Lesson Plan on How to Express Likes and Dislikes in English

When learning a new language, one of the fundamental skills is to be able to communicate your personal tastes and preferences. This lesson plan is tailored to assist beginner ESL learners in expressing likes and dislikes, equipping them with essential vocabulary and offering ample speaking practice through engaging activities.

Summary

In this lesson, students will learn to confidently speak about what they enjoy and what they do not, using simple but effective English phrases. The activities are designed to open up opportunities for vocabulary enhancement and to facilitate active participation in interactive games and simulated dialogues.

Lesson Focus

Students will gain proficiency in speaking by articulating their preferences, and concurrently, their vocabulary will expand as they learn different ways to express likes and dislikes. By the end of the lesson, students will be better equipped to share opinions in everyday conversation and interact in social contexts with greater ease.

Lesson Content

Activity 1: Vocabulary Brainstorm

Approximate Time Needed: 15 minutes
Objective: To introduce and practice vocabulary related to likes and dislikes.
Materials: Whiteboard and markers or a digital equivalent. A list of vocabulary, which can be prepared by the teacher or sourced online.

Ask students to think of things they like and dislike.
As they share, write down their ideas on the board, grouping them into likes and dislikes.
Teach additional vocabulary that may arise and encourage students to make sentences using the new words.

Activity 2: 'This or That' Game

Approximate Time Needed: 20 minutes
Objective: To give students practice in choosing and expressing preferences between two options.
Materials: Prepared cards with two contrasting items or pictures on each (e.g., cats/dogs, summer/winter).

Divide students into small groups and hand out the 'This or That' cards.
Instruct students to choose their preference and explain why they like one over the other.
Groups can then rotate cards and repeat the process with different pairs of items.

Activity 3: Role-Playing Dialogues

Approximate Time Needed: 25 minutes
Objective: To allow students to practice expressing likes and dislikes in a conversational setting.
Materials: Role-play cards with different scenarios requiring students to express preferences.

Pair up students and give each pair a role-play card.
Ask students to act out the dialogue on the card, giving them time to prepare.
Encourage improvisation and use of vocabulary learned earlier in the lesson.
After each role-play, ask the other students to provide feedback or guess the likes and dislikes discussed.

Wrap Up

To conclude the lesson, we'll recap how to express likes and dislikes, why it’s important in daily communication, and the new vocabulary we've learned. Students will have the chance to ask questions and can be given homework to write a short paragraph about their likes and dislikes, consolidating the lesson's focus.

Outside the classroom, students can continue practicing with ALULA, an innovative AI-powered ESL app. Through conversation exercises and speaking activities on specific topics, including expressing personal preferences, ALULA complements classroom learning. Grammar lessons within the app further reinforce rules, while AI English Tutors offer personalized attention, helping students solidify their understanding and fluency.

Teachers can utilize ALULA to assign targeted at-home practice that aligns with the day’s lesson. By doing so, students arrive better prepared for class discussions, allowing for a more dynamic and interactive classroom experience. Altogether, this lesson plan paired with ALULA sets a foundational step for ESL learners in mastering daily expressions of likes and dislikes.