Lesson Plan | Socioemotional Learning | Question Tags

Objectives

Duration: 10 - 15 minutes

The purpose of this stage is to provide students with a clear and detailed understanding of the topic of question tags, their practical applications, and how they are structured. This will be essential for students to not only identify these constructions in texts but also to use them correctly in their own writing. Additionally, this stage will prepare students for subsequent activities where they can apply the knowledge acquired in a practical, collaborative, and reflective manner.

Main Goals

1. Explain the function and structure of question tags in English.

2. Demonstrate how to recognize and use question tags in sentences and written texts.

3. Encourage the identification and correct use of question tags through practical examples.

Introduction

Duration: 10 - 15 minutes

Emotional Warm-up Activity

Deep Breathing for Focus and Concentration

The Deep Breathing activity is a simple and effective technique to promote focus, presence, and concentration among students. By breathing deeply, students can reduce stress, calm their minds, and emotionally prepare for the start of the class.

1. Ask students to sit comfortably in their chairs, with their backs straight and feet on the floor.

2. Instruct students to close their eyes or focus their gaze on a point in front.

3. Guide students to place one hand on their abdomen and the other on their chest.

4. Ask them to inhale deeply through their nose, feeling their abdomen expand, and then exhale slowly through their mouth, feeling their abdomen contract.

5. Repeat the deep breathing cycle at least five times, encouraging students to focus on the sensation of air entering and leaving their bodies.

6. After the last exhalation, ask students to slowly open their eyes and return their attention to the room, ready to start the class.

Content Contextualization

Question tags are a valuable tool in communication in English as they allow for confirmation of information and help maintain fluidity in a conversation. Imagine being in a situation where you need to confirm if a piece of information is correct or seek someone's agreement during a dialogue. Question tags are essential for these interactions, helping to build a more assertive and empathetic communication.

Moreover, by learning to use question tags, students develop important social skills, such as the ability to ask questions politely and connect better with people around them. Practicing these linguistic structures also contributes to self-awareness and self-control, as students need to be attentive to the context and emotions involved in communication.

Development

Duration: 60 - 75 minutes

Theoretical Framework

Duration: 20 - 25 minutes

1. Introduction to Question Tags

2. Question tags are small questions added to the end of a sentence to confirm or verify information. They are very common in English conversation and help keep the interaction fluid.

3. Structure of Question Tags

4. The structure of question tags generally follows the pattern: affirmative sentence + negative question tag, or negative sentence + affirmative question tag.

5. Examples: 'You are coming, aren't you?' and 'She isn't here, is she?'

6. Use of Auxiliary Verbs

7. Question tags use the auxiliary verbs from the main sentence. If the main sentence does not have an auxiliary verb, the verb 'do' is used in the simple present.

8. Example: 'You like pizza, don't you?'

9. Intonation

10. Intonation is crucial in question tags. When expecting confirmation, the intonation rises at the end of the sentence. When the answer is already known, the intonation falls at the end.

11. Exceptions and Special Rules

12. There are some exceptions, such as with the verb 'to be' in the simple present and past, and with modal verbs like 'can', 'must', and 'should'.

13. Example: 'You were at the party, weren't you?' and 'He can swim, can't he?'

Socioemotional Feedback Activity

Duration: 40 - 50 minutes

Creating Question Tags

Students will form pairs or trios and create sentences using question tags. Then they will exchange their sentences with other pairs or trios to analyze and provide feedback on the correctness and appropriateness of the question tags used.

1. Divide students into pairs or trios.

2. Ask each group to create five sentences using question tags.

3. After creating the sentences, each group should swap their sentences with another group.

4. Groups should review the received sentences, identifying and correcting possible errors.

5. Ask groups to discuss among themselves about the corrections made and the reasons for those corrections.

6. Conclude the activity by asking each group to share one or two corrected sentences with the class.

Group Discussion

To apply the RULER method during the discussion and feedback, start by asking students to recognize the emotions they felt while creating and correcting sentences (for example, frustration, satisfaction, etc.). Then, help them understand the causes of those emotions by discussing how the clarity of instructions, the difficulty of the task, or interaction with peers influenced their emotions. Encourage students to name these emotions accurately.

Ask students to express their emotions appropriately, talking about how they felt during the activity and attentively listening to their peers' feelings. Finally, help them to regulate these emotions by discussing strategies to handle negative emotions and reinforce positive emotions in future activities. Conclude with general feedback, highlighting the importance of empathy and collaborative work for the development of socioemotional skills.

Conclusion

Duration: 20 - 25 minutes

Emotional Reflection and Regulation

Encourage students to write a reflection or participate in a group discussion about the challenges faced during the class and how they managed their emotions. Ask them to write one or two paragraphs addressing the following points:

1. Challenges faced: What were the main challenges in creating and correcting question tags?
2. Emotional management: How did they feel during the activity? What emotions arose (frustration, satisfaction, anxiety, etc.) and how did they deal with them?
3. Effective strategies: What strategies were effective in overcoming challenges and regulating emotions? What could be done differently in future activities?

For the discussion, divide the class into small groups and ask them to share their reflections, focusing on listening to and understanding their peers' experiences.

Objective: The objective of this activity is to encourage self-evaluation and emotional regulation, helping students to identify effective strategies for dealing with challenging situations. Reflection allows students to recognize and understand their emotions, name them accurately, and express them appropriately, as well as to develop the ability to regulate these emotions in future contexts.

Closure and A Look Into The Future

To conclude the lesson, ask students to set personal and academic goals related to the content learned. Explain that these goals can include improving their skills in using question tags in conversations and written texts, as well as developing socioemotional skills such as empathy and collaboration. Encourage students to think about how they can apply their learning in real-life situations and identify concrete steps to achieve these goals.

Possible Goal Ideas:

1. Improve the use of question tags in daily conversations.

2. Practice identifying question tags in various texts.

3. Develop the ability to ask questions politely and assertively.

4. Strengthen empathy and collaboration when working in groups.

5. Apply emotional regulation strategies in challenging situations. Objective: The objective of this subsection is to strengthen students' autonomy and the practical application of learning, aiming for continuity in academic and personal development. By setting personal and academic goals, students are encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning and to apply the skills developed in future contexts.