Day 19 — Academic Discussion · Drill + Submission
Phase II · Targeted Drills · Writing · Day 19 of 30 · ⏱ ~1.5 hours
📍 You are here: Day 18 · Email → Day 19 · Academic Discussion → Day 20 · Speaking (Interview Set 2)
The whole game today: add a new angle. You'll study a Band 6 response, then write your own contribution under the 10-minute clock and submit it.
🎯 Today's goal: Write a 120–150 word response that takes a clear stance and adds something neither student said.
✅ You're done when: you've written today's response in 10 minutes and submitted it.
⏰ Step 1 — Warm-Up: Echo or New?
Trains the instinct that decides your contribution score.
👉 Open the Warm-Up Exercise
4 items · auto-graded.
📖 Step 2 — Understand the task — Strategies & Sample Tasks
Watch these before you drill (PDF versions available too):
🎥 Academic Discussion — Strategies & Sample Tasks
📄 Academic Discussion — Strategies & Sample Tasks
🟢 Band 4→5 Name one classmate and add one genuinely new point ("+1"). Keep a clear stance.
🔵 Band 5→6 Reframe the question or bring a cross-domain angle; use concession clauses (While… , …) and a semicolon or em-dash for variety.
💬 Step 3 — Academic Discussion — Template
Follow this frame: state your position → connect to a classmate and add a new point (+1) → reason → concrete example → short conclusion. 120–150 words, and never just echo the two students.
📄 Template
📖 Step 4 — Individual Task
⭐ Today's Individual Task — Academic Discussion
Strict 10 minutes · 120–150 words
Dr. Carter (professor): Today we will look at the evolving landscape of higher education, particularly how online learning platforms are influencing traditional college experiences. Given the current global increase in virtual classrooms, do you think that online learning will eventually replace in-person education at universities? Explain why you think so.
Alice: In my view, online learning offers a viable alternative to traditional education, especially for those who need flexibility due to work or personal commitments. The ability to access resources at any time can significantly enhance learning efficiency and accessibility.
Ben: Though there are benefits to online learning, I believe it lacks critical aspects of in-person experiences, such as spontaneous classroom interactions and direct peer collaboration. These elements are crucial for developing soft skills and a deeper understanding of the material.
Write a post responding to the professor's question. Express and support your opinion, and make a contribution in your own words (at least 100 words).
📤 Submit your individual task for Hasmik's feedback: post your response in the "Tasks for Review and Feedback" section on Telegram and indicate which day's task it is.
💡 Pro Tips
- Never echo Alice or Ben. Summarizing them caps your contribution score — find the gap they left.
- The Magic Trio: a number, a name/place, a result. That's the DNA of a Band 6 example.
- 30-second pivot: pick the first stance you can support with a real example; don't hunt for the "perfect" idea.
- Leave 60 seconds for the Spelling & Error Checklist — subject-verb agreement and its/it's.
🔧 Additional materials for today
📁 Portfolio Entry — log Day 19
- 📅 Date · ✅ Steps completed (Y/N) · ⏱️ Time spent
- 📊 Warm-up score: ___ / 4
- 🎯 Response written in 10 min & submitted? (Y/N) · new angle added? (which of the 4 ways): ___
- 🎯 Confidence today (1.0–6.0) · 🏆 One Win + 🤔 One Challenge
📞 Your 2 one-on-one meetings with Hasmik are included — if you haven't booked yet, message us to set the dates.