NAME OF TRAINEE:

PDA Stage 4: Experimental Practice

NAME OF ASSIGNMENT: Task-Based Teaching for Pre-Intermediate
learners
DATE OF LESSON:
LEVEL OF CLASS: Pre-Intermediate
TIME AND DURATION OF LESSON: 10.00-11.00 am (1 hour)
EXPECTED NUMBER OF STUDENTS: 12

The Learners

1.1 The class

The students mostly come from a Spanish background, and they
are studying general English. This is the third week for these
students to work with our DELTA group of teachers, as they had
another group of CELTA teachers for the past three weeks. This
class seems to have a group of mixed abilities, but they are quite
keen and motivated to improve their level of proficiency in
English. Their level of proficiency is ranging around pre
intermediate, where some of them (Celia) have a better command
and others (Antonia) are at a disadvantage.

1.2 Individual learners

Ana is a secretary and hopes she can get a job as a quality control
officer. She is originally from the Ecuador and has lived in
Granollers for the past 11 years. She started learning English in
University, but she is motivated to improve her proficiency level
to land a better job. She identifies her strengths in speaking and
grammar, but finds writing to be challenging to her.
Elena is a chef and uses English regularly for work and research.
Her first language is Catalan. She communicates well and is
strong in reading and speaking; while she describes that her main

weakness is in vocabulary and has a difficulty recalling verb

forms.
2

Aims

2.1 Main aims

By the end of this lesson the students will...
Be able to complete a shopping list and justify their choice.
2.2 Secondary aims
Describe necessity in the past.
3
Lesson fit
At the beginning of this week, this group were exposed to several
task-based lessons where they were able to write and speak
about their peers, places, strict parents and so on. Therefore, I
decided on writing a shopping list, which I think will benefit them
at this time of the course, as it addresses a great part of their
day-to-day activities.
This lesson will be followed by another experimental lesson on
using Dictogloss to improve students lexical repertoire.
4
Assumptions
- This lesson is not the first task-based lesson they are exposed
to, so students might show great awareness of how these classes
are operated.
- Students are used to the PPP methods, and they are expected to
ask or worry about the form at an early stage of the lesson. They
will be very interested to know the form before using it.
- Once the students have filled the task, they will feel more
confident and relaxed which helps understanding the forms.
- A shopping list is a part of students daily life; they are expected
to get involved and cooperative.
- Since most of the students in this group are visual learners, I will
use more visuals during the lesson (e.g. posters, power point and
pictures). Also, there are four kinaesthetic learners; I am planning
to include some hands on activities.

Anticipated problems and solutions

Issue 1
This group is a multi-level class to some extent, as there are
two false beginners at least. Sometimes these two false
beginner pair together and this negatively affects their
performance.
Appropriate Solution
Be careful with groupings that the two false beginners do not
fall into one group. Balance the pairings. I will act as a manager
and circulate, encouraging and facilitating students work.
Issue 2
The projector might not work. Also I might have a problem with
speakers or video quality.
Appropriate solution
Test PC and connections. Print out handouts and use
whiteboard as part of the contingency plan.

Materials
Pictures from Google.
Two computers for two groups to use
White board
Online Shopping catalogue http://www.elcorteingles.eu/

Language analysis

Task-Based Teaching Approach:

The target of this lesson is to apply the task-based approach to enable students to describe necessity in
the past.
Task Based Stages:
The task based approach requires the following stages:
1. Teaching objectives/ Warmer
At this stage teacher introduces students to the topic in order to activate their
knowledge of the topic. The teacher outlines the task and then gets the
students to brainstorm some ideas of what types of things they might use for
the task.
2. Task Cycle
2.1.Task Demonstration/Instruction
Students are allowed to give suggestions (in pairs or groups) about their
ideas about the task. The task phase is meant to be completely
communicative and student-cantered, where the students use whatever
language they have at their disposal to achieve goals of the task.
2.2.Doing the task.
At this stage students prepare to report to the whole class (spoken or
written). The teacher's role here is that of a language adviser. Learners
plan their reports effectively and maximize their learning opportunities.
2.3.Preparing and giving report
Teacher selects speakers from each group to report to the other groups
or to the whole class. Then, they may report in groups by choosing a
group to report to the whole class.
3.

Language focus:
This stage allows students to study specific language features presented
during the task cycle. Students examine the forms and understand meaning
and use of vocabulary presented in the task (Willis, 1986).

Language Focus Analysis:

Expressing necessity in the past in this lesson will introduced through three main forms:
1. Needed to the past form of need to+ perfect infinitives.
My friend needed to buy three polo-shirts for his vacation in Dubai.
2. It was necessary to + infinitive
It was necessary to buy a tent, as we were living in a camp.

(It was necessary and probably we did)

3. Had to expresses past obligation, it can be considered the past form of both have to and must.
-

I had to buy sneakers to run on the beach.

They had to buy a camera before the trip, as they didnt have one.

Lesson Outline

Stage Name/ Stage Aim

-

Interaction/
Time

A warmer/ get students more

involved and introduce some
key vocabulary

Task Cycle
Task Demonstration

T-Ss
Ss-T-Ss
5-7 mins

Ss-Ss
T-Ss
Ss-T
8-10 mins

Doing the task

Ss-Ss
Ss-Ss
5-7 mins

Preparing and giving report

Ss-Ss
T-Ss
Ss-T-Ss
15-20 mins

Language Focus / controlled

practice

T-Ss
Ss-Ss
10-15 mins

Follow up
Ss-Ss
T-Ss-T

Procedural
Detail
-

T talks to students about her trip to Granollers for this course.

T shows her students her clothes shopping list, and discuss with them why she needed some items more than
others.
Ss talk to the teacher about their shopping lists and clothes they usually buy.
T elicits as much key vocabulary as possible to cover clothes.
Ss can make changes to the teachers shopping list according to her budget (700 Euros)
Teachers roles are ( source, manager and facilitator)

Ss get a chance to understand the task.

T explains it to the Ss that they won three nights in Barcelona hotel, and they can take only a medium size
handbag (T may draw it on the board). They have only 300 Euros to buy their needs for these three nights.
Ss will be guided to an online shopping catalogue to decide on items.

Teachers roles are ( manager and facilitator)

Individually Ss will skim the catalogue and decide on not less than ten items to buy.
Ss complete their shopping list.
In groups of four, Ss discuss their choices and budget.

Teachers roles are ( observer, consultant and facilitator)

Ss are asked to get into groups of four and decide on the most important things to buy.
T monitors and assists as less as possible.
Ss into one group are divided into (a speaker, a secretary, time keeper and a manager).
Ss discuss their choices and decide on one list for each group.
The secretary is taking notes and summarizing for the speaker.
Time keeper and manager participate in the discussion and lead the procedures
The speaker moves to the other groups and report his groups list to them.
Teacher monitors, collect mistakes and assists.
After every speaker reports to the other two groups, one final shopping list is discussed with the whole class.

Teachers roles are ( observer, consultant, assessor and facilitator)

Ss are given a sample of the teachers shopping list (they saw it displayed on the projector at the beginning)
T gives them a reading text which describes her shopping needs.
Ss are asked to notice the use ( had to needed to it was necessary to)
T writes these expressions on the board.
T prompts Ss to notice the form and meaning from the text.
Ss get back to their shopping lists, and discuss necessary changes they had to make to their original lists.

Teachers
-

roles are ( source, observer and assessor)

In groups Ss compare their original shopping lists to the whole class one.
Ss explain their choices, and necessary changes.
T provides learners with a vocabulary list to read at their free time.

03-05 mins

T explains that they can use a dictionary or refer to new words (available in the classroom).

Teachers roles are ( facilitator, observer and assessor)

Bibliography:

Willis, J. (1996) A Framework for Task-Based Learning, Longman.

10 Appendices
Handout 1

Shopping needs for Spain trip (July 2014):

I had 700

for this shopping list.

Item

How many

Price

Tops
Pants
Jeans
Training Pants
Sneakers /
trainers
Books
A lap top
Total

6
5
2
2
1

100
200
90
50
40

3
1

Teachers Own

75
300
540

Handout 2

Shopping for Spain Trip

Last June, I decided to fly to Granollers for a DELTA

course. I went to the shops to by some clothes, and I

had only 700 cash to buy things in this shopping

list. I had to buy tops and pants first, because I
needed to have some new clothes for the course. I
bought six tops and five trousers, and I paid 300 for
them. It was a good bargain, and I liked the tops very
much. It was necessary to buy some books to use
during the course, so I had to but three books for
75. Also, I needed a trainer and two pairs of training
pants, so I can go to the gym sometimes. I didnt
need to buy two pairs of training pants, so I bought
one pair and one trainer for 75. I thought I would be
able to go out on weekends, so I had to buy two pairs
of jeans for 90. I couldnt buy a new Lap-Top, as I
had only 160 left. It was not very necessary
because I had an old one. I decided to use it for this
course.

Handout 3

Task:
Last summer you received this letter:

Teachers Own

Congratulations Mr./ Mrs. .

You won a three nights in Barcelona hotel. The hotel
is on the beach. For security reasons, you are allowed
to have one medium size bag.
Tell the class about ten (10) items you carried to Barcelona
last summer.
Use the shopping catalogue Fill in your shopping list (you
had only 300 ).

Item

How many Price

Address

Teachers Own

Teachers Own

Teachers Own