New lesson plan: Past Simple, Past Continuous, used to

Anna Kuznetsova

Past Simple, Past Continuous, used to - Pre-intermediate level

Past Simple, Past Continuous, used to
Pre-intermediate level

Description

In this lesson, students will learn how to talk about past actions, processes, and states using Past Simple, Past Continuous, and used to. The lesson starts with a discussion of childhood. This is followed by reading for gist where students read the text and match the information with people. Next, there is an activity for controlled practice and freer practice where students talk about their past.

Materials

Text

10 sentences to identify mistakes

Text

10 sentences to identify mistakes

Main Aims

By the end of the lesson students will have been able to talk about past states, processes and habits, using Past Simple, Past Continuous and used to

Subsidiary Aims

By the end of the lesson students will have practiced their speaking skills by talking about past states, processes and habits

Procedure (35-47 minutes)

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

Students have got the set of adjectives. They have to choose the ones which describe them as a child.

Exposure (6-8 minutes) • To provide context for the target language through a text or situation

Students read the text and match people with the questions. When they finish reading, they compare answers in groups. After that, the teacher elicits the correct answers

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

Students are asked to look in the text again and find highlighted verbs. The teacher pays students attention to that they have to choose the correct form of the verb, sometimes both answers are possible. Students first work individually, after that, they compare their answers in groups/pairs, and the teacher monitors for correct answers. The teacher elicits the correct answers from the whole class.

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

The teacher elicits the difference among three forms: Past Simple, Past Continuous, and used to. The teacher checks positive, negative, question forms, drills the pronunciation.

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

Students have 10 sentences with target grammar structures. They work individually and identify which forms are used correctly, and which forms are used in a wrong way. When they finish, first, they compare answers in pairs/groups. After that, the teacher shows the correct answers. The teacher gives feedback on students' mistakes.

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

Students work individually and write posts about their past habits similar to those they read in the text, using target grammar structures. Students have a time limit of 4 minutes. The teacher monitors for correct use of grammar. After that, students work in groups, read their posts to each other discuss how much they have changed. The teacher monitors and then gives students feedback on their use of grammar forms.