Grammar / Vocabulary Lessons
Systems Lessons: Grammar / Vocabulary
Every lesson should include a fun warmer. It can review language from a previous lesson, or it
can just be independent of what has been studied. If the warmer does not review language
Warmer / Review from the previous lesson, you should include an extra stage for that purpose. Remember that
learners need to revisit new language in order to retain it in their long-term memory.
The lead-in sets the
context for the lesson, Discussion cards, respond to media, mingle,
Lead-in: Set Context but It also generates discuss flashcards, quiz, teacher’s story..
interest in the topic
and accesses pre-
existing knowledge
In this stage demonstrate
(activating schemata).
use of the target language
present TL
Model Target Language (TL) (TL) within the theme/
Use a story, movie, song, magazine, course
context you have
within the context book, adverts, newspaper, comic, website...
established (e.g. holidays,
Red Riding Hood, movie
reviews, family, fruit, email
writing etc).
In this stage, get Guided discovery, underline TL, elicit, sorting,
Notice TL task students to notice categorizing, matching, information exchange,
the TL in any gallery...
number of ways.
In this stage you Use flashcards and Concept Checking
Questions, whiteboard: timelines /
must convey the
Meaning meaning of the
characters / speech bubbles, cuisenaire rods,
pelmanisms...
TL.
In this stage focus on
analyse TL
pronunciation. Consider Choral to individual drill, pass-the-flashcard,
dynamic echo, songs, chants, phonemic chart,
both word and sentence
Pronunciation tongue twisters, 'S-Snake and Z-Bee'',
levels - remember that authentic texts...
they must hear the
difference before they
can produce it! In this stage you Guided discovery, use whiteboard (elicit),
expose the coloured flashcards with Parts of Speech,
authentic texts, materials from the Model
students to the
Form stage...
written form and/
or structure of
This stage the TL.
Choose correct alternative, answer Yes/No
practices use of questions, mingle (pre-written questions),
Controlled the TL with lots of matching, running dictation (when they write
practice help (about 50/50 exactly what's written), quiz...
chance of being
right).
Jumbled sentences, grass skirts, open-ended
This stage
Semi- practices use
questions, mingle (they write parts of the
controlled questions), survey, sentence auction,
of the TL with discussion with prompt cards, backs to board...
practice some help.
practice TL
This stage allows students to
practice use of the TL in a
Students write or speak about personal
more natural and experience/feelings (e.g. write an email, letter,
personlaised way, and as the review, story, describe a monster, role play, do
Freer practice final productive activity it a presentation, write a diary, poster…).
should have enough time
allowed for it to be This stage is very
conducted effectively. important because it
provides opportunities for
content & language
feedback, and to wrap up
Delayed error correction, gallery, votes,
Feedback / Error the lesson. Remember to sentence auction...
correction keep feedback student-
centered.
Young learners (6-16 year olds)
Reading
Receptive / Listening
Skills Lessons: Lessons
Reading / Listening
Every lesson should include a fun warmer. It can review language from a previous lesson, or it
can just be independent of what has been studied. If the warmer does not review language
Warmer / Review from the previous lesson, you should include an extra stage for that purpose. Remember that
learners need to revisit new language in order to retain it in their long-term memory.
The lead-in sets the
Lead-in: Set Context context for the lesson, Discussion cards, respond to media, mingle,
but It also generates discuss flashcards, quiz, teacher’s story..
interest in the topic
and accesses pre-
existing knowledge
(activating schemata). It’s important to encourage the students to
read very quickly while skipping unimportant
Skim the text for a words (like prepositions) - do this by setting
Gist
general understanding time limits. Have them choose the correct title
of the content (e.g. it’s or text type, match pictures to the text, make
a newspaper article predictions (e.g. from book cover), ...
Practice skills
about pets).
Specific Information
Scan the text for Encourage students to find information quickly
to practice their scanning skills. Use grass
details (names,
skirts or a running dictation with specific
dates, times, questions, physical response, matching...
prices…).
Read/Listen With reading, give students time to read at
for deeper their own pace to get a good understanding of
Detail comprehension the text. Get them thinking! Use open-ended
(e.g. understanding questions, info gap-fill in pairs, draw graph of
choices made by high and low points of story, Venn diagrams,
characters). “why do characters do what they do?”...
YES Encourage the students to infer meaning
This stage from context as this is an important skill to
Meaning consolidates develop. You could include dictionary work
here.
meaning of
Do you want to focus
new words.
on new vocab?
This stage focuses on
pronunciation. Consider Choral to individual drill, pass-the-
both word and sentence flashcard, dynamic echo, songs,
stress - remember that chants, phonemic chart, tongue
Pronunciation twisters, 'S-Snake and Z-Bee'',
students must hear the
authentic texts...
difference before they
This stage can produce it!
consolidates Make sure they have a written record of new
the written words. Use a guided discovery, use
Form whiteboard (elicit), coloured flashcards with
NO form of the
Parts of Speech, authentic texts, materials
new words. from the Model stage...
Respond to
text It’s important to let the
students respond to the Discussion groups (e.g. can you identify
with a character?) Agree/disagree and
text, and then produce
‘why’, role play, write/make something,
something related to the finish the story/comic, write alternative
context so as to personalise ending, role play, research, presentation.
and therefore make the
Productive activity lesson more meaningful.
to personalise
This stage is very
important because it
provides opportunities for
content & language
feedback and to wrap up
Delayed error correction, gallery, votes,
Feedback / Error the lesson. Remember to
sentence auction...
keep feedback student-
correction
centered.
Young learners (7-16 year olds)
Speaking / Writing Lessons
Productive Skills Lessons: Speaking/Writing
Every lesson should include a fun warmer. It can review language from a previous lesson, or it
can just be independent of what has been studied. If the warmer does not review language
Warmer / Review from the previous lesson, you should include an extra stage for that purpose. Remember that
learners need to revisit new language in order to retain it in their long-term memory.
The lead-in sets the
Lead-in: Set Context context for the lesson, Discussion cards, respond to media, mingle,
but It also generates discuss flashcards, quiz, teacher’s story..
interest in the topic
and accesses pre-
existing knowledge
(activating schemata).
Have them choose the correct title or text
type, match pictures to the text, make
Present Model: Engage predictions (e.g. from book cover), choose 3
This can be written in Gist students with
adjectives to describe the text...
a magazine or the model.
website, told as a
story, shown in a Scan the text Encourage students to find information quickly
Specific Information for details to practice their scanning skills. Use grass
video… skirts or a running dictation with specific
(optional) (names, dates,
questions, physical response, matching...
times,
Engage students with
your model by
prices…). Read/
conducting a mini Detail Listen for a Give students questions/tasks which bring
their attention to key elements of your model,
deeper
receptive skills lesson. such as the form or structure (e.g. of an
understanding interview, play...). Remember to include
of the text. student-centered feedback.
It’s important to give
students the language they
Handouts and worksheets, drilling,
need to complete a task
Useful language (process language). To be
eliciting, chants, games (such as board
races)...
effective, you must engage
students with the language
Preparation
You must ensure that you
have planned enough time Brainstorming (spider-grams,
for students to prepare for, flowcharts…), scripting, discussing,
then complete the task. Let interviewing, research using Edutech...
them know where they are
by using countdown timers
Complete task
This stage is very
important because it
provides opportunities for
content & language
feedback and to wrap up
Delayed error correction, gallery, votes,
Feedback / Error the lesson. Remember to
sentence auction...
correction keep feedback student-
centered.
Possible activities:
Posters, pamphlets, magazine/newspaper articles, presentations, debates, research projects, verbal
boxing, meetings, emails, letters, pen-pals, websites, blogs, chat rooms, surveys, crafts...