Paragraph Writing, Week 9 Giving Advice: Using Gerunds and Conditionality

Overview This week, students will work in small, same-gender groups to give advice, acting as the advice columnist Lalla Khadija or Si Hamid. After the topic of “advice column” has been introduced and discussed, the students will be given the assignment to imagine they are an advice columnist for a Moroccan newspaper, either Lalla Khadija (for the ladies) or Si Hamid (for the gentlemen). A minilesson on the use gerunds and the use of polite phrasing in giving advice is also part of the instruction. Students will write one draft of their advice in class in pairs and then as a homework assignment will independently write a response of their own and bring it to class the following week.

First Hour Begin by raising the topic of “advice columnist.” Do these exist in Morocco (I’ve been told they do)? How do you give good advice? (You take the person seriously, you are honest, you are polite in responding, you think about the consequences of the advice you are giving). Show the assignment, “Dear Khadija/Dear Si Hamid.” Read through the letters to the students. What advice might you give these people? The assignment: In same-gender pairs (male/male; female/female), select one of these letters to Khadija or Hamid and write a response to it. Distribute the second handout, Gerunds and Conditionality Minilesson. Review what a gerund is and the ways to politely phrase advice.

Second Hour Students should begin to draft their responses to one of the letters, working in same-gender pairs. Instructor should circulate, trouble shooting and answering any questions. About half-way through, if students begin to finish, the instructor may read a few examples of the students’ work and discuss what is good about these and what needs work. Collect all drafts at the end of class. As an assignment, each student should write a paragraph responding to one letter on his or her own and bring it to class the following week.

Follow Up Examples of the best advice to the letters may be posted on the class blog.