Talking routines

A lesson plan for talking about routines in the present simple might look something like this:

Preparation:

- an invented weekly schedule filled in with the times given, but with some blank spaces also with the times given.
- an empty weekly schedule template

1. You may need to preteach the word 'schedule'. In this case you could do a number of things. One would be to bring a dictionary. For more capable learners, try offering the S four words like Schedule, Plan, Routine, Diary and ask them to select the odd word and tell you why.

2. Teach/revise the prepositions on/at/in by drawing three circles on a piece of paper headed on/at/in and ask you S to breifly write down as many words about time in the circles. Check, correct, add.

Key:
On - days of the week eg. Monday, special days eg. birthday
At - times of the day eg. 9 o'clock, the weekend, night, festive holidays
In - years, months, seasons, parts of the day

2. Give S a copy of (eg. Tom's) weekly schedule (can be invented) in a table-type format, including the specific time Tom does things but without including the verbs eg. Monday - office 9am. Also leave some blank spaces in the schedule with only the time given.

3. Ask S some meaning check questions (MCQs) - eg. Is it the same as your schedule? What's the same/different?

4. Play hangman with the question: 'What does Tom do on Monday at 9am?' Write a number of horizontal lines equal to the words/letters. Try to elicit the correct question, work through it together. Do the same thing to elicit the correct answer, concentrate on the correct verb conjugation. 'He goes to the office at 9am'.

5. Continue with the other days until the S is clear about the structures you are using.

6. Now the S asks you about the blank spaces and writes down your answer eg. 'What does Tom do on Wednesday at 9am?'

6. Ask S to write down their own weekly schedule (can also be invented - if S is young learner, necessary) onto Tom's schedule. S must now describe his routine to you. eg. 'On Monday I also go to the office at 9am'.

7. Quiz S's memory - Without showing S the schedule, ask S 'What does Tom do on Monday?' Then change roles.

8. Draw a few circles on a piece of paper and the dates on each one Monday 1st January, Monday 8th January, Monday 15th January, write 'office 9am' in each circle. Ask S 'What does Tom do every Monday at 9am?' S answers 'Tom goes to the office at 9am'. Repeat with months, seasons, until you feel happy your S has got the concept.

9. Give S the empty weekly schedule and tell S to imagine they are a celebrity and fill it in. Tell student to include one free time during the week.

10. Role play: S is the personal assistant of an important celebrity. You are a journalist who wants to know about the celebrity's schedule. Ask lots of questions and the student must answer with the correct structure. Try to find a good time to have an interview with the celebrity.

Enjoy!