Basics, basics, basics...

This last week I've been using the present continuous lesson from the Smith's School of English curriculum with as many of my students as their study plans will allow. The interesting thing about this particular lesson is that it contains a staggering amount of vocabulary for the sake of practicing the central grammar point. I find this to actually be the most rewarding part of the lesson. The task of switching a verb from standard present tense to present continuous is rather mechanical with few exceptions. As such, most students can master it in a controlled environment after seeing only a few examples. The sheer volume of vocabulary however gives even a higher level student a run for their money.

As usual I start out with a review of the one point from the students previous lesson. This helps to break the ice as usual and establishes a link of trust between the student and I. After that I can transition right into the present continuous lesson plan. Each step of the lesson is tiered with a well paced learning curve for students who are new to the material. For students who are more familiar with the material I can easily skip intermediary steps right into the more complex activities.

This lesson has plenty of logical stopping points so no what pace the student moves through the material it's pretty easy to transition into a routine review when I see we are nearing the end of the lesson. I always pick a routine that the student has practiced before and go through either the hint bar or the questions depending on their level. With a few minutes left in the lesson I move into the new one point and practice it a bit before bidding the student farewell. I had fun exploring this lesson and I'm looking forward to exploring another as deeply next time.