Lesson Plan

Created by Annmarie Trani, Saint Joseph College, Summer 2000

The following beginner Spanish lesson uses selections from Unit 1 Topic 3, Unit 4 Topic 2, and Unit 6 Topic 2 of Berlitz Spanish as reinforcement activities to an introductory lesson on telling time or la hora. This lesson will familiarize the students with the grammatical structure and form and the vocabulary used to tell time. Any beginner Spanish student should be able to understand this lesson, and with sufficient practice will be able to demonstrate his or her fluency of this topic.

The students will complete these interactive activities independently in the language lab. The teacher will not have to instruct the students on how to use this software because the students frequently utilize it as part of a class activity. The teacher will be available to answer questions and monitor the students' progress by using the teacher control booth. A teacher assistant and/or technical assistant will also be available to help the students with any difficulties. This lesson is designed for a Block Schedule (i.e., 90-minute class).

This CD-ROM offers a combination of listening, reading, writing, and speaking activities for the beginner Spanish student using a repertory of learning strategies. In addition, it contains comprehensive explanations of grammar, translations of vocabulary, examples of pronunciation in context, lessons on culture, and feedback on accuracy. Selections from Unit 1 Topic 3, Unit 4 Topic 2, and Unit 6 Topic 2 of this program are used to enhance the students' competency in telling time.

The students will be able to:

• Ask and tell the time
• Ask and say what time something takes place
• Match times to numerical times, pictures, and ideas
• Understand cultural information relative to telling time

• Software: Berlitz Spanish by The Learning Company
• Hardware requirements: Computers, microphones, headphones (all hardware is stored and used in the Language Lab)
• Worksheets
• Model paper clocks
• Pens/Pencils (students should bring their own if they want to take notes)
• Chalkboard/Chalk or Dry Erase Board/Dry Erase Markers (if needed by the teacher to give additional instruction)

Lesson Sequence (90 -minute class in the Language Lab)

1. Clearly state lesson expectations to the students and explain the lesson’s sequence.
2. Distribute the instructional/homework worksheet, a model paper clock, and a CD-ROM to each student.

Body: (60 minutes)

1. Tell the students to read the instructional worksheet silently and to look up when they are done reading.
2. Re-read the instructional worksheet aloud. Provide additional instruction, practice (i.e., students will repeat the new vocabulary), and explanations. Tell the students that they may take notes, if necessary.
3. Ask if there are any questions before proceeding to the first activity.
4. Using the model paper clocks, have pairs of students ask and tell the time in Spanish. Walk around the room to listen to and correct pronunciation and to keep the students on task.
5. Provide directions for the next activity (i.e., the CD-ROM software) in a clear, coherent and logical manner. Berlitz Spanish has already been installed into each of the computers.
6. Click on START® PROGRAMS® THE LEARNING COMPANY® BERLITZ SPANISH to open the software program. Click anywhere on the screen during the introduction to proceed to the sign-in screen.
7. Type in your name/user name and then click on START to begin.
8. Tell the students that they have 40 minutes to complete the following exercises independently: Unit 1 Topic 3, Unit 4 Topic 2, and Unit 6 Topic 2. Remind the students that they may refer to the grammar, dictionary, and closer look buttons on the tool bar that is available on every screen if they need more instruction on this topic.
9. Walk around the room to monitor the students' progress and use the teacher control booth to listen to the students' pronunciation and evaluate their written work. Periodically tell the students how much time remains in the class to complete the unit activities, including a 5-minute warning.
10. Have students exit the program by clicking on EXIT® YES, and then have them return the CD-ROM to the teacher control booth/work area.

Closure: (20 minutes)

1. Through questions and answers, in the target language, summarize the lesson.
2. Respond constructively to students (questions, feedback, redirects).
3. Assign the following homework: review the instructional worksheet and complete the attached worksheet. Also, tell any of the students who did not complete all of the unit activities to finish them by the end of the week because the content of Unit 1 Topic 3, Unit 4 Topic 2, and Unit 6 Topic 2 will covered in the weekly quiz.
4. Have a student read the directions on the La Hora worksheet and review the model in Parts A and B. Encourage the students to ask about any unfamiliar vocabulary or to define the meaning from context. Remind them that spelling and neatness counts and that the homework will be reviewed and collected tomorrow.
5. Invite any confused students to stay after school for extra help, and tell the students that the software is available in the language lab for their use.
6. Have students begin the homework in class, if time permits.

This lesson is designed to enhance the students' proficiency in Spanish by effectively integrating the 5 C's (i.e., connections, communities, cultures, comparisons, and communication) or the criteria established by The National Standards of Foreign Language Learning into all of the speaking, reading, writing, and listening activities. This lesson’s content will be continually recycled into other lessons throughout the academic year to support the philosophy of second-language learning.

Specifically, the students' comprehension of the Unit 1 Topic 3, Unit 4 Topic 2, and Unit 6 Topic 2 and the homework assignment will determine the success of this lesson.

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