P-P-P TESOL Lesson Plan Using Authentic Material
This TESOL lesson plan was written by Sheila D.
Type of lesson: Vocabulary and Listening skills using authentic material
Level: Intermediate
Time: 90 minutes
Aims: To develop and improve skim and scan listening skills; to develop Ss speaking skills by discussing topics in the news, in this case, the history of tea drinking in the UK; to review reported speech;
Free TESOL Training: How to Teach Listening Skills using the Communicative Approach
Free TESOL Training: How to Teach Vocabulary in Context at Different Levels
Assumptions: Ss are familiar with skim and scan listening techniques; Ss are familiar with reported speech but will benefit from a review of this topic; Ss are familiar with classroom discussions.
Materials: laptop, Wifi access, cards with definitions, handout with gap-filling exercise, comprehension questions, listening and text borrowed from
bbc.co.uk /worldservice/learningenglish/general/sixminute/2010/12/101209_6min_tea_page.shtml
-Sheila completed the 250-hour TESOL Diploma, which is recognized by TESL Canada –
PRESENTATION STAGE
1. Introducing the topic of tea drinking
Technique: Prediction Materials: board Time: 5-10 mins. Interactive pattern: S-S, T-S
Teacher writes the title of the news story on the board: Tea Drinking in the UK
Put Ss in pairs and tell them that they have not more than 5 minutes to come up with 10 words or phrases that they think will be in the story they are going to listen to.
Once the Ss are done, bring everyone together and put their ideas/suggestions on the board using mind-mapping.
2. A: Presenting Vocabulary
Technique: Find the word… Materials: cards with definitions Time: 15 mins
Interactive pattern: class, S-S
Put cards with only the following italicized definitions written on them on the table:
(Addict): person with a physical and emotional need to consume something
(Traditional): something that has been linked with a group of people for a long time
(Nation): country
(Victorian): from the years when Queen Victoria ruled England (1837-1901)
(Institution): something that is strongly linked with a group, ie. people link drinking tea with the British
(Plantation): land where crops or plants are grown, ie. a tea plantation grows tea leaves
(Industrialized): a nation with a large number of factories that are making things
(Antiseptic): substance used to kill bacteria and prevent illness
(Sobriety): to be sensible and not drink too much alcohol
(Propaganda): ideas or statements that may be false or exaggerated and are used to promote a particular purpose
Words and definitions borrowed from: bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/general/sixminute/2010/12/101209_6min_tea_page.shtml
Read the definitions together with the students. Then write the actual vocabulary words on the board. If the Ss prefer to work collaboratively on this, that is fine. The idea is to get them to process the definitions without the teacher and to reach a conclusion without too much assistance. Some of the words should already be familiar to them and they should be able to reach conclusions by the process of elimination.
2. B: Eliciting Vocabulary
Technique: Prediction Materials: None Time: 5 minutes Interactive pattern: S-S, class
Put Ss in pairs and have them predict what the content of the news story will be based on the new vocabulary they have learned in the definition guessing activity. Add these ideas to the mindmap already created.
2. C: Pronunciation of new vocabulary words
Technique: Repetition and proper lip formation Time: 5 minutes Interactive pattern: T-S
Have Ss repeat the new words. Ensure that the stress of words is correctly placed. (End of recording from: bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/general/sixminute/2010/12/101209_6min_tea_page.shtml
Read: How to Use the Communicative Approach
Read: How to Use Task-based Learning
PRACTICE STAGE
3. Listening A: Skimming
Technique: Skimming for gist Time: 10 mins Interactive pattern: T-S, S
Tell Ss that they are going to listen to an interesting explanation of the history tea drinking in the UK.
Tell them to make notes on:
• How many people are talking in the report
• What countries do they mention in the report
4. Listening C: Scanning for comprehension
Technique: Comprehension questions Time: 15 min Interactive pattern: S-S, T-S
Tell Ss they will listen again to the conversation and must answer the questions they have on their worksheet in pairs:
1. What kind of tea does Yvonne like?
2. How many cups of tea are drunk by the British every day?
3. When did tea become popular in Britain?
4. Where were tea plantations developed?
5. Where did sugar come from?
6. How did Britain get these products (tea and sugar)?
7. Why were so many people alcoholics in the 1800s in Britain?
8. Who are the ‘ruling classes’ and why did they want sobriety in Britain?
9. Did religion play a role in making tea popular in Britain?
10. What is a popular alternative to tea nowadays?
Replay text as necessary. Come together as a class to discuss their answers.
5. Listening B: Scanning for details
Technique: Checking for mistakes Time: 10-15min Interactive pattern: S
Tell Ss that they are going to listen again and that they must find and correct any mistakes in the worksheet given to them. Give Ss a handout with the text for the listening but with mistakes in the text. Go over answers together as a class.
6. Eliciting the function through Concept Questions: Reported Speech Time: 5 min
T: So Alice told us how many cups of tea are drunk everyday in the UK, didn’t she?
S: Yes.
T: What did she say again? Was it 120,000?
S: No!
T: I can’t remember what she said! She said that it was 12, 000?
S: No, 120,000,000 (they may struggle with this number—be patient and prompt if necessary).
T: Wow—that’s right. She said it was 120,000,000 cups of tea that are drunk everyday in the UK. And what did Yvonne say about when tea became popular? How long ago did she say?
S: It became popular 170 years ago (some students may already use, She said that…)
T: That’s right—she said that it became popular 170 years ago. (Write this sentence on the board).
And what question did Neil MacGregor ask? He said something about tea being a British….
Do you remember? (if Ss do not remember, play again where Mr. MacGregor says that tea is a very British institution).
S: an institution
T: He said…
S: He said that it is a British institution.
7. Systematization on board Time: 5 min
T: Alright, so let’s look at the text and remind ourselves how to say what someone else has said!
So, if what someone said was in the past, what does the sentence look like? What tense is the second clause in? (Write on board: He said that…).
S: Past.
T: Very good—the second clause is in the past tense. (finish the sentence on the board: ie., He said that he was happy.)
What if I want to make a statement about something general? A general statement or truth? For example, ice melts when it is heated. How do I change that into reported speech?
S: She said that…
T: Good, she said that…what? ice melted when it was heated? Does that sound ok?
S: No, she said that ice melts when it is heated.
T: Great! That’s right—for a general truth, we keep the same tense in the original statement—even if it was said in the past. So we could say that Neil Macgregor said that drinking tea is a British institution—because he was making a general statement. (write this again or underline the sentence that is still on the board).
8. Practice: Meaningful Drill through personalization
Technique: Exchanging personal information to review reported speech Time: 10 mins Interactive pattern: S-S
Put Ss in pairs and tell them to ask each other 5 questions about their partner’s coffee or tea drinking habits. (if the partner doesn’t drink either one, the questions could be about pop, water). Tell them to take notes on their partner’s answers, because they will present the answers to the class in reported speech.
When Ss present, ensure that any grammatical errors are corrected.
PRODUCTION STAGE
9. Activity A: Open Discussion
Technique: Discussion Time: 10 mins Interactive pattern: S-S or class
Have Ss write down a traditional food or drink from their country that they think originated from a need to change habits. For example, in England tea became popular because an industrialized nation needs a sober workforce. Can they think of anything from their own countries that is similar? Give them a minute or two to think about this before they begin a discussion. Encourage them to try and use the vocabulary words taught in this lesson.
Have Ss share this with class at the end. Tell them to take notes on the discussion as they will need the information for their homework.
10. Activity B: Writing for homework
Have Ss write sentences about what they remember their classmates talking about during the discussion. For example, Mika said that a long time ago in Japan, tea was a drink for monks only.
Collect and check answers.