British and American English and Slangs Lesson Plan

Name: Asmaa Taha Time: 6:00- 8:00 pm Date: 5/11/2013 Level: Low Intermediate

Grammar/Lx Focus: Pragmatics &Semantics & Phonology

Context: ESL-International Partners/Spouses of Faculty

Learning Aims: Main aim By the end of the lesson, students will be able to identify some of the differences between American and British English. They will also be able to know and use some American slangs in informal conversations. Subsidiary aim: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to pronounce target colloquial words/phrases with the correct intonation and stress. Students will also be able to use intonation and stress appropriately.

Anticipated problems: Pronunciation problems as intonation and stress of colloquial words/phrases

Students might not know some new vocabulary that will be presented them in video context. Students might need to watch the video more than two times. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75KrlGjCink

Materials: Stage aim 1) Lesson Objectives 2) Warm Up (Semantics) Stage/Procedure The teacher will introduce the lesson objectives to the students. The teacher will warm the students up by asking the students to discuss the meaning of the two idioms/slang provided in the pictures. They will work in pairs then the teacher will check with them. The main idea of this activity is to activate the students schemata about colloquial words/phrases. Students will work in groups of 4 to guess the meaning of the colloquial words/phrases. The teacher will monitor and help if needed. When they finish, the teacher will give class feedback. The teacher will focus on meaning of these colloquial words/phrases. The teacher will ask the students practice saying the colloquial words/phrases focusing on intonation and stress. They will practice with the teacher and any correction will be given if needed. The teacher will ask the students to write 6 sentences about their lives to practice using the target vocabulary. The teacher provides some examples for them. When they are done, students will take turn saying their sentences to their classmates. Then they will ask some follow up questions about their sentences. Students will have a short break. Interaction patterns Teacher- Student Student- Student Teacher- Student Student- Student Teacher- Student 10 minutes Timing 5 minutes

10 minutes

3) Presenting colloquial words/phrases (Semantics) 4) pronunciation of colloquial words/phrases (Phonology) 5) practice using colloquial words/phrases (writing) (speaking) Exercises 4 &5 6) Break

Student- Student Teacher- Student Student- Student Teacher- Student

10 minutes

10 minutes

10 minutes

7) Discussion questions (lead in activity)

The students will discuss the questions about British English and American English in pairs. The teacher will check with students when they finish and will give some personalized example about him/her.

Student- Student Teacher- Student

5 minutes

8) Presenting new vocabulary British English and American English

9) Practice new vocabulary Exercise 8 & 9

10) American slang (skim listening ) 11) American slang (listening for details ) & (Semantics) 12) discussion questions (Pragmatics) 1) Assessment & wrap-up

Students will work in groups of 3 to provide the equivalents words used in American English to the provided words used in British English. The main purpose behind this activity is to raise students awareness of the difference between American and British English. The teacher will monitor and give help and support if needed. The teacher will check with the students when they finish. The teacher will elicit/provide some examples of the target vocabulary in a context. The students will work in groups to write 5 sentences using words used in American English. The teacher will monitor and give help and support if needed. The teacher will check with the students when they finish. Then students will work in groups of 3 to think about other differences between American English and British English either. The teacher will check with the class and then the teacher will highlight that there are other differences in meaning, vocabulary, pronunciation and writing. The teacher will provide examples Students will watch a video in which there are two American guys teaching a British guy some American slang words. They will try to recognize any of these slang words used in the South of US. Students will watch the video again and fill in the gaps with the American slang words matching them with their British equivalent words. When they finish the activity and when they check their answers, the teacher will work on the meaning of these slang words with the class. The students will discuss the questions about the use of slang language in pairs. The teacher will check with students when they finish and will give some examples. The teacher will ask students to provide some words/phrases they learnt from the lesson. The main purpose of this activity is to check and assess students understanding of the lesson. It is a nice wrap up to let the students think, reflect.

Student- Student Student- Teacher

20 minutes

Teacher - Student

10 minutes

Student- Teacher

Student- Student Student- Teacher Student- Student Student- Teacher Student- Student Teacher - Student Student- Student Student- Teacher

10 minutes

10 minutes

minutes

5 minutes

A. 1. 2. 3.

Directions: Discuss these questions in pairs: Do you use your phone a lot? Who are the three people you call or text the most? Do you usually need to speak English on the phone? How often do you speak English on the phone? B. Directions: Work in group of two to fill in the gaps with the suitable word. called meeting off on break message

1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6)

I am sorry but he is in his lunch . Can I take a .. for him? Would you like me to tell him that you I am sorry, hes in a Would you like to a message? Hold., please. Ill put you through.

C. Directions: With a partner, match sentences 1-6 to the following headings a-c. a) Asking someone to wait b) Saying someone isnt available c) Offering to take a message D. Directions: With a partner, practice saying the sentences 1-6 paying attention to the intonation. E. Directions: With a partner, think about the following questions.

1) What is the first thing you say when we call someone? 2) How do we start a phone conversation? 3) What is the last thing you say before ending a phone conversation? 4) How do we end a phone conversation? 5) What do you say if you want to leave a message to someone on the phone? 6) What do you say if you want to speak to someone on the phone?

F. Directions: Match the headings to the sentences from the phone conversations. saying where people can contact you leaving a message asking to speaking to someone

1) Can I speak to David, please? Is David there, please? Could I speak to Peter, please? 2) .. Could you ask him/her to call me tomorrow? Can you ask him/her to call me back? Just tell him/her David called. 3) .. He/she can call me at the office. He/she can call me on my cell. He/she can call me at home this evening. G. Directions: With a partner, practice saying a-c in the exercise F paying attention to the intonation. H. Directions: Listen to the phone conversation and answer the following questions. 1) Why didnt peter call David at first? 2) Why did David call Peter? 3) What will they do on Saturday? I. Directions: Now practice the conversation with a partner paying attention to the intonation.

David: Hello, David Osborne. Peter: Hello David. Its Peter. I got your message. David: Finally, where are you? I called you twice. Peter: Im so sorry. It was such a busy day and I didnt have a chance to call you back. David: No worries, listen! I am going to the golf course, would you like to come with me?

Peter: Sure. Id love too and I am going to beat you this time. Just wait! David: Well, well see! See you on Saturday then at noon as usual. Peter: yeah. Ill see you then. Bye. David: alright. Bye

J. Work in pairs to write a phone conversation between A and B. A is calling a friend at work and B is the receptionist at the friends office. Use sentenc es from exercises B and F.

K. Now practice the conversation in pairs and share it with your class. Which one is the most interesting and why?