Teaching new language (vocabulary, function or grammar)

This structure works for any new language: students learn a language feature, analyse its
form, meaning and pronunciation, and then practise it. Make sure practice takes up at least
half of the class. The model plan below uses a context a real-life situation that you create,
with a location and characters to elicit the target language. However, you can also elicit the
target language from a reading or listening text.

Aim: Students learn and practise X (e.g. telling the time or present perfect for life
experience)

Target language: (Describe exactly what details of X you will teach: e.g. hours, a quarter
past, half past; no minutes)

Level: All

Time: 60 mins

Assumptions:

This is what students can do already e.g. they already know numbers up to 12

Anticipated problems and solutions:

This is what you think students will have trouble with, and what you will do to help them.
Usually this will be what they confuse the target language with i.e. something similar in English
or in their first language. Think of questions that will clear up this confusion e.g. write 3.15
on the board and ask Is this a quarter past three, or a quarter to three?

Main Stages

Microstages

Sample Activities
(Just choose one or two at each stage)

Presentation

Aim: Students learn form, meaning and pronunciation of the target language

Time: 20 minutes

Set context

Aim: Students understand what the target language means and where it is used

Set a visual context (e.g. pictures, video, drawing on whiteboard, realia)

Establish where it is, and who the speakers are
Students discuss their experience of similar situations, what they predict will happen etc

Elicit the target language

Aim: Students are exposed to meaningful examples of the target language

Use a visual prompt to elicit an example of the target language.

Analyse the target language

Aim: Students understand the form, meaning and pronunciation of the target language

Ask concept questions to check students understand the target language

Analyse relevant aspects of the structure
(e.g. words, endings, parts of speech)
Model the pronunciation (at natural speed)

Controlled practice

Aim: Students are confident and correct producing the target language

Time: 20 minutes

Whole class

Aim: Students develop confidence producing the target language

Model the pronunciation

The whole class repeats
Choose individual students at random to repeat

Pairs

Aim: Students further develop confidence producing the target language

Students practise sentences in pairs, with substitutions (e.g. on cards or on the whiteboard)

Free practice

Aim: Students are able to use the target language

fluently and meaningfully in a life-like situation

Time: 20 minutes

Set up a life-like situation in the class

Assign roles

Give students a real-life motivation to participate

(There could be several activities as long as they are free practice activities