Speech: Expressing Continuous Actions for Primary 2

Class: Primary 2
Term: Third Term
Week: 6
Age: 7 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: English Studies
Curriculum Theme: Speech
Previous Lesson: Third Term English Language Studies Examination
Topic: Speech: Expressing Continuous Actions
Subject Matter: Expressing Continuous Actions

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Identify continuous actions in sentences.
• State the rule for forming the present continuous tense.

Affective Domain

• Show interest in using correct grammar when speaking.
• Participate actively in classroom activities.

Psychomotor Domain

• Form simple sentences expressing continuous actions.
• Use the present continuous tense correctly in sentences.

Reference Materials

• 2014 9 Years Basic Education Curriculum
• Relevant State Unified Scheme of Work
• Primary 2 English Studies Textbook
• FCT ERC/NAPPS Scheme of work

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Chart showing examples of continuous actions
• Flashcards with verbs (e.g., run, eat, sleep, play)
• Pupils’ notebooks
• Pupils’ textbooks

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is important because it teaches pupils how to describe actions happening right now, which is a fundamental part of everyday communication. Mastering the expression of continuous actions helps pupils communicate more clearly and accurately about their immediate environment and experiences.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils should be able to identify simple verbs and understand the concept of actions.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Speech: Expressing Continuous Actions

What are Continuous Actions?

Continuous actions are things that are happening right now, at the moment we are speaking. They are actions that are ongoing.

Examples:

1. The boy is playing.
2. The girl is eating.
3. The teacher is teaching.
4. The pupils are listening.

How to Express Continuous Actions (Present Continuous Tense)

To express continuous actions, we use the present continuous tense. We form it by using:

is / am / are + verb + -ing

Rules for using ‘is’, ‘am’, ‘are’:

1. We use ‘am’ with ‘I’. (e.g., I am reading.)
2. We use ‘is’ with ‘He’, ‘She’, ‘It’ and singular nouns. (e.g., He is running. She is singing. The dog is barking. John is writing.)
3. We use ‘are’ with ‘You’, ‘We’, ‘They’ and plural nouns. (e.g., You are walking. We are talking. They are jumping. The children are laughing.)

Examples of Sentences with Continuous Actions

1. I am writing in my book.
2. She is singing a song.
3. He is kicking the ball.
4. We are eating our lunch.
5. They are watching television.
6. The baby is sleeping.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Demonstration, Guided Practice, Question and Answer, Explanation, Observation, Pair Work

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Activating prior knowledge

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and asks them to mention some actions they can see happening in the classroom right now (e.g., sitting, looking, writing). The teacher then introduces the topic of expressing continuous actions.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the teacher’s questions and listen to the introduction.

Learning Point: Introduction to continuous actions

Step 2: Explanation of Continuous Actions

Time: 8 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Demonstration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains what continuous actions are, using simple examples and performing actions (e.g., “I am walking,” “I am clapping”). The teacher uses the chart to show pictures of people doing different things.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the teacher’s actions and listen to the explanation, identifying continuous actions from the chart.

Learning Point: Meaning of continuous actions

Step 3: Introducing the Present Continuous Tense Rule

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Direct Instruction

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the rule for forming sentences with continuous actions: “is/am/are + verb + -ing.” The teacher writes this rule on the board and explains when to use ‘is’, ‘am’, and ‘are’ with different subjects.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively and repeat the rule after the teacher.

Learning Point: Present continuous tense rule

Step 4: Guided Identification from Chart

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Observation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher points to different pictures on the chart and asks pupils to identify the continuous action and form a sentence using the present continuous tense. For example, pointing to a boy running, the teacher asks, “What is the boy doing?”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify the actions and attempt to form sentences, guided by the teacher. (e.g., “The boy is running.”)

Learning Point: Identifying continuous actions

Step 5: Sentence Formation Practice (Flashcards)

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Collaborative Learning

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shows flashcards with verbs (e.g., eat, sleep, read, write) and asks pupils to work in pairs to form sentences expressing continuous actions using these verbs. The teacher walks around to provide support.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils work in pairs to form sentences using the present continuous tense with the given verbs.

Learning Point: Forming continuous action sentences

Step 6: Reinforcement and Correction

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Feedback/Correction

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher calls on a few pairs to share their sentences and provides immediate feedback and corrections, reinforcing the correct usage of ‘is/am/are’ and the ‘-ing’ form.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils share their sentences and listen to corrections, learning from their mistakes and those of others.

Learning Point: Correcting sentence formation

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

1. What are continuous actions?
2. How do we form sentences to show continuous actions?
3. Complete the sentence: “I ____ (read) a book now.”
4. Form a sentence using “play” to show a continuous action.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Understanding continuous actions

Step 8: Note-Taking

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Writing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils to copy the essential Board Summary notes on expressing continuous actions into their notebooks.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils copy the notes carefully into their notebooks.

Learning Point: Recording lesson notes

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 2 minutes

Teaching Skill: Consolidation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher briefly reminds pupils that continuous actions are things happening now and encourages them to practice using the “is/am/are + verb-ing” form in their daily conversations. The teacher ends the lesson.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and acknowledge the importance of the lesson.

Learning Point: Consolidating continuous actions

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Complete the following sentences by filling in the correct form of the verb in brackets to show continuous actions:

1. The birds _____ (sing) in the tree.
2. My mother _____ (cook) dinner.
3. We _____ (walk) to school.
4. You _____ (listen) to music.
5. I _____ (draw) a picture.

Lesson Keywords

• Continuous – happening without stopping
• Actions – things that people or things do
• Is – a form of ‘to be’ verb used with singular subjects (he, she, it)
• Am – a form of ‘to be’ verb used with ‘I’
• Are – a form of ‘to be’ verb used with plural subjects (you, we, they)
• -ing – a suffix added to verbs to show continuous action

Differentiation

Support: For pupils who are struggling, the teacher will provide more one-on-one guidance, use more visual aids, and focus on simple, repetitive sentence structures. They can practice identifying actions from pictures and just saying the verb + -ing form.

Extension: For advanced pupils, the teacher can challenge them to create short sentences describing a sequence of continuous actions or to identify continuous actions in a short story read aloud by the teacher.

Suggested Lesson Videos

For further understanding, search on YouTube for:
Primary 2 present continuous tense for kids