting point.

• Have students share their responses and give reasons for their choices. • Confirm the main point(s) (e.g., pain management, if opiates are prescribed correctly by a doctor to manage pain they need not become addictive) and supporting points (e.g., prescription of opiates can be controlled by government, speaker has used opiates for 18 years and not become addicted, people have bad view of opiates).

• Have students choose the option they now think is most appropriate. Check with the class to see how many students chose the same option as in the previous activity.

• If necessary, show students the correct option and explanations for Item 1 and discuss any queries.

Step 4: Respond to a (Listening) Multiple-Choice, Choose Single Answer Item Explain to your students that they will now respond to a test item simulating test conditions. Remind them of the three strategies covered in this lesson and ask them to apply these strategies. Give out copies of Item 2 and play the audio [L17_Multiple-choice_choose_single_answer_2].

2 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 17: (Listening) Multiple-choice, choose single answer

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Step 5: Provide Feedback Ask your students if they were able to use the strategies. Which one was the most difficult to apply? Which one do they think was the most useful? Ask students to compare and evaluate each other’s responses in pairs or groups. Then show the answers for Item 2 and provide the explanations.

3 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 17: (Listening) Multiple-choice, choose single answer

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 1 Listen to the recording and answer the multiple-choice question by selecting the correct response. Only one response is correct.

What is the main idea that the speaker is trying to convey in her comments? Governments can play a key role in chronic pain management. Authorization for the prescription of opiates is required every thirty days. The rate of morphine addiction has not increased over the past 18 years. The dose of opiates needed to treat chronic pain is usually 80 milligrams.

4 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 17: (Listening) Multiple-choice, choose single answer

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 1: Transcript, Answer Key and Explanations I have chronic pain and at times this is severe but this is managed with opiates. I know the general public has a very perverted view of opiates because they think – street addiction, heroin and drug smugglers. However, if prescribed correctly by doctors in the right dose for your height and weight and you manage it well yourself, I haven't increased my dose of 80 milligrams of morphine in the last 18 years. So that's a fairly good illustration, that no you don't double it every ten minutes the way the general public think. And also it's very well looked after by the government. I have to present myself to my GPs who all get to know me very well every 30 days and they have to phone to Canberra to have authorization and I get my monthly dose of opiates to keep me going till the next lot.

What is the main idea that the speaker is trying to convey in her comments? Correct Answer: Governments can play a key role in chronic pain management. Explanation: This response is correct because the details in the recording support this idea. The speaker also states that her opiate use is “very well looked after by the government.” Incorrect: Authorization for the prescription of opiates is required every thirty days. Explanation: This response is incorrect because this detail is a supporting point. Although the speaker states that her GP must obtain authorization for her prescription every 30 days, this is not the main idea the speaker is trying to convey. Incorrect: The rate of morphine addiction has not increased over the past 18 years. Explanation: This response is incorrect. The speaker has not increased her morphine dose in 18 years. Incorrect: The dose of opiates needed to treat chronic pain is usually 80 milligrams. Explanation: This response is incorrect because the speaker states that the dose of opiates needed varies with height and weight.

5 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 17: (Listening) Multiple-choice, choose single answer

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 2 Listen to the recording and answer the multiple-choice question by selecting the correct response. Only one response is correct.

What is the lecture mainly about? Perception and how it relates to the mind and your eyes. Intuition and how to use it to form theory. Theory and how it forces you to lose aspects of yourself. Skill and how it should be applied in a university setting.

6 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 17: (Listening) Multiple-choice, choose single answer

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 2: Transcript, Answer Key and Explanations I should say one more thing about theory. It's a… It's great to discover theory, but there… the… you have to lose a lot and you may have noticed, or maybe you didn't, how much you lose. Partly you don't notice it much because here at the university everybody's dedicated to theory and what is… what's left out is uh, perception 'cause you-you use your mind not your eyes. Skill - you're not supposed to have to have any particular sort of bodily kind of skills; there's a kind of mental thing, but I'm not… let's not call that skill. I'm just calling skill the way you cope with everyday stuff that you use and so forth. Intuition, it's not fair to have intuition, I mean you can have intuition but it's not… it's not theory, it's not something that everybody has to believe until you can put it into language and argue for it. Gets rid of emotions, the body, tradition.

What is the lecture mainly about? Incorrect: Perception and how it relates to the mind and your eyes. Explanation: This response is incorrect. Perception is discussed in relation to what theory does not include; the speaker says “you use your mind not your eyes.” Incorrect: Intuition and how to use it to form theory. Explanation: This response is incorrect. The lecturer declares that intuition is separate from the formation of theory by saying, “you can have intuition but it's not…theory.” Correct Answer: Theory and how it forces you to lose aspects of yourself. Explanation: This response is correct. The lecturer begins by saying that he is talking about theory. He says, “It's great to discover theory, but…you have to lose a lot,” and then goes on to list the things that one loses in pursuit of theory including perception, skill, intuition, emotions, and the body. Incorrect: Skill and how it should be applied in a university setting. Explanation: This response is incorrect because the lecturer provides a definition of skill, but skill is not the focus of the lecture.

7 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 17: (Listening) Multiple-choice, choose single answer

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Lesson 18 Select missing word Time allocated: 60 minutes

Step 1: Introduce the Item Type This item type assesses listening skills, and requires test takers to use contextual and grammatical cues to predict and identify what a speaker will say.

You will hear a recording about an analysis of medical research findings. At the end of the recording the last word or group of words has been replaced by a beep. Select the correct option to complete the recording.

Status:

Beginning in 7 seconds.

Volume

before you understood after diagnosis from anti-oxidants on the treatment itself in the first place

Step 2: Present the Item Type Strategies Strategy 1

You have seven seconds before the recording starts. Take this time to read the instructions carefully and skim the response options. Draw on your background knowledge of the topic indicated in the instructions to help you focus your attention and predict what you might hear.

Strategy 2

When the recording starts, listen carefully and focus your attention closely on what is being said. Make a mental note of the gist, any repeated words and other keywords indicating details. As far as possible, try to guess the meaning of unfamiliar words from context, but do not worry if there are words you do not understand. Focus on what you do understand.

Strategy 3

As you listen, remember to remain aware of the audio progress indicator. As the recording is drawing to an end, focus your listening carefully and simultaneously scan all of the response options closely. This will help you predict and select the most appropriate word or phrase when the beep sounds.

1 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 18: Select missing word

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Step 3: Explain and Practice Each Strategy Strategy 1 Explain to your students that they have seven seconds before the recording starts. Explain that they should use this time to read the instructions carefully and skim all of the response options to get a sense of the meaning of each one, and the type of word or the structure of each phrase. Remind students to draw on their background knowledge of the topic indicated in the instructions to help them focus their attention and predict what they might hear in the recording. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities:

• Display the instructions and response options for Item 1. • First ask students to read the instructions and identify the topic (an analysis of medical research findings). Have them predict what type of information they might hear in the recording (e.g., a discussion of test results, facts and figures, etc.) and what vocabulary (e.g., researchers, results, evidence, conclusions, etc.).

• Next ask students to read the response options. Have them tell you what, if anything, these options can further indicate about the type of information that might be in the recording (e.g., the words “diagnosis” and “treatment” indicate that the recording might be about an illness or ways of treating an illness).

• Ask students if they can identify an option that seems out of place in terms of structure, style or meaning (e.g., Option 1: before you understood), and have them give reasons for their responses (e.g., this phrase sounds less formal, use of “you” is unusual in medical analysis). Explain that identifying an option as unusual in some way may help them dismiss it as a possibility. Strategy 2 Explain to your students that for this item type it is very important that they listen carefully and remain as focused as possible on what they are listening to. Although students should not take written notes, they should make a clear mental note of the gist of the recording, any words that they hear repeated, and any other keywords that indicate details. Remind students that they should try to guess the meaning of unfamiliar words from the context, as far as possible, but that they should not worry if there are words that they do not understand. It is important that they focus on what they do understand, as unfamiliar words may not be directly relevant to the correct response. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities:

• Tell students that you are going to read out the first sentence for the item they have just looked at, leaving out the final words. Tell students to listen carefully bearing in mind the points mentioned above and listening to the sentence pattern for clues to help them predict the final words.

• Read out the first sentence using the transcript for Item 1 and leave out the last two words: My PhD student, Elaine Chong, did what was called a meta-analysis where you analyze the literature very carefully, to see what evidence there is to suggest that what we eat, particularly in terms of antioxidants, prevents you getting [macular degeneration].

• First ask students what type of word they think is missing from the end of the sentence (i.e., a noun describing an illness, medical problem, etc., or an adjective such as ill, sick, etc.).

• Then ask students which part of the sentence helps them make this prediction and why (e.g., “…preventing you getting” in the context of a medical report, the most logical collocation here is “preventing you getting ill”).

• Without repeating the sentence, ask students to review what they heard and tell you the gist (e.g., the speaker’s student did a detailed analysis on the effects of what people eat on a particular illness) and any repeated words (analysis, analyze).

• Ask students if there were any unfamiliar words in the sentence. Have them reflect on whether these words affected their ability to understand the gist and/or predict the type of missing word.

• Display the following words: the next generation sound results © IG Education Ltd 2011

macular degeneration mental fatigue

2 Lesson 18: Select missing word

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

• Ask students which one seems most appropriate for the end of the sentence and why. • Show students that even if they are not familiar with the term “macular degeneration” they should be able to make a good guess at the correct option by analyzing word types, word stems and eliminating other options, e.g.:

the next generation (not appropriate: not a medical term, not an illness, does not collocate with “preventing you getting”) macular degeneration (appropriate: a medical term) sound results (not appropriate: collocates with “preventing you getting” but not a medical term/illness and does not fit logically) mental fatigue (not appropriate: collocates with “preventing you getting” but not an appropriate medical term/illness in this context) Strategy 3 Explain to your students that as they listen, they should also remain aware of the audio progress indicator. When the recording is drawing to an end, they should focus their listening even more carefully, while simultaneously scanning all of the response options. Explain that doing this will help them make predictions and select the most appropriate word or phrase when the beep sounds. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities:

• Tell students that you are now going to play the recording for this item in full, and that they will practice using the strategy above to help them identify the correct response.

• Show students the instructions and response options for Item 1 again, and remind them of the topic. Explain that when the recording starts to come near the end, you will raise your hand as a sign for them to listen very closely and start to scan the options.

• Play the audio [L18_Listening_Select_missing_word_1], and raise your hand at the beginning of the final sentence (indicated in bold in the transcript below).

Robyn Guymer: My PhD student, Elaine Chong, did what was called a meta-analysis where you analyze the literature very carefully, to see what evidence there is to suggest that what we eat, particularly in terms of antioxidants, prevents you getting macular degeneration. Norman Swan: Because ophthalmologists have been using antioxidants quite a lot. Robyn Guymer: That's right. There have been studies looking at whether antioxidant supplements slow the progression once you have the disease whereas this study was looking at trying to stop you getting it {in the first place}.

• Have students identify the correct response option. Then review the transcript, provide explanations for Item 1 and discuss any queries.

Step 4: Respond to a Select Missing Word Item Explain to your students that they will now respond to a test item simulating test conditions. They will have seven seconds to prepare before the recording starts. Remind them of the three strategies covered in this lesson and ask them to apply these strategies. Give out copies of Item 2 and play the audio [L18_Listening_Select_missing_word_2].

Step 5: Provide Feedback Ask your students if they were able to use the strategies. Which one was the most difficult to apply? Which one do they think was the most useful? Ask students to compare each other’s responses in pairs in groups and to explain the reasons for their choices. Then show the transcript and the answer for Item 2, and have students discuss why this response option is most appropriate. Provide the explanations for Item 2. 3 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 18: Select missing word

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 1 You will hear a recording about an analysis of medical research findings. At the end of the recording the last word of group of words has been replaced by a beep. Select the correct option to complete the recording.

before you understood after diagnosis from anti-oxidants on the treatment itself in the first place

4 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 18: Select missing word

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 1: Transcript, Answer Key and Explanations Robyn Guymer: My PhD student, Elaine Chong, did what was called a meta-analysis where you analyze the literature very carefully, to see what evidence there is to suggest that what we eat, particularly in terms of antioxidants, prevents you getting macular degeneration. Norman Swan: Because ophthalmologists have been using antioxidants quite a lot. Robyn Guymer: That's right. There have been studies looking at whether antioxidant supplements slow the progression once you have the disease whereas this study was looking at trying to stop you getting it {in the first place}.

Incorrect: before you understood Explanation: This is incorrect because it does not fit into the context of the passage. There is no discussion related to listener understanding. Incorrect: after diagnosis Explanation: This is incorrect because it does not fit into the context of the passage. The speaker talks about a scientific study on the effectiveness of antioxidants in preventing a disease. There is no discussion on diagnosis of the disease. Incorrect: from anti-oxidants Explanation: This is incorrect because it does not fit into the context of the passage. The speaker indicates that studies have been conducted on the effectiveness of antioxidants in preventing and slowing the progression of a disease. There is no discussion on the causes of disease. Correct Answer: in the first place Explanation: This is correct because “stop you getting it in the first place” echoes the speaker’s earlier statement about “preventing you getting” a disease. Also, the conjunction “whereas” signals a contrast between the first and second half of the sentence. The first half of the sentence talks about using antioxidants after one has the disease, whereas the second half of the sentence talks about using antioxidants before one gets the disease.

5 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 18: Select missing word

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 2 You will hear a recording about meiosis. At the end of the recording the last word of group of words has been replaced by a beep. Select the correct option to complete the recording.

genetics diversity species

6 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 18: Select missing word

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 2: Transcript, Answer Key and Explanations So what, what meiosis does for every species is generate a lot of diverse individuals. Individuals with different capabilities. In the hope, that by having a population with very diverse individuals that at least some of them will be competent to survive. And, it's wildly successful, almost, almost every species on this planet has meio… has, has a way to create genetically diverse gametes, and they use meiosis to do that. Ok, so um, meiosis is extremely important in the evolution of life and the survival of the {species}.

Incorrect: diversity Explanation: This response is incorrect because “diversity” is not a physical thing that can evolve and survive. Additionally, the sentence requires a countable noun to follow “the” and “diversity” is an uncountable noun. Incorrect: genetics Explanation: This response is incorrect because “genetics” is not something that evolves or survives. In addition, the sentence requires a countable noun to follow “the” and “genetics” is an uncountable noun. Correct Answer: species Explanation: This response is correct because the speaker refers to the impact of meiosis on species throughout the recording. In addition, the sentence requires a countable noun to follow “the”, and “species” is a countable noun.

7 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 18: Select missing word

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Lesson 19 Highlight incorrect words Time allocated: 60 minutes

Step 1: Introduce the Item Type This is an item type that integrates listening and reading skills, and requires test takers to listen for and point out the differences between a recording and a transcription.

You will hear a recording. Below is a transcription of the recording. Some words in the transcription differ from what the speaker(s) said. Please click on the words that are different.

Status:

Beginning in 10 seconds.

Volume

So far in our discussion of chemical equations we have assumed that these reactions only go in one direction, the forward direction, from left to right as we read it in the equation. That's why our arrowhead points from left to right: reactants react together to make products. However, this is not exactly how things occur in reality. In fact, practically every chemical reaction is reversible, meaning the products can also react together to reform the reactants that they were made of. So instead of writing that single arrow facing from right to top, a more appropriate symbol would be a double arrow, one going from left to right and one going from right to left. Reactants are continually - continuously - reacting to form produce. But at the same time as those products are formed, they remake the reactants. They're both going simultaneously, forming each other. This is what we would call a state of equality.

Step 2: Present the Item Type Strategies Strategy 1

You only have ten seconds to read through the text before the recording starts. Focus on quickly reading and working out the pronunciation of the content words.

Strategy 2

As you listen, concentrate on every single content word you hear, i.e., nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs. Pay attention not only to words that carry the sentence stress, but also to those that may be de-emphasized.

Strategy 3

As you listen, silently read each content word on the screen, and quickly compare what you hear to what you see.

Step 3: Explain and Practice Each Strategy Strategy 1 Explain to your students that they only have ten seconds to go through the text, so they should focus on the content words while reading and ignore grammar words such as prepositions or articles. The incorrect words will most likely be nouns, verbs, adjectives or adverbs, such as easily-confused words that are similar in sound, spelling or meaning, e.g., accept and except, jealous and zealous, south and north, colonize and conquer, accomplished and unaccomplished.

1 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 19: Highlight incorrect words

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

As they read the text, students should try to sound out the content words silently. Working out the pronounciation of the written words will help students figure out the incorrect words when they hear the recording and compare the written and spoken forms. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities:

• Display some easily-confused words, such as affect, allusion, climactic, credible, ingenious, official, reluctant. Have students read the words in pairs. Make sure they know the correct pronunciation.

• Then dictate words that look or sound alike, e.g., effect, illusion, climatic, credulous, ingenuous, officious, reticent, and have students write each word next to the one that sounds similar.

• Give students copies of Item 1. Have students read the text silently, then practice in pairs to work out the pronunciation of any unfamiliar words. Strategy 2 Explain to your students that they will hear the recording only once, so they should concentrate while listening and try not to miss any words as they quickly move through the text. Remind them that the wrong words are most likely to be content words such as nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs, and that not all content words will carry the sentence stress. This is why they should also listen to words that are pronounced quickly or deemphasized by the speaker. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities in pairs:

• Display some sentences, e.g., Global climate change is the greatest environmental challenge we face. We have at most a few decades to make the necessary investments to prevent the most serious impacts of climate change. Future generations will judge us based on the investments we are considering now. Read them aloud naturally, and have students identify the de-emphasized content words.

• Have students look at their copies of Item 1. Play the audio [L19_Highlight_incorrect_words_1], and have them follow the text as they listen to every single content word. Strategy 3 Remind your students of Strategy 1, i.e., they should be able to pronounce each content word in the transcription of the text. This will help them quickly compare what they hear with what appears on the screen, and identify the incorrect words. After the recording finishes, students should not re-read the text and try to correct any responses they made. Explain that even the incorrect words may fit into the text logically and grammatically, and unless they are absolutely certain that there is a factual error, or the same name is repeated in the text (e.g., the Northwest Pasture is referred to as the Northwest Passage later in the transcription), they should not make any corrections based on context or intuition. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities:

• Have students look at their copies of Item 1. Play the audio [L19_Highlight_incorrect_words_1] again, and have students listen, read the text silently and circle the incorrect words.

• Have students compare their answers with the correct ones.

Step 4: Respond to a Highlight Incorrect Words Item Explain to your students that they will now respond to a test item simulating the test conditions. They will have ten seconds to skim the transcription, listen to the recording and give their response. Remind students of the three strategies covered in this lesson and ask them to apply these strategies. Give out copies of Item 2. Play the audio [L19_Highlight_incorrect_words_2], and have students circle the incorrect words.

2 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 19: Highlight incorrect words

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Step 5: Provide Feedback Ask your students if they were able to use the strategies. Which one was the most difficult to apply? Which one do they think was the most useful? Ask students to compare each other’s responses in pairs or groups. Then get them to check their answers with the correct ones and play the audio again.

3 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 19: Highlight incorrect words

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 1 You will hear a recording. Below is a transcription of the recording. Some words in the transcription differ from what the speaker(s) said. Please circle the words that are different.

So far in our discussion of chemical equations we have assumed that these reactions only go in one direction, the forward direction, from left to right as we read it in the equation. That's why our arrowhead points from left to right: reactants react together to make products. However, this is not exactly how things occur in reality. In fact, practically every chemical reaction is reversible, meaning the products can also react together to reform the reactants that they were made of. So instead of writing that single arrow facing from right to top, a more appropriate symbol would be a double arrow, one going from left to right and one going from right to left. Reactants are continually - continuously - reacting to form produce. But at the same time as those products are formed, they remake the reactants. They're both going simultaneously, forming each other. This is what we would call a state of equality.

4 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 19: Highlight incorrect words

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 1: Transcript and Answer Key Transcript

So far in our discussion of chemical reactions we have assumed that these reactions only go in one direction, the forward direction, from left to right as we read it in the equation. That's why our arrow points from left to right: reactants react together to make products. However, this is not exactly how things occur in nature. In fact, practically every chemical reaction is reversible, meaning the products can also react together to reform the reactants that they were made of. So instead of writing that single arrow facing from left to right, a more appropriate symbol would be a double arrow, one going from left to right and one going from right to left. Reactants are continually - continuously - reacting to form products. But at the same time as those products are formed, they remake the reactants. They're both going simultaneously, forming each other. This is what we would call a state of equilibrium. Answers So far in our discussion of chemical equations we have assumed that these reactions only go in one direction, the forward direction, from left to right as we read it in the equation. That's why our arrowhead points from left to right: reactants react together to make products. However, this is not exactly how things occur in reality. In fact, practically every chemical reaction is reversible, meaning the products can also react together to reform the reactants that they were made of. So instead of writing that single arrow facing from right to top, a more appropriate symbol would be a double arrow, one going from left to right and one going from right to left. Reactants are continually - continuously - reacting to form produce. But at the same time as those products are formed, they remake the reactants. They're both going simultaneously, forming each other. This is what we would call a state of equality.

5 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 19: Highlight incorrect words

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 2 You will hear a recording. Below is a transcription of the recording. Some words in the transciption differ from what the speaker(s) said. Please circle the words that are different.

I think the importance of creativity today really reflects a fundamental rift in the nature of the economy. You know, in the old days, wealth was created because in the industrial era, you manufactured everything, you got economies of scale, you had long production runs, you were really effective - you know, you could get a Model T, any color just so long as it was black. Right? So there was centralization. And there was a whole set of presumptions about how to manage, how to create an organization - you know, a typical kind of hierarchical organization - to make sure that things ran smoothly. Well, that may be great for a relatively stable era of history - relatively stable - but now things are functionally unstable - and so we need less economies of scale and more economies of recovery. Which means that the management approach, the organizational approach, has got to shift as well.

6 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 19: Highlight incorrect words

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Item 2: Transcript and Answer Key Transcript

I think the importance of creativity today really reflects a fundamental shift in the nature of the economy. You know, in the old days, wealth was created because in the industrial era, you manufactured something, you got economies of scale, you had long production runs, you were really efficient - you know, you could get a Model T, any color just so long as it was black. Right? So there was standardization. And there was a whole set of assumptions about how to manage, how to create an organization - you know, a typical kind of hierarchical organization - to make sure that things ran smoothly. Well, that may be great for a relatively stable era of history - relatively stable - but now things are fundamentally unstable - and so we need less economies of scale and more economies of discovery. Which means that the management approach, the organizational approach, has got to shift as well. Answers I think the importance of creativity today really reflects a fundamental rift in the nature of the economy. You know, in the old days, wealth was created because in the industrial era, you manufactured everything, you got economies of scale, you had long production runs, you were really effective - you know, you could get a Model T, any color just so long as it was black. Right? So there was centralization. And there was a whole set of presumptions about how to manage, how to create an organization - you know, a typical kind of hierarchical organization - to make sure that things ran smoothly. Well, that may be great for a relatively stable era of history - relatively stable - but now things are functionally unstable - and so we need less economies of scale and more economies of recovery. Which means that the management approach, the organizational approach, has got to shift as well.

7 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 19: Highlight incorrect words

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies

Lesson 20 Write from dictation Time allocated: 40 minutes

Step 1: Introduce the Item Type This is a short-answer item type that integrates listening and writing skills, and requires test takers to understand and remember a sentence, and write it using correct spelling.

You will hear a sentence. Type the sentence in the box below exactly as you hear it. Write as much of the sentence as you can. You will hear the sentence only once.

Status:

Beginning in 7 seconds.

Volume

Cut

Copy

Paste

Total Word Count: 0

Step 2: Present the Item Type Strategies Strategy 1

Type the content words or keywords into the response box or write them on the Erasable Noteboard Booklet provided. Then add in the function words and the inflectional endings, using your knowledge of English grammar and sentence structure, as well as your memory.

Strategy 2

To improve your writing or typing speed, you can also use abbreviations and symbols to write down as many words as possible while listening.

Strategy 3

Use your phonemic awareness and grammar knowledge when checking spelling.

Step 3: Explain and Practice Each Strategy Strategy 1 Explain to your students that if they can type or write fast, they can do so either directly into the response box or on the Erasable Noteboard Booklet. They should focus on the content words such as nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs. Remind students of the basic word order of English: Subject, Verb, Object. Explain that knowledge of the sentence structure will help them reconstruct the sentence correctly and predict the position of any function 1 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 20: Write from dictation

PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies words, such as prepositions or articles. Remind students of the passive and active sentence structures, and the sentence types: declarative, interrogative, imperative, and conditional; simple, compound and complex. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities in pairs:

• Ask students to provide example sentences to illustrate different sentence structures and sentence types. Encourage them to use academic vocabulary and topics.

• Ask students to read the sentences to each other. Their partners should try to write as they listen, focusing on the content words or keywords, such as nouns, verbs, adjectives or adverbs, e.g., Most adults learn best when novel information is presented through a variety of experiences. (adults learn best novel information present variety experiences). Then have students reconstruct the complete sentence based on what they can recall and their knowledge of grammar. Strategy 2 Explain to students that they can also make use of their note-taking skills while listening. They need to develop a uniform system of abbreviations and symbols that make sense to them. Remind students that they should be consistent by using the same system when note-taking. Using different symbols or abbreviations for the same word, e.g., using b4 and bef for the word before, can cause confusion. If students intend to type directly into the response box, they can also choose from the symbols at the top of the keyboard. They need to decide which keyboard symbols to use and establish the relationships before the actual test and practice using the symbols for a few weeks so they can memorize them. Explain to students that it is important that they have enough time to change all the symbols to English words before they move on to the next item. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities in pairs:

• Ask students to generate a list of common words and phrases that can be abbreviated, e.g., with (w/), without (w/o), should be (s/b), because (bec), experience (exp), the (th), by (b), etc.

• Have students read some sentences to each other, e.g., You must submit your assignments by next Friday at the latest. Their partners should try to write down each sentence as they listen, using abbreviations and symbols only (U mst subm yr assgn b nx fri at th ltst). Then they should try to write the full words.

• Now ask the student who reads the sentence to assess his/her partner’s sentences by putting a checkmark next to the ones written correctly. Strategy 3 Explain to your students that they should also use the correct spelling they type in each word. For any unknown words, they should try to apply their knowledge of the regular sound-letter correspondence to predict the spelling. Students should also use their grammar and word formation skills to identify and correct any mistakes, such as wrong past tense inflections or wrong adverb suffix. To practice this strategy, ask your class to do the following activities:

• Dictate some difficult words and have students write them down, e.g., ecstasy, millennium, accidentally, minuscule, accommodate, irresistible, liaison, embarrass, sacrilegious, privilege. Have them discuss and work out the sound-letter correspondences.

• Write down some incorrect sentences (e.g., *Five of the student fail to submit they assignment last Friday. *I think the important of creative today real reflect a fundament shift in the nature of the economy.) Have students work in pairs to correct the sentences (Five of the students failed to submit their assignments last Friday. *I think the importance of creativity today really reflects a fundamental shift in the nature of the economy.) Have them analyze each mistake and explain the contextual, grammar and word formation clues that helped them make the corrections.

Step 4: Respond to a Write from Dictation Item Explain to your students that they will now respond to a test item simulating the test conditions. They will hear a sentence only once and write it down immediately. Remind them of the three strategies covered in this lesson and ask them to apply these strategies. © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 20: Write from dictation

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PTE Academic Lesson Plan Ideas: Test Taking Strategies Play the audio [L20_Write_from_dictation_1], and have students write the sentence. Transcript

The time of the (maths, math) lecture has been changed to (ten thirty, 10.30, 10:30).

Step 5: Provide Feedback Ask your students if they were able to use the strategies. Which one was the most difficult to apply? Which one do they think was the most useful? Ask students to compare and evaluate each other’s written sentences in pairs or groups. Then show the correct answers and play the audio again.

3 © IG Education Ltd 2011

Lesson 20: Write from dictation