8/18/2019 Character References for Advanced Students Preparing
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Character references for Advanced students preparing for CAE
1. Lead-in: Adjectives rock mp3. Students listen and try to
write down
all the adjectives that they hear. There are 16 in total
stu!!orn"
#enerous" patient" polite" honest" talkative" #rumpy" upti#ht"
moody"
phony" clumsy" #lum" stylish" sensitive" eccentric" dum!$. %n
pairs"
students check that they have all o& them and try to decide
i& they are
positive or ne#ative characteristics. Teacher tries to elicit
meanin# o&
potentially new voca! ' (#lum)" (#rumpy) and (upti#ht) or
pre-teaches
these.
*. +rainstormin# ' students add other personality adjectives to
the
white!oard under the headin# s o& (desira!le) ,
(undesira!le).
3. Teacher introduces idea o& a character re&erence and
why you mi#ht
!e asked to write one.
Student task: %& the purpose is that someone you know has
applied &or a
jo!" which o& the &ollowin# would !e relevant:
• how you know the person
• her ho!!ies
• we #et alon# really well
• she speaks n#lish well
• children like her
• what kind o& &ood she likes
• honest and hardworkin#
Students justi&y the reasons &or their choices.
. Ask students what they think are #ood /ualities &or a
lan#ua#e
teacher to have. %ntroduce the authentic te0t which % wrote
&or a
&ormer teacher here. Task: ead throu#h and see i& there
are any o&
the /ualities they thou#ht were important. Then decide i&
you were
the director at ih" i& you would employ her as a teacher.
2usti&y
opinion in #roups.
. 4loser e0amination o& the te0t. Students look throu#h and
complete
the &ollowin# tasks:
• circle all the adjectives used• 5ow does a character
re&erence !e#in
• 5ow does it end
• 7hat kind o& linkin# words are used
• 8nd e0amples o& a participle clause and the passive
• underline any new voca!ulary
• hi#hli#ht any phrases or e0pressions that you mi#ht like to
use in your
own writin#
6. Students read the e0am task &rom 9ew Advanced 0pert"
earson"
p*;$ which &ollows" underlinin# the key points:
A &amily in +ritain is lookin# &or someone to take care
o& two youn#
children and to do some li#ht domestic work durin# the summer. A
&riend
o& yours has applied" and the &amily has asked you to
write a re&erence.
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Students then think o& a person they know who would !e a
suita!le
candidate and take !rie& notes as to why. They then talk
a!out their choice
in small #roups to =esh out their ideas &or the writin#
task.
>. Students write the re&erence individually. These would
then !e read
!y their peers" with su##estions &or improvement #iven.
Students
may then look to p*1 &or some use&ul &ramework
lan#ua#e toincorporate into their 8nal su!mission.
To whom it may concern:
% have known ??????? durin# the past three years" durin# which
time she has
demonstrated hersel& to !e a consistently relia!le and
responsi!le
employee. She has tau#ht children" adolescents and adult
learners &rom
elementary to advanced levels" also undertakin# the specialised
courses o&
literature and advanced conversation durin# the past two
&ull academic
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years. These have re/uired particular creativity" adaptation and
material
desi#n work" as neither have a prescri!ed te0t!ook.
Althou#h she has pro#ressed a #reat deal in her teachin# to
these hi#her
levels" ????? has a clear a@nity with youn#er learners. She has
had
particular success with project work" drama" use o& the
internet and content
lan#ua#e inte#rated learnin#" and approaches these classes with
a real
sense o& joy and enthusiasm. She puts #reat eort into !oth
the preparation
and e0ecution o& lessons" adaptin# course!ook material and
sylla!uses to
!est suit individual learners and #roups. Administrative
paperwork is always
kept up-to-date and her pleasant nature ena!les her to have a
#ood
relationship with all mem!ers o& the school" &rom
collea#ues to reception
and cleanin# sta. ????? takes pride in ensurin# all aspects
o& her work are
delivered to a hi#h standard.
Academically" ????? has participated &ully in teacher
trainin# and
pro&essional development sessions here at the school. %n
*;;6" she
attended the %nternational 5ouse Lan#ua#e Awareness course" and
last yearshowed willin#ness to !e o!served !y collea#ues in the
