Functional Lesson Plan: Making Requests

Context: Adult intermediate ESL oral communication class

Objectives
1. Students will demonstrate ability to make requests in English.
2. Students will learn new vocabulary related to making requests.

I. Introductory activity
Teacher reviews vocabulary/key phrases used for the activity (getting a
ride from someone, go on vacation, chair)
Icebreaker activity and introduction of vocabulary:
Each student is given a slip of paper with a picture on it. Someone in the
class has a matching picture. Students must go around the class describing
their picture and asking about others pictures in order to find their
matching pair. (Pictures include things like a car, a vacation destination,
and a table and chairs. These pictures represent situations in which
students will have to make requests. This introductory activity requires
them to use vocabulary related to their picture that they will use in a role
playing activity later in the class.)
The teacher instructs the students to sit next to their newfound partner for
the rest of class.

II. Presentation of new material

The teacher introduces key phrases used in politely making requests,
granting requests, and politely denying requests.
Key phrases: Would you mind Would it be possible May I
The teacher points out recurring/common characteristics of these phrases
(conditional verb tenses, use of please, inclusion of explanation and/or
qualifiers, etc.) Class discussion about why these characteristics are
present (what they function as or accomplish).

III. Practice
Teacher led choral drills practicing these phrases.
Choral reading of a sample dialogue

IV. Communicative activities

Role playing exercise
To each pair, give a written out situation (e.g. for the pair with the pictures of
a table and chairs, the situation would be student A is someone in a restaurant
asking to use an extra chair at the table where student B is sitting). The
students will practice making requests according to the given situation. In the
first round, the requests are granted. In round 2, the students will practice
politely denying requests (and switch roles).
V. Closure
The teacher asks a few pairs to perform their role-play situation
(whichever version they prefer).
Reinforce ideas and key phrases
Tell students to pay attention to these ideas the next time they have to
make a request.