Key subject: TEACHING ENGLISH GRAMMAR

Full name: NGUYEN THU A

Course date: 09 -14 May 2022

Table of contents

I. KEY POINTS FOR TEACHING ENGLISH GRAMMAR

1. Defining and understanding key grammar points
2. Key parts of speech
3. Approaches to grammar
4. Traditional grammar
5. History of English grammar
6. Use of appropriate grammar
7. Universal grammar
8. Structural grammar
9. Teaching explicit grammar
10. Practical conclusions
11. Krashen’s Theory
12. Chomsky’s Universal Language Theory
13. Vygotsky’s Social Development Theory
14. Appropriate activities for teaching grammar
15. Community language skills
16. Total Physical Response
17. Activities teaching grammar and incorporating other skills 18.
Understanding idioms and slang
19. Use of idioms for grammar and storytelling
20. Activities for retention of prepositions
21. Controlled and free tasks
 II. LESSON PLANS

III. RELEVANT ACTIVITIES

I. KEY POINTS FOR TEACHING ENGLISH GRAMMAR

1. Defining and understanding key grammar points

Grammar is the foundation for all of our writing and speaking in English. Having a solid
foundation makes it easier to achieve fluency. Native speakers can benefit from a refresher on
English grammar basics, which they may have forgotten over time. Refreshing the basics is one
way to help break bad habits in writing.

Nouns, pronouns, articles, adjectives, adverbs, verb: to be, action verbs, imperative: commands,
verb forms: to be, to have, to like, simple present, present continuous, possessive, preposition (at)
+ place, question words: what, where are the important grammatical points for beginner level
pupils.

When there are still certain essential grammatical points like nouns, adjectives, adverbs, present
continuous, action verbs, and imperative:command, the key grammar points for upper-beginning
level are similar to those for beginner level. However, students will focus on nouns with plurals
and singulars, irregular/regular plurals, the structure to be + plural/singular, more nouns regarding
places, and questions to ask about nouns such as "How many/how much?" Students study the
structure of an inquiry when learning about the present continuous.Adjectives, adverbs,
prepositions, action verbs, and imperative: instructions are still taught, but with a larger
vocabulary. Contractions, time: at, structural preposition (to) + place, everyday routines verbs,
question words: Who? When? Where?, past tense, future tense, and can to make invitations or
indicate ability are also important grammar aspects to learn.

Comparative is one of the new key grammar points for pre-intermediate grammar. Other key
grammar points are the same as at the upper-beginner level, including contractions, adjectives,
adverbs, prepositions, time: at, action verbs, verbs about daily routines, question words: Who?
When? Where, present continuous, past tense, future tense, can to make invitations or express
ability to review and provide more vocabulary

In comparison to the previous level, the intermediate level's essential grammatical points are
completely new. Conjunctions, modal verbs, polite requests, phrasal verbs, collocations, past
continuous, future continuous, and present perfect tenses are among the topics covered.
Idiom, passive voice, report speech, past perfect, and present perfect continuous are the key
grammar points for upper intermediate level, which are more difficult and complex. Phrasal verbs
are the sole grammar point that is repeated in this level.

When learning English, the best level to achieve is advanced level. Phrasal verbs, past perfect
continuous, future perfect continuous, and relative clauses are the only four main grammar
principles that students must master at this level.

2. Key parts of speech

In English grammar, the eight major parts of speech are noun, pronoun, adjective, verb, adverb,
preposition, conjunction, and interjection.

The easy way to remember nouns is that they refer to people, places, or things. Even intangible or
abstract concepts like ideas or thoughts are things. For example: Pencil is a thing, boy is for a
person and zoo is a place.

Pronouns are words that replace nouns: I, me, she, we, they, who, that, yours, his, her,
etc.Pronouns need antecedents. That means that the thing (or person, or place) that the pronoun
refers to needs to have been mentioned already by name somewhere earlier in the sentence or
paragraph. If it’s not clear which thing the pronoun refers to, the reader can get quite confused.

I swam in the ocean. You swam in the ocean. He swam in the ocean. She swam in the ocean. It
swam in the ocean.

Adjectives are descriptive words that add detail to a sentence. They can give important or
necessary information (e.g., Please hand me the blue paper), or they can just make the sentence
more interesting (e.g. A frigid wind blew around the icy town). Adjectives describe nouns. Please
sew the red dress. The weather is hot and humid . The stuffed toy is fuzzy and round .

Verbs are action words: that’s a rather simplified explanation, but it’s the clearest one. Verbs tell
you what the subject of the sentence is up to.

He ran into the wall. She buys new shoes. The cat licks its fur.

Adverbs describe verbs, adjectives, or even a whole sentence. Adverbs often end with the suffix -
ly (for example, badly, hungrily), but some look the same as their adjective forms (for example,
the word fast is used as both an adjective and adverb).
Prepositions are little words that tell where or when (among other things) something is. The
monkey is on his back. The glue is behind the board. The dreamcatcher is above the bed.

Conjunctions are words like and, but, and or that connect concepts, clauses, or parts of sentences.

I wanted to meet her there on time, but I got stuck in traffic. You can’t wear socks and sandals.

Interjections are words like wow and yay. They’re sounds we make to convey extreme emotion or
to create emphasis when we’re talking, sometimes when we can’t think of a good way to express
ourselves. The problem with interjections is that they require a great deal of context to be
understood. For instance, hey can mean hello, or that’s great, or stop doing that. Hey! How’s it
going? Wow! Those fireworks are impressive. Yay! I passed calculus!

Verbs come in past, present, and future tenses. The past is used to describe things that have
already happened (e.g., earlier in the day, yesterday, last week, three years ago). The present tense
is used to describe things that are happening right now, or things that are continuous. The future
tense describes things that have yet to happen (e.g., later, tomorrow, next week, next year, three
years from now).

Past tense: I lived here when I was ten. Present tense: I live here now. Future tense I will live there
when I am retired.

Singular subjects take singular verbs and plural subjects take plural verbs.

(In this example, the subject is in bold and the verbs are italicized.)

My brother is a doctor. My parents are yoga teachers.

When a pronoun replaces a noun, the noun is called an antecedent. On Michael’s first day of
work, he was a little nervous. Michael is the antecedent and he is the pronoun.The antecedent
doesn’t have to go before the pronoun, but in longer sentences it can be confusing to introduce the
pronoun before the antecedent. On his first day of work, Michael was a little nervous.

The subjunctive is a form verbs can take to express conditions that are hypothetical or not true.
It’s not a verb tense. The subjunctive form usually uses the third-person form of the verb with the
‑s dropped. When using the verb “to be” in the subjunctive, the present tense is be and the past
tense is were.
The subjunctive is used with certain expressions that imply a good or bad quality or an imperative.
Often, the subjunctive verb is preceded by the word that (as in the phrases “it is best that,” and “it
is essential that”).

3. Approaches to grammar

There are three main approaches that are suggested in the TESOL classroom.

The first is communicative approach is incorporating two other language skills: Speaking and
listening activities to show or practice a grammar point in a lesson.

The second is task based approach is to assign students tasks to complete jointly, such as creating
a dialogue to practice a grammar point.

The last one is student-centered approach. When using this strategy, the lesson is tailored to the
requirements of the students and might emerge naturally when the students engage in activities
that address those needs.

Another strategy that a teacher can use while teaching grammar is to allow students to participate
in activities that are related to the grammatical point that they will learn in the session. The
teacher demonstrates the form but does not go through the grammar issue in depth. Following the
task, the grammatical rule will be carefully taught so that the students understand how to apply it.

4. Traditional grammar

Traditional grammar refers to the type of grammar study that existed before the advent of modern
linguistics and was mostly based on Latin concepts. It is a branch of grammar that focuses on the
structure and construction of words and sentences rather than the meanings and sounds of the
sentences.

Traditional grammar was known to start over 2000 years ago an have grammars from the classical
period of Greek, India, Rome, the Middles Ages, the Renaissance, the 18th and 19th. The grammar
made in this tradition shows the prescriptive perspective that a diaclect and the diversity of the
language is considered more highly than the others. It focuses on the rules for correct usage of
grammar and it is considered the norm for all English speakers all over the world.

Traditional grammar is criticized for being insufficient because many of the rules are simplistic
and are not always followed. Traditional grammars were founded on the standards utilized by the
greatest poets and orators. The best poets and speakers of today, on the other hand, do not write
their masterpieces according to classical grammar norms.

Traditional grammar is still found in every level of the classroom, in the textbook as a guide for
teachers to teach the students, despite linguistics' opinion that it is no longer a scientific means to
acquire grammar and language. The words and definitions of grammar terminology, as well as the
forms and proper usages of punctuation, spelling, and word choice, are all listed in a traditional
grammar book. Traditional Latin-based grammar is still widely used and preferred to instruct
pupils today.

5. History of English grammar

English grammar first started when the early English grammar book called “Pamphlet of
Grammar” was written by William Bullokar in 1586. The basis for William Bullokar’s work was
taken from a Latin Grammar book call “Rudimenta Grammatices” by William Lily published in
1534. King Henry VIII proposed the use of Lily’s grammar to teach English grammar in 1542.
Bulkor’s grammar was considered to be adapted from “Reform spelling system” in 16th century in
England. In 1685, the first English grammar written in Latin language “Grammatica Linguae
Angelicance" was written by Christopher Cooper. E

In the early 17th century, the development of English grammar concentrated primarily on the
tradition. The importance of using English grammar played an essential role in commercialization,
trading with western countries. The use of the “Grammar writing” was initiated at that time.
Because England is an important place of commerce and trading, means for learning English
including English grammar increased in Europe and a number of techniques to improve grammar
skills through speaking and writing were spreaded in European countries in the mid-17th century.
In 1711, “A grammar of the English Tongue” by John Brightland and “Essay towards a Practical
Grammar Usage” by James Greenwood were published. Both books focused on the position of
nglish grammar in Latin countries. In the late 17th century, it is recorded that 16 new grammars
based on the “Pamphlet of Grammar” were created and 270 grammar titles were added.

In the early 19th century, 900 about the importance of grammar in English language were issued.
In 1848, "The People's Grammar: English Grammar Difficulties for the Million" was written by
war Shelly to give information for who wants to gain in-depth knowledge about how to develop
grammatical skills form English. In 1848, "A Grammar of the English Language: In a Series of
Letters" about the importance of developing grammatical skill in learning language for students,
soldiers, sailors and young people. In the late 19th century, a famous writer Linly Murray
mentioned the role of “Grammatical Arthritis” in progressing in using English European and
Western countries. Based on Murray’s perspective, the use of Latin in clarifying English grammar
is different from the Ancient Greek one.

6. Use of appropriate grammar

To communicate more effectively and exactly, it is critical to employ proper language. When a
statement is not meaningful, incorrect grammar can make it difficult to communicate with others.
They can still figure out what a person is saying when they employ an improper grammatical
sentence, although it can sometimes lead to a muddled speech. For example, if a person employs
incorrect grammar to describe what happened, it may come out as "I shall eat 2 eggs yesterday,"
leaving the listener unsure whether she is describing what happened yesterday or what will
happen in the future.

The listeners can also be led astray by erroneous grammatical statements that have a completely
different meaning. When you say, "I only walk from my house to school," you're implying that
you never ride or take another mode of transportation to get to school. "I walk exclusively from
my house to school," you should state if you wish to communicate that your only route is from
your house to school. When people use "only" in the improper context, it causes confusion among
others.

For children, it is very important to learn how to use appropriate grammar so that when they learn
writing, they are able to express their thoughts and ideas clearly in the written form. When they
understand grammar well, they can apply it to write school essays, job applications and it brings
good impressions that the one who can write to express themselves clearly with correct grammar
is highly educated.

7. Universal grammar

Universal grammar is usually credited to Noam Chomsky. The universal grammar idea holds that
humans are born with the ability to learn languages. Since it was first assumed, the definition of
universal grammar has evolved greatly. It is connected to generative grammar, and universal
grammar states that certain characteristics of language structure are universal. It indicates that all
languages in the world have a set of atomic grammatical categories that are encoded in the human
brain from birth. According to universal grammar, all languages have some common rules about
categories and relations, allowing speakers to communicate using a specific set of rules using
infinitive methods.

8. Structural grammar

Between 1930 and 1950, structural grammar was established, with Ferdinand de Saussure being
credited with being the originator of the analysis. It is a method of studying grammar, particularly
syntax, by examining the links between sentence elements such as morphemes, phonemes,
phrases, and clauses. It is stated that the interaction between the sentence's pieces is more essential
than each one alone.

According to the structural grammar analysis, the arrangement of early elements in a sentence
creates the straightforward meaning of a sentence. Therefore, structural grammar is the essential
part to understand the meaning of a sentence. Thanks to the proper structural grammar, people can
communicate with each other effectively without confusion, misunderstanding. It plays an
important role in bringing people together.

9. Teaching explicit grammar

Explicit grammar instruction is the most common method in traditional grammar instruction,
which mostly employs a grammar translation approach. It is a teaching style in which pupils are
required to concentrate on grammatical rules in order to utilize language correctly and efficiently.
Many Asian countries, such as China, India, and Vietnam, use this teaching style to teach English
as a second language. Its goal is to assist students in mastering grammar by focusing on
memorization of grammatical rules, awareness of grammar usage, and controllability.

The explicit grammar method has both advantages and disadvantages. Explicit grammar
instruction helps students learn grammar more deeply and become more conscious of using proper
syntax whether speaking or writing. The grammar ideas are also better understood by the kids.
Students may lose interest in learning English if the teacher just concentrates on teaching
grammar and does not combine other skill tasks. Students aren't given enough chances to put what
they've learned into practice through spontaneous speech.

10. Practical conclusions

Grammar, according to Chomky, is a tool for creating the structure needed to use and comprehend
not only one language but also others. As a result, learning grammar is critical to comprehending
how a language functions. Explicit grammar instruction, on the other hand, does not always
provide enough opportunities for students to communicate. It might also make students bored and
frustrated when they are learning English.

In the early 20th century, the theory of Jesperson, that grammar should be studied through
communicative actions rather than analyzing written sources, has gained a lot of traction. This
approach is also backed by Krashen's theory, which believes that it is necessary to learn a
language through using it in a natural, conversational environment without thinking about it.

On the other hand, relying solely on implicit teaching grammar has its own difficulties, such as
the fact that, while learners may be excellent at spontaneous speaking, they are unaware of their
errors and are unable to correct them because they lack knowledge of the grammatical rules.
Furthermore, several grammatical elements, such as determiners (a/an/the), prepositions (in, on,
at, by, for, from, of), auxiliaries (do, be, have), intensifiers (some, any, few, more, too),
interrogations, and modal verbs, may be difficult for L2 English learners to understand even in
context. Therefore, the students still need to notice grammar when using them and the teacher
should utilize both implicit and explicit methodologies and other approaches which depend on
age, learning styles and intelligence strength. For example, young learners should acquire
language naturally through communication activities while adults can gain great benefits from
more “formal” language learning.

11. Krashen’s theory

Krashen’s theory which is a widely known and accepted theory of second language acquisition
has 5 main hypotheses: acquisition learning style hypothesis, monitor hypothesis, input
hypothesis, affective filter hypothesis and natural order hypothesis.

The acquisition learning style hypothesis shows the difference between two systems of second
language performance “the acquire system” and the “learn system”. “Learn system” or “learning”
is when the students have a formal instruction and aware of absorbing the knowledge about the
language for example knowledge about the grammar rules use in language while “acquire system”
or “acquisition” is a process when a person acquire a language through natural communication,
focusing more on communication act rather than the form of the sentences used. It is similar to the
process when children acquire their first language. According to Krashen, to learn a second
language, “acquisition” learning style which is the student-centered setting is more important than
“learning” learning style which is the teacher-centered.
The monitor hypothesis presents the relationship between acquisition and learning, how learning
affects acquisition. “Acquisition” according to Krashen's theory acts as the utterance initiator and
“learning” has the role as “monitor”. The role of “learning” which is monitor is considered to be
minor to make the normal speech to become more compelt.

Based on the monitor uses, there are different groups of language learners: over-users who
monitor all the time, under-users who have not learnt about the language or do not want to use
conscious knowledge and optimal users who monitor when it is appropriate and do not affect
communication. Generally, extroverts are the under-users, introverts, perfectionists or people who
are not confident, scared of making mistakes are over-users.

The input hypothesis acknowledges how people can acquire a second language. Acquisition, not
learning, is related to the input hypothesis knowledge. According to the theory, people can
develop language skills through natural order if they are given comprehensive input which is a
little beyond where they are now. From this hypothesis, it is predicted that the classroom provides
the comprehensive input for people to acquire a second language when the teacher communicates
with the students in the target language all the time.

The affective filter hypothesis represents that some affective variables include motivation, self-
confidence, personal characteristics and anxiety can affect a second language acquisition process.
The people with low motivation, lack of self-confidence and introverted ones can raise an
effective filter which obstructs them to gain comprehensive input for language acquisition. On the
other hand, people with high motivation, confidence and extroverts can be more likely to succeed
in acquiring a language.

The natural order hypothesis explains that the acquiring process of grammatical structures follows
a natural order that can be predicted. People can acquire some grammatical structures sooner than
the others. The order that the people in different age groups, L1 background and condition of
exposure acquire are similar.

12. Chomky’s Univrersal Languagre theory

Linguist Noam Chomky proposed a revolutionary in the 1960s. People are born with the natural
ability to learn grammar, which is the foundation for all language gains, according to his view.

As can be observed, the capacity to walk after a length of time is both instinctive and learned,
distinguishing humans from their genetic cousins. All children are born with the ability to walk,
but without instruction and practice, they will not be able to walk properly. Chomky also believed
that acquiring language is similar to walking since people are born with a fundamental
understanding of grammar, which is the underlying mechanism of language.

13. Vygotsky’s Social development theory

According to Vygotsky, social interaction has a significant impact on cognitive development. All
functions in a child's cultural development occur at two times, according to the theory. It appears
for the first time on a social level, between people (interpsychological), and then on an individual
level, within the child (intrapsychological). The interaction between individuals is the root of all
higher functions.

Based on Vygotsky’s idea, a child's cognitive growth is influenced by the "zone of proximal
development" (ZP), which is a degree of development that a kid can accomplish with the help of
the society. It can be demonstrated that development achieved under adult supervision or peer
collaboration is invariably greater than development achieved individually. As a result, it is
critical for a child's cognitive development to optimize social connection within the home and
with knowledgeable persons in the community, such as adults and peers.

Consciousness, according to Vygotsky, is the last product of socialization. Children, for example,
use speech to communicate, but as they gain cognitive awareness, they become internalized and
generate inner speech.

14. Appropriate activities for teaching grammar

TPR adverbs game: “Run quickly, speak slowly” is a basic TPR commands game when students
are able to use their body language and prevent them from sitting on their seats all the time during
the lesson. This activity is suitable for people who are just starting out. The teacher first calls out a
verb, followed by the verb with the adverb, and the pupils must perform the activities that
correspond to the verb and adverb they have heard. The pupils take turns standing in front of the
class and issuing commands to the other students. The students can make their own verbs and
adverbs, or the teacher can prepare two sets of cards, one for adverbs and the other for verbs, from
which the students can choose.

Tutti Fruitti is a fantastic tool for pupils in the upper beginning to intermediate levels who want to
practice the grammatical concepts they've learned. A set of word cards with an alphabet letter on
each card has been developed. Before the game begins, the teacher chooses a letter at random, and
the students write as many words as they can beginning with that letter under one of the categories
that they have created on their own. Each category is associated with a grammatical term.
Students might be organized into teams to create a class competition.

Noughts and crosses is a fun game for intermediate students that is similar to Tic Tac Toe but can
be played in pairs. If a student chooses noughts or crosses, he or she must correctly answer the
question for the square they are placing. The questions on each square are related to the grammar
principles that the students have learned and are practicing, such as "what is the verb in the
sentence?" Every day, the boy goes to school."

Fashion parade is a beginner-level adjective practice game. A "catwalk" is set up in the classroom,
with pupils dressed in a variety of colors and styles. If the pupils wear uniforms, various
accessories such as hats, scarves, gloves, and belts should be available. To begin, the teacher
walks down the catwalk, pointing to their item of clothing or footwear, and saying a fast phrase
about it while pointing to it with an adjective and garment worn as an example. After that, each
student gets a turn walking down the catwalk and imitating the teacher.

What she's wearing is similar to a fashion show, except that the students just walk down the
runway, while the others describe what they're wearing in the present continuous tense. "Thu is
dressed in a white shirt, black pants, brown shoes, and a pink scarf," for example. Pupils can
recollect what everyone wore in the past tense as though they were in a news report to practice
simple past for intermediate level students.

Finishing sentences is a review practice for intermediate and upper-level students. Students are
instructed to take a piece of blank paper and dictate on it. The students then pay attention to the
teacher and take notes on what he or she says. They will be given a portion of a statement, and it
will be up to them to complete the sentence using their own words. The teacher can go around and
assist the kids, but she does not correct their statements. Two or three pupils are picked to read
their sentences aloud. It is possible to collect the sentences that the pupils have produced for the
purpose of assessment.

Picture dictation: The barrier game is similar to picture dictation, but it is more difficult and
appropriate for intermediate students because students must describe the image without
prompting. The class is divided into three groups of three students, each of whom is given a
photograph that cannot be seen by the others. This person is responsible for instructing others on
how to draw a picture that looks exactly like the one they have. When the timer stops and the
photo is displayed, the team with the most similar image to the original will be declared the
winner.

Listening for mistakes is a tense practice assignment for intermediate students. The teacher reads
aloud a story with 5 mistakes in each paragraph, and the students who know how many mistakes
they must identify pay attention. The teacher then repeats the story, pausing at the conclusion of
each sentence to ask the pupils whether they notice any errors. The teacher can also give the
pupils a copy of the story and instruct them to detect and rectify any errors.

Creating a sentence or a tale is a fun activity for students at all levels, from intermediate to
advanced. To begin, each pupil will require a sheet of paper. Second, the teacher writes some
words on the board and instructs the pupils to finish the sentence in the correct form. Students
work independently for a few minutes, then raise their hands if they believe they have completed
an intriguing statement that they would like to share with the class. Students are urged to compose
as many sentences as possible. Higher-level pupils can even write their own short stories,
complete with who, what, when, where, how, and why.

Students can work in pairs with classmates they are familiar with to practice tag questions at the
upper intermediate level. Using question tags, each student prepares tense distinct questions based
on what they know about their companion. The teacher can then wander about and observe the
pupils while they are asking each other questions.

Make a Match is a good task for upper-intermediate students who want to practice conditional
statements. The if clause and the conditional clause are the two parts of a sentence, and each part
is presented to each student in the class.Then, they have to walk around and share their
information to each other to find their partners with the correct half of the sentence which have
suitable meaning and grammatical correct when putting them together. The teacher can also
practice the other grammar points when using this activity.

15. Community language skill

Community language learning is a teaching method for monolingual conversation classes in

which the teacher serves as a counselor and the students serve as clients. This method is entirely
centered on the learner, and English is used to interact between students and students, as well as
between students and the teacher. Students are encouraged to communicate and assist one another
in the spirit of a supportive community. The teacher's role is limited to observing and assisting
students as needed. Although the students have signed the lesson content, it still needs to go
through a few steps to be effective.

Reflection is the first step. The pupils sit in a circle to create a community atmosphere. In the
center of the circle, a tape recorder is placed. It is now time for students to consider what they will
share with their classmates. Before recording, they can have a brainstorming session. The talk is
then recorded in the second stage. The students will utilize the microphone to record their
speeches once they have decided what they want to present. The others then continue to answer
until the entire dialogue has been captured. The next step is to have a talk. The students can talk
about how the conversation went and how they feel about using microphones at this point, and the
discussion will not be recorded. Transcription is the next stage. The entire class listens to the
recording and transcripts their chat, with the teacher only assisting when the kids request it.
Language analysis is the final step. The students consider the tense, vocabulary, and why they
were chosen for the discourse.

When learners are able to work together, community language learning helps them overcome their
anxiety of speaking. When employing community language learning, the class transforms into a
true community. Students are more aware of their peers and have a better understanding of their
strengths and weaknesses. Students can use this strategy to practice all four language skills.

16. Total Physical Response

Total bodily reaction is a teaching method that is particularly well suited to lower-level students,
particularly children. It combines listening and physical activities to assist learners in learning a
language, such as grammar and vocabulary. "Simon says" is a popular game that employs a total
physical response strategy. After listening to the teacher's directions, all of the kids in the class
must act on what they have heard only when the teacher says "Simon says." The children do not
obey the teacher's instructions if he or she does not say "Simon says." It's a strategy to assist
students improve their listening skills and vocabulary while also allowing them to participate in
class and enjoy themselves.

17. Activities teaching grammar and incorporating other skills

Yes-No activity is a practice game for beginners and upper beginners. Questions with a yes/no
answer The class is divided into three groups, each with two students interviewing one student
using solely Yes-No questions to elicit three "yes" and three "no" responses from the interviewee.
The pupils take turns asking questions. Students can develop speaking and listening skills while
practicing Yes-No questions with this game.

Micrologue is an excellent practice for advanced students since it integrates a variety of language
skills such as listening, speaking, pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar. Students work in
small groups to write short stories using vocabulary and grammar learned in class. During the
time spent working in groups, students will debate with one another how to choose a character and
the story's content. It allows children to develop speaking and listening skills. Students can be
given pictures to work with as suggestions. They can share and act out the stories in class after
they've created them to practice pronunciation.

There is a game called picture dictation for upper beginner level students to practice simple
present and present continuous tense. It differs from standard dictation in that the last person to
receive information from the others must sketch what she or he has heard. The pupils are
separated into teams and handed a white sheet of paper for each team. The teacher explains that
all pupils in a team, with the exception of one who must draw a scene based on what he or she has
heard from the other team members, will listen to the teacher describe a scene. Students can
improve their listening and speaking skills by playing this game since they must listen to the
teacher, as well as the team members, who must recount what the teacher describes. When pupils
are drawing, they are not permitted to peek at the papers of the other teams. Finally, when
students are satisfied with their work, they can hand it over to the teacher to be double-checked.
The winning team will be the one that can correctly identify the image in the shortest amount of
time. To improve student speaking time, the kids can repeat the sentence to the teacher, who will
then draw it on the board.

For upper beginning to intermediate pupils, the teacher can use biography exchange to practice
adverbs of frequency. To begin, the teacher presents various frequency adverb examples, such as
"I always get up at 8 o'clock." Second, one student is asked to respond to a question with the
phrase "How often?" Finally, five to ten pupils in the class are asked specific questions regarding
their daily routine. The pupils who have not been questioned then report on what their classmates
have said in response to the teacher's question such as “Does Nguyet always get up at 8 o’clock?,
How often does Nguyet does her homework?”. After working in pairs to ask each other questions
on activities in the given table using adverbs of frequency, certain students are invited to share
their partner's information with the rest of the class. When students work in pairs and ask their
partners certain given questions using conditional sentences, the teacher can adapt the biography
exchange activity to practice conditional sentences, which is ideal for upper-intermediate level. As
can be seen, the activity incorporates speaking and listening when the students are requested to
work in pairs and report back on what they have learned about their companions by the teacher.

There are many other activities that can incorporate other language skills that the teacher uses for
the class.

18. Understanding idioms and slangs

Idioms are words whose meanings change from the meanings of the individual words that make
up the phrase. For example, the expression "a piece of cake" means "simple to do." Individual
words such as "piece" and "cake" are easily understood, but the statement "simple to do" is not.
Because native speakers utilize a lot of idioms in their speech, it might be difficult for nonnative
speakers to understand them. As a result, students should be exposed to more English in order to
understand more idioms.

Slangs are informal words that should only be used among friends or family members and should
not be used in a formal setting such as a classroom or when conversing with elderly people.
Slangs differ according to geography and culture. People may use "look, scrutinize, watch" in an
academic setting, but "check it out" when speaking with their friends.

19. Use of idioms for grammar and storytelling

Idioms are a lot of fun to teach and learn, and they will help students speak and listen more like
native speakers.

The teacher can use pictures to help students comprehend idioms for grammar. Students will find
an image that playfully depicts the literal meaning of the idioms amusing. The students can then
guess the meanings of the idioms as the teacher explains the meanings and gives examples of how
to utilize them. Learning idioms through dialogue is an effective technique to understand how to
use them in everyday situations. Small groups are formed in the class. Students can first guess the
meanings of the idioms before looking up the true meanings.They explain to the others what the
idioms mean. It is also preferable to teach idioms using a theme in order for students to grasp the
meanings of the idioms. The idioms with weather team, for example, should be taught
simultaneously. It is critical to teach only a few idioms rather than a long list of phrases in order
for students to understand and retain them.
When teaching idioms, students benefit from using stories to help them learn and remember the
meanings. The entire class is read a short story, and the students discuss the meanings of the
phrases. It not only allows students to acquire idioms in a story environment, but it also allows
them to practice reading skills.

20. Activities for retention of preposition

The students are said to be able to retain 20% of what they hear. The proportion for second
language learners is much lower than 20%, however the teacher can boost the retention percentage
to 20% by encouraging pupils to participate in the learning process. Students should be given as
many opportunities to practice as possible in order to improve their listening comprehension.
Allowing children to listen to and recite the prepositions, creating discourse, and playing games,
for example. According to Simon, it's a fun way to improve your listening skills.The teacher gives
the command starting with “Simon says…” and the students have to follow the actions but when
the teacher does not say “Simon says” the students do not follow. If the students cannot act as the
teacher commands or act when the teacher does not say “Simon says” they will be the one who
gives the commands.

When children learn from what they observe, it is believed that their memory will improve by
30%. As a result, realias should be used to teach vocabulary such as prepositions. Otherwise,
flashcards, mind maps, or other word-and-picture-based materials can be used. Some students
may benefit from individual work, and it is a good idea to review prepositions through reading-
based exercises, but the teacher must remember that the goal is to review rather than give new
information to help students recall the lesson.

One of the most popular activities for practicing preposition is a scavenger hunt. Scavenger hunts
can be played outside or, if the classroom is large enough, inside. The pupils are separated into
four to five groups, and certain clues are created and placed in various locations. The kids are
given the first clue, and they must find the next locations to collect the other clues until they can
find the treasure. The team that locates the prize in the quickest amount of time wins.

21. Control and free task

A free assignment is a stage in a class where students can practice what they've learned in the
lesson in an unrestricted way. Bats, role plays, class surveys, and presentations are all examples of
free tasks. A controlled task is an activity that needs a precise solution to practice a specific
grammatical point in a limited setting, such as gap fill exercises, crossword puzzles, reordering
words, or matching sentences to the corresponding pictures. Both of these activities are important
parts of practicing English; controll tasks are used to reinforce students' mastery of certain
grammar issues, while free tasks are used to allow students to play with language and grammar
without providing right answers.

REFERENCES:

https://www.lawyerment.com/library/articles/Reference_and_Education/Languages/5995.htm

Using Grammar - Kid Sense Child Development

Importance of Correct Grammar (theclassroom.com)

Universal grammar | linguistics | Britannica

What is Structural Grammar? (with pictures) (infobloom.com)

Microsoft Word - 2.Explicit Grammar and Implicit Grammar Teaching for English Major
Students in University.doc (davidpublisher.com)

Grammar Teaching: Implicit or Explicit? - Eslbase.com

Stephen Krashen's Theory of Second Language Acquisition (sk.com.br)

Noam Chomsky’s Theory Of Universal Grammar Is Right; It's Hardwired Into Our Brains
(medicaldaily.com)

Social Development Theory (Lev Vygotsky) - InstructionalDesign.org

Community language learning | TeachingEnglish | British Council | BBC

Slang and Idioms (saylordotorg.github.io)

4 Simple Retention Tricks Th at Will Help Your Students Remember 90% Of What You Teach In
Class (busyteacher.org)

TESOL Glossary: Controlled Practice and Free Practice (tesolcourse.com)

Australian International TESOL Manual book

Australian International TESOL Exam preparation book

II. LESSON PLAN

LESSON PLAN 1 (45 minutes)

LESSON PLAN
Topic: Past continuous tense

Level: Intermediate

Length: 45 minutes

Age: 15-18 years old

Language Skills: Speaking, reading, writing, listening, vocabulary, grammar

TESOL Methodology: Task based, grammar translation, communicative, eclectic approach

Lesson Objectives: Students will be able to understand the form and use of the past
continuous tense by the end of the lesson.

Resources: Board, markers/ chalks, white and pink paper, handouts,

worksheets

Stage Activity Description Resource Timing

Warm up Board race . On the board, the teacher writes the Board, 2 5 minutes
name of the game as well as a list of markers/
present simple tense verbs and greets the chalks
pupils.

. The students are divided into two groups

and asked to form two lines in front of the
board.

. Teacher briefly explains the rule: When

two team members receive the command,
they each go to the board and write the
 verbs in the past simple tense as quickly
as they can. The team that completes the
task the fastest and with the most correct
past tense verbs wins. To enhance the
amount of time students spend speaking,
after they have done, the entire class reads
out the verbs on the board and determines
which team is the winner.

. Teacher checks understanding by asking

some questions (What kind of words do
you need to write on the board? Can you
all come to the board to write?)

. Teacher does a demo

. Teacher starts the activity

Pre-task . When playing board race, the teacher 1 minute

asks the kids what tense they have
reviewed, and the pupils may say past
tense.

. Teacher asks “What are you doing?” and

the students may answer “We are
studying”

. The teacher introduces the topic that the

class will be learning today: past
continuous tense.

Teaching 1 Past . The teacher introduces the past Board, 8 minutes

continuous continuous tense form by writing "My markers
tense form mother was cooking at 6.30 pm yesterday"
on the board.

. Teacher and the students analyze the

structure of the sentence (was: past tense
of to be, cooking: Verb-ing). To make a
sentence in the past continuous tense, we
 use verb to be in the past tense and verb-
ing.

. Teacher asks the students to make

examples.

. The teacher uses the past continuous

tense to ask several questions about the
students' examples. For instance, if a
student says, "My mother was watching
TV at 7 p.m. last night," the teacher will
inquire, "What was your mother doing at
7 p.m. last night?" The pupils then pose
questions in the past continuous tense.

Task 1 Biography . Teacher prepares copies of the paper Handouts 7 minutes

exchange with a table below (1/student)

Time Partner

(Name:……)

9:00 am yesterday

12:00 am yesterday

5:00 pm yesterday

8:00 last night

10:00 last night

. Teacher asks one student a question

using past continuous tense like “What
were you doing at 5:30 pm yesterday?”

. The teacher uses the past continuous

tense to ask students similar questions.

. Teacher asks if some students have not

been asked to report what they have heard
about their classmates. For example:
 “What was Nam doing at 5:30 pm
yesterday?” “Was Nam having dinner at
5:30 pm yesterday?”

. The teacher distributes the handouts to

the students and instructs them to work in
pairs, asking their partners past
continuous tense questions. Students
record information about their
relationships on paper.

. Some students are invited to share their

partners’ information with the class

Teaching 2 Past . Teacher asks the students when we use Board, 10

continuous past continuous tense. markers/ minutes
tense usage chalks
. Teacher writes timeline to explain when
we use past continuous tense

. Teacher gives examples for each usage

● I was eating lunch at 11:00

yesterday -> An action was
happening in a particular time in
the past
● I was studying when my friends
came -> an interrupted action
● It was getting light -> an gradual
development in the past

. With each example, the teacher asks the

students to guess the past continuous tense
usage, to make sentences to check the
students’ understanding.
Task 2 Funny . For each kid, the teacher prepares two White 7 minutes
sentences pieces of different colored paper, such as (1/student )
white and pink. and pink
paper
. The teacher hands out two pieces of
(1/student)
different colored paper to the students and
instructs them to write two nouns on the
white paper and two verbs on the pink
paper before folding them into smaller
pieces.

. The teacher refolds the paper and mixes

all of the white, then all of the pink.

. The students are asked to form a circle.

One piece of pink paper and one piece of
white paper are chosen at random by the
kids.

. The teacher instructs the pupils to open

the paper and give them one minute to
create a statement using the words on the
paper in the past continuous tense,
encouraging them to make it humorous.

. Students must read aloud the words, the

sentence, and explain how the past
continuous tense is used in the sentence.

Follow up Create a . "Yesterday was a great day," the teacher Board, 6 minutes
story writes on the board. The teacher instructs markers/
the students to develop an imaginary chalks
character with a personality and a job for
the story.

. The teacher splits the class into groups of

three to four students and instructs them to
write a short tale of at least five sentences
beginning with the sentence on the board
 and including three past continuous tense
usages that they have learned.

. Teacher invites a group to share the story

with the class

Homework . Teacher summarizes the lesson content. Worksheets 1 minute

(1/student)
. Teacher assigns homework and goes
through the exercise to make sure the
students know what to do.

● Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks with

past continuous tense
● Exercise 2: Fill in the blanks with
interrogative forms of past
continuous tense
● Exercise 3: Change the given
sentences into their negative and
interrogative forms of past
continuous tense
LESSON PLAN 2 (60 minutes)

LESSON PLAN
Topic: Present perfect

Level: Upper-intermediate

Length: 60 minutes

Age: 15-18 years old

Language Skills: Speaking, reading, writing, listening, vocabulary, grammar

TESOL Methodology: Task based, grammar translation, communicative, eclectic approach

Lesson Objectives: Students will be able to understand the form, the use of present
perfect tense with regular verbs, and the time indicator: since by the
end of the course, as well as produce sentences pertaining to their
life using present perfect tense.

Resources: Board, markers/ chalks, word strips, handouts, worksheets

Stage Activity Description Resource Timing

Warm up Rememberi . Teacher writes the name of the game on Board, 5 minutes
ng the board. markers/
yesterday chalks, word
. The class is split into two groups, with
strips
two students from each group invited to
speak in front of the class. One team
member chooses one folded word strip and
asks a question about the subject of the
strips.

. The teacher briefly explains the rule: Each

team member chooses one folded word
strip and asks a question about the topic in
 the strips. The other responses. Remember
to reflect on the previous day. Then, a
member of the next team selects a folded
word strip and asks a question, to which
the other responds. Anyone who can
correctly answer a question or submit a
response earns one point for his or her side.
The team with the most points is the
winner.

Word: Food, clothes, places, people,

activities, time, emotions.

. Teacher checks understanding by asking

some questions (What tense do you use?
What do you need to do?)

. Two students, one student from each team

are invited to be in front of the class to do a
demo.

. Teacher starts the activity

Pre-task . When playing a remembrance activity, the 1 minute

teacher asks the students what tense they
have reviewed, and the pupils may answer
past tense.

. Teacher comes to the topic that the class

is going to learn today – present perfect
that also relates to past simple tense

Teaching 1 Present . The teacher introduces the present perfect Board, 8 minutes
perfect form by writing a statement in the past markers/
tense form simple tense, followed by a sentence in the chalks
present perfect. For example:

I lived in London (past tense)

I have lived in Paris (present perfect)

 . Teacher asks the students to analyze past
tense and present perfect tense sentences.

I lived in London (past tense)

verb in past simple

I have lived in London (present perfect)

verb in past participle

🡺 Verbs in past simple and verbs in

past participle are the same for
regular verbs -ed.

. Teacher writes the form of present perfect

on the board

have/has + past participle

I/they/we/you + have

He/she/it + has

. Teacher asks the students to make

examples in the affirmative, negative,
questions form (Yes-No question, W-H
question).

Task 1 Find . Teacher writes the name of the game on Handouts 7 minutes
someone the board. (1/student)
who...
. The teacher distributes handouts to the
students and briefly explains the rule: they
must ask the others questions using
prompts provided on the worksheet in the
present perfect tense. If a classmate says
"Yes, I have," students write down their
name and ask follow-up questions to learn
more. To encourage pupils to speak with
more classmates, they can only have the
same name once.
 Find someone Name More
who... information

have/a pet

bake/a cake

stay/a tent

play/table
tennis

watch/a film
in English

. Teacher checks understanding by asking

some questions (What tense do you use?
How many times can you write the same
name?)

. Teacher asks some students using

prompts in the worksheet to find someone
who has a pet and write the information on
the board as an example.

. Teacher starts the activity

Teaching 2 Past . Teacher asks the students when we use Board, 10

continuous past continuous tense. markers/ minutes
tense usage chalks
. Teacher writes timeline to explain when
we use present perfect

. Teacher introduces how to use present

perfect and gives examples

● To tell an action that started in the

past and continues to the
present/future.
 Example: He has learnt Chinese for six
years -> In the past, he learnt English and
continued learning Chinese until now and
may still learn English in the future.

● Finished action in the past with not

a not specific time

Example: I have read that book five times -

> In the past, I read books five times but
we do know when

. With each example, the teacher asks the

students to make sentences and find out the
usage to check the students’ understanding.

Task 2 . Teacher gives the students a copy of short Handouts

story using present perfect tense (1/student)

. The teacher instructs the students to work

in pairs to read the short stories and
underline all of the present perfect tense
lines in order to identify the usages. During
that time, the teacher keeps an eye on them
and double-checks their responses.

. Teacher invites some students to check

the answers and correct them if needed.
Teaching 3 Since vs . Teacher gives examples using “since” and 7 minutes
for “for” and asks the differences between
them. For example:

He has lived here for seven years

He has lived here since 2010

🡺 For: Period of time, since: A

specific time

. Teacher asks the students to make

sentences to check their understanding.

Task 3 Pair work . Teacher writes the name of the activity on Handouts 8 minutes
the board, hand out the below worksheets. (1/student)

. Teacher asks the students to work in pairs

to complete the worksheets.

. As a class, the teacher reviews the

difference between “since” and “for”.

Follow up . Teacher writes the name of the activity on 6 minutes

the board.

. The teacher challenges the students by

instructing each pair to write three
sentences, two of which are lies, and one of
which is true, using two of the present
 perfect tense's usages that they have
learned.

. Each pair is asked to come to the board

and say the sentences while the other
guesses which one is correct.

Homework . Teacher summarizes the lesson content. Worksheets 1 minute

(1/student)
. Teacher assigns homework and goes
through the exercise to make sure the
students know what to do.

● Exercise 1: Are these present

perfect sentences grammatically
correct? Put a tick or cross
accordingly
● Exercise 2: Read the present
perfect sentences and write
“finished” or “unfinished” beside
them.
● Exercise 3: Write two present
perfect sentences about actions or
events in your persenal life that
have finished
● Exercise 4: Write two present
perfect sentences about actions or
events using “for” or “since”
III. RELEVANT ACTIVITIES

1. Board race

2. Biography exchange

3. Funny sentences

4. Create a story

5. Remembering yesterday

Activities 1-5 have been described in detail in the lesson plans above.