A.  Background
          a. Students: False beginners (6+ years of secondary school English), average TOEFL
             350-400, ability range: weak (TOEFL 300) to pseudo-strong 
             (experience abroad), 20-60 students per class.
          b. Class:  One 80-minute class per week, 12 classes per term, plus 2 exam periods.
          c. Profile:  Past emphasis on translation into Japanese, reading comprehension
             skills for exam questions (e.g., English text, questions in Japanese);  
             minimal  listening, writing, speaking skills; high desire and motivation 
             to learn, low self-confidence.

B.  Goals 
           1a. Build on and strengthen existing reading comprehension skills.
           b. Check grammatical awareness.
           c. Focus on key words/phrases and content vocabulary.
           2a. Prepare a response for a discussion question.
           b. Present the response orally to the class.
           c. Evaluate presentations: delivery, language, content.
           d. Write a presentation summary (100+ words)
           (e. Discuss the presentations.)
     
C. Materials
  Text:  Adaptation by the Baha’is of the Republic of Ireland (1986) of THE
         PROMISE OF WORLD PEACE, Baha’i World Centre, Haifa, Israel,1986 
         (Note:  Each adapted page is 3-4 short paragraphs.)

D.  Class Activity

D1. Study Guide (individuals)

D1a. Sample Text 1:     Preface.  (1st of 4 paragraphs, page 1)

         The United Nations has named 1986 the International Year of Peace.  As a 
         contribution to this effort the Baha’i Faith issued an essay “The Promise 
         of World Peace.”

D1b. Sample study question. (Dictionaries ok.)(1 point)
         Q:      Why was the “The Promise of World Peace” published?     
         A:                                                       

       ( A: a. “As a contribution to” the International Year of Peace.)
       (    b. (In order) to contribute to the UN 1986 International Year of Peace.)

D1c. Notes: (complete answers needed)
          a. Passive was used in the question; active in the text.
          b. “Published” replaced “issued”.
          c. “Why” questions automatically cue “because” answers, which would 
             require choosing a subject and a verb like “want”.
          d. A copied answer “…as a …. to this effort” is incomplete because the 
             reference of “this” is not indicated. 
          e. The word “this” can also be used to check grammatical usage.

D2a. Sample Text 2:  Preface.  (2nd of 4 paragraphs)
         The Baha’i Faith is the youngest world religion.  Before we go any 
         further, we should define what is meant by religion.  To Baha’is, religion
         means the original teachings of the Founders of the great religions of the
         world, not forms and practices that have crept in over the years!

D2b. Study questions. (2 points)
          Qi.     What is the true meaning of the word “religion”?
          Ai.                                                       
          Qii.     What is not “religion”?
          Aii.                                                       

          (Ai.  It “means the original teachings of the Founders of the great religions of the world.”)
          (Aii. Religion is not “forms and practices that have crept in over the years.”)

D2c. Notes: i
           a. This answer, a basic concept, could be copied -- after it is found.
           b. The text does not have the form “meaning”, only “meant” and 
              “means”.  Nor does it have the word “true”.
           c. “Define” and “should define” are potential question items.
           d. “The youngest” is a possible question item.
           e. A “how” question (How do Baha’is define…) is possible for a “They
              believe/say/etc. that…..” answer.

Notes: ii 
            a. The meaning of “forms” and “practices” is  abstract: 
            b. “Religion is forms and practices….” (without “not”) is ambiguous
               outside the question-answer context.
            c. “Crept in” and “over the years” are possible question items (irregular
               past form of an infrequent verb; ‘over’ in a ‘time’ collocation.

D     2. Discussion Questions (small groups)
     Choose one topic for a one-minute presentation.  Prepare the answer together.
            a. “World Peace” and “religion”.
            b. The key to world peace.
            c. The spiritual basis of world peace.

D     3. Oral Presentation and Evaluation
     One person from each group presents.
          Evaluation: self-evaluation, class evaluation (no names), teacher evaluation
          Form:
            a) Presentation: eye contact, delivery, voice
            b) Language Skills: pronunciation, grammar
            c)  Content: substance, organization
          Notes:
            a. eye contact 2 points; all others 3 points each; total 20 points
            b. Grade: average of 3 evaluations

D     4. Written  Summary     (Presenter’s homework)     100+ words,  10 points
       =================================================================

E.  Comments

       1.  This lesson plan (B.2a-e, D.1-4) seeks to stimulate learner capabilities through noticing tasks 
	       (comprehension) within a meaningful context (content) by challenging existing cognitive resources 
	       (previous learning), directing them toward multilevel awareness (language usage), and enhancing 
	       self-confidence through consultation (small groups), speaking (presentations), and writing (summaries).

       2.  Authentic texts convey information mainly through key words and lexical phrases.

       3. The content-based lesson offers learners separate meaningful modules of cognitive enrichment and skill enhancement.