One focus only
This draft: reasoning. Claim and evidence are solid. The gap is explaining how the evidence proves the claim. Hold everything else.
Start here together, out loud first:
Claim
Our school should start a futsal team.
Evidence
40 students signed the petition in two days.
Weak reasoning (lesson 3)
“because it is good.”
Strong reasoning to work towards
“This shows there are already enough interested players for a full squad, so the team would not need extra recruiting to get started.”
Futsal is 5-a-side. 40 signatures is far more than a squad needs. That is the link.
After he writes his reasoning, read it back to him and ask: “What does that number actually prove?” Let him talk. Then say: “Put that into one sentence.” Save corrections for after he has his own words down.
Mateus has been keeping a false-friends list since lesson 2. In this lesson he teaches you five words. Credit the list to him when you use it with other newcomer students.
| Portuguese | Looks like | Actually means |
|---|---|---|
| atualmente | actually | currently |
| pretender | to pretend | to intend |
| puxar | push | pull |
| livraria | library | bookstore (library = biblioteca) |
| eventualmente | eventually | occasionally / possibly |
Ask Mateus to answer these before he leaves:
Lesson 1
He argued the case out loud, fluently. His written paragraph was two lines. The thinking is strong; the transfer to writing is the gap.
So: always talk first, then write. Speaking unlocks his ideas.
Lesson 2
He wrote “actually” when he meant “currently” (atualmente in Portuguese). He spotted the pattern himself and started his own false-friends list.
So: he owns the list. He is the expert on Portuguese-English traps. Use his list; credit him.
Lesson 3
Strong claim: school should have a futsal team. Strong evidence: 40 signatures in two days. Weak reasoning: “because it is good.” He went quiet when a draft came back covered in red marks.
So: one focus per draft. Mark one thing; wait on everything else. He can hold more when he does not feel corrected on all fronts at once.
What is working
Naming a single focus before each draft. Talking first. Letting him build momentum.
What you are still building
Holding back corrections that are not the focus. His confidence in writing depends on this lesson by lesson.
If → he goes quiet after you return a draft
Put the pen down. Ask: “Talk me through what you were trying to say.” Transcribe his words. Then say: “That. Write that.”
If → his reasoning is still vague after the first try
Point to the evidence number. Ask: “What does 40 signatures in two days actually prove?” Wait. His answer is usually the reasoning.
If → he says he doesn’t know how to start
Hand him a card with the four linking words. Ask him to pick one and read the evidence sentence aloud with that word tacked on. The sentence often follows.
If → he adds new evidence instead of reasoning
That is a common move. Say: “Good, that is more evidence. Now show me how this evidence proves the claim.” Keep the focus on the original sentence.
If → you feel stuck mid-lesson
The Tell us & ask tab has a prompt ready for your own AI chat. Copy it, paste it, and ask. The session can wait two minutes.
Anchor point
His evidence is specific and strong. When he loses confidence, come back to this: “You already have a number. That is hard evidence. Now we just explain what it proves.”
Copy this, edit it, and send it back. Short is fine.
Paste this into your usual AI chat after the lesson. Edit the bracketed parts first.
Today’s one thing
Reasoning. You have the claim. You have the evidence. Now you show how the evidence proves the claim. That link is the “so what.”
Claim: Our school should start a futsal team.
Evidence: 40 students signed the petition in two days.
Old reasoning: “because it is good.”
That last sentence does not show the link. It just says something is good. Compare it to this:
Strong reasoning: “This shows there are already enough interested players for a full squad, so the team would not need extra recruiting to get started.”
Futsal is 5-a-side. 40 signatures is way more than a squad needs. That is the link between your evidence and your claim.
Claim and evidence are given. Pick the reasoning that really shows how the evidence proves the claim. Wrong picks get feedback on exactly what went wrong.
A Portuguese word appears. Does it mean what the English-looking word suggests? Or is it a false friend (falso amigo) — a word that looks familiar but means something different?
You built this list. Now you teach it. Present each word to Priya: say the Portuguese, say what it looks like in English, and then give the real meaning.
Priya will use this list with every newcomer student she works with. Your name stays on it.
Portuguese
Your full list