Noha Fathi Noha Fathi

Use of the verb 'be' lesson
Beginner level

Description

In this lesson, students will be adults from the ages of 18-40 who are beginners who would like to learn speaking English. They have some basic knowledge of English but are enthusiastic to learn more, especially when it comes to English in a work context. They will learn about the different uses of the verb 'be' in expressing different things about themselves and others. I will start by speaking about myself through the use of 'be' with emphasis on the descriptions used ( I am a teacher, I am Egyptian, I am standing, I am happy). I will then put up a scenario of a new boy "Bill" who is new to a company and wants to get to know his colleagues better, and students will elicit this from a picture posted on the board. There will be a listening exercise of him introducing himself to the class and a question and answer session on the audio. I will then show different conjugations of the verb itself by creating a mix and match with different subjects and ask if they can connect them to the correct conjugation of 'be' (I am,you are, he is etc.) and focus on the different uses of this verb. After this, I will clarify the different uses of 'be' and the conjugation. There will then be a guided practice of asking them to underline the different forms of 'be' in a passage collectively on the board and explaining why it was used. Then, there will be pictures of people and animal and they will work in groups to elicit their characteristics with the use of the verb 'be'. After this there will be a freer practice of a role-play situation where two people want to get to know each other and using the verb 'be' with one another.

Materials

Abc Picture of Bill entering a new company
Abc Picture of different people and animals to be described
Abc Audio file and transcript
Abc Passage
Abc Visual aids
Abc Mix and match

Main Aims

  • To provide practice of the use of the verb 'be' in the context of when introducing oneself.
  • To provide clarification of the use of the verb 'be' in the context of going to a new school.

Subsidiary Aims

  • To provide review of the use of the verb 'be' in the context of when conjugating to a subject.

Procedure

Warmer/Lead-in (3-5 minutes) • To set lesson context and engage students

• Greet the students with the use of the verb 'be' placing emphasis on it's use (Today, I am very happy) and speaking about my self (I am Egyptian, I am a teacher). • Ask students how they are, encouraging them to use the verb be by flipping each statement about myself and asking them about themselves (I am a teacher, you are a...?) • Introduce Bill and explain his situation that he has gone to a new company and does not know anyone, asking for student feedback on how he must feel.

Exposure (8-10 minutes) • To provide context for the target language through a text or situation

• Start a listening exercise with an audio of Bill introducing him to his colleagues with the use of different forms of 'be'. • Use a transcription of the listening exercise up on the board with the different conjugations of 'be' to be filled by students. • Ask students to repeat Bill's statements in the form of 'I am...' through choral repetition by reading off the transcript. • Ask students to answer questions asked about Bill in the form of 'He is' through nomination.

Highlighting (2-4 minutes) • To draw students' attention to the target language

• Ask students what Bill used the verb 'be' for (location,nationality,name,age,physical description etc). • Ask students to express something about themselves using the verb 'be'.

Clarification (8-10 minutes) • To clarify the meaning, form and pronunciation of the target language

• Show different conjugations of the verb 'be' • Model then repeat. • Explain the different uses of the verb 'be' through visual aids. • Nominate students to use verb 'be' in a full sentence to express one thing about themself.

Controlled Practice (8-10 minutes) • To concept check and prepare students for more meaningful practice

• Use a passage on the board and ask them to find the different form of 'be' in the passage. • Ask students what 'be' was used to express after exercise is done.

Semi-Controlled Practice (8-10 minutes) • To concept check further and prepare students for free practice

• Place students in groups of 4 and hand out mix and match papers where students must match verbs with subjects. • Hand out another paper with pictures of people and animals and ask groups of 4 to describe the person in each picture using different forms of be.

Free Practice (8-10 minutes) • To provide students with free practice of the target language

• Split students into pairs and ask them to role-play situation where they are strangers getting to know each other. • Provide feedback.

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