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Delta COURSE

LESSON PLAN AND COMMENTARY

NAME OF TRAINEE:

LSA NUMBER: Three

WHICH SKILL OR SYSTEM? Grammar

NAME OF ASSIGNMENT: Raising Awareness of Adverbs of Frequency to Low-Level Learners of English

DATE OF LESSON:

LEVEL OF CLASS: Pre-Intermediate

TIME AND DURATION OF LESSON: 2.00-3.00 (1 hour)

EXPECTED NUMBER OF STUDENTS: 12

BRIEF OVERVIEW OF LEARNERS AND THE COURSE:

The students mostly come from a Spanish background, and they are studying general English. This is a class

that is being taught for the first time, as they had another group of teachers for the past three weeks. This class

seems to have a group of mixed abilities, but they are quite keen and motivated to improve their level of

proficiency in English.

Their level of proficiency is ranging around pre intermediate, where some of them (Celia) have a better command

and others (Antonia) are at a disadvantage.

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Ana is a secretary and hopes she can get a job as a quality control officer. She is originally from the Ecuador and

has lived in Granollers for the past 11 years. She started learning English in University, but she is motivated to

improve her proficiency level to land a better job. She identifies her strengths in speaking and grammar, but finds

writing to be challenging to her.

Elena is a chef and uses English regularly for work and research. Her first language is Catalan. She

communicates well and is strong in reading and speaking; while she describes that her main weakness is in

vocabulary and has a difficulty recalling verb forms.

AIM(S) OF LESSON: To provide a chance for learners to practice the use of adverbs of frequency (always,

usually, often, sometimes, rarely, never) and to speak about household chores using the adverbs of frequency.

LESSON FIT: This is the first lesson for this group of learners and it is followed by another hour with the focus on

speaking.

ASSUMPTIONS:

This group studied present simple and present continuous, so they are expected to show awareness of present

active verbs use and meaning. Most of the students may not be aware of the meaning and use of every adverb

of frequency. It will be challenging for them to notice and use every adverb of frequency.

ANTICIPATED PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS:

- Some learners might not be introduced to the adverbs of frequency before this lesson. The solution is to

refer to their knowledge of frequent activities which they have studied with present simple, and use a

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continuum to clarify the meaning. Using a table of activities as asking the learners to record their repeated

activities (household chores) may clarify the idea of frequency.

- Students may have a problem with positioning adverbs of frequency in a sentence. The solution is to

provide them with a reading passage to help them notice different positioning (before ‘be’ and after the

main verb).

- Some students may have a problem with stress in a sentence. The solution is providing more drilling.

- Some students may come late. The solution is to start by a light warmer for the first few minutes(e.g. what

do you do on weekends? Do you do any housework?).

MATERIALS AND RESOURCES:

Posters Word cut out Projector White Board Handouts

LANGUAGE ANALYSIS:The target language is adverbs of frequency.

Meaning and use:Adverbs of frequency include: always, usually, often, sometimes, rarely, never. They can be defined as adverbs which are used to “indicate how often we do things or how often things happen” Parrot, M. (2000, 34).

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For the low elementary level learners, learners will be presented to indefinite frequency adverbs which don’t indicate definite occurrence (e.g. rarely, sometimes). They are not telling exactly how many times the action happens like other adverbs of definite frequency (e.g. twice a week, three times a day).

She visits her aunt every day. ( seven days a week) They never walk to work. ( zero occurrence)

Form:Most of these adverbs (always, usually, often, sometimes, rarely and never) are not formed by adding “-ly” to adjectives. They are typically go in mid position in a sentence.

Adverbs of frequency- in an affirmative sentence come before the main verb.

o They usually visit Dubai in winter. - go after “ be”.

o There is always somebody at home in the evening.

Pronunciation: - Adverbs of frequency are normally stressed on the first syllabus:

Often, al.ways, some.times, rare.ly, never, usu.al.ly

- In a sentence they are always stressed. o My students are always active.

/ maɪ ˈstjuːdnts ə ˈɔːlweɪz ˈæktɪv /

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WORD COUNT OF COMMENTARY: (It should be between 500-750 words)

COMMENTARY:

In my experience, low level learners need to be introduced to language through careful scaffolding. Unlike the advanced learners who might not need these certain steps to follow in their learning process. For example, you might teach reported speech before or after passive to advanced learners and they may manage it, but introducing adverbs of frequency before present simple possibly will not work. Students have studied present simple affirmative sentence, so they were given the chance to express their routine and habitual actions. Also they have studied how to express likes and dislikes using the present simple form. Therefore, students understanding of meaning, use and form of adverbs of frequency fits their progress at this certain stage.

In this lesson, I decided to teach the meaning, use, pronunciation and form of some adverbs of frequency (always, often, usually, sometimes, rarely, never) which are suitable and necessary for the elementary level learners. Some of these adverbs are on the top 500 common words of English language (always, often and never). In my background essay, I presented more adverbs of frequency, but I decided to limit the number to six for level suitability. Jim scrivener suggested the same adverbs of frequency for the lower level students (Scrivener , 2010).

Since adverbs in frequency may come in three different position in a sentence (front, mid, end position), and this is normally affected by whether stressing the meaning or not (emphatic/normal). Adverbs of frequency typically come in mid position, though. Therefore, I decided to teach the mid position only, as it is the most common position and this may provide learners a chance of good understanding of the target language (adverbs of frequency).

Deciding on a context for adverbs of frequency was challenging. I believe that nine out of ten teachers will suggest teaching adverbs of frequency in a context of daily routine. For the earlier mentioned reason I decided to

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stay away from daily routine. Therefore I decided to use the context of “Household Chores”. Also in their pre-course interview, they all nominated communication as a big need. The context of Household chores (e.g. mop the floor, clean the window etc) may help them to communicate verbally or write reports.

For this lesson I chose to follow the PPP method for some reasons. First, I believe it may help me maintain a communicative atmosphere during the class with low level learners.

In this lesson I will introduce the needed vocabulary first (Household chores (e.g. mob the floor, clean the window etc)) to help students get more familiar the context. Then the targeted language will be presented (meaning then form), as I believe that understanding meaning may help noticing form. As most of the students are visual learners, I will use posters and a continuum to presented meaning. Also an (match picture with word cut out) activity will be done, as there are some kinaesthetic learners in the group. Students will be allowed to do a freer practice at the end of the lesson.

Word Count: 500

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LESSON PLAN:STAGE TIME INTERACTION AIM(S) OF STAGE PROCEDUREWarmer & Lead InPre teach vocabulary

15 minutes

Lockstep

group work

Lockstep

to break the ice and get students to the classroom atmosphereto generate interest into the housework contextto consolidate Ss understanding of needed vocabulary.

- T asks students “What do you do on weekends? / Do you do any housework?”

- T listen to Ss answers and some comments on housework (e.g. make the bed, do the dishes)

- T elicit as much as possible housework phrases ( T may use acting and miming)

- T provides Ss with an A3 poster of housework pictures and activities on cut out papers.

- In groups Ss match pictures with activities.- T monitors, corrects mistakes and gives feedback.- T Hangs the A3 poster on the board.- T writes one or two examples on the board. “like, She

washes the window.”- T asks CQs “Is she washing it now? “ no”/ Did she wash it

yesterday?” no” Does she wash every day?”yes”Reading for gramar noticing Adverbs of frequency form

6 minutes

Lockstep

Individual

to clarify the concept ( position of adverbs of frequency)

- T Tell Ss about Kim and Peter, and ask them to read about their housework.

- T asks Ss to underline Kim and Peter’s housework.- T monitors and assists Ss.- T writes Ss answers on the board.- T asks Ss to notice “What is different in these sentences?”- Ss notice the use of adverbs of frequency and locate their

position.- T asks CQs on the position of adverbs of frequency;

“ Is “always “ at the beginning? ‘no’ / Is it at the end? ‘no”/ Is it in the middle? ’yes”/ after verb? ‘no’ before the verb? ‘yes’.

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FEEDBACK:- In pairs Ss answers questions under the passage.- T asks students to find more adverbs of frequency in the

passage.- T writes the adverbs of frequency on the board “ Random

order”Controlled Practice

10 minutes

Lockstep to consolidate Ss understanding of the order of adverbs of frequency.

- T shows a power point slide and ask Ss to help with arranging the adverbs of frequency.

Feedback provided where necessary.

Semi-controlled practice

9 minutes

groupwork to consolidate noticing of position.to notice the meaning of Adverbs of frequency.

- In groups Ss place the adverbs of frequency in a sentence.

- Ss compare answers with another group.- T monitors and gives feedback.- T explains the idea of different frequency meaning, and

highlights examples on the board.- T explains the idea behind the questionnaire and the

continuum.- T asks Ss to complete the questionnaire.- Ss notice the frequency of every activity and connect it

adverbs of frequency by choosing the suitable adverb of frequency and place it on the continuum.

FEEDBACK:- T comments on the continuum completed by Ss and

correct mistakes.Freer Speaking Practice

10 Minutes

Groupwork to encourage fluency through personalization

- In pairs Ss compare questionnaires and talk about each other

- T monitors and provide feedback.BIBLIOGRAPHY:Scrivener J. (2010) Teaching English Grammar, Macmillan Education.

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