|
|
|
Teaching Modals: Lesson Plans
Schedule for Teaching Modals
Day One - part 3: Questions With Simple Present Modals [Allow students time to take notes as you go along]
The basic formula for making a simple present modal question = Modal + Subject + Base Verb
- Label the category something like "Questions". There are a couple different approaches for teaching question modals. You can just chose a few common ones [like: can, could, may, & would] and make sample sentences. However, it may prove more beneficial to explain modal questions by organizing them by the tasks they do. For instance:
- ask for permission
- make a request
- ask about ability/possibility
- ask for advice
- ask about a requirement
Ask for Permission
- Can I ...?
- Could I ...?
- May I ...?
Ask students to finish each of the sentences with a request for permission to do something.
Note: [the use of the subject "I"]. While other subjects are possible, "I" is the most common.
Make a Request -[Ask students what the word "request" means. Making a request is similar to asking for permission. The main difference is that asking for permission is usually done to someone in a position of authority.]
Ask students to give you an example of a request with Can; then Could, & Would.
Can ex: Can I use your pen?
Could ex: Could I use your pen?
Would ex: Would you let me use your pen?
Question: How do the three requests above differ in meaning? -[They are in increasing order of politeness.]
Ask about Ability/Possibility [Usually done with....
Ask students to give you examples of ability/possibility questions with Can and then Could. If none are forthcoming, help them out with one to start with...
Can ex: Can he ride a bike? [present ability]
Could ex: Could he ride a bike when he was a kid? [past ability]
Could ex: Could he go to Miami next week? [possibility]
Ask for advice
Ask students to give you an example of an advice question with Should
Should ex: Should he go to Miami?
Ask about a requirement [Do they have to do it?]
Ask students to give you an example of a question with Must about something someone has to do
Must ex: Must he go to Miami?
Practice: [Pairwork] find a picture with a lot of things going on. [In Google Images search for something like "busy city street" or "busy office" etc...]. Each partner writes five questions about things from the picture(s)(or more if you like). Leave a space after each question. Students write one question for each task. Then they ask their question to their partner, and write down their partner's answer using a complete sentence with a modal. Click here for some examples.
|
