Lesson Plan | Traditional Methodology | Past Continuous

Objectives

Duration: 10 to 15 minutes

The purpose of this stage is to ensure that students understand the specific objectives of the topic to be studied, establishing a clear foundation for learning the Past Continuous. This stage helps guide students on what will be covered in class and what is expected of them, facilitating a targeted focus throughout the teaching process.

Main Objectives

1. Understand the grammatical structure of the Past Continuous in English.

2. Identify and differentiate continuous actions in the past.

3. Correctly apply the use of the Past Continuous in various sentences and contexts.

Introduction

Duration: 10 to 15 minutes

The purpose of this stage is to create a connection between the content of the lesson and the students' reality, facilitating the understanding of the use and importance of the Past Continuous. By contextualizing the theme and presenting curiosities, students feel more engaged and motivated to learn as they perceive the practical relevance of what is being taught.

Context

To introduce the topic of the Past Continuous, start by reminding students that this verb tense is used to describe actions that were in progress at a specific moment in the past. Explain that, unlike the Simple Past, which indicates completed actions, the Past Continuous focuses on actions that were happening. Use examples from the students' daily lives, such as 'Yesterday, at 5 PM, I was doing my homework' or 'Last night, she was watching her favorite TV show.' These examples help situate the concept of temporal continuity in the past in a practical way.

Curiosities

The Past Continuous is widely used in narrations and descriptions of events in stories and movies. In real life, it is quite common in informal conversations when we want to describe what we were doing at a certain moment, such as 'I was talking to my friend when the power went out.' This verb tense helps provide more details and context to our stories.

Development

Duration: 40 to 50 minutes

The purpose of this stage is to provide an in-depth and practical understanding of the use of the Past Continuous. By exploring in detail the formation, use, and differences between verb tenses, and practicing with examples and exercises, students solidify their understanding and are able to effectively apply their knowledge in various contexts.

Covered Topics

1. Formation of the Past Continuous: The Past Continuous is formed by the auxiliary verb 'to be' in the past (was/were) followed by the gerund of the main verb (verb + ing). Example: 'I was studying.' 2. Use of the Past Continuous: Explain that the Past Continuous is used to describe actions that were in progress at a certain moment in the past, simultaneous actions, and interrupted actions. Example: 'She was reading while he was cooking.' 3. Difference between Simple Past and Past Continuous: Detail the differences between these two verb tenses. The Simple Past is used for completed actions, while the Past Continuous emphasizes the continuity of the action. Example: 'I studied' vs. 'I was studying.' 4. Time Expressions: Introduce time expressions that commonly accompany the Past Continuous, such as 'while', 'when', 'at that time', etc. Example: 'I was working when the phone rang.' 5. Sentence Practice: Provide practical examples and ask students to complete sentences using the correct form of the Past Continuous. Example: 'Yesterday at 8 PM, I __________ (was watching) TV.'

Classroom Questions

1. Construct a sentence using the Past Continuous to describe an action you were doing yesterday afternoon. 2. Transform the following sentence from the Simple Past to the Past Continuous: 'She danced at the party.' 3. Complete the sentence with the correct form of the Past Continuous: 'While I __________ (read), my brother __________ (play) video games.'

Questions Discussion

Duration: 20 to 25 minutes

The purpose of this stage is to consolidate the knowledge acquired by students during the lesson, allowing them to apply and discuss the use of the Past Continuous in a practical and contextualized manner. By reviewing and discussing the responses, students have the opportunity to correct possible mistakes, clarify doubts, and reinforce their understanding of the topic.

Discussion

• Construct a sentence using the Past Continuous to describe an action you were doing yesterday afternoon. Explanation: Students should create sentences like 'Yesterday afternoon, I was studying for my exams.' or 'I was playing soccer with my friends yesterday afternoon.' These sentences demonstrate the continuous action that was occurring at a specific moment in the past.

• Transform the following sentence from the Simple Past to the Past Continuous: 'She danced at the party.' Explanation: The sentence in the Past Continuous would be 'She was dancing at the party.' This indicates that the action of dancing was in progress during the party rather than simply having occurred.

• Complete the sentence with the correct form of the Past Continuous: 'While I __________ (read), my brother __________ (play) video games.' Explanation: The completed sentence would be 'While I was reading, my brother was playing video games.' This shows two continuous actions that were occurring simultaneously in the past.

Student Engagement

1. Ask students to share their sentences created during the practice activity. Discuss their verb choices and the correct formation of the Past Continuous. 2. Ask students how the use of the Past Continuous can change the perception of time in a narrative. For example, how does 'I studied' differ from 'I was studying' in terms of detail and continuity? 3. Propose that students think of a past situation where multiple actions were occurring at the same time. Ask them to describe that situation using the Past Continuous. 4. Ask: 'How can the use of the Past Continuous add important details to a story?' Encourage students to reflect on the impact of this verb tense on the clarity and richness of descriptions.

Conclusion

Duration: 10 to 15 minutes

The purpose of this stage is to review and consolidate the content covered, ensuring that students have a clear and complete understanding of the Past Continuous. This final review helps reinforce learning and clarify any remaining doubts, preparing students to apply their knowledge safely and effectively.

Summary

• The Past Continuous is formed by the auxiliary verb 'to be' in the past (was/were) followed by the gerund of the main verb (verb + ing).
• The Past Continuous is used to describe actions that were in progress at a specific moment in the past, simultaneous actions, and interrupted actions.
• The difference between the Simple Past and the Past Continuous is that the Simple Past is used for completed actions, while the Past Continuous emphasizes the continuity of the action.
• Time expressions that frequently accompany the Past Continuous include 'while', 'when', 'at that time', etc.
• Practice of sentences with the correct use of the Past Continuous.

During the lesson, the theory of the Past Continuous was connected to practice through examples from daily life, sentence construction exercises, and transformation activities that allowed students to apply knowledge in real contexts. This helped students consolidate their understanding of the use and formation of this verb tense.

Understanding the Past Continuous is essential for describing ongoing events in the past, which is an important skill in both narratives and detailed descriptions. This verb tense is frequently used in informal conversations and in more formal contexts, such as writing and speeches, making it a valuable tool for effective communication.