Lesson 4 10/06/2015

Time: 80 minutes
Theme: On Dress codes and regulations (part 2)
Level: upper-intermediate
Content: Obligation: Have to (affirmative, negative and interrogative pattern).
Clothes. Difference between must and have to.
Objectives of the class: Ss will:

Revise content seen in previous classes

Work with vocabulary of clothes

Use language communicatively to talk about the content of a video

Learn the concept behind have to to be able to accurately express the

idea of obligation/ imposition when necessary

Start exploring the subtle difference between must and have to

Work on paratextual elements present in a video to sharpen their

comprehension skills

Materials:
Computer, speakers, video, digital images, handout, and blackboard.

1. Warm-up and revision

Aim: recovering content from previous classes
Time: 5- 7
Materials: Blackboard (to jot down the ideas mentioned)

I will ask Ss whether they remember what we saw in our previous

class. They will most probably mention several things, but when they
eventually refer to the idea of must connected to
rules/regulations/obligation, I will write it on the blackboard and
say: yes! Last time, we saw that the word must has two important
meanings. We can use must to express strong advice, OR we can use
must to talk about obligation/regulations.

We should we help others =

We must help others

Advice
(stronger) Advice

Students must wear closed toe shoes =

Regulation

Having mentioned the concepts behind must and should, I will give Ss
the following sentences for them spot the mistakes Ive included. For
this, they will have to work in pairs. They will be given 3 minutes to
identify the blunders. Then, we will discuss what is wrong in each
sentence, so that Ss can have the chance to work on common mistakes.

1) Its really hot in here! We should to turn on the fan

2) Tomorrow I have a difficult exam. I not should waste my time.
3) I musnt smoke in a hospital.
4) Im not feeling well. I should go to the doctor?

2.

Pre-task
Aim: Talking about regulations- discussing Lauren Wiggins experience with
her school dress code. Activating vocabulary of clothes. Watching a short
interview to Lauren Wiggins: working on the importance of paratextual
elements to the understanding of a video.
Time: 15
Materials: picture and video on Lauren Wigginss case (annex 1), and
handout (annex 2)

Ss will be shown the picture in annex 1 and asked to describe what they
see. I will make use of this description to activate vocabulary of clothes
that we have already explored. Then, I will tell the class who the

person in the picture is: I will talk about Lauren Wiggins problem with
her school dress code.
This girl you see here, I will say, is a student at secondary school.
She is the same age as you are. This girl was punished for wearing this
dress at school. I will ask Ss whether they feel this kind of garment is
appropriate for school, and whether they agree with the idea of
punishing students for violating a school dress code. I will then tell Ss
that I have a video to show them, where they will see Lauren Wiggins
being interviewed by a reporter. I will warn Ss that they might not be
able to understand every word spoken by the people in the video, but
that that doesnt mean that they will not be able to make sense of
what they see. When you watch a video in other language, you have to
pay attention to what people say, yes, but ALSO to other elements that
we sometimes forget that they are ABSOLUTELY RELEVANT. Do you have
any idea of which elements Im talking about?
This way, I will try to introduce Ss to some paratextual elements that
help us construe meaning, apart from words: I will draw attention to
the image and the music/sound. I will tell Ss that these elements give a
lot of information that we sometimes fail to see: the pictures shown in
a video can reinforce or add information connected to what is being
said, and the music played or the tone of voice that speakers have is
often very rich when it comes to making sense of videos, for they help
us see if the situation is funny or sad, or if the person speaking is
serious, happy, angry, etc. I will rite on the blackboard the
following, so that Ss can guide their observation of paratextual
elements as they watch the video

Attention to
Music
sounds
peoples tone of voice
Images

Having said this, I will play the video so that Ss can watch it and see
what they make of it (I will play only the first half, which is what we
are going to work on). Once the video finishes, I will ask Ss whether
they want me to play it again, and if they want it (I am sure they will),
I will play it over. After the video finishes again, I will ask Ss what their
impressions of the video are based on the paratextual elements just

mentioned (the ones written on the blackboard). I will also ask the
class whether there is anything that has sparked their attention, and
ask some questions connected to what they saw, so that I can write
their ideas on the blackboard (brainstorming). These ideas they will
mention will be left on the blackboard, until we can check them once
they finish the following activity: the reading of the script of the
interview.
Tasks

Aim: developing reading comprehension skills: first understanding

global ideas, and then more specific ones. Enriching vocabulary.
Time: 20
Materials: handout (annex 2)
I will give Ss the text in annex 2. I will tell them that the text that they
are bound to read is the script of the video they have just watched.
Before they read, and considering the discussion about paratextual
elements, Ss will have to come up with ideas as to the content of the
interview (the gist). I will write on the blackboard the different ideas
they brainstorm.
Ss will have to read the text in pairs: their goal will first be a global
understanding of the text. For this, they will be encouraged to read the
interview without paying much attention to the words they may not
know (anyway, they will be encouraged to underline these words for
further discussion). They will be given 5 minutes to read the text and
see if the gist matches any of the ideas written on the blackboard.
Once time is up, they will be asked some question as to the gist of the
interview and then we will check whether any of the students
predictions actually matches the content of the interview. We will also
deal with vocabulary that they have not understood.
After this first reading, Ss will have to read the text again, this time in
search for specific information to answer the true/false statements in
appendix 3. They will be given 5 more minutes to do so. Once time is
up, we will discuss the content of this second part.

4.

Post-task

Aim: Checking students predictions on the video. Watching the video

again to work on listening comprehension skills (this time with more
tools to understand it).
Time: 5
Materials: computer, speakers, video, blackboard.

Now Ss have worked on the content of the video from different angles,
we will check the predictions they initially made in connection to it.
Then, the video will be played again, so that Ss can have an extra
opportunity to make sense of it. After this second watching, we will
discuss the ideas/impressions students get from this new opportunity to
resignify the video.
Language focus
Time: 20
Materials: blackboard, handout
Aim: learning how to use have to in a sentence. Starting to explore the
difference between must and have to when it comes to expressing
obligation.

I will write these sentences from the handout on the board: Lauren
has to follow a school dress code that she doesnt like and Lauren
has to wear different clothes because other students get
distracted.

1) Lauren has to follow a school dress code that she doesnt like.
2) Lauren has to wear different clothes because other students get distracted

I will tell Ss to look at the sentences on the board and I will ask them:
What do these sentences express? Are they about predictions in the
future? Or about advice? Ss will try to elucidate the function of the
sentences, and when they eventually arrive at the idea of
obligation/imposition, I will ask them: and how do you know these
sentences are about obligation/imposition? Which word indicates that
the sentences are about obligation/imposition?

Obligation
1) Lauren has to follow a school dress code that she doesnt like.
2) Lauren has to wear different clothes because other students get distracted

Ss will most probably mention has to, and then I will underline it.
Then I will tell them: excellent! In these sentences, has to is used to
talk about obligation, about impositions that we are expected to
follow. I will then tell Ss that have/has to is very similar to must in
the sense that both of them are used to talk about obligations: But
when we use have to, we are talking about an imposition that we are
obliged to follow for some reason.
I will draw attention to the sentences written on the blackboard and I
will tell Ss that both sentences can occur with must instead of have
to, but that the difference is in the meaning we express: if we use
must, we are talking about a regulation, but with have to we are
talking about an action that someone/something imposes on us. In
these sentences, it is the school that obliges Lauren to wear different
clothes. Next to the modal have to I will write imposition/external
obligation.

Obligation
1) Lauren has to follow a school dress code that she doesnt like.
2) Lauren has to wear different clothes because other students get distracted
Have/has to ----- imposition/ external obligation

To expand on the contrast between must and have to I will provide two
more examples to show the difference in meaning: I must buy a
present for my boss and I have buy a present for my boss.
I will ask Ss what the difference in meaning is (if any). They will
hypothesize about it, and then I will explain that both sentences are
OK, and that they DO express different things. When we say I have to
buy a present for my boss we feel that the person speaking has the
obligation to buy the present, and that he/she may not truly want to
buy the gift. Maybe the person is buying a present because that is the
politically correct thing to do.
Instead, when we say I must buy a present for my boss, I express
obligation, but I agree with that decision (internal obligation).
The same happens with I have to study for the exam (external
obligation) vs. I must study for the exam (internal obligation). Ss will

have to tell me what each sentence express, according to the modal

present in each case.
I will also make a point of the conjugation of have to: I will explain
that the original form of the special word, in this case, is have to,
but that with the pronouns she/he/it it changes to has to.

Obligation
1) Lauren has to follow a school dress code that she doesnt like.
2) Lauren has to wear different clothes because other students get distracted

1) I have to buy a present for my boss ------- external obligation (probably, I dont like the idea) :S
2) I must buy a present for my boss

------- internal obligation (I like the idea!)

:D

1) I have to study for the exam ----------- external obligation (probably, I dont like the idea) :S
2) I must study for the exam

----------- internal obligation (I like the idea!) :D

As with the previous lesson, I will show Ss that these sentences are
made up of three different elements, and that have to (or has to, for
that matter) is the special word that expresses obligation. As in
previous lessons, I will first make Ss remind me of what we mean by
the three elements. I will enumerate the subject of the sentence (1),
the modal (2), and the verb (3), so that Ss can tell me what each
number stands for. I will suggest Ss that they go back to their notes, if
they cannot remember this.

Obligation
Lauren

has to

follow

a school dress code that she doesnt like

Once Ss tell me what each number stands for, I will write it on the
board.

Obligation
Lauren

Subject

has to

special

follow

a school dress code that she doesnt like

verb

word

Then, I will ask them to tell me whether they see anything strange in
the form of the verb: I want them to see that after have to the verb
appears in the bare infinite form. After this, I will ask Ss why have to
is a special word: What does it make it special? This way, and taking
into consideration what we have seen in previous lessons, Ss will most
probably tell me that it is this word that expresses obligation and that
moves to pre-subject position in the interrogative pattern.
At this point, however, I will let Ss know that have to is a special
word because it expresses obligation, but that this word is an
exception to the rule we have seen:
have to is a very lazy word: it is not like should or must, which move
to the beginning of the sentence to create questions. This word is
soooo lazy that ANOTHER ELEMENT is necessary to create questions:
do/does; DOES will help she/he/it, while DO will help the other
pronouns
This way, I will show how have to refuses to move to pre-subject
position because of his laziness, and then it calls another word to
do the job that have to doesnt want to.

Obligation
DOES

Lauren

1
Do-help

Subject

have to

follow

special
Word

verb

a school dress code that she doesnt like ?

(Im lazy! I wont move!

I will call my friend DO/DOES to help me)

Then, I will say: Have to is too lazy and it doesnt move to form
questions. Do you think that it will call his friend DO to form the
negative, too? Through this question, we will see how DO-support (I
will refer to this notion by saying Do-help, which is more
transparent) is required to form the negative pattern with have to.
While talking about the interrogative and negative pattern of have to, I
will draw attention to the fact that once DOES appear, the modal
auxiliary changes to have to.

Obligation
Lauren

doesnt

have to

Subject DO-help

special

(in negative)

follow

a school dress code that she doesnt like

3
verb

Word

(Im lazy! I wont move!

I will call my friend DO/DOES to help me)

5.

Practice
Aim: putting into practice have to to talk about personal experiences.
Time: 15
Material: blackboard

I will tell Ss that to see if they have understood, we will work on some
exercises. Each student will have to think of 5 different obligations

he/she has to fulfil in his/her life and that he/she doesnt like very
much. They will have to write sentences for each one. Ss will be given
5 minutes to do so. I will leave the rule on the board for Ss to read
while doing the exercise. I will walk around to monitor their work, in
case someone needs some guidance. Once time is up, each student will
have to read one sentence and ask another student whether that
person also has to do the same thing.
Example:
Student 1: I have to clean my house twice a week. And you, (name of
another student), do you have to clean your house twice a week?
Student 2: No, I dont have to do it. / Yes, I have to do it.
Then, Student 2 tells the class one thing he has to do, and then he asks
another student, and so on.

Obligation

+)

Lauren

has to

follow

Subject

a school dress code that she doesnt like

special +

verb (bare infinite)

Word

-) Lauren

doesnt

have to

Subject DO-help

DOES

Lauren

1
Do-help

Subject

a school dress code that she doesnt like

special

(in negative)

?)

follow

verb (bare infinitive)

word

have to

2
special

follow

a school dress code that she doesnt like ?

3
verb (bare infinitive)

word

6.

Closure
Aim: reflecting on what they have learnt
Time: 3
Material: We will recap on what we have learnt so far. I will ask Ss: ok, before the
class finishes, I want you to tell me ONE thing you have learnt today (each
student will say one, and they cannot repeat the same thing). Once this
is done, I will thank Ss and say goodbye.

Annex 1

Annex 2

Lauren Wiggins against sexist school dress code

She was told the dress was considered "inappropriate" and a "sexual distraction" to fellow
students, and was given a detention.
CBC News- Interview
Lauren: The only part of my body that was actually exposing skin was my shoulder and my upper
back.
Reporter: Getting dressed on Monday morning, Lauren Wiggins wasnt planning on starting a
fight, but she says shes done dressing for the comfort of others.
Lauren: And they had told me that that part of my body showing was a distraction and it
was like a sexual distraction to the young men in my school; and I can cause a disturbance in class
and make them unable to focus in class. And personally, I thought that was absolutely ridiculous
Reporter: Her long loose dress violated the dress code, because it didnt cover her shoulders or
upper back. Wiggins says that if anyone gets distracted by her shoulders that isnt her fault. But here
in Trimbles dress code states that the following items are prohibited: clothing that is excessively
revealing for school environment, like shirts exposing shoulders and/or backs and/or midriffs. So
Wiggins was given a lunchtime detention. She says she didnt agree with the decision, and wrote a
letter.
Lauren: I adjusted it to my vice principal and I said: I have a concern I would like to bring to your
attention. In todays society, a womans body is constantly discriminated against
Reporter: After reading the letter, Laurens vice principal sent her home for the day for not
covering up. Greg Ingersoll is the superintendent at the Anglophone East School district; he says any
code of conduct is in place to keep the classroom running smoothly.

(Video NB dress code mess retrieved from Youtube)

Annex 3

1) Lauren is obliged to wear a long dress to go to school.

T/F

2) Lauren has to wear different clothes because other students get distracted

T/F

3) Lauren must wear revealing clothes to go to school.

T/F

4) Lauren has to follow a school dress code that she doesnt like.

T/F

5) Lauren writes a letter to her vice principal to complain about her situation

T/ F