The paragraph is mainly about ___.
Match Headings to Main Ideas
Select a heading from the whole paragraph’s controlling idea, not from one repeated word or memorable example.
Your goal
By the end of this lesson, you can select headings using whole-paragraph meaning.
Progress focus: READVR
Engduo Audio: Licensed voices prepared for this lesson. Audio never starts automatically. Use the transcript after the first listening attempt.
1. Read, listen, and notice
Use the visual and model audio to understand the situation, viewpoint, or communication problem before studying the language.
- paragraph topic
- controlling idea
- supporting detail
- best-fit heading
Keeping Buildings Cool
A. Wide roof edges and external screens can stop strong sunlight before it reaches a window. This is often more effective than placing a curtain inside an already warm room.
B. Some buildings use high openings to release warm air while lower openings admit cooler air. The exact arrangement depends on wind direction and the shape of the room.
C. Light-coloured roofs can reflect more solar energy than dark surfaces. Their performance, however, also depends on climate, maintenance, and the material beneath the coating.
D. Trees can cool nearby spaces through shade and evaporation. Designers must still consider roots, water supply, and the time needed for a young tree to grow.
Engduo Audio • Australian English
Transcript — open after listening
The paragraph mentions windows, walls, and trees, but its controlling idea is how shade reduces indoor heat. A heading only about trees is too narrow.
Engduo Audio • Indian English
Transcript — open after listening
The best heading is Designing for airflow because every example shows how buildings move warm air out and cooler air in.
How to run Stage 1
Confirm the observable outcome and connect it to one realistic learner need.
2. Build useful language
Choose the phrases that help you complete the task; do not memorise a full script.
The example supports ___.
This heading is too broad because ___.
This heading is too narrow because ___.
The controlling idea is ___.
The best match is ___.
How to run Stage 2
Use the visual and first audio or text for meaning before explaining language.
3. Rehearse with support
Practise the decisions, evidence, listening, or language moves that make the final task successful.
- Separate topic from controlling idea in six short paragraphs.
- Reject headings that match only an example.
- Compare two plausible headings and explain which covers the whole paragraph.
How to run Stage 3
Select only the useful-language items needed for this learner and this task.
4. Complete the communication task
Exchange information, solve a problem, create a text, or reach a decision with a real outcome.
Match six headings to an original text about cooling buildings without air conditioning. Use a one-sentence paragraph summary before selecting each heading.
How to run Stage 4
Run the supported rehearsal without reading every instruction aloud.
5. Perform, receive feedback, and retry
Complete the task with keywords only, receive focused feedback, and repeat the weakest part.
Match headings to five unseen paragraphs, justify two close decisions, and rewrite one incorrect heading so it fits the paragraph exactly.
Retry: Repeat once with clearer meaning, stronger evidence, more accurate listening, or less support.
How to run Stage 5
Run the main task: Match six headings to an original text about cooling buildings without air conditioning. Use a one-sentence paragraph summary before selecting each heading.
Exit check
Complete this without reading a model: State the paragraph’s controlling idea without copying its opening words.
Success looks like: Each chosen heading covers the whole paragraph and close distractors are rejected with a clear scope reason.
Evidence: reading · Repeat the weakest part once after one meaning-focused and one language-focused correction at most.
READ · Reading Comprehension
2: Finds and interprets the required written evidence accurately.
1: Demonstrates the skill after one focused prompt, correction or self-repair.
0: Cannot yet demonstrate the skill clearly enough to complete the stated outcome.
VR · Vocabulary Resource
2: Uses suitable target vocabulary naturally in an original message.
1: Demonstrates the skill after one focused prompt, correction or self-repair.
0: Cannot yet demonstrate the skill clearly enough to complete the stated outcome.
Use these scores after the independent attempt. Record one recurring need in the Engduo app when lesson-result fields become available.
How to run Stage 6
Record focused evidence, give one meaning-focused and one language-focused correction at most, repeat the weakest part, and complete the exit check.
คำอธิบายภาษาไทย — เปิดเมื่อจำเป็นเท่านั้น
อย่าเลือกหัวข้อจากคำที่ซ้ำหรือแค่ตัวอย่างหนึ่งจุด ให้สรุปใจความควบคุมทั้งย่อหน้าก่อน แล้วเทียบขอบเขตหัวข้อ
Teacher guide
30-minute must-do route
- Confirm the observable outcome and connect it to one realistic learner need.
- Use the visual and first audio or text for meaning before explaining language.
- Select only the useful-language items needed for this learner and this task.
- Run the supported rehearsal without reading every instruction aloud.
- Run the main task: Match six headings to an original text about cooling buildings without air conditioning. Use a one-sentence paragraph summary before selecting each heading.
- Record focused evidence, give one meaning-focused and one language-focused correction at most, repeat the weakest part, and complete the exit check.
60-minute extension
- Use two plausible headings that differ only in cause, method, or outcome.
- Change the role, information, listener, or constraint so the learner transfers the skill rather than repeating the same answer.
- Compare the first and second performance and record one specific improvement.
Make it easier
Use three headings for three paragraphs and provide a topic-versus-main-idea frame.
Make it harder
Use two plausible headings that differ only in cause, method, or outcome.
Likely difficulty
The learner may choose a heading because it repeats vocabulary or describes one vivid example.
Correction priority
Prioritise whole-paragraph meaning, scope, and evidence for rejecting close headings.
Thai support rule
Keep the Thai panel closed unless examples, visuals, replay, reformulation, and simpler English do not allow progress. Explain only the key distinction, then return to English.
Progress record
Score READ, VR from 0–2 and record one recurring need from: main-idea, scope, distractor-rejection.
Retry
Give one meaning-focused correction and one language-focused correction at most, then ask for a second attempt with fewer visible prompts.
Continue your learning path
- Council of Europe — CEFR Companion Volume — Supports action-oriented language learning through age- and level-appropriate interaction, descriptions, goal-oriented co-operation, written interaction, and observable communication outcomes.
- IELTS — Academic test format in detail — Supports accurate lesson alignment to the official IELTS Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking task structure and skills.
- IELTS — Academic sample test questions — Supports accurate awareness of official IELTS question families while Engduo uses only original practice texts, visuals, recordings, prompts, and answer sets.
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