Exploring Strategic Competence
by Sarn Rich

- lesson plan - procedure

Stage 1 Listening
Establish contexts for dialogues. Raise interest. Form groups.
T-Ls 4 mins

1. Ls stand at table where cards stand, labelled 'office', 'kitchen', 'school', 'garage'.
2. Elicit what can be found at each place.
3. Ls listen and decide where the conversations are taking place, and grab the labelled cards when the conversations stop.

Stage 2 Writing words
Elicit words for use in stage 7.
L-L-L 3 mins

1. Ls form 3 groups, with whoever holds the cards.
2. Each group think of things they might find in that place, and when the music starts, start writingone thing on each piece of paper.
3. Ask how many they've written and collect them in.

Stage 3 Establishing aims
Establish aims of the lesson.
T-Ls 2 mins

1. Show appreciation of how many words the Ls have come out with, and point out that they don't reallyneed to speak Spanish as their English is so good.
Introduce 3 times when we've noticed their Spanish:
- When they're discussing a task
- When they don't know a word - When they're thinking

Stage 4 Language for discussing a task
Introduce language.
T-Ls, L-L 6 mins

1. To agree, disagree, express indecision, ask for opinions. Elicit one exponent of each and then ask Ls in pairs to list any others they can think of.
2. Listen to 1st conversation again and tick any theyhear which are on their lists.
3. Introduce others.
4. Drill.

Stage 5 Short discussions
Controlled oral practice.
T-Ls, L-L-L 7 mins

1. Show Ls 2 objects and introduce 'useful' and 'useless'.
2. Give each group a bag of other objects for them to categorise as 'useful' or 'useless' - using the exponents.

Stage 6 Language for paraphrasing
Introduce language. Reading and controlled writing practice.
L-L-L 15 mins

1. Return to the 2nd conversation (listening). Ls identify which of the 9 objects in front of them is mentioned. Elicit/give the giveaway sentence:
'It's something to cover food'.
2. Reveal 8 other sentences and give out labels for Ls to assign to the remaining objects. Reformulate 'it's something to cover food' to 'it's something for covering food'.
3. HO sentences on sheet for Ls to reformulate, write up and check.
4. Pron. and drill.

Stage 7 Paraphrasing language game
Semi-controlled oral practice.
L-L-L 15 mins

1. Redistribute the Ls' words and play game to practise language looked at so far.

Stage 8 Thinking noises and final phrases
Semi-controlled practice.
L-L-L (Depending on time)

1. Play last conversation again for Ls to identify thinking noises (fillers).
2. Game/speaking activity: Each group has a photocopied sheet of objects, and must consider how to describe them, then ask for the objects, using fillers and paraphrasing language, of other Ls, who fetch the originals.

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