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TESOL Materials--
Countable and Uncountable Nouns,
Quantifiers,
CELTA Style Lesson Plans)
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Notes and explanations: This is the 4th (yes,
4th!) time I've updated this lesson. The first version of the lesson is
here. I expanded it to include more quantifiers
here. I then reworked it to make it follow
the CELTA staging a bit better in the 3rd version
here.
However, recently I decided I wanted to use this lesson for a model lesson on
how to stage a grammar lesson, and when I was looking it over, I discovered a couple problems with it.
Firstly, I think in
the clarification stage, I think I had confused clarification of meaning with the clarification of form. In
the previous version of this lesson, I had put the sorting of countable and uncountable quantifiers in the meaning section. But upon reflection, I think the countable-uncountable distinction actually falls under form. So I reworked it. Now, in the present version, the clarification of meaning focuses only on what meaning the quantifiers convey. Whether the quantifiers modify countable or uncountable nouns has been moved over to form.
I have also used "
match the word to the definition" activity a lot over the years. (If you search
my archives, you'll find this activity pops up many times.) It is, after all, the most obvious activity to use when you want to clarify the meaning of the words in the vocabulary set. It's also the easiest to create.
But over the years, I've been noticing that my students don't really absorb the meaning of a lot of the vocabulary that I teach them. And I think this is partly because it's hard to fully absorb a written definition, especially when it's in your second language.
So recently I've been making an effort to get away from "match the words to the definitions" and return to the old CELTA method of presenting the words in context , and then, using that same context, using concept checking questions to check the meaning of the words.
So, in this revised version, I now use
concept checking questions to check the meaning. (I've kept the matching activity in, but the matching activity now just serves to review what was established by the concept checking questions.)
Thirdly, because I was trying to make this into a model lesson for grammar, I wanted to include
all 3 practice types: controlled practice, semi-controlled practice, and freer practice. (
The previous version of this lesson only had 2 practice activities. Partly because the timing was different. That version was for 1 hour, this version is expanded for 90 minutes.)
The hope is that this version of the lesson is the final version, and now stands as the definitive model lesson for grammar points.
....except, there remain a couple problems with it. In the clarification of meaning section, I doubled up on the clarification activities by first using
concept checking questions and then following it up with a
match the definition activity. Actually, in a classic CELTA style lesson, you're not supposed to do this. You just have one activity to clarify form, not two.
I actually wrote about this exact thing in a previous post, so I did actually know better. But even though I knew better, I just couldn't resist. I liked both activities, so I wanted to keep both in.
And I also have 2 controlled practices in this lesson--another CELTA no-no. (You're supposed to have one controlled practice, but not two). Again, I liked both activities, so I couldn't bring myself to cut one out.
Obviously, both of these problems would be easily fixed by just cutting out one of the activities.
Finally, there's another error, which is that in
the model text, the quantifier
some is only paired with countable nouns, which unfortunately gives the students the impression that
some can only be used with countable nouns. This was a simple oversight on my part. I didn't notice the oversight until I was already using this lesson in the classroom.
I may try to rework the model text at some point to solve this problem, but for the moment, I'm just posting it here. (At the moment, I feel exhausted with this lesson.)
When I gave this lesson to another teacher, I told him about the problem with some. But he wasn't worried about it. "No problem," he said. "I'll just tell them that some can also be used with uncountable nouns." And I suppose that would solve that problem easily enough.]
Lesson: Quantifiers with Countable and Uncountable nouns: not many, too many, a few, fewer, not much, too much, a little, less, some, a lot of, more, enough, not enough, not any, plenty of
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Materials Slideshow Kahoot (optional additional controlled practice) Worksheets Model Text (1 copy for each student) Noticing Activity (1 copy for each student) Clarification: Meaning: Matching Activity (1 copy for each pair. Cut up and shuffle before class) Clarification: Form: Sorting Activity (1 copy per pair) Controlled Practice: Human Bingo (1 copy for each student)
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Stage name
| Stage Aim: Why? | Timing | Procedure:
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Lead-In | To generate interest, build confidence & set context for the lesson.
| 5 mins
| Set-up: Show picture of Ho Chi Minh City on slide 1. Elicit from students where it is. “I live in Ho Chi Minh City now. I like it. It’s a nice city. But in the future, I want to live in… (shows slide 2, elicits) Dalat. I want to live in Dalat because (holds 3 fingers, enumerates on fingers. Either elicit reasons from students or provide them) it’s cool, it has lots of fresh air, and it has lots of trees. Talk with your partner. If you could live anywhere, where would you live and why?
Task: students talk with a partner for 2 minutes
Feedback: Nominate 2 students to share their answers in open class feedback. |
Orientation to Text/ Prediction | To prepare students for the content of the listening text.
To generate predictions which will be used in the subsequent gist listening | 5 mins
| Set-up: (slide 3): This is Jeff. Jeff used to live in the (slide 4: and elicit) city. But one day he moved (show animation) to… (slide 5, elicit) the countryside. Talk with your partner. Write down 5 things you think will be different between Jeff’s life in the city and the countryside. (Do the first one as an example.) You have 2 minutes.
Task: Students talk with partner. Teacher monitors to see if they are on task.
Feedback: Nominate students for ideas. |
Model Text: Gist Listening | For students to process the Model Text for general understanding
| 3 mins
| Set-up: Teacher: I’m going to read Jeff’s story. Listen and check if anything is the same as your list.
Task: Teacher reads. Students listen. (Brief pair check)
Feedback: Teacher: How many things were the same?
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Model Text 2nd listening: Noticing Target Language | To make students notice the Target Language in the Model Text | 8 mins
| Set-up: Teacher displays slide 7: How much excitement was there in the city? (elicits, or displays “a lot of”). In the countryside? (not much). What about buildings in the countryside? (not many). Teacher points to blacked out box. Do you need to write anything here? (no) Chesting: Listen again, and write these words in the table.
Task: Read the first time quickly. Students pair check with partner. Read again a second time slower.
Feedback: Give out transcript for students to check their answers. |
Clarification: Meaning
| For students to understand the meaning of the quantifiers
| 10 min | Display slide 8 with marker sentences: There is a lot of excitement in the city. CCQs: Is there excitement in the city? A little bit? Some? More than some? Slide 9: there is only a little traffic. CCQs: Is there traffic in the city? A lot? Slide 10: There are some houses. CCQs: Are there houses in the countryside? A lot? A little? Medium amount? Do I know how many? there aren’t many stores. CCQs: are there a lot of stores in the countryside? there aren’t any big shopping malls. CCQs: How many shopping malls in the countryside? Slide 11: There is too much traffic. CCQs: Is it a little or a lot? (a lot) Is it more than I need? (yes) Is it a problem? (Yes) Am I happy? (No) (Teacher writes sad face next to sentence). There are plenty of stores. CCQs. Is it a little or a lot? (a lot) Is it more than I need? (yes). Is it a problem (No) Am I happy? (Yes). (Teacher draws a sad face next to sentence). Slide 12: Jeff has enough time to read. CCQs: Does Jeff has as much time to read as he needs in the countryside? There wasn’t enough time to read. CCQs: Did Jeff has as much time to read as he needs in the city? Slide 13: there are fewer cars than in the city. CCQs: Is the number of cars in the countryside bigger or smaller than in the city? Slide 14: In the city, there are more car accidents. CCQs: Is the number of car accidents in the city bigger or smaller than in the countryside? Slide 15: In the city there is a lot of excitement. In the countryside, there isn’t much excitement. CCQs: When do we use “much”? In positive or negative sentences Slide 16: There are plenty of stores. there aren’t many stores. CCQ: When do we use “many”?
Optional Follow up Matching Activity: Set up: Teacher shows cards. Next, match the words to the definitions. Show slide 17 as example. Get students to predict answer, and confirm on animation.
Task: Students match cards together in pairs
Feedback: On slideshow. Slides 17-26
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Clarification: Form | For students to understand the form of the quantifiers | 10 minutes | Set-up: Slide 27: Countable and uncountable nouns: Slide 28: Can we count books? ( elicit “yes”) Demonstrate counting the books. Slide 29: Do the same for buildings. Slide 30: Can we count excitement? (elicit “no”) Slide 31: Sort these nouns into countable and uncountable. (Show example on slide 32.)
Task: Pass worksheet out. Have students work in pairs (one worksheet per pair). Teacher monitors
Feedback: Feedback on Slideshow—slides 33-49
Set-up: Next, display slide 50. chest story. Look at the underlined words. What is the first underlined word? (a lot of). Can we use that with countable or uncountable nouns, or both. (“both”) What countable nouns is it used with? What uncountable nouns is it used with? Slide 51: Write “a lot of” in the both column.
Task: Hand out one sorting worksheet (one per pair). Students write the quantifiers in the appropriate column. Teacher monitors.
Feedback: Feedback on Slide 51
Teacher: Slide 52 Look at the story again. (Teacher chests story). When do you use “there is”? (uncountable nouns) When do you use “There are” (plural countable nouns)
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Clarification: Pronunciation | For students to understand the pronunciation of quantifiers | 5 min
T-S | Advance slideshow to blank slide (or turn off display) so that students cannot see the written form of the sentences. Drill: There are a lot of cars. There is too much traffic There aren’t many buildings There is plenty of fresh air.
Display slide 54: Mark Sentence Stress on Board. |
Controlled Practice: Human Bingo | For students to be able to practice the target language in a controlled setting. | 10-15 min
| Set-up Display worksheet on Slides 55 Look at the sentences. Write what you think is true. For example: There is ______ traffic in our city. What do you think? Too much? Not enough? Write your answer here. CCQ: Can I say “too many”? Why not?
Task: Students work individually. teacher monitors. Helps with any confusion of form or countable / uncountable.
Feedback: Feedback by nominating students for two answers.
Set-up: Next, ask your classmates what they think. If they think the same, write “S”. If they think different, write “D”. Do two examples with students. “What do you think about the traffic in our city?” “What do you think about the chairs in this room?” Model ways to agree and disagree: ex: Yes, I think so too.” “Oh, no. I don’t agree. I think….” Elicit one “S” and one “D” on the board. “How can you win?” (Attempt to see if students can intuit that you need 5 in a row. Otherwise tell them directly). “You need 5 in a row. you can go across, or down, or diagonal. But they have to be the same. 5 Ss in a row is win, or 5 Ds in a row is a win.” ICQs: Demonstrate by example on whiteboard. 5 Ss. “Is this a win?” 5 Ds. “Is this a win?” A mixture. “Is this a win?” Talk to your classmates. You can use this useful language. (Display useful language on slide 56). “Stand up”
Task: Students walk around the class asking questions. Teacher monitors from sitting position. Corrects any mistakes with immediate correction. Conduct game until there is a winner, or stop after 5 minutes or so if there is no winner.
Feedback:
Congratulate any winners. If there were any consistent language issues, reclarify |
Second controlled Practice (optional) |
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| Kahoot (link on slide 57).
Only do this one if there is time allowing for an extra controlled practice.
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Semi-Controlled Practice | For students to practice the target language in full sentences | 10 min
| Set-up: Show slide 58: pictures of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh city. Elicit from students the names of the respective cities. “Do you know these cities? What city is this? What city is this?” Elicit from students sentences with lakes. “Which city has more lakes?” Hanoi. “Can you make a sentence?” (attempt to elicit “There are more lakes in Hanoi”.) “Which city has more motorbikes?” (Ho Chi Minh City). “Can you make a sentence? (attempt to elicit “There are more motorbikes in Ho Chi Minh City”) T: Talk to you partner. What are the differences between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City? Use this language. (slide 59: “There is more…., There are more…, There is less…, There are fewer…)
Task: Students talk with their partner. Teacher monitors. If there are any mistakes, teacher intervenes immediately and corrects
Feedback: Content Feedback: Teacher nominates 2 students for feedback. “Tell me one difference you came up with. Linguistic Feedback: Teacher puts on the whiteboard correct and incorrect sentences that he picked up during monitoring. “Here are some sentences that I heard. Some are good, and some have mistakes. Talk to your partner. Which sentences have mistakes?” Students briefly talk to their partner, and then in all class feedback, the students help the teacher correct the sentences.
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Freer Practice: Debate | For students to practice the target language in a fluency practice | 15 min
| Set-up: Teacher divides room in half. “This half of the room is team Ho Chi Minh City. This half of the room is team Hanoi. Move your desks together.” (Students move their desks. Teacher assists.) Talk with your group. What are the good points about living in Hanoi? What are the good points about living in Ho Chi Minh City? Use this language. (Teacher displays target language on slide 59) ICQs (Instruction Checking Questions): Which group is talking about Hanoi? Which group is talking about Ho Chi Minh City? Are you talking about good points or bad points.
Planning: Students work in their groups to come up with list. Teacher monitors to make sure students are on task. Possibly helps if students get stuck. Also monitors for any mistakes with the target language, and writes them down for delayed feedback later.
Set-up: Next, we’re going to play a game called “Yes, but… (Show slide 60) (slide 61) What are they doing? (elicit arguing) Show demonstration on slide 44 Do demonstration on the slideshow Play “yes, but…” with your partner. Remember to use these words. (Display Target Language on Slideshow). Decide which is better: Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City? Teacher pairs students up with new partner. Students are paired up with a partner from the other group.
Task: Students talk together. Teacher monitors and writes down any errors, as well as any good language use.
Feedback: Content Feedback: Teacher nominates 2 students. “What did you are your partner decide? Which one is better? Why?” Linguistic Feedback: Teacher puts on the whiteboard correct and incorrect sentences that he picked up during monitoring. “Here are some sentences that I heard. Some are good, and some have mistakes. Talk to your partner. Which sentences have mistakes?” Students briefly talk to their partner, and then in all class feedback, the students help the teacher correct the sentences. |
Optional Extension Activity (If Extra Time) | For students to practice the target language in a fluency practice | T-S
T-S
S-S | Think of a place. Don’t tell anyone, just think. Use these words to describe it. (Gestures to Target Language on the Slideshow)
Give an example: There are a lot of lakes. There are a lot of old buildings. There are a lot of tourists. There is too much traffic. (Hanoi)
Stand up. Talk to your classmates. Tell them about your place, and guess the place |
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