Expressions in Conversation

 

Lesson Planning of Expressions in Conversation in give and respond to simple instructions and directions

Subject English

Grade V

Students` Learning Outcomes

• Use appropriate expressions in conversation to request and respond to requests, give and respond to simple instructions and directions.

Information for Teachers

• Request is an act of asking for something politely or formally.

• There are different levels of politeness in making a request. You have to know them because they will help others to understand what you want to convey.
• For example: if you say ‘Would you mind fetching me some water?’, to your servant, it will look odd and he/she will be surprised. Also, when you want to ask something (pen for example) from a stranger, don`t say, ‘will you lend me your pen?’ as it will be rude and he/she will understand it as a command instead of a request.
• Hence, before you ask something see how close you are to the person and make the request in correct form.
• The following are some of the ways you can request something in English: as;

1. Give me some money.
2. Will you lend me some money, (please)?
3. Can you lend me some money, (please)?
4. Could you lend me some money?
5. Do you think you could lend me some money?
6. I wonder if you could lend me some money.
7. Would you mind lending me some money?
8. If you could lend me some money, I would be very grateful/ I would appreciate it.

• In the above list, the (1) is the least polite way of making a request and (8) is the most polite. They are arranged in the ascending order of politeness. The last form (8) is mostly used in writing generally not used in speaking.
• An instruction is detailed information telling how something should be done.

Material/ Resources

Writing board, chalk/marker, duster, textbook

Introduction

• Begin the lesson by asking a student: as;

1. Ali/Numara, would you clean the board for me?

• Ask about five requests from students: as;

1. Would you open the door for me?
2. Could you lend me your pencil?
3. Could you turn on the fan, please?

• Ask the class to try to remember what you just asked. If students remember only actual request such as ‘open the door’, ask them how you said it.
• Write all the words students say on the board. Then write the other words that they could not remember.
• Ask some students to make requests to you. Respond to students` request appropriately, as; could you please write that word again?  Sure.

Development

Activity 1 Explain to the class that you should be polite when making a request and when responding to a request. Draw two columns on the board. Write a heading ‘Making Requests’ at the top of one column. Write the heading ‘Responding to Requests’ at the top of other column. Ask students to copy the table in their notebooks. Ask them to match requests with the appropriate response.

 

Activity 2 Write the following sentences on the board: as; Use your computer. Borrow some money. Close the window. Tell me where the library is? Make a cup of tea for me. Use your phone. Pass the salt. Lend me a story book. divide the class into two groups: as; A and B Tell group A to use the sentences as requests, as; Can I use your computer, please? Can I use your computer for 1 hour, please? Tell group B to respond to the requests. One student from group A will make a request. One student from group B will respond to the request. Help students if they have difficulty making and responding to requests.

 

Activity 3 Put desks at different places in the classroom. Make each desk a different place, as; shop, house, school, etc. Blindfold one student. The blindfolded student must not see the class arrangement. Ask the other students to give directions to him/her to reach a place. You can make it more interesting by adding places. As; Go to the school then go to the shop and then go to the house. The rest of the class can give instructions to the blindfolded student. You can also do this activity as a competition with the class divided into two groups. The group which reaches the house first will be the winner.

 

• Conclude the lesson by asking students to share the new vocabulary that they learnt to respond to different requests.

Assessment

• Ask students to make requests using the following: as;

1. Can you______________________________________?
2. Could you______________________________________?
3. Will you____________________________________?
4. Would you mind____________________________________?

Follow up

• Give students five to seven sentences. Ask them to identify whether each sentence is a request or an instruction.
• Converse with your brother, sister or any other family member using appropriate expressions to: as;

1. Request and respond to requests.
2. Give and response to simple instructions and directions