A. STUDENTS AND SETTING

Students

There are 12 students in class (ages 18 to 40). They have a beginner level. They are

currently in a course called Beginner 2. Most of these students have taken five previous

monthly courses, what we call Basic cycle and beginner 1 (the first course of the beginner

cycle). Some students are taking classes because they need it for their jobs, a few because

they are planning to travel and a couple more because they like English.

Setting

English Institution where students are studying English in the EFL context. This is a 15

level-program in which each level has 32 class hours. Classes go from Monday to Thursday

6:30-8:30 pm. This particular lesson plan belongs to the level Beginner 2 (level 5).

B. LESSON BACKGROUND

The days before students were talking about their weekends to review the use of the

simple past tense to talk about past experiences. They did some listening individually to

identify activities others did over the weekend and then they worked in small groups

comparing information and sharing what they did over the weekend. There was a review

of the use of the simple past tense (regular and irregular verbs) and the pronunciation of

the regular verbs endings. At the end, students did some writing about someones

weekend based on pictures given. The lesson plan presented intends to integrate the four

skills (listening, speaking, writing and reading). Students are to learn/review some

vocabulary (Adjectives) to describe good and bad travel experiences and practice the use

of the simple past tense.

C. LEARNING OBJECTIVES/EXPECTED RESULTS

The main objective for this class is that students be able to describe good and bad travel

experiences. Students are expected to use adjectives such as horrible, awful, pretty bad,

terrible, amazing, fantastic, terrific, wonderful, comfortable, scenic, boring, scary, etc. to

describe (orally and written) trips theyve made or vacations theyve taken .

D. MATERIALS AND SOURCES

Materials

Students Textbooks and cd that comes with it: Saslow, Joan & Ascher, Allen (2011). Top

Notch 1. New York: Pearson Education, Inc.

Notebooks, pencils, sheets (for students to write the questions for the FIND SOMEONE

WHOactivity)

E. PROCEDURES AND TIMING

Teacher says/does Students say/do Approximate time needed

Teacher asks students about what was done the previous class. Get in pairs and tell each other what you remember we did last class. And explains the objective of this class (describe good and bad travel experiences)

Students sit in pairs and talk about the previous class and give some statements of what they did over the weekend using the simple past tense

5 min

Teacher gives students sheets with the headline FIND SOMEONE WHO and explains to students that they are to write down five statements asking about trips/vacations. Teacher gives examples: traveled abroad / went to the mountains / went to the beach Teacher goes around checking students statements

A student will paraphrase the teacher explanation to make sure instructions were clear. Students write statements individually

5 min

Teacher asks students to stand up and mingle to ask each other questions to find out who did what they wrote

Students stand up and ask their mates questions to find out who did what they wrote

10 min

Teacher tells students to get in groups of 4 (with their closest peers) and report to the group their findings. Each group will choose a spokesperson who will tell the class some of the findings. While they do so, the teacher asks the owner of the activity being

Students get in groups and report what they find. The spokesperson chosen by the group will report to the class a few statements. Then, students pointed by the teacher will comment on their experiences. Back in the groups students will discuss to classify their

20 min

mentioned how he/she would describe his/her trip and writes on the board adjectives they use to describe their experiences. Then, within each group students will classify iif their experiences are good or bad.

experiences into good or bad ones.

Teacher goes over the list of adjectives she has on the board and reminds students they are used to talk about good and bad travel experiences. Then, teacher plays the cd from the book (pages 77, 80, 82) and has students listen to the vocabulary (adjectives and words to describe bad and good experiences) and practice the pronunciation.

Students listen to the cd and practice the pronunciation of the vocabulary

15 min

Teacher has students do the listening activity in the book (page 83) in which students have to listen to 4 different vacation experiences and decide whether the person had a good or bad experience. Then, teacher has students compare their answers in pairs.

Students listen to the cd and do the task. Then, in pairs, they compare their answers.

15 min

Teacher divides the class in four groups and assigns one of the conversations from the previous listening to each group. Plays the cd again and each group will take notes on specific details on the persons

A volunteer student will explain instructions in his/her own words. Students take notes for specific information and discuss in groups. Then present information to the whole class.

15 min

experience: what went wrong or what went right. Each group presents the information they get.

Teacher keeps the same 4 groups and tells them theyll do some creative writing. Two of the groups will work with good experiences and the other two with bad experiences. Then, gives a sheet of paper to each group with the headline: I went to New York Each member of the group will take turns to write a line to the story in which they will describe the experience they had (good or bad as assigned). Finally, teacher switches the stories so each group can check the other gorups story. Teacher will write the criteria for the assessment on the board: use of adjectives, the story is easy to understand, we can tell whether the character has a good or a bad experience. Teacher asks students how they felt with the activity.

Students will do a quick demonstration of what they are to do to make sure instructions were clear. Students take turns to write a story of a good or bad experience as assigned. Then, a spokesperson will read the story to the whole group. Students check mistakes and give oral feedback to their peers. Students will express their feelings towards the activity.

25 min

Teacher reviews with students the objective of the class by having them say aloud what they learn in this class and provide examples. While students speak teacher lists on the board the new things students can

Students reflect on the class, say what they learned in this class and give examples.

10 min

do.

Teacher gives homework. She tells students they are to send a mate (assigns mates) a mail with pictures of one of the vacations theyve had and a description of that vacation using the vocabulary learned in class and the simple past tense. The partner will give feedback on the description made.

Students write about a vacation or trip experience and send mail with pictures and the description to a classmate and the teacher. And will also reply to give feedback.

At home

F. ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT

After doing the creative writing activity in which students are expected to produce using

the vocabulary taught and the simple past tense to tell experiences in past, students will

switch the stories and check the other groups work. The criteria for assessing the groups

work will be written on the board and then, students will give oral feedback. Students will

be asked to provide feedback on how they felt with the activity. The teacher has another

opportunity to assess students by checking the mails students send with the description of

their vacations. Teacher can reply to them giving them feedback on the description using

the criteria previously agreed with students (they are describing a past experience; they

are using adjectives to describe bad or good experiences correctly).

G. CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

The teacher provides clear instructions and makes sure students know what they are to do

by doing comprehension checks. Students are to work in groups of 4, 3 and 2 at different

points of the class to provide variety to the class and some movement to refresh students

a little. There are a couple of times in which students have to mingle to interact with more

partners. There will be a lot of noise but its a good noise because students are expected

to produce in L2. The teacher will monitor all the times when students are working in

pairs/groups or when they mingle to make sure students are using the target language,

participating and they are focused on the task. Also, to help students if needed.

H. EXTENDED REFLECTION

This lesson plan integrates skills at different stages: writing, speaking, listening,

pronunciation and reading (in the homework). Students are also exposed to the use of

learning strategies such as taking notes, and listening for general and specific information.

They also have the chance to work cooperatively at different points in the class. Social

skills are also developed or reinforced in this plan by having them work in pairs or groups,

correct each other, compare information and all that involves. Students are given the

chance to work in different group formation throughout the class based on the activity

given: whole class, individually, pairs, groups of 3 and 4. Students also mingled. When

working in groups students are given the opportunity to make decisions such us finding a

spokesperson and assessing their peers. The teacher monitors the class while they mingle

or work in groups to provide help, make sure they are focused and they are using L2.

Although there arent many signs of individualized learning, the variety of activities is

intended to accommodate students with their differences in styles, to show in different

ways what they can do and how good they can be.

Regarding assessment I made a change in the plan and included some peer assessment in

the creative writing activity. I will give them a couple of points (criteria) to check in their

peers work and then ask students to provide feedback on the activity. Another

important point added was the self-reflection. In the first lesson plan, it was said teacher

would point out the objectives covered just for students to notice what they learnt. In this

one, students will be asked to say the new things they can do at the end of the class and

they are asked to provide examples to make sure they really can do what they say. The

idea is to make them aware of their accomplishments based on the objectives established

at the beginning of the class.

The class is student-centered, mostly authentic and fosters student participation at all

times.