Unit 8 Academic writing

ANSWER
Report on the restaurant The report follows the structure of Outline A. (It
sector includes information about recent trends and
issues.)
Learning aims
● task: report 5 This task is designed to build on the
● topic: local restaurant facilities brainstorming activity in stage 2 above. It aims
to reinforce and extend students’ knowledge of
● skills: making an outline
the features of this text type. Ask students to tick
● critical thinking: analysing genre off the textual features in the text as they find
them. When conducting whole-class feedback,
1 These discussion questions provide a lead-in ask students to give examples from the text.
to the topic. They are designed to activate
students’ schemata by getting them to think ANSWERS
about food and eating places in their community. All the features are included.
2 With books closed, ask students to brainstorm Formal language: As a consequence (in speaking,
what they know about writing a report. To help we might say so, which is more informal)
them, write the following prompts on the board. Headings and sub-headings: Recommendations
Writing a Report: Suggestions / Recommendations, i.e. the final
Audience? Purpose? Topics? Structure? Style? paragraph
Elicit students’ ideas and ensure that the Brief explanations, e.g. the writer explains what
following information is covered: fast-food restaurants are: places which sell
• A report is often written for a superior, such hamburgers, kebabs or pizza at cheap prices.
as a teacher or a manager. Factual information, e.g. In recent years, many
• The purpose of a report is to give factual fast-food restaurants have extended their
information and opinions / recommendations. hours
Opinions: The main area of concern among
• Topics can vary but they may be related to
students in Springfield is the cost of eating
business or tourism, for example. out.
• The information in reports is laid out clearly, The present simple for facts, e.g. Students often
often with headings and subheadings. go to fast-food places …
• Reports are written in a formal style, which Specific examples: Furby’s Burgers, for example,
means no contractions. stays open until midnight …
Next, ask students to read the report task and Linking devices to show how ideas are
underline the key words. connected, e.g. In addition
3 Now that students have read the question, 6 This task is designed to help students notice
remind them of two things: the use of formal language in the context of a
• It’s important to answer all parts of the report. Ask students to find which expressions
question. are in the text, then categorize all the expressions
• Writing a brief outline before you start in the table according to the part of the report
writing your report is a good idea. where they would be used. As an optional
Get them to read the Skills focus box, then get homework task, you could ask students to write
them to look at both outlines and decide which is example sentences using these expressions.
best.
ANSWERS
ANSWER Expressions b, c, g and i are in the model
Outline A is better because it addresses all parts answer.
of the question. Outline B does not fulfil the Introduction: g, h
requirements of the task. It leaves out the Description & Results: c, f, i, j
‘recent trends and issues’ part of the question. Recommendations: a, b, d, e

4 For this first reading, ask students to read the 7 You may wish to set this task for homework.
report quickly for the overall gist and to identify If you wish to use the task for test practice, set a
the structure followed. Ask them to justify their time limit of 40 minutes.
answer.

© National Geographic Learning Unit 8 Report on the restaurant sector Teacher’s notes 1