Lesson Plan | Active Learning | Question Tags

Assumptions: This Active Lesson Plan assumes: a 100-minute class, prior student study with both the Book and the start of Project development, and that only one activity (among the three suggested) will be chosen to be conducted during the class, as each activity is designed to take up a significant portion of the available time.

Objectives

Duration: (5 minutes)

This stage of the lesson plan is crucial for establishing a solid foundation on what will be covered during the session. By clearly defining the objectives, students will be able to focus on the essential aspects of learning question tags, ensuring a deeper understanding and effective application of the content studied previously at home. This stage also serves to align students' expectations with the learning objectives of the lesson.

Main Objectives:

1. Develop students' ability to write questions in the form of question tags correctly and fluently.

2. Enable students to identify and understand the use of question tags in different texts.

Side Objectives:

1. Encourage active participation from students through discussions and group practices, promoting a collaborative learning environment.

Introduction

Duration: (15 minutes)

The introduction serves to engage students immediately with the content they studied at home, using problem situations that facilitate the recall of learning in a practical and contextualized way. In addition, by showing the applicability of question tags in real and everyday situations, students can see the relevance of the topic, thereby increasing interest and motivation to learn and apply the concept in various communication situations.

Problem-Based Situations

1. Imagine you are writing an email to a friend who lives in another country, asking about the weather, but you want to confirm if they are still living there. How would you use a question tag to do this politely and informally?

2. Think of a situation where your teacher tells you that the next test will be very difficult. How would you formulate a question using a question tag to confirm the information and express your concern?

Contextualization

Question tags are often used in everyday conversations, making interactions more natural and engaging. For example, in English TV shows and movies, characters frequently use question tags to confirm information or express reactions, which helps create more realistic and relatable dialogues. Understanding and knowing how to use question tags appropriately can significantly improve fluency in English and the ability to engage in natural conversations.

Development

Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

The Development stage is designed for students to apply their prior knowledge of question tags practically. The proposed activities aim to strengthen understanding and fluency in using these structures through interactive and collaborative methods. By working in groups, students also develop communication and teamwork skills. This section is crucial for consolidating learning and ensuring that students can effectively use question tags in various communicative situations.

Activity Suggestions

It is recommended to carry out only one of the suggested activities

Activity 1 - Tag Hunt

> Duration: (60 minutes)

- Objective: Develop the ability to identify and apply question tags in various contexts, promoting understanding and fluency in using these structures in English.

- Description: In this activity, students will be divided into groups of up to 5 members to participate in a virtual scavenger hunt where they must identify and correct question tags in a series of dialogues and texts provided. Each group will receive a worksheet with incomplete dialogues, where they must insert the correct question tags based on context. Afterwards, each group will present their answers and justify their choices.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of a maximum of 5 students.

• Distribute the worksheets containing incomplete dialogues.

• Instruct students to read the dialogues and insert the appropriate question tags.

• Set a time limit of 45 minutes for task completion.

• At the end, each group should present their answers and discuss their choices with the rest of the class.

Activity 2 - Tags Theater

> Duration: (70 minutes)

- Objective: Practice the fluency and correct pronunciation of question tags in speaking situations, as well as stimulate creative writing skills and body expression.

- Description: Students will form small groups to create and perform short plays that include the use of question tags. Each group will write a short script incorporating various question tags and then present their play to the class. The activity aims not only to practice the use of question tags but also to explore facial expressions and intonations that accompany these structures in real speaking situations.

- Instructions:

• Form groups of up to 5 students.

• Distribute cards with specific situations or themes that students must create dialogues around including question tags.

• Give the groups 30 minutes to prepare their scripts and practice the play.

• Each group will present their play to the class, using question tags appropriately.

• Hold a post-presentation discussion about the use of question tags and intonation choices.

Activity 3 - Interactive Tag Quiz

> Duration: (60 minutes)

- Objective: Evaluate students' understanding of question tags in a playful and interactive way, reinforcing learning through repetition and immediate correction of mistakes.

- Description: Using interactive quiz software like Kahoot!, students will participate in a real-time quiz where they must choose the correct question tag to complete the presented sentences. This activity is designed to be dynamic and engaging, allowing students to test their knowledge in a competitive and fun way.

- Instructions:

• Prepare a quiz on Kahoot! with questions about question tags.

• Divide the class into groups of up to 5 students and have them access the quiz via their mobile devices.

• Start the quiz and allow students to answer the questions in real time.

• Discuss the answers at the end of the quiz, clarifying doubts and explaining the uses of question tags in different sentences.

Feedback

Duration: (10 - 15 minutes)

The Return stage is essential for consolidating the acquired learning and evaluating the effectiveness of the activities performed. This discussion allows students to reflect on what they learned, share insights, and discuss difficulties, promoting a deeper and more lasting understanding of the topic. Additionally, by hearing their classmates' experiences, students can learn from each other, thereby increasing the overall impact of learning in the classroom.

Group Discussion

Start the group discussion by inviting each group to share the most significant discoveries and experiences gained during the activities. Encourage students to discuss how the practical application of question tags helped improve their understanding and ability to use them in the English language. One can start with the following introduction: 'I would like to hear from each group what were the main learnings and challenges faced while using question tags in the activities. Who would like to start sharing their experiences?'

Key Questions

1. What were the biggest challenges in formulating question tags during the activities?

2. How would you apply the knowledge of question tags in real communication situations?

3. Was there any interesting surprise or discovery about the use of question tags during the practical activities?

Conclusion

Duration: (5 - 10 minutes)

This stage of the lesson plan is crucial to ensure that students have internalized the main concepts about question tags. Recapping the content not only helps reinforce learning but also allows students to understand the importance and applicability of the topic in their daily lives. The conclusion serves to solidify learning and ensure that students can apply the acquired knowledge effectively and confidently.

Summary

In the conclusion of the lesson on question tags, students should be able to recap the main concepts covered, including the formation and correct use of question tags in different contexts. It is important to highlight the situations in which they were applied during the activities, consolidating learning.

Theory Connection

Today's lesson demonstrated how the theory of question tags applies in practice through various interactive activities. Students had the opportunity to see the usefulness of question tags in dialogues, texts, and everyday situations, effectively linking theoretical knowledge with practical use.

Closing

Understanding and knowing how to use question tags is crucial not only for fluency in English but also for effective social interaction. This knowledge allows students to form polite questions and engage in more natural and dynamic conversations. The ability to use question tags correctly will benefit them in various communicative situations, both in formal and informal contexts.