TESOL Lesson Plan Using the Communicative Approach
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Type of lesson: Reading comprehension- Integrating speaking and writing skills.
Level: Low intermediate
Aims: To develop skim and scan reading skills.
To practice telling and writing stories from personal experiences.
To practice figuring out the part-of-speech and explaining vocabulary.
To practice pronunciation, intonation, spelling, and listening.
To practice creating questions and answers for reading comprehension.
To provide an opportunity for students to take ownership of their learning.
*The level of difficulty of the reading is appropriate for this group, but the length is rather short. For this reason, the types of activities students will do are slightly more difficult by requiring more of their creation and input as opposed to just asking them to find the answer.
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Time: Approx. 105-115 minutes
Assumptions: Students are familiar with skim and scan techniques.
They know how to come up with questions for reading comprehension.
They are familiar with the past tense.
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Materials: Handout, Cards with pictures, Whiteboard, Markers, Pen, Paper
This is the text your students will read:
When my father found his first job in America, there was a humorous misunderstanding. My father, originally from Mexico City, had just moved to Dallas, Texas, and he did not speak English. One day, he saw an ad for a busboy job. He wanted the job, so he called the number in the ad. Later that day, he went for an interview in a bowling alley. The restaurant manager spoke with my father and offered him the job. That night, my father went home feeling very excited. The next day, when he arrived for work, the manager gave him an apron and asked him to pick up some dishes in the bowling alley restaurant. My father, feeling confused and disappointed, asked, “Where is the bus?” He thought that a busboy would work on a bus collecting tickets. The owner laughed and explained what a busboy’s job is. When my father told the family this story, everybody thought it was funny, but they were also proud of his perseverance because today he has a university degree and a good job.
Gaetz, L. and Phadke, S. (2009). The Writer’s World. Pearson Prentice Hall: Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.
Read: How to Use the Communicative Approach
Read: How to Use Task-based Learning
PRESENTATION STAGE
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1. Create interest in the topic: Misunderstandings
Technique: Personalization Interactive Pattern: T-S, S-S Time: 10mins
T: Have you ever been in a situation where you were misunderstood or you misunderstood someone else? Maybe you wanted to say something in English and used the wrong word? Or you were asked to do something in English, and you thought you understood but really didn’t? Share with your partner the situation of your misunderstanding and the result of it.
Feedback: A few stories are selected to share with the class. Point out how a slight misunderstanding could cause a big problem.
2. Pre-teaching vocabulary
Technique: Pictures & Matching Interactive Pattern: S-S Time: 15mins
Material: Cue cards with pictures, Handout
T: Today, we’re going to read about a man’s misunderstanding, but first, we’re going to look at some vocabulary to prepare you for the reading. Let’s look at the list of six words. You and your partner need to first figure out the part-of-speech of the word that is bolded. Use the words around it to help you decide whether it is a verb, noun, adjective, or adverb.
Word———————————————-Part of speech ———————————————– Meaning
a humorous misunderstanding
an ad
a busboy
a bowling alley
an apron
his perseverance
T: When you are finished, raise your hand and I will come over to check. If you have the part-of-speech correct, you will be given a stack of cards with pictures. With your partner, match the picture to each of the vocabulary. When I have confirmed that you have matched it correctly, fill in the “meaning” column with a definition, synonym, or draw a picture to help you remember.
Feedback: There is no need to check the answers as a class as the teacher has checked the students’ answers before moving forward. The teacher may decide to provide further explanation for words that many students got stuck on.
PRACTICE STAGE: Reading Comprehension
3. Reading for gist
Technique: Answer questions Interactive Pattern: S, S-S Time: 10mins
Materials: Dialogue, pen & paper
T: You are now ready to read the story. When you have finished reading, I would like you to discuss with your partner:
1. What is the misunderstanding?
2. Did the story have a happy or sad ending?
Feedback: The teacher takes up the questions with the class to make sure everyone’s got the right idea.
4. Reading for details
Technique: Jigsaw to practice pronunciation, intonation, spelling, listening
Interactive Pattern: S-S Time: 20mins Materials: Handout
Students put away their handouts and decide who will be Partner A and B. The As will have one version of the reading, and the Bs will have another. Each version has some of the details changed while the other one remains correct. A and B take turns reading one sentence at a time from their own versions (they’re not allowed to look at their partner’s story). When one hears something different from their version, the pair must work out which one is correct. The partner with the wrong word must correct it on his/her version. When they are finished, the teacher will check that the activity has been completed, and students are allowed to check their work against the original on the first handout.
Feedback: During this time, the teacher should be walking around taking note of words that are difficult to pronounce and intonation problems. The teacher should go over them at the very end of the activity.
The changes are highlighted here as an answer key for the teacher, but should be left unmarked for students.
Version A
When my mother found her first job in America, there was a humorous misunderstanding. My father, originally from Mexico [City-deleted], had just moved to Dallas, Texas, and he did not speak English. One day, he saw a poster for a busboy job. He wanted the job, so he called the number in the ad. Later that day, he went for an interview in a bowling alley. The restaurant manager spoke with my father and gave him the job. That night, my father went home feeling very excited. The next week, when he arrived for work, the manager gave him an apron and asked him to pick up some dishes in the bowling alley restaurant. My father, feeling confused and dissatisfied, asked, “Where is the bus?” He thought that a busboy would work on a bus collecting money. The owner laughed and explained what a busboy’s job is. When my father told the family this story, everybody thought it was embarrassing, but they were also proud of his perseverance because today he has a university certificate and a good job.
Version B
When my father found his first job in America, there was a sad misunderstanding. My father, originally from Mexico City, had just moved to Armadillo, Texas, and he did not speak French. One day, he saw an ad for a busboy job. He wanted the job, so he called the address in the ad. Later that day, he went for an interview in a restaurant. The restaurant manager spoke with my father and offered him the job. That night, my father went home feeling very surprised. The next day, when he arrived for work, the manager gave him an apron and asked him to pick up some cups in the bowling alley restaurant. My father, feeling confused and disappointed, asked, “Where is the boy?” He thought that a busboy would work on a bus collecting tickets. The owner scowled and explained what a busboy’s job is. When my father told the family this story, everybody thought it was funny, but they were also proud of his hard work because today he has a university degree and a good job.
5. Reading for details
Technique: Asking & answering questions Interactive Pattern: SSS Time: 30mins
Materials: Whiteboard, markers, pen, paper
Students get into four groups of three. The story will be divided into two parts, with the second part beginning at “The next day.” Two groups will be responsible for part 1, and the other groups will be responsible for part 2. Each group is responsible for coming up with at three comprehension questions (and the answers) from the reading for the class. The questions must be grammatically correct, and should cover as many of the details as possible. Provide an example as a model for students: “Where is the father from?” (ans: Mexico or Mexico City). A more difficult question could be, “What language does the father speak?” (ans: Spanish).
When the groups are ready, they will write the questions (no answers) on the board. The teacher, with the assistance of the class, will go over them to make sure they are grammatically correct and understandable. Throughout this process, the teacher should be walking around the classroom to provide assistance.
Students copy the questions onto a piece of paper and try to find the corresponding answers. The responses will be taken up as a class with the group that came up with the questions (who also has the answers) as the leader while the teacher facilitates the interaction.
Being the leader is an opportunity for students to take ownership for their learning while practising grammar and writing questions.
PRODUCTION STAGE
Technique: Story writing Interactive Pattern: S Time: 20-30mins
T: Remember the story of a misunderstanding you told your partner at the very beginning of the class? I’d like you to write that story. Before you get started, I’d like to know, “When did the story in the reading happen?” (If they are not sure, give students a hint to look at the verbs.)
S: In the past
T: And your stories? When did they happen?
S: In the past
T: So when you are writing, you need to be using…
S: the past tense.
T: Good. With the time that is left in this lesson, I’d like you to write your story, about 100 to 150 words. Make sure to clearly describe the situation and misunderstanding and to include the end result. I will be around to help. What is not finished in class will be done for homework and handed in the next time.