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Understanding the writing task

When you are choosing your essay/assignment topic, you need to understand the various aspects of the task you are being asked to complete. Two important things to do are to notice the verbs of instruction and to identify key terms and areas of focus.

Below are a number of essay topics. Try to work out the nature of the task by focussing on verbs of instruction and key terms/ideas.

1. The term 'facilitator' adequately describes the teaching work that is undertaken by an adult educator.
   
   1. Discuss the relevance of this statement by considering:
      • The adult education literature, describing at least two perspectives on the issue of facilitation;
      • How appropriate the term 'facilitation' is for the teaching you do, the values and beliefs about education that you hold and the responsibilities you have at your workplace;

      and;

   2. arrive at a set of conclusions about the most effective way to characterise and talk of the work of the adult educator
2. Describe an ESL/EFL class with which you are familiar (age and number of students; language/ethnic backgrounds; level of English proficiency; purpose in learning English).  Record three lessons and situate these in relation to the long term program for the class.  Choose three activities that promoted successful communication in English by learners.  These may be quite short, and the communication may be spoken or written.  Identify the ingredients of success!
3. Bryman (1992, ch2), like Weber before him, emphasises the importance of followers' attributions of charisma, rather than charisma being an innate capacity possessed by a leader.  If this is the case, doesn't that leave followers vulnerable or susceptible to calculating seduction by leaders, so that charisma is something to be concerned about? Discuss.
4. One size does not fit all - Discuss the national VET system in terms of its ability to cater for difference and special needs at the level of policy and practice.  Embed this within a case study of educational provision for a particular community/ies, analysing the consistencies and inconsistencies between policy and practice.

Some instructional verbs are: