past 3

This Smith's School of English lesson focuses on the past particle grammar usage which ultimately leads to the very popular "Have you ever_________in your life" question. I always try to incorporate a mini lesson for past participle review especially for lower level students. This means I write some verb examples the board like eat/ate/eaten or see/saw/seen. I find this sets a good example so the students can easily identify the grammar point in this lesson.

Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs are very important if you want to get by in the normal English-speaking environment. Most English speakers use phrasal verbs very casually on a daily basis without thinking about it, so understanding and being able to use them is crucial for becoming an integral participant in an English conversation. Memorizing regular verbs isn't enough to get by in a country where English is the first language of the natives so these phrasal verb lessons are incredibly useful for preparing students for trips overseas or home stays. The Smith's School of English lesson introduces a number of phrasal verbs, some especially related to cooking. It includes exercises that range a great deal in situation and dialogue, so that the student gets a wide variety of practice using phrasal verbs.

Gerunds and Infinitives

Gerunds and infinitives are very useful, but are tricky for remembering how to use them correctly. They are especially great when you want to share your bad habits or tell others what you do or don't like to do. This Smith’s School of English lesson makes the differentiation between gerunds and infinitives concrete so as to smooth over repetitive grammar errors and guide students in their proper usage.

Un/countable

Two slices of cheese or two cheeses? A countable noun is one that has both a singular and plural usage, such as one tomato, two tomatoes. All abstract nouns are uncountable, but when it comes to material nouns it gets a little trickier. This Smith’s School of English lesson focuses on distinguishing some of the countable uncountable nouns, especially when it comes to food items. It gets students identifying whether the noun needs to be talked about in terms of 'how many' or 'how much'. Some nouns can be both uncountable and countable, such as cake which is either a mass noun in 'two pieces of cake', and a countable noun when there are 'two whole cakes'. This lesson also introduces the student to some of the most common containers and quantity expressions for uncountable nouns, like a piece of cheese, a glass of wine, a box of tea, and so on. In the development section the student has an opportunity to practice distinguishing countable and uncountable nouns with some expansion questions.

Idioms

Target lessons on idioms are an important part of the curriculum for high level students. Idioms are phrases whose meaning cannot be deduced from the some of its parts, such as "Achilles' heel" or "safe as houses". A knowledge of idiomatic expressions shows a great deal of fluency, so to this end the focus of these Smith’s School of English idiom lessons isn't only to understand the idioms, but for the students to become comfortable using them, and be able to apply them naturally when talking about day to day situations.

Frequency

How often do you go shopping? Or, do you ever eat cake for breakfast?

When talking about regular daily events it’s important to have some vocabulary related to frequency. People ALWAYS use frequency terms when discussing their life. For example, when talking about someone’s recent weekend activity, you’d be tempted to ask how often they go camping. Whether they go camping almost every weekend, or whether it is really rare for them to be able to take a break changes the impact of the event. Frequency lessons at Smith’s School of English focus on this specific set of vocabulary words and their application.

Imperatives

How would you warn someone of a dangerous situation? Would you recognize such a warning if you heard it yourself?

This Smith’s School of English lesson is designed to help prevent and avoid potentially dangerous situations. If you ever hear someone shout, "Watch out for the bus!", you'll know exactly what you are being warned of and know how to react in advance. And as an added bonus, you will know how to explain warning signs to help others avert disaster.

Adjectives

What would you do if you lost something and needed help in finding it?

Well, the first thing you would probably be required to do is describe that lost something. This can be a mighty challenging task if you aren't familiar with descriptive words and don't know where to begin. That's where the Smith’s School of English Adjectives lessons come in handy. Whether it be a lost purse or dropped cell phone, these lessons will help you describe your belongings should you ever misplace them. Adjectives are equally beneficial for describing foods and objects that your new friend may never have seen nor tried before.

Directions

Excuse me, how do I get to...... ?

Whether you are lost in a foreign land yourself or someone who is foreign to your land is lost in your neighborhood, being able to explain how to get from point A to point B is a life saver. This Smith’s School of English lesson is enjoyable and offers a great deal of new vocabulary. Once the vocabulary is practiced to the point of comfortability the student has a chance to role play using various maps and classroom tools. By the time this lesson is mastered getting and giving directions in English isn't so intimidating anymore!

Now the only problem is actually knowing where you are going in the first place..

Phrase Cards

Phrase cards are organized sets of flash cards with set English phrases.

What better way to help students familiarize themselves with set English phrases than with some well organized phrase cards? These Smith’s School of English cards are a great way to provide students with example usages while encouraging them to use the chosen phrases freely without assistance. There are literally hundreds of these phrase cards on hand so the options are potentially limitless.

If...Will

This is a really fun and creative Smith’s School of English item where the students are encouraged to work with 'what if' scenarios. Part of this section provides students with questions that spark their imagination into coming up with what kind of path they would choose if they win the lottery, take a vacation in Hawaii, or meet a celebrity.

L & R Routines

Regardless of the language, in daily life we ask and are required to answer many straightforward and sometimes challenging questions. The Smith’s School of English Routines were created in order to address this need for the would-be English speaker. By introducing, drilling, and reviewing these questions both inside and outside of a structured lesson we are preparing the students for realistic conversations in the real-life world.

Let's Talk!

Open ended conversation with topic specific discussion questions. You never can tell which question will spark interest for the student. Smith’s School of English Let's talk discussion items give coaches a great opportunity to identify a student's weak point and support them in an open ended natural conversation environment.

Injuries

Ouch!

No one enjoys getting sick or going to the hospital but what's worse is having to do so in a foreign land using a foreign language. Smith’s School of English has some lessons designed specifically for this type of situation dealing with everything from describing minor symptoms to paying the doctors bill afterwards. Discuss how you used these lessons here.

-Gavin

ING/ED

Here's another doosey! Slight grammatical differences when conjugating can be frustrating for someone studying English. Smith’s School of English aim to practice the different usages in natural conversational setting so our students won't be so frustrated. Hey! That's a pretty good example right there.

Let's use this space to discuss lessons dealing with this useful grammar point!

-Gavin

Questions!

What an important skill when working toward mastering a foreign language!

Forming and responding to questions appropriately can be a daunting task for any learner of a second language. At Smith’s School of English so many of the curriculum lessons deal with this skill indirectly. To be sure, it may be difficult to conduct any English lesson without asking and answering at least a few questions.

This is such an important skill though that it deserves lessons dedicated directly to it. Forming questions that are appropriate to the subject being discussed. Answering questions asked of you accurately and completely. Let's hear about those lessons here!

-Gavin, Smith's School of English Kyobashi

Vocabulary lessons

The vocabulary lesson is another popular lesson format, especially with high level students. Usually focusing on 5 new English vocabulary words, this Smith’s School of English lesson gives students a chance to learn, practice using, and practice reacting two new unfamiliar vocabulary and a natural environment. A large part of the lesson often involves the students making up their own example sentences. As you may expect this can lead to some of the most interesting and entertaining discussions!

Let's hear about some of these lessons and discuss them!

-Gavin