LPs Lois Nesbitt

LPs Lois Nesbitt
Grammar in Use Intermediate Level Class size: 8 Class 1
Aims: - to introduce myself and the curriculum to the students
- to encourage students to familiarize themselves with each other and
myself and dispell anxiety
- to assess the level of students' English skills
- to formulate goals and rules with the class
- to learn and practice simple present tense
Warm Ups (25 mins.): Brief introduction. Toss the ball from person to
person for name recognition, as we did in Methods. When names have become
familiar (and checked with class roster), presentation of Wh questions to
get information about fellow students. Elicit questions for where, when,
who, why, either from whole class or in small groups, then class to stand
and proceed as in Methods.
Class discussion (15 mins.). General comment about their essays which were
written at registration (they had errors but were quite expressive).
Emphasis on the USE in the course title. Creation of grammar "web" on the
board by eliciting words, ideas they associate with grammar. What they
want to get from the class. Class rules. Asking for help.
Presentation of Simple Present to talk about facts (10 mins.): Try to
elicit tense we have been using in asking for and giving information.
Begin board chart with PRESENT SIMPLE TENSE: USAGE: Facts. Elicit/present
FORM: S + base (infinitive); question form: Do + S + base?; negative form:
S + do + not + base.
Exercise (10 mins.): Pass out short exercise "What is the Rule" (for final
s, 3rd person sing.) from Grammar by Nunan for Ss to do individually, then
in pairs or groups, go over the exercise.
Presentation: (5 mins.): Ask class "What is the rule?" Conjugate simple
verb with class. Present irregular verbs: be, do, have; present/elicit
conjugation.
Exercise (15 mins.): Write on board: sometimes, always, rarely, never,
often, then a continuum:
_____________________________________________________.

0% 25% 50% 75%
100%
Explain adverbs of frequency (how often). In groups, have Ss put
adverbs on board into order from 0% frequency to 100% frequency. Pass out
worksheet (questionnaire in which S answers by number from 1 for never to 5
for always. After completing the questionnaire, they are to discuss in
groups then report most common answers. We go over some of the statements
in the q. like "I think of grammar rules when I speak," and add the adverb
of f.
Presentation of S.P Tense to talk about habit/routines (5 mins.):
Elicit/present usage from previous exercise; add under USAGE:
Habits/Routines. Adv. of fr. are clues to this usage.
Exercise (10 mins.): Pass out simplified map of midtown from 14th St to
35th St. and 7th Ave. to Park Ave. Discussion of common usage for
directions; North, South, East, West, or, more commonly, straight ahead, to
the left, to the right. Ss are to work in pairs, alternating to explain to
the other how to go from the I.C. to Macy's, then from Macy's to the Empire
St. Bd, then to Union Square.
Presentation of S.P. Tense for instructions/commands (5 mins.):
Elicit/present usage from map exercise; add under USAGE:
Instructions/Commands.
Conclusion (5 mins.): Homework: read handout about present progressive
tense, do exercise. Pass out copies of their admissions essays with my
comments. Ask Ss to write me a note (about anything), and I will write
back.
Lesson Plan 2
Aims: to review previous lesson and tie up loose ends
to learn and practice present progressive tense
to contrast simple present/present prog. tenses
to learn and practice stative verbs
Introduction and Review (10 mins.): Tie up loose ends from last class. Pass
out special handout and discuss Valentine's Day (today). Present 3rd
person singular form of simple present verbs ending in y functioning as a
vowel (try - tries, study - studies)
Warm Up (15 mins.): T. asks for or chooses volunteer to act as a TV
reporter to report on T's actions. T pantomimes an exercise routine while
"reporter" describes the action, hopefully using Present Prog. tense. Ss
then have choice of doing their own pantomime or choosing from a bag a card
with instructions for an activity for them to act out while another student
reports on the action. Hopefully this will be extremely amusing and fun.
Presentation of Present Progressive Tense (15 mins.): Elicit/present and
write on board under USAGE: Action continuous or in progress in the
present. Elicit/present form, including question and negative: S + be +
base + ing, Be + S + base + ing?, S + be + not + base + ing. Present
contractions and pronunciation points - in' for ing.
Practice Exercises (25 mins.): 1 - As presented in Methods, Ss pair up.
Ea. has a picture of a scene which he/she does not show to the other. The
other has to ask question to figure out 1. what the scene is, 2. what the
people in the scene are doing. First one partner is the guesser, then the
other. Recap what tenses were used and when.
2 - Pass out lyrics to "Leavin' on a Jet Plane." After Ss read
lyrics, play song once, then class sings along. Discussion of Simple
Present/Present Progressive use in the song.
Warm Up (10 mins.): Pass out picture of blank diary pages that we got in
Methods. Show class the example of pages with notes for scheduled
activities. Ss are to make notes in their diaries, filling up all of the
dates. In pairs they try to arrange a date to study together. T circulates
to assess Ss' understanding and to lead them to use present progressive for
future meaning.
Presentation (5 mins.): Present usage of Pres. Prog. for future meaning.
Write on board under USAGE. Also present use of Simple Present for future
meaning for scheduled events eg The museum opens at 10 on Friday.
Practice (10 mins.): Pass out written exercise. Ss work on it
individually, then we review as a class.
Presentation of Stative Verbs (10 mins.): Hand out list of stative verbs,
including those with stative and progressive uses. Elicit/present stative
verbs. Elicit examples of verbs with stative/progressive usages.
Conclusion: Homework and reading, incl. material on Simple Past/Past
Progressive Tenses.
Lesson Plan 2/21/06
Aims: To do class business: collect Ss' email addresses; ask Ss to write
on index cards 3 things they have done which would surprise us (for
future use).
To review previous lesson and homework
To learn and practive simple past/past progressive tenses
Review (15 mins.): Tie up loose ends from last week. Discussion of
Presidents' Day. Go over homework.
Warm Up (5 mins.): Chain story (Ur, "Five-Minute Activities") T. begins a
story using simple past tense then ea. S adds another part to story until
all have participated.
Presentation of Simple Past Tense (15 mins.): Elicit/present forms: S +
base + ed, Did + S + base?, S + did + not + base (neg.). Present spelling,
pronunciation points for ed ending. Discuss irregular verbs, particularly:
be, have, do.
Practice Exercise for Pronunciation of Ed Ending (15 mins.): Pass out work
sheet for Ss to fill in individully, then as a class (8) or in 2 small
groups, compare and correct answers.
Practice Exercise for Past Tense Usage (20 mins.): Divide class into 2
groups. Ea. group is to choose 1 person to describe their experience of
either a past trip or a first kiss, while the others listen and take notes
to remember the story. Ea. gp. will then be asked questions by the other
gp to see if the others can determine who actually had the experience. The
answerers do not have to tell the truth, except for the real storyteller.
After this explanation, one gr. leaves the room to prepare, the other
remains and prepares. When 1st gp returns, intrerrogation begins.
Warm Up (5 mins.): Set up scenario: Ss are residents of an apt. bd.
Between the hours of 9 - 11 pm the previous evening, the office safe was
broken into and $5000 was taken. T. plays detective and asks Ss what they
were doing last night between the hours of 9 - 11. Elicit, prompt use of
past progressive.
Presentation of Past Progressive Tense (10 mins.): Elicit/present form of
past progressive t. and compare to present prog. Present ing ending:
formation, pronunciation (in'). Elicit/present usage for past prog. t.,
incl. interrupted activities.
Practice Exercise for Simple Past/ Past Prog. Usage (15 mins.): Info-gap
ex. as last week. In pairs, 1 S. has picture of a scene, the other, using
yes/no questions, tries to find out: where was the scene and what were the
people doing? then Ss switch roles with new scene.
Recap: Ask for class feedback about how things are going, what they find
most helpful and what they would like to cover in the future. Distribute
hw.
Grammar in Use Lesson 4
Aims: Remember to collect class email addresses
Review/correction from last week
Learn and practice used to, present perfect and pp prog. tenses.

Class business/Review (15 mins.): Correction from last week when S asked
me about past tense formation of "quit" - clarify that "quitted" is not
used in US Eng.as quit is irr., substitute acquitted. Elicit/present
conjugation of verbs be, do, have, go. Look again at words in which final
consonant is doubled before adding ed or ing: ban, beg, tip, rob, scrub.
Review HW
Warm-up (10 mins.): Ask Ss to make lists in 2 columns: on one side, things
they did in their countries that they do not do in NYC; on the other side,
things they do now that they didn't do in their countries. Ask for
examples, write on board.
Presentation of "used to" (15 mins.): Between the 2 columns on the board
write "now I". Elicit/present "used to" to indicate past habits or
situations that no longer exist in pres. Elicit/present form: S + used to
+ base; S + did + not + use to: Did + S + use to? Elicit joining of 2
columns using "used to" and "now I". As a class