Class: Junior Secondary School 2 (JSS 2 / JS2)
Term: 3rd Term
Week: 6
Age: 13 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: English Language Studies
Curriculum Theme: English Language Studies
Previous Lesson: Key Points, Speech Interpretation, Past Continuous Tense and Drama Features.
Topic: Comprehension Questions, Composition Writing, Present Continuous Tense and Question Tags
Subject Matter: Reading to answer questions, elements of composition writing, present continuous tense, and question tags.

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

Cognitive Domain:

Answer comprehension questions accurately from a given passage.
Identify the key elements required for writing a good composition.
Recognize and form sentences using the present continuous tense.
Identify and construct sentences with appropriate question tags.

Affective Domain:

Participate actively in discussions about comprehension passages and composition topics.
Appreciate the importance of grammatical accuracy in written and spoken English.
Develop an interest in reading and writing effectively.

Psychomotor Domain:

Write a short composition on a given topic.
Construct grammatically correct sentences using the present continuous tense.
Formulate statements with correct question tags and appropriate responses.

Collaborate with peers during pair activities related to question tags.
Share ideas effectively during group discussions on comprehension and composition.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

9 Years Basic Education Curriculum
State Unified Scheme of Work
New Oxford Secondary English Course for JSS 2
https://www.google.com/search?q=comprehension+questions+for+jss2
https://www.google.com/search?q=composition+writing+for+jss2
https://www.google.com/search?q=present+continuous+tense+for+jss2
https://www.google.com/search?q=question+tags+for+jss2

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

Contemporary passages
Newspaper cuttings
Magazines
Sentence strips
Charts
Course book
Selected play (if time permits for literature aspect)
Props and costumes (if time permits for literature aspect)

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson helps pupils to develop essential language skills in reading, writing, grammar, and speaking. Mastering these areas enables pupils to communicate effectively and understand written texts, which is important for academic success and daily interactions.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils have basic knowledge of reading simple passages, constructing simple sentences, and identifying parts of speech.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Comprehension Questions, Composition Writing, Present Continuous Tense and Question Tags

1. Comprehension Questions

Comprehension involves understanding a passage and being able to answer questions about it. To answer comprehension questions effectively, read the passage carefully and identify key information.

Common types of comprehension questions:

Who: Asks about a person or character.
What: Asks about an event, action, or object.
When: Asks about the time an event occurred.
Where: Asks about the place an event occurred.
Why: Asks for the reason behind an event or action.
How: Asks about the manner or method of an action.

2. Composition Writing

Composition writing is the act of putting thoughts and ideas into written form to create a coherent piece of writing. A good composition has a clear topic, well-organized ideas, and appropriate language.

Elements of composition writing:

Topic: The main subject of the composition.
Ideas: Thoughts and points related to the topic.
Appropriate Words and Expressions: Using vocabulary that suits the topic and conveys meaning clearly.
Paragraphing: Organizing related ideas into separate paragraphs.
Grammar and Punctuation: Ensuring correct sentence structure and punctuation.

Example Topic: “My Favourite Subject or Teacher”

3. Present Continuous Tense

The present continuous tense is used to describe an action that is happening now, at the moment of speaking, or an action that is ongoing.

Structure: Subject + am/is/are + verb-ing (present participle)

Examples:

I am reading a book. (Action happening now)
She is playing football. (Action happening now)
They are studying for their exams. (Ongoing action)

4. Question Tags

Question tags are short clauses added to the end of a statement to turn it into a question. They are often used to confirm information or to invite a response.

Rules for forming question tags:

If the statement is positive, the question tag is negative. (e.g., You are happy, aren’t you?)
If the statement is negative, the question tag is positive. (e.g., You aren’t sad, are you?)
The auxiliary verb in the statement is usually repeated in the tag.
The pronoun in the tag refers to the subject of the statement.

Examples:

You like English, don’t you?
She is a student, isn’t she?
They can swim, can’t they?
He didn’t come, did he?

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Lecture, Demonstration, Question and Answer, Visual Aids

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Set Induction
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and asks them what they understand by “reading for understanding” and “writing a story.” The teacher then introduces the various aspects of the lesson for the day.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the questions and listen attentively to the introduction.
Learning Point: Pupils are prepared for the lesson and recall prior knowledge.

Step 2: Reading Comprehension

Time: 10 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation/Demonstration
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher distributes a short, contemporary passage and guides pupils on how to read for understanding. The teacher then asks various comprehension questions (who, what, when, where, why, how) related to the passage.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils read the passage silently and then answer the comprehension questions orally.
Learning Point: Pupils practice reading for understanding and answering different types of comprehension questions.

Step 3: Composition Writing

Time: 10 minutes
Teaching Skill: Guidance/Discussion
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces composition writing and explains the elements of a good composition, using “My Favourite Subject or Teacher” as an example topic. The teacher guides pupils to generate ideas for the topic.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils discuss ideas for the composition topic and contribute points for a short outline.
Learning Point: Pupils understand the basics of composition writing and can generate ideas for a given topic.

Step 4: Present Continuous Tense

Time: 7 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation/Illustration
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher presents sentences or short texts containing the present continuous tense. The teacher explains the structure (subject + am/is/are + verb-ing) and its use for actions happening now. The teacher then leads pupils to identify the tense in given examples.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify the present continuous tense in the provided examples and practice forming simple sentences using it.
Learning Point: Pupils can identify and use the present continuous tense correctly.

Step 5: Question Tags

Time: 6 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation/Drill
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains what question tags are and the rules for forming them (positive statement, negative tag; negative statement, positive tag). The teacher provides examples and engages pupils in pair activities to practice.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the explanation, observe examples, and practice forming question tags with their partners.
Learning Point: Pupils understand how to form and use question tags.

Step 6: Literature (Brief Mention)

Time: 3 minutes
Teaching Skill: Information Sharing
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher briefly discusses the importance of reading drama texts, identifying the message, storyline, props, and costumes needed for a play. The teacher encourages pupils to read recommended drama texts.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and note the importance of engaging with literary texts.
Learning Point: Pupils are introduced to the literary aspect of English studies.

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

Mention three types of questions used in comprehension.
List two elements of a good composition.
Form a sentence using the present continuous tense.
Add a suitable question tag to this statement: “You are a student.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.
Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.

Step 8: Conclusion

Time: 2 minutes
Teaching Skill: Summarization
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher summarizes the key points of the lesson, reinforcing the importance of reading, writing, and grammatical accuracy. The teacher assigns homework for pupils to write a short composition on “My Favourite Teacher.”
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the summary and copy down the homework.
Learning Point: The lesson is concluded, and learning is reinforced.

Lesson Keywords

Comprehension – Understanding a passage or text.
Composition – A piece of writing on a particular subject.
Present Continuous Tense – A verb tense used for actions happening now or ongoing.
Question Tags – Short questions added to the end of a statement.
Grammar – The rules governing the use of a language.

Differentiation

The teacher will provide simpler passages for pupils who struggle with reading comprehension and challenge advanced learners with more complex questions. Group activities will allow peer support, and the teacher will offer individual assistance where needed.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Teachers should ensure that the contemporary passages used are age-appropriate and engaging for JSS 2 pupils. Encourage active participation and provide constructive feedback on both written and oral responses. The literature aspect can be expanded if a longer lesson period is available.