Lamis Jamil Lamis Jamil

TP-8: The uses of definite and indefinite articles
A2: Pre-intermediate level

Description

In this lesson, students learn, review, and practice the difference between the uses of definite and indefinite articles through a Test-Teach-Test approach. Starting with the context of famous actors, they are firstly tested to identify their abilities and weak points in the use of the TL. Depending on their performance, the teacher may begin with a focus on meaning, through eliciting and concept check questions of model sentences. Then comes a focus on form, through a guided discovery exercise. Then the students practice their pronunciation through a chain game activity. In the second test stage, students do a short controlled practice exercise, write a short letter to a famous actor, and then finally practice their speaking skills in an imaginary encounter with famous people.

Materials

Abc HO1- Test+Ans Key
Abc HO3 - C.P. and semi-C.P.
Abc Famous people slips
Abc HO2- Form reference+Ans Key
Abc HO1- Test+Ans Key
Abc HO1- Test+Ans Key

Main Aims

  • To provide clarification, review and practice in the uses of definite and indefinite articles in the context of famous people

Subsidiary Aims

  • -To provide fluency and accuracy speaking practice in the context of an encounter with a famous person
  • - To provide structural accuracy writing practice in the context of a letter to a famous actor

Procedure

Warmer/Lead-in (1-1 minutes) • To set lesson context on articles and to engage students

- on WB, write "What's the most famous word in the English language?" Elicit from SS: - we use it almost everywhere and in every sentence, etc. - if none guessed, finally elicit it by telling them: it is used twice in this sentence on the WB!

Test #1 (5-7 minutes) • To diagnose students' prior knowledge of form and meaning of the TL

- Briefly test SS on their abilities to use articles (meaning and form) based on the "Before they were famous" text. - Monitor for problem areas - Give out Ans Key

Teach(1)- Focus on Meaning (5-8 minutes) • To clarify problem areas in the meaning of the TL

- Elicit examples of articles from the text 'Before they were famous' - Model key sentences on WB - Elicit and concept-check meaning with SS Make sure to cover the following four uses: 1) use of "the" with superlatives 2) use of "the" meaning one specific, unique thing (the one and only) or a specific set of things (e.g. a time period) 3) use of "the" in reference to something we already know about 4) use of "a/an" for general things - check/clarify that "a" precedes a word beginning with a consonant, and that "an" precedes a word beginning with "vowel"

Teach(2)- Focus on Form (5-6 minutes) • To clarify problem areas in the form of the TL

- Drill forms of using the definite and indefinite articles with SS through GD HO - Peer check - Concept-check problem areas on WB - Give Ans Key

Teach(3)- Focus on Pronunciation (5-6 minutes) • To clarify problem areas in the pronunciation of the TL

- Chorally drill pronunciation of model sentences - Demo then Individually drill SS through a chain game. "My name is ...(Lamis). I'm famous for....(having a nice smile and the biggest hair!)" - T corrects speaking errors where necessary

Test #2 (1)- Controlled practice (8-10 minutes) • To check SS's understanding of meaning and form of the TL in order to assess what SS have learnt since Test#1

-SS work on a gap fill exercise in the context of a personal letter to a famous actor - SS peer check - T elicits some model sentences on WB to check meaning and form if necessary - SS receive answer key and check their answers

Test #2 (2)- Semi-controlled writing practice (8-10 minutes) • To provide SS with writing practice in order to consolidate the TL

- Based on the controlled practice activity, SS write a similar a correspondence with a famous actor. Approx. 4 lines are required- SS write about their job, home/job location, their impressions of the actor, and where they would like to meet the actor. - SS peer check for grammatical error of form and meaning - T provides delayed error correction from monitoring

Free speaking practice (8-10 minutes) • To provide SS with an opportunity for further consolidation of the TL

-SS receive cards with names of famous people* -SS imagine that they are actually meeting these famous people. SS are free to speak. They can talk and ask each other about their lives. SS interact with at least one famous person (If time allows, T can signal SS to stop and move on to another famous person). T monitors the use of articles and corrects immediately. * some famous people's names are taken from the unassessed lesson where the "Whom am I " activity was played; others were written by SS after that same activity

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