Breveena Sahi

This lesson plan is specifically designed for foreign students who are learning English as a second language (ESL), with the goal of helping them gain fluency in everyday conversations and practical language use. The plan focuses on essential language skills—speaking, listening, vocabulary, and grammar—while addressing the specific challenges that foreign learners may face when learning English.

Vocabulary Introduction

Objective: To engage students and activate prior knowledge related to social interactions and greetings.

Activities: Greeting Practice: Begin by greeting the students and asking them to introduce themselves. Review basic greetings and ask students to repeat phrases like “Hello, how are you?” and “Good morning!”

Discussion: Ask students questions like:

“How do you usually greet people in your country?”
“What do you talk about when you first meet someone?”

Objective: To introduce new vocabulary and common phrases for social interactions and small talk.

Introduce Vocabulary: Write the following phrases on the board and go over the meanings:
“What do you do for fun?”
“How was your weekend?”
“Have you been here long?”
“What are you into?”
“How’s the weather been?”
“What kind of music do you like?”

Pronunciation Practice: Have students repeat the phrases to practice pronunciation.
Contextual Usage: Ask students to think about when and how these phrases could be used in real-life conversations.
Materials:
Handout with vocabulary and examples.

Listening Practice

Objective: To improve listening comprehension and expose students to natural conversation flow.

Activities: Listening Exercise: Play an audio clip or video of two people having a casual conversation (e.g., discussing their weekend plans or weather). After listening, ask comprehension questions:
“What did they talk about?”

“What did one person say about their weekend?”
“How did they ask about the weather?”
Group Discussion: Ask students to discuss the answers together in pairs or small groups.
Follow-Up Vocabulary: Go over any new vocabulary that students might have missed or found challenging.
Materials:
Audio clip or video (optional).

Speaking Practice – Pair Work Objective: To provide students with the opportunity to use new phrases in a practical, real-world context.

Activities: Role-Playing Small Talk: Divide the students into pairs. Each pair will take turns having a short conversation using the phrases from earlier in the lesson. One person will act as a tourist and the other as a local.

Example Scenario 1: “You meet someone at a party. Introduce yourself and ask about their weekend.”
Example Scenario 2: “You’re meeting a new colleague. Ask them about their hobbies and interests.”
Feedback: After each round of conversation, offer constructive feedback on pronunciation, vocabulary usage, and fluency.
Materials:
Flashcards with conversation prompts or situations.

Grammar Focus – Question Forms
Objective: To briefly review and practice common question structures used in small talk.

Activities: Mini Lesson on Question Forms: Write the following questions on the board and explain the structure:

“What do you do for fun?”
“How was your weekend?”
“Have you been here long?”
Form Practice: Ask students to create their own questions using the same structure, and encourage them to ask each other these questions in pairs.
Materials:
Whiteboard for writing and examples.

Wrap-Up and Homework Assignment
Objective: To summarize the lesson and provide students with additional practice.

Activities: Recap: Quickly review the key points of the lesson: vocabulary, phrases, and question forms.

Homework Assignment: Ask students to write a short paragraph about their weekend plans or hobbies, using at least five new phrases or vocabulary words from the lesson. They should also include at least three questions they could ask someone they meet.
Closing: Ask students if they have any final questions or thoughts about the lesson.

Assessment: Informal Assessment: Throughout the lesson, monitor students' participation, pronunciation, and ability to use new vocabulary correctly in conversations. Offer individual feedback as needed.

Homework Review: Review the students' homework assignments in the next class to ensure they've grasped the lesson content.