GCAS Strategies 5 Review of argumentation

Man and child putting puzzle together, diversity

All the parts must come together

Image Credit
Mikhail Nilov via Pexels

This is a review of the previous lessons. You will practice basic argumentation.

Introduction

The last four lessons were about basic answer structure and argumentation. This lesson will help you use the strategies. 

Be careful. Many students understand these strategies without being able to use them. If you can't use them well, you may not see your score increase.

While most people know deep down that review is very important, as adults, we prefer to think we can master things quickly and efficiently. We want to cut to the chase. However, there are things in life that simply take time and practice to master. This is one of them.

To use these strategies during the test, at minimum, students need to be able to use them without their teacher prompting them during practice.

You can also use this line:

Speaking tests don't really test what you can understand; they test what you can produce. Just understanding these strategies isn't enough. You need to use them.

If they still don't get it, you can add:

Is it better to learn twenty things and forget them, or learn just a couple and remember them? It's better to remember. Take the time and make sure you remember.

Of course, these early strategies are a big part of the course moving forward, so essentially every lesson will be a review lesson. Students should be using these strategies in all subsequent lessons.

GCAS 1 How to do your best:

  • What is the goal of the GCAS?
  • Use all the English skills you have.

GCAS 2 Starting and finishing

  • Starting:
    • Respond immediately.
    • Repeat a keyword.
    • Say yes/no.
  • Ending:
    • Use a transition phrase.
    • Restate or paraphrase your claims.
    • Add a "so what?"

GCAS 3 Evidence

  • Parts of an argument.
  • The difference between claims and evidence.
  • Transition phrases to describe evidence.
  • 5 types of evidence (example, facts, anecdote, analogy/comparison, expert or eyewitness testimony). 

GCAS 4 Reasoning

  • The role of reasoning.
  • Structures:
    • so you can; so that means; the [comparative], the [comparative];
    • if, then, so.
Warm Up

What does a basic answer structure look like for your test? Discuss the beginning, middle and end. 

Let your student supply as much of this as possible. The points in parentheses are optional, depending on the question and the style the student chooses. 

Beginning

  • (React to the question.)
  • Give a clear claim.

Middle

  • (Give a secondary claim.)
  • Add evidence:
    • examples, facts, anecdote, analogy/comparison, expert or eyewitness testimony.
  • Give reasoning
    • why it’s important; 
    • what you can do.
  • (Repeat as necessary.)

Ending

  • (Use a transition phrase.)
  • Repeat all the claims:
    • just claims, not evidence or reasoning.
  • (Add a “so what?”
    • hope, recommendation, prediction or action.)

NOTE: This is an idealized structure and not suitable for every answer.

Practice

Now practice giving strong answers to common speaking test questions.