Lesson Planning

To reflect our experience throughout the course, it was important to include our lesson plans. I enjoyed creating and teaching each one of them, and for this portfolio I selected my Grammar ECRIF lesson and my PDP Reading lesson focused on culture.

ECRIF Lesson Plan

TARGET LANGUAGE:

Simple past negative form

Did not/Didn't + base verb

Aspects of FORM that are important to consider (both written and spoken):

Subject + didn’t + base verb

The auxiliary did not (didn't) is used to make the sentence negative in the past.

The main verb stays in the base form, not in the past form.

Example: 

I didn't play soccer. (right way)

I didn't played soccer. 

MEANING: (What does each piece of target language mean?

Used to talk about an action that did not happen in the past.

List at least 4 concept checking questions (yes/no, either/or, example, short answer, then definition if possible!) for the meaning of this language point:

1. Did he watch tv yesterday?

2. Is this talking about something that is happening now?

3. Did they meet their friends on Sunday?

4. Did he drink coffee this afternoon? 

USE  (When is this appropriate or not appropriate? Compare it to language that has a similar meaning. When do we choose to use this form?  Why?)

We use Subject + didn’t + base verb to talk about an action that did not happen in the past.

This is different from present negative such and don’t.

We choose this form when we talk about something that did not happen at a specific time in the past.

Challenge point:  What is most challenging (F, M or U) and why?

Form, because students often have difficulty remembering that after the did’t the verb must stay in the base form.

Good to keep in mind.

List 3-5 potential and/or typical mistakes/challenges that ELLs might make/have when learning this particular language point.

1. Using the past form of the verb after using didn’t

2. Using the present negative instead of the past negative

3. Forgetting to use didn’t 

4. Word order mistakes

What are you going to do to help learners deal with these challenges?

Model the correct structure clearly on the board.

Provide examples and sentences correction activities.

Use speaking activities and real-life examples.

FLUENT USE:  List two potential “real world” activities / situations / contexts in which the learner might use this kind of language:

1. Talk about things they forgot to do last week.

2. Imaginary call, talking about how they forgot their luggage and things they are now missing.

I think this are very real world situations you have here, this could happen to anyone. 

TASK DESIGN: List 6 “practice” activities that go from controlled to free practice Include both form and meaning (use if applicable) that could help the learner internalize this language.

Fill in the blank

Sentence correction activity

Matching pictures with sentences

Yes/no questions practice

Charades 

Speaking activity

You’ve got very engaging activities for this lesson, great choice. Could you be more specific in how you will approach the form, meaning and use (if applicable).

VISUALS: Drawing/diagram/chart of two different ways to present the form and/or meaning of the language point on the board or on posters. (Feel free to do this on another sheet of paper and attach it here!

I see that you plan to use a chart and pictures as visual cues, which is a nice way to support learners and offer multiple entry points to the activity. Visuals can really help students connect meaning and context, especially at the beginning of the lesson. Could you expand a bit on how these materials will be used during the activity and how students will interact with them? This would help clarify how the visuals support the learning process.

TEXTS consulted to do this analysis:

Web search and dictionary

Lesson plan

Teacher’s Name:

Yudelka Cedeño

Level:

Basic

# of Students:

20

Date:

March 17th, 2026

Action Points from previous teaching: (Based on your own reflection, and feedback from trainers and peers, what are two things that you will try to do in this lesson to help your own learning as a teacher?)

A better development of the fluency stage. More use of CCQs and ICQs. Great goals. Focusing on the stages that feel less solid is a helpful step in strengthening the lesson. CCQs and ICQs can support understanding throughout the lesson. For your next planning, I would love to see action points that are a bit more specific and measurable, so it becomes clearer how the adjustments you are considering might support and strengthen the lesson moving forward.

What skill and content are you teaching? (Check the main lesson focus; also provide details / list of items) ☐ Culture ☐Grammar/Vocabulary ☐ Speaking ☐ Listening ☐ Reading ☐ Writing

Grammar: students will learn and practice the simple past negative. Speaking: students will practice speaking in pairs and as a class to describe actions they didn't do Listening: students will listen to their classmates and the teacher during instructions, discussions, and guessing activities.  Writing: students will write short sentences using didn't + base verb

Main Objectives: (What do you want the Ss to be able to do with the new material that they couldn’t do before?) (there might be subsidiary objectives. Feel free to include them.

SWBAT: Students will be able to use the simple past negative to describe actions they did not do in the past during partner speaking activities. This objective focuses well on using the simple past negative in speaking. Could you clarify how specific you expect this use to be; for example, how many verbs students might use and how you will notice that they have met the objective?.

Assumptions: (What do your students already know what can they already do in relation to today’s lesson?)

Students are familiar with: Basic verbs related to daily activities (eat, drink, play, watch) The simple past affirmative (I ate pizza) Basic sentence structure (subject + verb) Communicating simple ideas in short sentences

Challenges/Opportunities for Teaching: (What will be new for your students? What aspects of the lesson do you anticipate they might find challenging / difficult?)

Students may: Use the past form after didn't (e.g., didn't eat pizza) Forget to use the base verb after didn't. Struggle to produce complete sentences during speaking activities.

Solutions for challenges: (How will you avoid and/or address these problem areas in your lesson?)

Highlight the structure didn’t + base verb on the board Model correct examples before each activity Use CCQs and ICQs to check understanding

Assessment: (How will you assess to see that Ss are ready to move on to the next stages of the lesson or have reached the final learning objective?)

During observation of activities.  For example: during the charades activity, I will check that students understand the structure didn't + base verb  During the internalise  and fluency stages, students will write and say sentences about things they did not do in the past. I will monitor pair work and listen for correct use of the target language to see if they are ready to move on.

Time	Framework ECRIF And stage objectives	Activity, Procedure/Steps- describe the essence of the activity What will the Teacher say/do? What will the ss hopefully say and do?		Focus: S; S-S; T; T-S	Materials/Aids VAKT
8 min	SA	Activity or task:   Gallery walk This is a great way to activate schema. I would love to see a bit more detail about the pictures you plan to use. You might also consider how learners will notice from the picture that the event happened in the past.		S-S T-S	Pictures Tape V
		Teacher: Pastes pictures around the classroom. Each picture shows an action (he ate pizza, he didn't eat pizza) Asks students to walk around and look at the pictures.  Ask guided questions (CCQ) What do you see? Did he eat the pizza? Encourages students to describe what they see.	Students: Walk around the classroom. Observe the picture, think about what they see. Then talk about what they see.
7 min	E	2.  Activity or task: Mingling  I noticed this activity takes an inductive approach, great choice. Starting the Encounter stage with a mingling activity is a strong way to start the lesson. It creates movement and interaction early in the lesson and gives students a natural way to begin engaging with the language and the topic. You might want to ensure that students move to the next stage with a clear structure that can be clarified.		T-S	Pictures Whiteboard Markers
		Teacher: Ask students what they saw during the gallery walk, and write the responses on the board.	Students: Describe the pictures they saw during the gallery walk. They say sentences about the pictures.  Identify the negative word and notice the verb.

5 min	C	3. Activity or task: Labeling  The main task of reading, discussing, and matching the sentences to the pictures aligns well between teacher and student actions. I wonder if you could expand the student activity description to include how they will respond to the CCQs and how they will participate when identifying the structure on the board.		S-S T-S	Sentences (paper) Pictures
		Teacher: Hands out sentences describing the pictures. Explains students need to read them, talk about them between their groups, and then match them with the gallery (identify them) CCQs What is this person doing in this picture? Is this happening now, or did it already happen? Write sentences on the board and identify their parts Eg: Subject, did + not+ the infinitive	Students: Read the sentences and match them to the correct picture. They discuss answers with their partner and participate in class feedback.

10 mins	R	4. Activity or task: Charades This is a great activity, students enjoy charades and they get engaged while playing. I noticed that in this activity the student arrangement is not specified. Could you expand the explanation of how the activity will run? For example, will students work one-on-one, in small groups, or as a whole group?		S-S	Action card V K
		Teacher: Explains activity, invites one student to take an action card (simple past negative). Asks the class to guess the sentence using the structure didn't + verb.	Student: One student acts out the action card. The rest of the class guesses the sentence using full sentences Ej. He didn't go dancing I didn't drink water.

10 mins	I	5.  Activity or task: Personal Writing This looks like a great Internalize activity. Do you have a plan B in case students don’t know each other very well yet? Also, will they have an opportunity to share the information they gather during the activity?		S-S	Color paper Pencil T
		Teacher: Give students a piece of color paper and ask them to write sentences about things they forgot to do last week. Asks students not to write their names.  Collects the papers and hands them again; they need to guess whose paper they got.	Students: Write five sentences about things they didn't do last week using didn't + base verb. Ej I didn't do my homework I didn't clean my room I didn't call my friend. Hands in paper without a name Receive a new one and guess whose got.
5 min	F	6. Activity or task: Visit grandparents + Imaginary call I notice that in your example students are limited to use one verb. Could you clarify whether this aligns with your objective, or if you expect learners to use more than one verb during the activity?		S-S
		Teacher: Gives instructions Imagine you're going to your grandparents' house, but you forgot your backpack.  Call someone at home and tell them what you forgot.	Students: An imaginary call to tell someone at home what they forgot I didn't bring my backpack. I didn't bring my toothbrush I didn't bring my clothes.

Hot reflection

After teaching this lesson, I felt proud of the way I activated students’ background knowledge by starting with someone they already knew about. I noticed that this helped students connect with the topic more easily and made them feel comfortable participating from the beginning. Throughout the lesson, students stayed engaged, and I tried to keep them empowered by allowing them to share ideas and participate actively.

At the same time, this lesson helped me reflect on areas I can improve in future classes. I realized that at some points I was too controlling during activities. Next time, I would like to give students more freedom to choose what they want to talk about so the lesson feels more student-centered and natural. I also noticed that I corrected students too quickly in some moments, instead of allowing them to work independently and figure things out on their own. Giving students more independence could help them build confidence and rely more on their own knowledge.

Another important reflection is that I should consistently mention and reinforce the target language throughout the lesson. Even though students were participating, I need to make the target language more visible and intentional during activities and discussions.

Overall, this lesson reminded me that students learn best when they feel empowered, independent, and involved in the learning process. While I am happy with the engagement and knowledge activation in this lesson, I also understand that giving students more autonomy and focusing more on the target language will help me improve as a teacher.

PDP Reading lesson focused on culture

 

Listening Sample Lesson: Kind World Lesson 

Teacher’s Name: Yudelka Cedeño  Level: Basic    # of Students: 20  Date: April 28th, 2026  

 

Action Points from previous teaching:  (Based on your own reflection, and feedback from trainers and peers, what are two things that  you will try to do in this lesson to help your own learning as a teacher?)

Providing students with a clear task   Modelling instructions and using CCQs   These objectives seem relevant to your lesson. Do you know how you will measure it for yourself?

 

What skill and content are you teaching? (Check the main lesson focus; also list the specific vocabulary; grammar points – form meaning and use; pronunciation point; specific phrases; cultural point you will teach)  Culture Grammar/Vocabulary  Speaking Listening  Reading Writing

Students will focus on developing key reading strategies in order to better understand a text about sugar cane in the Dominican Republic.  Reading for gist (choosing the best title that represents the text)  Reading and understanding structure (identifying information from the beginning, middle, and end)  Reading for detail and accuracy ( answering questions based on specific information in the text)  They will also be exposed to and clarify key vocabulary related to sugar cane production and cultur.  Ss will develop speaking skills by expressing their opinions and personal connections during the post stage.  They will explore culture topic by understanding the importance of sugar cane in Domincan history and identity.

Main Objectives:  (What do you want the Ss to be able to do with the new material that they couldn’t do before?) There might be subsidiary objectives. Feel free to include them.

SWBAT:  Students will be able to understand and describe sugar cane production (knowing about and how), explain its importance in Dominican culture (knowing why), and express personal connections (knowing oneself)  Hi dear Yudelka,     I love this topic! I find it very relevant to our culture, and I’m excited about the new facts students could learn through it. You have a strong objective in your hands. I notice that you have integrated all four knowings into one statement, which feels both efficient and clear.     One thing I cannot see yet is how success will be measured in this lesson. I would recommend adding specific and measurable details about what students will do to demonstrate they have achieved the goal. You could include a brief description of the task or evidence students will complete to meet the objective.     One small detail to keep in mind is that at the beginning you say, “Students will be able to understand...” It may be stronger to reframe this as “Students will be able to demonstrate understanding...” since this makes the objective more specific and observable.     Students will be able to demonstrate understanding of sugar cane production by completing reading tasks, creating a role play, and expressing personal opinions about its cultural importance.

Assumptions:  (What do your students already know what can they already do in relation to today’s lesson?)

Students are able to understand basic vocabulary related to daily life and familiar topics. They can read short and simple texts and identify general ideas.  They are familiar with working in pairs and groups and can practice in simple speaking activities using short sentences.   Ss have some knowledge of Dominican culture and can recognise common cultural elements from their environment.

Challenges/Opportunities for Teaching:  (What will be new for your students? What aspects of the lesson do you anticipate they might find challenging / difficult?)	Solutions for challenges:  (How will you avoid and/or address each of these problem areas?)
Ss may find it difficult to understand some new vocabulary related to sugar production.  Ss may have difficulty identifying specific information in the reading text.   Some ss may feel shy or lack confidence during the speaking and role-play activity.	Pre-teach vocabulary using visuals and examples to support understanding.  Guide ss during reading by modeling how to find answers and using simple questions.   Provide clear instructions and model role-play activity to support participation,

Assessment:  (How will you assess to see that Ss are ready to move on to the next stages of the lesson or have reached the final learning objective?)

Ss will be assessed through their participation in reading and speaking activities.  The teacher will check understanding through:  Correct answers in gist and detail reading tasks  Ss ability to describe the process during the role play  Ss ability to express simple opinions about sugar cane

Time:	Framework Stage:	Activity, Procedure/Steps- describe the Essence of the Activity  What will the Teacher say/do? What will the ss hopefully say and do?		Focus: S;  S-S; T; T-S	Materials/Ai ds	Aims/ Purpose
3	AS	1. Activity or task: Picture discussion		S-S  T-S	Picture slide (collage)	To activate ss prior knowledge about sugar cane and introduce the topic.
		Teacher:  Shows a collage of pictures related to sugar cane  Gives instructions to tps, look at the pictures and answer the following:  What is this have you seen it before?  Have you tried it?  Models   ICs: are you going to work individually or in pairs?	Student:  Look at the pictures   Pays attention to instructions   Discuss in pairs  Share ideas with the class  Says its sugar cane  yes/no   I have tried it or havent       Looking great for a lesson starter!

5min	Pre reading	Activity or task: vocabulary activation		T-S	Vocabulary slide	To assess ss prior knowledge of key vocabulary and introduce new words through pronunciation and interaction                                                           To check understanding of key vocabulary and reinforce meaning through examples.
		Teacher:  Shows vocabulary slide (tools, warm climate, communities, factories, fields, processed, production)  Gives instructions  If you know the word thumb up  If you are not sure thumb half way  If you dont know the word thumb down  Models gesture  CCQ  What is this     Says each word clearly and asks if any one wants to repeat they may.   Drills pronunciations   CCQ  What is a factory?  Where do we find fields?  What is a community?      Vocabulary check (confirmation sentences)  Shows definition slides  Ask students to read definition aloud  CCQ  Is production making or eating?  Is warm climate cold?	Student:  Look at the words  Shows thumbs (up/middle/down)  Repeat words with the teacher  Answer simple questions       Simple and usually effective! Look out for nay words that might be challenging.    Teacher anticipates that the following words could be challenging   Processed  Production  Communities   Factories       Uses visual support to help understanding                                   Read voluntarily sentences aloud  Answer simple ccqs  Production is making  Warm climate is warm

5	Pre-reading	2. Activity or task: gallery walk and labelling		S-S	Pictures on the wall  Vocabulary words  Slide	To reinforce vocabulary meaning through movement and visual recognition before reading
		Teacher:   Pastes pictures around the classroom (fields, tools, factories, etc)  Gives each group vocabulary words   Gives instructions:  Walk around the classroom  Look at the pictures  Match the word to the correct picture  Models one example (tool)    ICQ   Are you working alone or in groups?  Do you sit or walk?  Do you write or match?    CCQs  Do we use tools to work or to sleep?  Do plants grow in fields?    Kuddos on writing your ICQ’s and CCQ’s!	Student:     Work in group  Walk around the classroom  Look at the pictures   Match vocabulary words to the correct images       It’s great that you are including some movement in your lesson. Do remember how sitting arrangements can help you in the activity.

6  3	Pre reading	3. Activity or task: Complete the sentences		S-S  T-S	Sentences slide  worksheet	To reinforce vocabulary understanding and prepare ss for reading through controlled practice.
		Teacher:  Shows sentence slide  Gives instruction “complete the sentences with the correct words”  Sets tasks  Work individually first  ICQs  Are you working alone or in pairs? - alone first  Do you write or speak?  Do you complete all the sentences?  Ater 2-3 minutes   Now check your answers with your partner    CCQs   Do we use tools to cut or to eat?  Is a factory a place or a person?	Student:    Work individually- complete the sentences   Then compare answers in pairs  Share answers with the class    I see you have one more task for working with vocabulary, which is a good one for them to remember and practice the words before the text.     I do notice that this takes about 6 minutes and I worry about the timing for the DURING tasks. Just be mindful and if you see that you might shorten this at some point, do it!
2		4. Activity or task: reading for gist (choose the best title)

	During reading (gist)	Teacher:		Student:
		Gives instructions   Read the text quickly  Choose the best title  Emphasizes “dont read every word”  Sets time 1-2 minutes     ICQs   Do you read fast or slowly?  Do you read every word?  Do you choose one title or all?		Read the text individually   Choose the best title  Participates in class feedback      This is a good design for a GIST task at this stage of the lesson. Remember to have them turn their text around once they finish as a way for you to measure how much they can handle in one skim of the text.	S-S  T-S	Reading text   Slide	To develop reading for gist by identifying the main idea of the text
		CCQs   Is the text only about factories?- no  Is the text about sugar cane? - yes  Is it only about La Romana? - no
		.
4	During reading	5. Activity or task: Ordering pictures based on the text			S-S  T-S	Pictures  Reading   Slide	To develop reading for detail by identifying sequence and understanding the process described in the text
		Teacher:  Gives instructions  Read the text again   Put the pictures in the correct order  Clarifies  Use the information in the text  Sets timer (3 min)  Monitors ss  ICQs  Do you read the text again?  Do you match or put in order?  Do you use the text?    CCQs  What is first? Cutting or factory? - cutting  Do workers go to the factory before cutting?-no   What comes after fields?- factory	Student:  Read text again  Work in pair  Put pictures in the correct order  Participates in class feedback    Looking good. Do you have any challenges for this task?

6	During	6. Activity or task: answer comprehension questions (beginning, middle, end)			S-S  T-S	Reading text  Slide  Worksheet with question	To develop reading for detail and ensure full comprehension of the text.
		Teacher:  Gives instructions  Read the text again  Answer the questions  Clarifies   Find the answers in the text  Sets time 6-7 minutes    ICQs  Do you read again?  Do you answer or match?  Do you use the text?    CCQs  Do workers use tools or machines only? - tools  Do they take sugar cane to houses? - no  Is the work easy or difficult? - difficult  Is sugar cane important to people? - yes		Students:  Read the text again  Work individually  Answer questions     Students compare answers in pairs  Participate in class feedback    Good. I have requested access to your Gmail and see your worksheets. I think it seems well designed, but I want to know more about the questions that will be asked.

10  (4 preparation   6 act it out)	Post reading	7. Activity or task: Role play- The sugar cane journey		S-S	Slide	To provide ss with an opportunity to use the target language creatively by producing a role play and personalizing the topic through real-lofe connections
		Teacher:  Gives instructions “work in groups”  Create your own role play about sugar cane  (explains they can integrate the use of sugar cane juice as a product of the sugar cane)  You can choose your roles and your story  Shows slide (visual support)  Models a very short example “I am a farmer, I cut sugar cane”  Sets timer   ICQs  Do you work alone or in groups?  Do you choose your roles?  Do you read or act?  Do you choose your own words?    You can change the story or add your own ideas	Students:    Work in groups  Choose roles (or create new ones)  Ss create their own role play about sugar cane  Integrate juice experience as part of their story  Act it out      Seems fun! It would be good to have some guidance here about what each role will discuss in terms of Sugar Cane. I love that you will bring some juice! This is clearly how you would demonstrate the application of the knowing how for this culture lesson.     Great work! I am excited about seeing your class.            Taste the juice  Discuss in pairs/groups  TPS  I like it because…  I dont like it because…  In my community, we…

Hot reflection

After teaching this lesson, I felt very satisfied with the overall flow and atmosphere in the classroom. I believe the lesson was smooth and engaging, and students stayed interested throughout the activities. One moment that stood out to me was when one of the students said something like, “Is that it?” after an activity ended. For me, that was a positive sign because it showed that the student was enjoying the lesson and wanted to continue participating.

I also felt proud of the way I used ICQs and CCQs during the lesson. I think they helped students understand instructions and stay focused on the purpose of the activities. Another part that I was especially happy with was the post-activity task. At first, I was worried that students would not participate much, but they became actively involved, shared ideas, and connected with the topic in a meaningful way. That moment made me feel that the lesson had an emotional impact and created a genuine connection between the students and the content.

At the same time, reflecting on the lesson helped me notice an area I can improve. Although the lesson felt smooth overall, there were some transitions between activities that did not feel as natural as I expected. In future lessons, I would like to work on making transitions clearer and more fluid so students can move from one stage to another more comfortably and confidently.

Overall, this experience reminded me that student engagement and meaningful participation are signs of successful learning. It also showed me the importance of reflecting honestly on my teaching so I can continue improving and creating better learning experiences for my students.