For CELTA or similar pre-service course

Input session: presenting new language 2, requesting

Trainer notes

Aims To provide trainees with a model for a lesson presenting a function. To give them
practice in analysing a lesson into its components. To provide the trainees with practice in
preparing a similar lesson under tutor guidance

Materials Copies of New Headway Intermediate p.44 and New Headway Pre-Intermediate p.32
plus cassettes for both coursebooks. Copies of Tapescript for New Headway Pre-Intermediate
p.32. Copies of model lesson plan and worksheet with jumbled stages and questions on similar
lesson.

(While trainees take part in model lesson they should sequence a jumbled list showing the stages,
and note which stages trainer does not include. See worksheet below and trainer’s answers at
bottom of these notes.)

1 Trainer ‘teaches’ trainees the model lesson below. Trainees fill in first part of worksheet,
jumbled stages

Model lesson
Level Intermediate
Aims To present different ways of making a request. To present ways of agreeing to and
refusing a request. To make students aware of meaning, form and appropriacy of the exponents.
To provide controlled practice of the exponents.
Assumptions The students have met most of the exponents before, but may not have compared
them one with another or given thought to what exponents are suitable in particular contexts.
Anticipated problems They may still have problems with form, particularly in knowing when to
use the ‘-ing’ form and how to reply to a request using ‘Would you mind ….?’. Polite
intonation may be difficult to achieve.

Stages
1 Introduce the situation of making a request. Ask student to be bartender in London. Say ‘I
get a beer.’ Let bartender respond as wished. Ask students what would happen if you said this
in London. No beer, maybe trouble. Take another student, get him/her to ask T. to close/open
window. T. says, ‘No’ (rude tone). Ask students if this is a good way to refuse, to say no.
Clearly not. Tell students today we are going to learn how to ask for things politely, how to say
yes or no. Teach term ‘request’.
5m

2 Ask students to look at p.44 Headway Intermediate. Work with a partner, and match lines as
in no. 1. Then ask them to decide who is talking to who and where. Check with tape for correct
matching. Check together with class for people, (who exactly are they, e.g. parent and child, and
place.
15 m

3 Tell students we ask for things in a different way according to who we are talking to or how
big the request we are making. Get students to group exponents in these lists, all class together.
Have them add any other exponents known (e.g. can I …?)
BOARD
Person we don’t know well Person we know well
Person who is ‘important’ Person on same level
Big request Small request
Could you … Could you …?
Could I …? Could I …?
Do you think you could …? ….., please.
Would you mind (-ing) … Can you ….?
Would you …? Would you …?
Can I …?
5m

4 Ask students how we can reply to requests. Again look at dialogues. Add any extra known
exponents (Of course, I’m sorry, but…).
Elicit that ‘Yes, indeed,’ is formal.
Concept questions
a) I ask ‘Would you mind helping me with the washing up?’ You say ‘Not at all’. Are you
going to help me or not?
b) Do we say ‘no’ when we want to refuse a request? (Not usually). What will follow where the
dots are after ‘I’m sorry/ I’m afraid/Well, actually? (A reason or excuse).

BOARD
‘Yes’ replies ‘No’ replies
(agree) (refuse)
Sure. I’m afraid ….
Certainly. I’m sorry, but …
Yes, indeed. (FORMAL) Well, actually …
Of course.
Not at all. (For ‘Would you mind..?)
5m

5 Pronunciation practice.
T. reads requests from Headway Pronunciation, (or use cassette if available), students mark
polite or rude. Students repeat polite requests chorally. Students follow teacher’s model of polite
answer, repeat chorally. Students listen and reply politely to teacher making requests, chorally
all using ‘Of course’.
10 m

6 Students practise dialogues on p.44 in closed pairs.

5m = 45 m

2
Trainees discuss list of stages, whole class together, sequence and any stage not done.
Handout of lesson plan.
5m

3
Direct trainees to p.32 Headway Pre- Intermediate and give copies of tapescript. Answer
questions about the page.
Headway Pre-Intermediate, p.32, Polite requests and offers
This is in many ways similar to the lesson you have just experienced. But there are
differences to account for the different level.

a) What level is this for?

b) How is the task of deciding where the people are made easier?
c) Look carefully at the exponents for requests. What is different here?.
d) Look carefully at the answers to requests. Notice that offers with ‘…ll’ are included.
Would you focus on these in the same lesson as focusing on requests?
e) How is finding the exponent made easier?
f) How is the controlled practice (no.4) made easier than the controlled practice in H.
Intermediate(‘Roleplay’)?

Feedback.
15 m

4
Ask trainees to choose whether to work in a pair or a four. Instructions: In your pair or
four plan a presentation of requests and positive or negative replies, suitable for the pre-
intermediate level, using this page as a basis (note form only). The slips that you used
when taking part in the model lesson are a guide to what you should include.

Trainer circulates and helps.

15 mins.

5
Feedback and questions.
10 m

Appendix, answers
Stages of presentation lessons for functions

The following stages will not always occur in the order they were in the model lesson you took
part in. However they will need to be present in some way in a thorough lesson teaching a
function and some suitable exponents. To familiarise you with the stages, please mark the order
of the stages in the model lesson as you participate. Also note which stages are not included.

Answers

introducing situation and function

introducing exponents and context
blackboard work
clarifying appropriacy
checking meaning (including concept questions)
teacher models pronunciation
students practise pronunciation chorally
students practise pronunciation individually
controlled practice
free practice
celta\inpre2.doc
Worksheet
Input session: presenting new language 2, requesting

Stages of presentation lessons for functions

The following stages will not always occur in the order they were in the model lesson you took
part in. However they will need to be present in some way in a thorough lesson teaching a
function and some suitable exponents. To familiarise you with the stages, please mark the order
of the stages in the model lesson as you participate. Also note which stages are not included.

Stage

students practise pronunciation individually

blackboard work

free practice

introducing situation and function

students practise pronunciation chorally

teacher models pronunciation

controlled practice

checking meaning (including concept questions)

introducing exponents and context

clarifying appropriacy

Headway Pre-Intermediate, p.32, Polite requests and offers

This is in many ways similar to the lesson you have just experienced. But there are differences
to account for the different level.

a) What level is this for?

b) How is the task of deciding where the people are made easier?
c) Look carefully at the exponents for requests. What is different here?.
d) Look carefully at the answers to requests. Notice that offers with ‘…ll’ are included. Would
you focus on these in the same lesson as focusing on requests?
e) How is finding the exponent made easier?
f) How is the controlled practice (no.4) made easier than the controlled practice in H.
Intermediate(‘Roleplay’)?

Further reading Scrivener, Chapter 9, part 7. Thornbury, Chapter 3. And other ‘how to teach’
books.
celta\inpre2.doc
Input session: presenting new language 2, requesting

Model lesson

Level Intermediate.
Aims To present different ways of making a request. To present ways of agreeing to and
refusing a request. To make students aware of meaning, form and appropriacy of the exponents.
To provide controlled practice of the exponents.
Assumptions The students have met most of the exponents before, but may not have compared
them one with another or given thought to what exponents are suitable in particular contexts.
Anticipated problems They may still have problems with form, particularly in knowing when to
use the ‘-ing’ form and how to reply to a request using ‘Would you mind ….?’. Polite
intonation may be difficult to achieve.

Stages
1 Introduce the situation of making a request. Ask student to be bartender in London. Say ‘I
get a beer.’ Let bartender respond as wished. Ask students what would happen if you said this
in London. No beer, maybe trouble. Take another student, get him/her to ask T. to close/open
window. T. says, ‘No’ (rude tone). Ask students if this is a good way to refuse, to say no.
Clearly not. Tell students today we are going to learn how to ask for things politely, how to say
yes or no. Teach term ‘request’.
5m

2 Ask students to look at p.44 Headway Intermediate. Work with a partner, and match lines as
in no. 1. Then ask them to decide who is talking to who and where. Check with tape, T31, for
correct matching. Check together with class for people, (who exactly are they, e.g. parent and
child, and place.
15 m

3 Tell students we ask for things in a different way according to who we are talking to or how
big the request we are making. Get students to group exponents in these lists, all class together.
Have them add any other exponents known (e.g. can I …?)

BOARD
Person we don’t know well Person we know well
Person who is ‘important’ Person on same level
Big request Small request
Could you … Could you …?
Could I …? Could I …?
Do you think you could …? ….., please.
Would you mind (-ing) … Can you ….?
Would you …? Would you …?
Can I …?

5m

4 Ask students how we can reply to requests. Again look at dialogues. Add any extra known
exponents (Of course, I’m sorry, but…).
Elicit that ‘Yes, indeed,’ is formal.
Concept questions
a) I ask ‘Would you mind helping me with the washing up?’ You say ‘Not at all’. Are you
going to help me or not?
b) Do we say ‘no’ when we want to refuse a request? (Not usually). What will follow where the
dots are after ‘I’m sorry/ I’m afraid/Well, actually? (A reason or excuse).

BOARD
‘Yes’ replies ‘No’ replies
(agree) (refuse)
Sure. I’m afraid ….
Certainly. I’m sorry, but …
Yes, indeed. (FORMAL) Well, actually …
Of course.
Not at all. (For ‘Would you mind..?)
5m

5 Pronunciation practice.
T. reads requests from Headway Pronunciation, (or use cassette if available), students mark
polite or rude. Students repeat polite requests chorally. Students follow teacher’s model of polite
answer, repeat chorally. Students listen and reply politely to teacher making requests, chorally
all using ‘Of course’.
10 m

6 Students practise dialogues on p.44 in closed pairs.

5m = 45 m