PACE Lesson Checklist

To help you design the most effective PACE lesson, here is a handy checklist.

Be sure to:

o Choose a grammar point that is salient (i.e. obvious).

o Choose (or create) a story that contains many examples of the grammar
point.
o Integrate the target culture into the story!
o Go over key vocabulary words before you start (if necessary).
o Get students thinking about the theme of the story before you start.
o Make the story sound as natural as possible.
o Get students involved to make the storytelling interactive and fun!
o Use props, body language, actions, images, etc. to tell the story.
o Use language that is appropriate for the students' level.
o Carefully bring their attention to the grammar point after the Presentation
phase.
o Have the students work in pairs or small groups to figure out the grammar
rule.
o Give hints and suggestions as needed.
o Guide the students toward a co-constructed understanding of the grammar
rule.
o Maintain a constant theme for all of the activities in the lesson.
o Help students as needed, since the amount of assistance needed will vary
from student to student.
o Make learning interactive and fun.
o Create activities that allow students to focus on the meaning of the
grammar point.

Be sure NOT to:

o Choose a grammar point that is subtle (i.e. subjunctive) or arbitrary (i.e.

gender distinction of nouns).
o Recite or read the story in a monotone voice.
o Use language that is not appropriate for the students' level of proficiency.
o Include too many "exceptions to the rule" in your lesson.
o Lecture to the students.
o Give detailed explanations of the grammar rule without first letting them
explore it on their own.
o Make students work alone for the entire lesson.
o Include activities that have nothing to do with the theme of the Presentation
phase.
o Have students simply conjugate verbs or fill-in-blanks.
o Provide meaningless activities that focus more on form* (grammar) than on
meaning.