Landlord and Tenant Agreements

Objectives:

• The learner will fill out a sample rental agreement.

• The learner will review yes/no questions using "do" and "does."

• The learner will write a sample complaint letter to a landlord. 

• The learner will identify the parts of a letter.

Duration:

    2 hours

Materials:

• Butcher paper (one large sheet per learner pair)

• Cassette recorder

• Standout 3, Standards-Based English, Staci Lyn Sabbagh and Rob Jenkins, Thomson and Heinle; 2002, pgs. 45-46, 52-5441-42

• Standout Audio Tape 3

• White board

Activities:

1. Teacher introduces lesson with Think-Pair-Share activity. Question: "What kind of information do we find in a rental agreement?" Learners list items individually, compare responses with a partner, then share as a class. Teacher writes responses on the board. 

2. Teacher distributes information about the Nguyen family from Standout 3, Section A, p. 43. Learners listen to cassette and select correct answers from list in Section B. Class shares responses. 

3. Teacher distributes enlarged sample rental agreement from , p. 45. Learners underline unfamiliar vocabulary; teacher and/or other learners define/pronounce vocabulary.

4. Teacher distributes p. 46. Learners work individually to complete Section C, then correct/discuss answers. Teacher introduces lesson vocabulary, models pronunciation and learners pronounce terms. 

5. Teacher assigns pairs; learners complete sections D and E, p. 46. Class reviews answers.

6. Teacher asks each learner to make a list of the problems that renters might have with a landlord. Learners compare items and teacher writes them on the board. Teacher distributes Standout 3, p. 52; learners read Section B silently and complete Section C. Learners add to their lists other items that they have experienced or heard about from friends. Teacher writes responses on the board, correcting grammar where necessary.  

7. Teacher pairs learners, giving each pair a copy of the sample complaint letter on p. 53. Learners read the letter. Teacher assigns a hypothetical problem to each pair (i.e.: the ceiling leaks, the sliding door doesn't open, the stove doesn't work, the upstairs neighbors are too noisy, my car was broken into in the parking lot, someone stole my clothes from the dryer, the washing machine took my money and doesn't work, etc. Learners may choose more than one complaint, or use a complaint of their own). Learners use the sample letter as a model for their own complaint letter. Learners write an original complaint letter, identifying the different parts of the letter. 

8. Learners write their letter on a large sheet of butcher paper and display in classroom. 

9. Class reads and discusses letters.

Assessment:

Teacher monitors verbal and written responses.