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INTRO TO MODALS Chris Khonngam AL6000 Introduction to Modals

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A. Background Target learners are young adult foreign ESL students in Hawaii. They are at the Intermediate level. This is a grammar class using the communicative learning method.

I. Preparation A. Topic: Introduction to Modals of Probability and Possibility in Present Tense. B. Goal: Identifying, distinguishing, and applying modal verbs: could, may, might, and must. C. Outcomes: Students will: identify modal verbs in a sentence. distinguish and group modal verbs by certainty. produce modal verbs using four levels of certainty when describing a picture. apply the appropriate modal verb based on four levels of certainty. D. Vocabulary: 1. Prerequisite knowledge: Verb and subject agreement in present tense. Forms of the verb to be. Forming Yes/No Questions. 2. New knowledge: must may might could E. Materials: Whiteboard and markers Textbook: Grammar Dimensions, 4th Edition Opinion Poll Form iPad Keynote Presentation Newspapers F. Assessment: students will individually write four sentences appropriately using the following verbs: is, isnt, must and one of the following: may, might, could. The instructor will subjectively evaluate the appropriateness of the verb based on four levels of certainty.

INTRO TO MODALS Chris Khonngam AL6000

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II. Presentation. (Total: 45 minutes)

A. Activity 1: Introduction: Opinion Poll (10 minutes) T Note: this is an exploratory active learning exercise whereby students negotiate the meaning of new terms without prior explanation. 1. Ask Ss: What is an opinion poll? Examples: product surveys at the shopping mall, voter polls about the election. 2. Ss choose a Yes/No format question. For example: Will Barak Obama win the election? Write the question on the whiteboard. 3. Hand out Opinion Poll Form. Ss write the question on the form. 4. S polls at least 5 students in the school about the question and will write their names on the form. 5. S can only accept the following answers: is, isnt, must, may, might, could. S writes the answers next to the students names on the form. 6. S can not show others the form. They must ask the question verbally. 7. S does not have to explain the format of the answers. T Note: the polled students may or may not understand the response choices. Ss have to negotiate the appropriate response based on shared experience. 8. After polling, S assigns a value to each answer according to a key: is = 10, must = 9, may = 5, might = 4, could = 3, isnt = 0. 9. S calculates total and average for their form (approximately 5 responses.) 10. Divide class into 2 teams. Each team calculates the average for their polls. 11. Class discussion: Explain the values assigned to each response. Refer to the chart on page 72. The values correspond to the weight of certainty of each verb.

Page 72 Certain Probable Possible 100% certain 90% certain <50% certain less certain least certain 0% is must may might could isnt

Not possible

12. Compare poll average of each team. Ask Ss: How certain are the responses? What verb is suggested by the resulting value? 13. Note the gradual decline in certainty between may/might/could. Explain that the values are subjective. T Note: the subtle differences between these terms are not addressed in this lesson. Suffice to say that this category of modals reflect certainty <50%. 14. Briefly review the meaning of 0% for the negative form of to be. What is another word for not possible? (impossible). Does this mean the same as 100% certain in the negative? (yes).

INTRO TO MODALS Chris Khonngam AL6000

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B. Activity 2: Certainty (10 minutes) 1. Divide Ss into 4 groups. 2. Each group is asked a question about a set of Keynote slides illustrating a four step progression of certainty. For each slide, groups must write and recite a response using the appropriate verb. (The topics reflect the examples provided on page 7273 in the textbook.) Page 72 Example: Is he a baseball player? Slide # 1 2 3 4 Description Man wearing baseball cap Man wearing baseball uniform. Man playing in a baseball game. Old man with worn cap. Expected response He may/might/could be a baseball player. He must be a baseball player. He is a baseball player. He isnt a baseball player.

3. Repeat the question for each slide, and provide Ss feedback for each response. Show the target slide to the class and ask Ss for agreement.

C. Activity 3: Practice (15 minutes) 1. S writes four sentences describing themselves with the following verbs: (1) am. (2) must (3) [choice] may/might/could (4) am not. 2. T models: (1) I am the teacher. (2) I must like English. (3) I may give you homework. (4) I am not a woman. 3. S reads their sentences to the class. T asks the Ss for agreement, and provides feedback on the verb choice based on certainty. The statements using is and isnt must be obvious. T Note: while subject-verb agreement is not addressed in this lesson, T may point out that the verb following the modal does not change due to subject agreement, as with the third person in Activity 2 to the first person in Activity 3.

D. Activity 4: Assessment (10 minutes) 1. S chooses a picture from a newspaper. 2. S writes four sentences describing the picture with the following verbs: (1) is. (2) must (3) [choice] may/might/could (4) isnt. 3. S hands in the sentences and the picture for evaluation. Grade the sentences subjectively based on the four levels certainty. Correct grammar mistakes for prerequisite knowledge, such as use of present tense, determiners, and use of to be. Comment but dont grade based on incorrect use of tense or voice related to the modal verbs.

INTRO TO MODALS Chris Khonngam AL6000

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Opinion Poll
Question: __________________________________________________
choices:

is
Name

may

might

could
Answer

must

isnt
Score

Total Score: Average Score

SCORE KEY: (Do not show to the students) is = 10 must = 9 may = 5 might = 4 could = 3 isnt = 0

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