Lesson plan of Grammatical Cohesion

Objectives (5 - 7 minutes)

Main Objectives:

1. Understand the concept of grammatical cohesion and its importance in the construction of meaning in texts.
2. Identify and apply the different mechanisms of grammatical cohesion (reference, substitution, ellipsis, and connection) in writing and reading texts.

Secondary Objectives:

1. Promote the ability to analyze and interpret texts, based on the recognition of the mechanisms of grammatical cohesion used.
2. Develop the competence to produce cohesive and coherent texts, through the practice of exercises to apply the mechanisms of grammatical cohesion.

Tertiary Objectives:

1. Stimulate critical thinking about the importance of grammatical cohesion for effective written communication.
2. Foster student autonomy in the search for knowledge and clarification of doubts, through the use of digital and bibliographic resources.

Introduction (10 - 15 minutes)

1. Review of Previous Content (3 - 5 minutes): The teacher should begin the class by reviewing important concepts that were covered in previous classes, such as text structure and organization, the function of words, and the importance of context in understanding a text. This review is essential for students to understand and effectively apply the concepts of grammatical cohesion.

2. Problem-Situations (3 - 5 minutes): The teacher can present students with two problem situations involving the lack of grammatical cohesion. For example, a text in which the sentences are not well connected and another in which the words are not well referenced. The teacher can ask students what they think of these texts and whether they can identify the lack of cohesion. These situations serve to arouse students' interest in the topic and for them to realize the importance of grammatical cohesion in writing and reading texts.

3. Contextualization (2 - 3 minutes): The teacher should explain to students the importance of grammatical cohesion in daily life, both in writing formal texts (such as essays and reports) and informal texts (such as text messages and emails), and also in reading and understanding diverse texts. The teacher can exemplify how the lack of grammatical cohesion can lead to misunderstandings in written communication.

4. Introduction of the Topic (2 - 3 minutes): To arouse students' interest, the teacher can introduce the topic of grammatical cohesion by telling a curiosity or related story. For example, you can mention how grammatical cohesion is essential in legal texts, where the lack of clarity can lead to misinterpretations and serious consequences. Another possibility is to tell the story of a famous writer who was known for his ability to use grammatical cohesion to create rich and engaging texts.

Development (20 - 25 minutes)

1. Storyline Activity (10 - 12 minutes):

   • The teacher should divide the class into groups of 4 to 5 students and give each group a sheet of large paper and colored pens.
   • Each group will receive a short story, but with several gaps. Each gap represents a point at which students must apply a mechanism of grammatical cohesion (reference, substitution, ellipsis, and connection).
   • The task of the groups is to fill in the gaps in order to make the story cohesive and understandable. They should use the colored pens to indicate which mechanism of cohesion was used at each point.
   • The teacher should circulate around the room, observing and guiding the groups as necessary.
   • At the end of the activity, each group should present their story to the class, explaining the mechanisms of cohesion they used.

2. Treasure Hunt Activity (10 - 12 minutes):

   • Still in groups, students will receive a set of short and varied texts (letter, news, poem, book excerpt, etc.) that were purposely written with errors of grammatical cohesion.
   • The objective of the activity is for students to identify and correct the errors, applying the mechanisms of grammatical cohesion learned.
   • To make the activity more fun, the teacher can suggest that the class that corrects all the texts in the shortest time is the winner.
   • At the end of the activity, the teacher should review with the class the corrections made, clarifying doubts and reinforcing the concepts of grammatical cohesion.

3. Group Discussion (3 - 5 minutes):

   • After the activities, the teacher should promote a group discussion for students to share their perceptions and learning.
   • The teacher can ask directed questions to stimulate students' reflection, such as: "Which mechanism of cohesion did you find most challenging to apply?" or "Can you now identify the importance of grammatical cohesion in written communication?".
   • This discussion is an opportunity for the teacher to clarify any remaining doubts and reinforce the concepts learned.

Return (8 - 10 minutes)

1. Group Review (3 - 5 minutes):

   • The teacher should call each group to briefly present the solutions found during the Storyline and Treasure Hunt activities.
   • During the presentations, the teacher should encourage other groups to ask questions or make comments, thus promoting an exchange of ideas among students.
   • The teacher should make specific interventions, highlighting the points that were well worked and correcting any mistakes, always reinforcing the importance of grammatical cohesion for understanding and producing texts.

2. Connection with Theory (2 - 3 minutes):

   • After the presentations, the teacher should review the theoretical concepts presented at the beginning of the class, connecting them with the practical activities carried out by the students.
   • The teacher can, for example, highlight how the Storyline activity allowed students to understand in practice the importance of correctly referencing words and phrases in the text to ensure cohesion.
   • Similarly, the teacher can emphasize how the Treasure Hunt activity helped students realize the need to replace words already mentioned in the text with pronouns, avoiding unnecessary repetitions.

3. Final Reflection (2 - 3 minutes):

   • To conclude, the teacher should propose that students reflect individually for a minute on the following questions:
     1. What was the most important concept learned today?
     2. What questions have not yet been answered?
   • After the reflection time, the teacher can ask some students to share their answers with the class.
   • The teacher should write down the unanswered questions, which will serve as a starting point for the next class or for the students' individual study.

4. Feedback and Conclusion (1 minute):

   • The teacher should thank everyone for their participation, highlight the positive points of the class, and give brief feedback on the class's performance.
   • Finally, the teacher should remind students to review the content studied at home and to be prepared for the next class.

Conclusion (5 - 7 minutes)

1. Summary and Recapitulation (2 - 3 minutes):

   • The teacher should start the conclusion of the class by summarizing the main points covered, reinforcing the definition of grammatical cohesion and the different mechanisms used for its application (reference, substitution, ellipsis, and connection).
   • It is important that the teacher emphasizes the importance of these mechanisms in the construction of meaning in texts and in the effectiveness of written communication.

2. Connection between Theory, Practice, and Applications (1 - 2 minutes):

   • Next, the teacher should explain how the class connected the theory (with the initial presentation of the concepts of grammatical cohesion), the practice (with the Storyline and Treasure Hunt activities), and the applications (with the discussion on the importance of grammatical cohesion in everyday life and the correction of texts).
   • The teacher can emphasize how the practical activities allowed students to effectively apply and understand the theoretical concepts presented.

3. Extra Materials (1 minute):

   • The teacher should suggest some extra materials for students who wish to deepen their knowledge of grammatical cohesion. This may include books, websites, videos, and online exercises.
   • For example, the teacher may indicate a grammar book that covers the topic in more detail, a website with interactive grammatical cohesion exercises, and an explanatory video on YouTube.

4. Importance of the Subject (1 minute):

   • To conclude, the teacher should reinforce the importance of the subject covered for the students' lives.
   • The teacher can mention how the ability to apply grammatical cohesion correctly and efficiently is essential in various everyday situations, from writing an email to producing an academic paper.
   • In addition, the teacher can emphasize how the understanding and appropriate use of grammatical cohesion contribute to the clarity and effectiveness of written communication, an essential skill in any profession.