Using Will and Be Going To

Objectives

1. Understand: Students should be able to distinguish between the use of 'will' and 'be going to' in the future tense, identifying the correct context for each.

2. Apply: Students should be able to construct sentences in the future tense using 'will' and 'be going to', demonstrating the ability to choose the correct structure depending on the context.

3. Analyze: Students should be able to analyze sentences and texts to identify whether 'will' or 'be going to' is used correctly, explaining why one is more appropriate than the other in specific contexts.

Introduction (10-15 minutes)

1. Review of Previous Content: The teacher should start the lesson by briefly reviewing the simple present and present continuous tenses. This is essential as the future tenses that will be covered in this lesson build upon these tenses. The teacher can ask students questions to check their understanding of these tenses.

2. Problem Situations: The teacher should present two situations to the students:

   • Situation 1: "Imagine you are making plans for a weekend trip with your friends. How would you express your intentions or decisions for this trip in English?"
   • Situation 2: "Now, imagine you are reading a weather forecast. How would you understand when the speaker is talking about the weather for the next day, and when they are talking about a future possibility?"

3. Contextualization: The teacher should explain that these future tenses are essential for expressing intentions, predictions, plans, and future possibilities. They are used in everyday situations, such as making plans, expressing expectations, reading news, etc. Therefore, understanding and using them correctly is vital for effective communication in English.

4. Introduction to the Topic: To spark students' interest, the teacher can share some curiosities or interesting facts about the future tenses:

   • Curiosity 1: "Did you know that 'will' is more commonly used in British English, while 'be going to' is more common in American English?"
   • Curiosity 2: "And did you know that 'will' is used for future actions that are considered certain, while 'be going to' is used for future actions that are planned or intended?"

5. Topic Presentation: Finally, the teacher should present the lesson topic clearly and concisely: "Today, we will learn how to use the future tenses 'will' and 'be going to' in English. We will see when to use each of them and how to construct sentences correctly. Let's get started!"

Development (20-25 minutes)

1. Theory - Future Tenses Overview (5-7 minutes):

   • The teacher should start by explaining that in English, there are different ways to express the future. The two most common are 'will' and 'be going to'.
   • It should be clarified that 'will' is often used for future actions that are considered certain or instantaneous. For example, "I will call you tomorrow."
   • On the other hand, 'be going to' is used for future actions that are planned or intended. For example, "I am going to visit my grandparents next week."
   • The teacher can use examples to illustrate these differences, such as: "The sun will rise tomorrow." vs. "The sun is going to rise tomorrow." (both mean the same thing, but the first one is more certain and the second one is more like a plan).

2. Theory - When to Use 'Will' and 'Be Going To' (5-7 minutes):

   • The teacher should explain that 'will' is often used for future actions that are decided at the moment of speaking. For example, "I will help you with your homework." (I decided to help you now, not a previous plan).
   • On the other hand, 'be going to' is used when there is a prior plan or intention. For example, "I am going to help you with your homework." (I planned to help you before, not a decision I made now).
   • The teacher can give more examples to clarify these differences, such as: "It will rain tomorrow." (a prediction based on evidence) vs. "It is going to rain tomorrow." (a prediction based on a prior plan or intention).

3. Practice - Gap-Filling Exercises (10-15 minutes):

   • The teacher should provide students with some gap-filling exercises, where they will have to choose between 'will' and 'be going to' to complete sentences.
   • For example, "I _______(will/be going to) study tonight." (the correct answer is 'be going to', because it expresses a prior plan).
   • The teacher should monitor students' progress and provide feedback as needed.

4. Practice - Sentence Construction (5-7 minutes):

   • The teacher should ask students to practice constructing sentences in the future tense using 'will' and 'be going to'.
   • For example, "I _______(will/be going to) visit my friend tomorrow." (the correct answer is 'be going to', because it expresses a plan).
   • The teacher should correct any errors and provide feedback to help students improve.

5. Review - Question and Answer (3-5 minutes):

   • To conclude the development stage, the teacher should conduct a question and answer session to clarify any doubts students may have.
   • The teacher can ask students to explain when to use 'will' and 'be going to' in their own words, to check if they have understood the content.

Feedback (10-15 minutes)

1. Group Discussion (5-7 minutes):

   • The teacher should initiate a group discussion with all students. Each group should share their answers and conclusions from the role-play activity.
   • Each student should explain the context they chose for their sentences and why they decided to use 'will' or 'be going to'.
   • The teacher should encourage students to ask questions and provide feedback to each other, promoting interaction and collaboration among them.

2. Connection with Theory (3-5 minutes):

   • After the discussion, the teacher should make the connection between the practical activity and the theory presented in the lesson.
   • The teacher can highlight how the situations in the role-play activity reflect the real-life use of 'will' and 'be going to'.
   • The teacher should reinforce the importance of understanding the context in which each structure is used, and how this affects the choice between 'will' and 'be going to'.

3. Individual Reflection (2-3 minutes):

   • The teacher should ask students to individually reflect on what they learned in the lesson.
   • The teacher can ask questions like: "What was the most important concept you learned today?" and "What questions do you still have?"
   • Students should write down their answers, which can be used to guide the next lesson or to clarify any remaining doubts.

4. Feedback and Closure (2-3 minutes):

   • Finally, the teacher should provide overall feedback on the lesson, highlighting the positive points and areas that need improvement.
   • The teacher should encourage students to continue practicing the use of 'will' and 'be going to' outside of the classroom, for example, by reading texts in English or watching movies and TV shows in English.
   • The teacher should conclude the lesson by reinforcing the importance of the topic and how it relates to the students' daily lives.

Conclusion (5-10 minutes)

1. Summary and Recap (2-3 minutes):

   • The teacher should start the conclusion by summarizing the main points covered in the lesson. This includes the difference between 'will' and 'be going to', and when to use each in the future tense.
   • A quick recap of the exercises done during the lesson can be helpful, reminding students of the correct answers and the reasoning behind them.

2. Connection between Theory, Practice, and Applications (2-3 minutes):

   • The teacher should explain how the lesson connected theory with practice and applications. For example, the teacher can mention how the role-play activity allowed students to apply the theory in a real-life context.
   • It is important to emphasize that understanding and using 'will' and 'be going to' correctly is not only important for passing English exams, but also for effective communication in English, whether in written texts, conversations, or when consuming media in English.

3. Extra Resources (1-2 minutes):

   • The teacher should suggest some extra resources for students who want to deepen their understanding of the topic. This could include websites, videos, apps, textbooks, among others.
   • For example, the teacher could recommend an English learning website that has interactive exercises on the future tenses, or a YouTube channel that explains grammar concepts clearly and in an engaging way.

4. Importance of the Topic (1-2 minutes):

   • Finally, the teacher should reinforce the importance of the topic for the students' daily lives. The teacher should emphasize that even if students do not plan to become English teachers or translators, the ability to express ideas in the future tense correctly in English is a valuable skill that can be useful in many situations.
   • The teacher can give examples of real-life situations where knowledge of 'will' and 'be going to' can be useful, such as when reading news in English, making plans with friends from other countries, or participating in international conferences or meetings.

5. Closure (1 minute):

   • The teacher should conclude the lesson by thanking the students for their participation and effort, and encouraging them to continue practicing and improving their English skills.
   • The teacher can end the lesson by saying something like: "Thank you all for your hard work today. Remember, the more you practice, the better you will become. See you in the next lesson!"