Making Polite Requests for Clarification and Help for Primary 1

Class: Primary 1
Term: Third Term
Week: 10
Age: 6 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: English Studies
Curriculum Theme: Listening and Speaking
Focal competence: Making polite requests
Key competencies/values: Collaboration; Respect; Tolerance; Communication; Critical Thinking; Creativity and Innovation
Skills:

• Communicating politely

Previous Lesson: Reading and Explaining School and Community Notices
Topic: Making Polite Requests
Subject Matter: Asking for clarification or help after reading the notice

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Identify polite request expressions like ‘please’, ‘may I’, ‘can I’, and ‘excuse me’.
• State simple polite requests for clarification or help.

Affective Domain

• Appreciate the importance of using polite words when speaking.
• Show respect when making requests.

Psychomotor Domain

• Make a polite request appropriately in a familiar situation.
• Participate in short role-plays demonstrating polite requests.

Social Domain

• Interact respectfully with peers and the teacher using polite requests.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• 2025 Revised 9 Years Basic Education Curriculum
• Relevant State Unified Scheme of Work
• Macmillan Primary English for Primary 1
• The HeadTeacher Scheme of work

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Approved publisher-neutral text
• Letter, word and picture cards showing different situations
• Exercise books and pencils
• “Please and Thank You” game board
• Chart showing polite expressions

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is important because it teaches pupils essential social skills for effective and respectful communication. Learning to make polite requests helps them express their needs clearly and respectfully, fostering positive interactions with others. This skill is fundamental for navigating social situations both in and out of school.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils should be able to listen and respond to simple instructions and have a basic understanding of common greetings.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Making Polite Requests

What are Polite Requests?

Polite requests are ways we ask for something or ask for help in a kind and respectful manner. They show good manners and make people happy to help us.

Polite Request Expressions

We use special words to make our requests polite. Some common polite expressions are:

1. Please: Used to make a request more polite.
2. May I: Used when asking for permission or help.
3. Can I: Also used when asking for permission or help.
4. Excuse me: Used to get someone’s attention politely or to ask to pass.

Asking for Help or Clarification Politely

When we need help or do not understand something, we should ask politely.
Examples:

1. “Please, can you help me carry this book?”
2. “Excuse me, teacher, may I ask a question?”
3. “Can I borrow your pencil, please?”
4. “Please, can you explain that again?”

Suitable Tone and Respectful Response

When making a polite request, we should use a soft and friendly voice. When someone asks us politely, we should respond kindly, for example, “Yes, you may” or “Sure, I can help.”

Changing Impolite Commands to Polite Requests

It is important to turn commands into polite requests.
Examples:

1. Impolite: “Give me the book!”
   Polite: “Please, may I have the book?”
2. Impolite: “Move!”
   Polite: “Excuse me, please may I pass?”
3. Impolite: “Tell me!”
   Polite: “Please, can you tell me?”

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Demonstration, Guided Practice, Question and Answer, Explanation, Role-play, 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 greet her back. The teacher then asks pupils if they know how to ask for things nicely. The teacher tells a short story about a child who asked for something rudely and another who asked politely, asking pupils which child got help faster.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils greet the teacher and respond to the story, identifying the polite child.

Learning Point: Importance of politeness

Step 2: Identifying Polite Expressions

Time: 8 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Demonstration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces polite expressions like “please,” “may I,” “can I,” and “excuse me” using word cards. The teacher explains what each expression means and when to use it, giving simple examples.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, repeat the expressions, and try to use them in simple sentences as guided by the teacher.

Learning Point: Common polite expressions

Step 3: Teacher Models Polite Requests

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Modelling/Demonstration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher models asking for clarification or help after reading a short, simple notice (e.g., “The school bus leaves at 2 pm. Please be on time.”). The teacher then pretends not to understand a part and asks, “Excuse me, teacher, may I ask when exactly is 2 pm?” or “Please, can you tell me what ‘on time’ means?”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively to the teacher’s polite requests and observe the tone used.

Learning Point: Modelling polite requests

Step 4: Oral Practice in Pairs

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided practice

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher divides pupils into pairs and gives them simple scenarios (e.g., “You need to borrow a crayon,” “You didn’t hear the teacher’s instruction”). The teacher guides them to practice asking for help or clarification using the polite expressions.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils practice making polite requests in pairs, taking turns asking and responding.

Learning Point: Practising polite requests

Step 5: Short Role-Play

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Application/Role-play

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher selects a few pairs to perform short role-plays in front of the class, demonstrating polite requests for help or clarification. The teacher provides immediate feedback on their use of polite words and tone.

Pupils’ Activity: Selected pairs perform role-plays. Other pupils observe and learn.

Learning Point: Demonstrating polite requests

Step 6: Changing Impolite Commands

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Transformation practice

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher writes simple impolite commands on the board (e.g., “Give me water,” “Open the door”). The teacher then guides pupils to change them into polite requests using the expressions learned.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils suggest polite versions of the commands.

Learning Point: Converting commands to requests

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. Mention two polite words we use when asking for something.
2. How would you politely ask your friend to lend you a pencil?
3. What polite word can you use to get someone’s attention?
4. Change this command to a polite request: “Give me your book!”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Understanding polite requests

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 “Polite Request Expressions” and “Asking for Help or Clarification Politely” 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 reminds pupils that using polite words like “please,” “may I,” and “excuse me” makes them well-behaved and helps them get what they need easily. The teacher encourages them to always be polite.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils acknowledge and promise to use polite words.

Learning Point: Reinforcing polite communication

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Complete the following sentences with a polite expression (please, may I, can I, excuse me).

1. ________, give me my book.
2. ________, borrow your ruler?
3. ________, help me with this bag?
4. ________, teacher, I need to ask a question.
5. ________, pass the salt?

Lesson Keywords

• Polite – showing good manners and respect.
• Request – asking for something.
• Please – a word used to make a request polite.
• May I – a polite way to ask for permission.
• Excuse me – a polite way to get attention or ask to pass.
• Clarification – making something clearer or easier to understand.

Differentiation

For weaker learners: Provide more direct modelling and guided repetition of key phrases. Use picture cards to help them associate polite expressions with specific situations. Focus on just two or three core polite expressions.
For faster learners: Encourage them to create more complex polite requests or to act out longer role-play scenarios. Challenge them to identify situations where politeness is especially important and explain why.

Suggested Lesson Videos

For further understanding, search on YouTube for: polite requests for kids primary 1 english

Teacher Guide for Using This Lesson Plan

Before the lesson, prepare word cards for “please,” “may I,” “can I,” and “excuse me,” along with simple picture cards depicting situations where pupils might need to ask for help or clarification. Have a simple notice ready to read for the modelling activity. During the lesson, ensure a friendly and encouraging classroom atmosphere. Model the desired polite tone and expressions clearly. Provide ample opportunities for oral practice, as this is crucial for Primary 1 pupils. Observe pupils during pair work and role-plays to identify those who need more support. Allow pupils to copy the Board Summary notes on polite expressions and asking for help during the designated note-taking time. Emphasize that politeness is a daily practice, not just a classroom activity.