Name: Alina Date: 4.01.

19 Length of lesson: 60 minutes TP#: 7

Class profile: 10-12 TP students. Some Ss have Materials: 1 x handout based on Straightforward Upper-intermediate p78-79, a
been TP students before, some are new. In general PPT presentation with 6 pictures of cartoon characters in unusual situations.
their fluency is better than their accuracy.

Main Aim(s): By the end of the lesson the students will have practised using the modals of speculation.

Secondary Aim(s): Speaking using the modals of speculation, listening for gist

Personal Aim(s): Monitoring more frequently and purposefully, providing immediate and delayed error correction, get Ss’ attention, give
clear instructions before giving the tasks.

Anticipated problems: Solutions:

(Refer to language and lexis related problems on your LA sheets!)

Class management (e.g. instructions, grouping, dominant students,

etc.):

Some Ss may revert to L1 and deviate from the topic. Ask Ss to talk in English about the topic of the task.

Other problems (e.g. difficulties with texts and tasks): Solutions:

Ss might not understand the aims of the activities.
Ss might not be aware of language.
Ss will pronounce each word fully and stress modals and auxiliaries.
Using full infinitives instead of bare infinitives after modal verbs.
Confusing the language function of: must with obligation,
Check the instructions by asking simple questions.
Focus on language needed to do task either before the task
(language input, then task), or after the task (task- language
input - Ss do task again).
Model and drill both strong and weak forms so Ss can hear the
difference. Highlight the stress on the board.
Using negative checking: give students examples with the wrong
verb forms used and elicit the correction.
Use marker sentences from the text and check Ss understand
could/may/might with permission, can’t with prohibition that what the speaker actually says.

Assumptions:
Some Ss will be familiar with the language and will find the topic intriguing. After the controlled, Ss should be able to speculate using the
target language and complete the freer practice.

White Board Plan

Stage Stage Aim Interaction Lesson Procedure Tutor’s
name & (T-Ss, S-S) Comments
Timing
Lead-in To generate T greets Ss.
5/5 interest and T tells Ss:
activate existing Imagine that you go to hospital for a small operation on your stomach,
knowledge related but the doctor makes a mistake and you are left with long permanent
to the topic of the scars.
reading What is your reaction:
a. Just bad luck
b. I’m glad the doctor cured my problem?
c. The hospital should pay me a lot of money as compensation?
…and what if the doctor’s mistake, was more serious and you were left
seriously ill?
Is it normal for doctors to make mistakes?
If you were a doctor, do you think fear of compensation claims would
make you avoid certain types of work?

Ss talk in pairs for 2-3 mins.

Ss report their ideas.

Listening for To check general Ex. 1 Listening

gist understanding of T instructs Ss to match the words in the box to the definitions 1-5.
10/15 the text T passes handouts to Ss.
Ss work in pairs, then nominate one another to write the answers up
WB.

(2.6) T instructs Ss to:

- listen to the recording and try and
- write a brief summary of the listening passage, using the words in
the box.
Ss work in pairs for 2-3 mins to prepare ideas.
Open class feedback.

Suggested answer: After a consultation at the doctor’s, a patient, who

 was wrongly diagnosed as suffering with a migraine, later suffered a
stroke. The patient is now seeking compensation.
Focus on To guide Ss to the (Ex. 1 Grammar)
language meaning of the T instructs Ss to look at the sentences 1-6 and match their use.
15/30 target language Ss
and to clarify and
check their We use the modal verbs must, may, might, could, can’t to
understanding of speculate about events in the present, past, or future.
meaning.
MEANING

The choice of modal verb reflects your degree of certainty when

speculating.
certain = must
Less certain = may, might, could
certain = can’t

CCQS: Does he speaker use must or can’t to refer to something that’s

certain or less certain? (Certain.)
Is the speaker less certain when he uses must or can’t? (No.)
Can we use may, might, could when we speculate and are less certain?
(Yes.)
Can we use them when we are sure of something? (No.)

We use a modal verb + infinitive or be + ing to speculate about the

present or future.
He must be suffering from a migraine attack.
Insurance costs for doctors could rise further.
The increase in compensation claims cannot be the result of more
medical error.
A patient who is feeling under the weather may be going down with
a virus.

CCQ: Does the speaker speculate about the present, future, or past?
(Present or future)

We use a modal verb + have + past participle to speculate about the

past.
The stroke might have been avoided.
His symptoms could have been caused by a heavy cold.

We can also use a phrase instead of a modal verb:

It’s certain/sure
Likely/probable/possible that…
unlikely/improbable
impossible

Use marker sentences from the text and check Ss understand that
when the speaker says “His symptoms could have been caused by a
heavy cold.”, he actually says: “It’s likely/probable/possible that
his symptoms were caused by a heavy cold.”

Insurance costs for doctors could rise further. =

It’s likely/probable/possible that the insurance costs for doctors
will rise.

Using negative checking: give students examples with the wrong verb
forms used and elicit the correction.

E.g. x Insurance costs for doctors could to rise further.

v Insurance costs for doctors could rise further.

PRONUNCIATION

Model and drill the phrases, highlighting stress on WB.

O o o O o o O
He must be suffering from a migraine attack.

o O o o o O
The stroke might have been avoided.
might have been
/mʌɪtəv bɪn/, not

o O o o o O oo
His symptoms could have been caused by a
heavy cold.
could have been = /kʊdəv bɪn/

Assimilation of:
- Might have: /mʌɪtəv/
- Could have: / kʊdəv/
The weak forms pronounced with a schwa and the weak form of been,
pronounced / bɪn/ not /biːn/.

FORM:

Eliciting + asking Ss for further examples using the target language.

Insurance costs for doctors could rise further.

Could + infinitive (base form)

He must be suffering from a migraine attack.

Must + infinitive or be + present participle / noun phrase

The stroke might have been avoided.

might + have been + past participle / noun phrase.

The increase in compensation claims cannot be the result of more

medical error.
can’t/cannot be + present participle/noun phrase
or can’t/cannot + infinitive (base form)

His symptoms could have been caused by a heavy cold.

could have been + present participle / noun phrase

A patient who is feeling under the weather may be going down with
a virus.
may be + present participle / noun phrase
or may + infinitive

Negative checking: give students examples with the wrong verb forms
 used and elicit the correction.

E.g. x Insurance costs for doctors could to rise further.

v Insurance costs for doctors could rise further.

Controlled To give Ss (EX. 2) T instructs Ss to read the story and then choose the best verb
practice practice and to form to complete the sentences 1-8.
10/40 check their Ss work individually, then compare and discuss their answers.
understanding of Ss nominate one another to go and write up the best verb form on
MPF – focus is on WB.
accuracy. Open class feedback on usage and rephrasing sentences.
Freer practice To give Ss (EX.3) Tell Ss to look at the cartoon and discuss possible answers to
10/50 practice of the the question with a partner, using modals of speculation.
target language
with a focus on “Work in pairs. Look at this picture. Why do you think these people are
fluency. sitting in a hospital waiting room?”

B. Project the cartoons that show people in unexpected situations.

Ss should try to work out what is happening in the pictures (and what
happened before) and use modals to speculate about them.
*The first three pictures are happening now (to practise present
modals);
* and the other pictures show the past (to practise past modals)
*They could speculate what consequences/effects these might have in
the future on the people in the pictures.

Delayed error correction (or after the flexi).

Flexi-stage To give Ss further T asks all Ss to write down 3 facts about things they did in their lives.
10/60 practice of the If possible, these should be small details of a bigger story:
target language e.g. rather than I went on holiday to Mallorca, the Ss should write:
with a focus on I fell of a boat.
fluency. When Ss have finished writing the 3 facts, T puts them into pairs.
Ss take in turns to read one of their sentences to their partner who
must try to speculate about other connected details that make up the
surrounding story:
e.g. You must have been on holiday. You can’t have been in (choose
country).
After this, the conversation can go on normally. The first S can talk
about more details or info if they want to; the second S should try to
keep speculating and guessing about other details.
When the first conversation is finished, pairs can swap roles and try
one of the other student’s sentences.