Reading and Writing Lesson Plan

Brief Description of Classroom Setting:

- 12 intermediate level college ESL learner of L1 background of Chinese
- Teacher: H. Wang
- Class period: 60 minute
- Progress: 6th lesson of the 8-lesson unit plan

Pre-lesson Inventory:
Language objective: Students will be able to tell the differences of tense shifts in narrative and
use the tense shifts in conducting discourse.
Content objective: Students will be able to describe life experiences properly and accurately
and comprehend the lesson(s) that they have learned from these experiences.
Materials to take to class: 12 copies of handouts, 16 blank sheets, whiteboard markers.
Equipment needed for class: Laptop for video player and PowerPoint presentation.
Assignments to collect from students: None.
Special room arrangement: None.

Activity 1: Warm-up (5 minutes)

Purpose: To introduce the topic of todays lesson.
Procedure:
- Greet the class. Write down the goals of the lesson on the board and announce the goals and
objectives to the class.
- Instructor will show a commercial video with English captions of Tencent QQ (the most
popular instant messaging software in China). The video is about how this software has changed
and connected the lives of families living in different countries.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XERYuGZGOOg)
- After showing the video, instructor will ask students how they feel about the clip. And what do
they use to contact their family and friends in their home countries when they want to share their
life experiences in foreign countries.

Transition: Tell students that they are going to read an article about someones life and
comprehend the passages.

Activity 2: Comprehension Challenge (25 minutes)

Purpose: Ensure that students are able to comprehend the information and tell the difference of
tense shifts in discourse.
Procedure:
- Give out handouts (copies of Hanover Square). Explain how the activity works.
- Divide the class into groups and read through the whole article.
- Using the selected text, provide one sample comprehension question on the board.
- Each group will get a chunk of the article. The groups need to compose 3 additional
comprehension questions and corresponding answers. Go from group to group and assist where
needed.
- Collect the questions.
- Each group takes a turn at answering a question which the instructor will read out. Where
students have written the question, get them to provide the answers. Note that the same
comprehension questions will not be asked repeatedly.
- Ask students to find out the tenses used in the article. Then let the students explain why the
author used these tenses. (e.g.: simple past-narrative, simple present-generic, etc.)
Transition: Tell students that they are going to describe their life experiences by writing a short
article.

Activity 3: Short Essay Writing (25 minutes)

Purpose: To assess students ability to shift tenses in discourse to describe life experiences.
Procedure:
- Give out blank sheets.
- Assign students the writing topic of My Best/Worst Life Experience Living Aboard.
- Each student needs to write a short essay about their life experience overseas within 150 words.
Go around the classroom and assist where needed.
- After monitoring students writing, select 2-3 students to read out their short essay as well as to
project them on the board for the rest of the class to see what was written. After reading the
essay, ask the class what tenses did he or she used and why.

- The rest of the class will correct the errors or discuss their opinions and feelings about the life
experiences.

Closure (5 minutes)
- A brief review of the activities and things that are taught, then ask students to come up with one
question about the class. And thank the audience for their time and patience.

Homework Assignments: No Homework will be assigned.

References:
Guse, J. (2011). Communicative Activities for EAP. Cambridge. P121-122.
Hanover Square. (2008, February 19). Message posted to
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/language_tips/book/2008-02/19/content_6466555.htm

Hanover Square
Can it really be sixty-two years ago that I first saw you? It is truly a lifetime, I know. But as I
gaze into your eyes now, it seems like only yesterday that I first saw you, in that small caf in
Hanover Square. From the moment I saw you smile, as you opened the door for that young
mother and her newborn baby. I knew. I knew that I wanted to share the rest of my life with you.
I still think of how foolish I must have looked, as I gazed at you, that first time. I remember
watching you intently, as you took off your hat and loosely shook your short dark hair with your
fingers. I felt myself becoming immersed in your every detail, as you placed your hat on the
table and cupped your hands around the hot cup of tea, gently blowing the steam away with your
pouted lips. From that moment, everything seemed to make perfect sense to me. The people in
the caf and the busy street outside all disappeared into a hazy blur. All I could see was you.
Many, many times I have sat and thought about that the first day. It pleases me that I can still
have those feelings now after all those years, and I know I will always have them to comfort me.
Not even as I shook and trembled uncontrollably in the trenches, did I forget your face. I would
clutch my rifle tightly to my heart, and think again of that very first day we met. I would cry out
in fear, as the noise of war beat down around me. But, as I thought of you, everything around me
would be become silent, and I would be with you again for a few precious moments, far from the
death and destruction.
I cannot tell you how strong my love for you was back then, when I returned to you on leave in
the September, feeling battered, bruised and fragile. We held each other so tight I thought we

would burst. I asked you to marry me the very same day and I whooped with joy when you
looked deep into my eyes and said "yes" to being my bride.
Im looking at our wedding photo now. I think of how young and innocent we were back then. I
remember being on the church steps grinning like a Cheshire cat, when you said how dashing
and handsome I looked in my uniform. The photo is old and faded now, but when I look at it, I
only see the bright vibrant colors of our youth.
I know both our children love you dearly; they are outside the door now, waiting. Can you
remember how we both hugged each other tightly when we saw our tiny granddaughter for the
first time? I cant believe she will be eight next month. I am trying not to cry, my love, as I tell
you how beautiful she looks today in her pretty dress and red shiny shoes. When I met her at the
door her smile wrapped around me like a warm glove, just like yours used to do, my darling.
I know you are tired, my dear, and I must let you go. But I love you so much it hurts to do so. I
wipe the tears away from my eyes and bend my frail old legs down to the floor, so that I can
kneel beside you. I lean close to you and take hold of your hand and kiss your tender lips for the
very last time.
I am sad that you had to leave me, but please dont worry because I know I will be with you
soon. I am too old and too empty now to live much longer without you.I know it will not be long
before we meet again in that small caf in Hanover Square.
Goodbye, my darling wife.