Arabic١٢٣
Year 11Summer TermAges 15-16

Lesson Plans

Writing Exam Preparation

1

Writing Exam Formats and Expectations

⏱ 60–65 minutes

Lesson Objectives

  • Write accurately in different formats: essay, letter, article, report
  • Understand exam marking criteria

🌅 Warm-Up (5 min)

Format match: read 4 exam questions — identify which format (essay, letter, article, report) each requires.

Main Activities

  1. 1Review each writing format: key conventions, expected language, and common pitfalls
  2. 2Mark scheme deep dive: what do examiners look for? Content, quality of language, accuracy, range
  3. 3Practice: write opening paragraphs for 4 different writing tasks in 4 different formats
  4. 4Writing practice: practise format-specific conventions (letter openings, article headlines, report structure)

Resources Needed

Exam format guideMark scheme breakdownWriting Practice Worksheet

⭐ Extension Challenge

Complete one full writing task in the format you find most challenging.

2

Vocabulary Range and Tense Variety

⏱ 60–65 minutes

Lesson Objectives

  • Use a wide range of vocabulary, tenses, and grammatical structures
  • Plan writing to include specific language targets

🌅 Warm-Up (5 min)

Tense check: read a sample exam essay — highlight past tense in one colour, present in another, future in a third. Is there good variety?

Main Activities

  1. 1Tense variety strategy: plan which tenses to use in each paragraph before writing
  2. 2Vocabulary upgrade: replace basic words with sophisticated alternatives (جيد → ممتاز/رائع, كبير → ضخم/هائل)
  3. 3Grammar showcase: list 5 structures you want to include in every writing exam (conditional, relative clause, passive, opinion phrase, comparison)
  4. 4Create vocab cards for 12 sophisticated vocabulary upgrades

Resources Needed

Vocabulary upgrade listGrammar showcase checklistVocab cards worksheet

⭐ Extension Challenge

Rewrite a basic Arabic paragraph upgrading every possible word and structure.

3

Timed Writing Practice

⏱ 60–65 minutes

Lesson Objectives

  • Plan and produce a piece of writing under timed conditions
  • Express and justify opinions with sophistication

🌅 Warm-Up (5 min)

Speed planning: read an exam question and create a complete plan in exactly 5 minutes.

Main Activities

  1. 1Timed writing: 35 minutes to plan and write a 200+ word response to an exam-style question
  2. 2Five-minute proofread: check for common errors (agreement, tense, spelling, connectives)
  3. 3Opinion phrase variety: ensure you used at least 3 different ways to express opinions
  4. 4Self-assessment against the mark scheme: what band would your response achieve?

Resources Needed

Exam-style writing questionProofreading checklistMark scheme

⭐ Extension Challenge

Rewrite your response from memory at home — the second attempt is always stronger.

4

Full Writing Exam Practice

⏱ 65–70 minutes

Lesson Objectives

  • Complete a full writing exam paper under timed conditions
  • Proofread and correct work for common errors

🌅 Warm-Up (5 min)

Error correction sprint: find and fix 10 errors in a sample Arabic text in 3 minutes.

Main Activities

  1. 1Full mock writing exam: complete both writing tasks under exam conditions with appropriate time allocation
  2. 2Self-marking against model answers and mark scheme criteria
  3. 3Tracing practice for sophisticated vocabulary and formal phrases
  4. 4Reflection and target setting: what will you do differently in the real exam?

Resources Needed

Mock writing exam paperModel answersTracing Worksheet

⭐ Extension Challenge

Write a "cheat sheet" of your top 20 most useful Arabic phrases for the writing exam.

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