Negative Imperatives and Idioms

Objectives:

• The learner will identify negative imperatives in a variety of sentences with 100% accuracy.

• The learner will use positive and negative imperatives and selected idiomatic phrases in written and spoken dialogues. 

Duration:

    2 hours

Materials:

• Everyday Short Dialogues worksheet

• Useful Imperatives and Idioms reference sheet

• Irregular Verb Page

• Basic Irregular Verbs 1 sheet

• Irregular Verb Jeopardy

• Newspaper article

Activities:

High-Beginning and Low-Intermediate Learners:

1. Teacher reviews structure of commands, highlighting differences between positive and negative imperative forms.

2. Teacher conducts restatement drill using negative imperative form (for example, Teacher: "Tell her not to cross the street." Learner: "Don't cross the street." Teacher: "Tell him not to drive so fast." Learner: "Don't drive so fast!")

3. Teacher distributes Everyday Short Dialogue worksheet to class. Learners work individually to identify and re-write contractions, and identify positive and negative imperatives.

4. Teacher distributes Useful Imperatives and Idioms reference sheet, allowing time for oral practice and clarification of meanings.

5. Learners re-write and expand their Map Activity dialogues from previous lesson, inserting at least four new idiomatic expressions into their dialogues and three negative imperatives. Option for advanced students: create a new dialogue or one modeled after any of the dialogues on the Everyday Short Dialogues worksheet, using at least five new idiomatic expressions and four negative imperatives.

6. Paired learners share, review and correct each other's dialogue.

7. Teacher selects three-four learners to read their dialogue to the class.

High-Intermediate Learners:

Objectives:

• The learner will perform self assessment of irregular verbs.

• The learner will use irregular verbs in written and spoken sentences.

• The learner will read and comment on a current newspaper article (see article and worksheet).

Activities:

1. Learners continue with ongoing independent self-assessment using Irregular Verb Page and Irregular Verb Jeopardy, as described in Introduction to Computers and Computer Vocabulary (30-60 minutes each evening).

2. Learners read complete newspaper article questions from previous class; teacher guides discussion.

3. Learners assist high-beginning and low-intermediate learners with map activity.

Assessment:

High-Beginning and Low-Intermediate Learners: Teacher monitors verbal and written dialogue activity, assesses individual responses to Everyday Short Dialogues worksheet.

High-Intermediate Learners: Teacher observes learner progress, making note of problem areas and providing correction and additional practice as required.