This Mini Session is an abbreviated series of classes intended to meet the need for intermediate level ESOL instruction between the conclusion of the Everyday English series and the upcoming holidays. Hence, this session consists of only eleven class sessions, or 22 hours of instruction. As with the Everyday English series, this shortened curriculum provides additional speaking, reading and writing practice related to everyday conversations. As requested by our learners, much of the grammar focused on the continued use of gerunds and infinitives, prepositions and the future, present and past continuous tenses.

Each lesson plan contains specific behavioral objectives, the lesson's duration, lesson materials, classroom activities and assessment tools. A thumbnail sketch of each lesson is provided as a quick reference.

Introductions

This orientation session features two interactive activities that allow learners to ask and answer questions about each other. Worksheets model correct questions and responses while giving the instructor useful insights into learner interests, learning styles and language competencies. Included in the session materials are questionnaires that give learners opportunities to express what they already know and what they want to learn.   

(2 hours)

Socializing at Work

Learners apply good and bad weather adjectives, gerunds and the continuous tenses to simple, everyday conversations. The popular Ready to Go 3 presents several conversational models for learners to build upon as they create their own dialogues.

(4 hours) 

Small Talk Dialogues

This lesson draws from a newspaper article about the 2000 Census to reinforce instruction on the use of gerunds, infinitives and the continuous tenses while highlighting the diversity of American culture. Learners begin with a Jeopardy-type game as a review of the continuous tenses from the previous lesson. 

(4 hours)

The Problem with Cellphones...

Learners build everyday vocabulary and review the use of the present continuous tense and infinitives while discussing the problems of cellphones. Lesson begins with a think-pair-share activity that encourages critical thinking and freestyle discussion about the topic. 

(4 hours)

On the Job Prepositions Review

This lesson integrates word processing and Internet skills with opportunities for verbal and written practice with prepositions of time and place in employment related situations. 

(2 hours)

Making Generalizations

Learners review noun plurals using "a lot of," "some," "many," a few," "much" and "a little" with count and non-count nouns before making generalizations with plural and singular nouns.

(2 hours)

At the Park

Learners identify activities at the park while distinguishing between continuous tense phrases and gerund phrases in oral and written forms. Conversational practice is included by requiring learners to create and perform original dialogues based upon the "At the Park" scenario.

(3 hours)