IELTS Independent Learning
3) Lexical Resource (vocabulary)
(That is, what do you want to do with these words in your writing?)
Using different words
Spelling, especially of sophisticated words
Learn new words so as to use them in your writing (use adverbs to describe figures with precision, for example)
1) Task Response
Practice describing specific details in writing
Read instructions careful and respond to the rubric (e.g. make comparisons and not simply describe features)
Try to provide an overview (a generalization; a conclusion) for all of the features that you have mentioned in a paragraph
Correct use of tenses
IELTS textbook
After completing exercises, receive feedback on tenses

2) Coherence and Cohesion
4) Grammatical Range and Accuracy
What to avoid?
Irrelevant details (i.e. writing about things not given in the task)
Examples of Independent Learning:


Use more signposts in sentences to describe data flows; to aid cohesion between sentences
Writing in logical paragraphs, each of which contains a main idea with supporting details
Word substitution; avoiding the repetition of a lexical item over and over again
Being consistent with tense
Using the right tense to describe figures
Use the right voice to describe figures
Verb agreement (subject/verb)
Variety of complex sentence structures; using conjunctions, and stringing together clauses
Precision Vocabulary (e.g. sharply; gradual)
Which resource to use?
What do to?

Incorporating a variety of complex sentence structures
Use a textbook to learn about complex sentences; see them in action in a newspaper; and use them in writing a past IELTS paper
Receive feedback on complex sentences from group members
Using signposts
Find information on the Internet about signposts in writing
Write an IELTS-style essay focusing on signposts
Garner group feedback on signposting
Task Response
Introduction
Include the business activities of Walmart
SWOT factors
Recommendations
Conclusion
Incongruities
Objective
Activity
Word substitution in writing
Using more signposts in writing
Use a greater variety of complex sentences in writing
Practice writing overviews (i.e. concluding statements; generalizations)
Find new vocabulary words online and use them in an essay; or identify word substitution in the newspaper
Activity
Identify word substitution in a newspaper; write an IELTS essay focusing on word subsitution; peer review each other's work to check for appropriate word substitution
Read more about what signposts are; identify them in an article; write an IELTS-style essay, and focus on using signposts correctly; peer review each other's essays to check for correct usage
Read more about what complex sentences are; note useful complex sentence structures and complex sentence "keywords."  Practice writing complex sentences; then maybe identify complex sentences in an article; and in summarizing that article, focus on writing a variety of complex setnences; get feedback on the accuracy and variety of complex sentences from friends and classmates
Go to NYTimes and find a graph; write an IELTS essay; and then compare your overviews with the overviews in the article and charts for relevance and accuracy
Congruence