ESL Staging Towers
Language Lesson
Grammar / Vocabulary
1. Lead-in / Context
2. Demonstrate TL in Context
3. Highlight Target Language
4. Meaning
5. Pronunciation
6. Form
7. Controlled Practice
8. Semi-controlled Practice
9. Freer Practice
10.Feedback / Error Correction
Follow these steps for effectively staged lessons
Skills Lessons
Receptive: Reading / Listening
Skills Lessons
1. Lead-in / Context
Productive: Speaking / Writing
2. Predict
3. Reading/Listening for Gist 1. Lead-in / Context
4. (Pre-teach Vocabulary) 2. Present model
5. Reading/Listening for 3. Preparation
Detail 4. (Useful Language)
6. Reading/Listening for 5. Complete Task
Specific Information 6. Feedback / Error
7. Personalize/React to text Correction
© Gareth Brown 2014
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1. Lead-in: Generate interest in the topic/theme of the lesson and access pre-existing knowledge.
 Discussion cards with questions, respond to media, mingle, discuss flashcards...

2. Demonstrate TL in Context: To introduce the target language within a theme/context (e.g. ‘holidays’).
 Use a story (spoken), movie, song, magazine, course book, adverts, newspaper, comic, website...

3. Highlight Target Language: To get students to notice the target language.

 Comprehension questions, underline TL, elicit, sorting/categorizing...

4. Meaning: To convey the meaning of the target language.

 Use flashcards and Concept Checking Questions, whiteboard: timelines / characters / speech bubbles,
sticks of different lengths (for timelines)...
5. Pronunciation: To practice pronunciation of the TL.
 Choral drill then individual, pass-the-flashcards, nominate, emotional/dynamic echo, songs...

6. Form: To show the students the written form and/or structure.

 Guide students to find the form within a text, use whiteboard, coloured flashcards with Parts of Speech

7. Controlled Practice: To practice use of target language with lots of help.

 Circle the right word for the gap, answer Yes/No questions, mingle, matching, running dictation...

8. Semi-Controlled Practice: To practice use of target language with a little help.

 Re-arrange words to make a sentence, open-ended questions...

9. Freer Practice: To allow students to use target language in a personalized way.

 Students write or speak about personal experience/feelings (e.g. write an email, letter, review, story,
describe a monster, role play, do a presentation, write a diary, make a poster...
10. Feedback / Error Correction: To allow students to respond to each other’s work / hear teacher’s feedback /
correct any errors which persist (Pronunciation: Hot correction if necessary).
As students complete stage 9, monitor and listen for errors. Then you can correct them on the white
board with the whole class.
 Put student’s work around the room then give them a task (e.g. find 3 spelling mistakes, choose your
favourite, think of 3 questions to ask someone about their text). Give them a reason to do it (e.g. a prize).

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1. Lead-in: Generate interest in the topic/theme of the lesson.
 Discussion cards with questions, mingle, discuss book cover, ranking genres...
2. Predict: Get students to predict/think about what they will read/hear and to access
pre-existing knowledge.
 Discussion cards with questions, predict from book cover, order titles...
3. Reading/Listening for Gist: To get students to listen/skim for a general understanding
Choose the best heading, match a picture to the text, choose text type (article/
review etc…), multiple-choice questions, draw what you hear, physical
reaction...
4. (Optional) Pre-teach Vocabulary: To ensure that students know the vocabulary they
need to complete the following stages.
 Worksheets (crosswords, matching activities), rearrange letters, hangman...
5. Reading/Listening for Detail: To get students to understand at paragraph/sentence
level.
Put paragraphs in correct order, rearrange words to make sentences, answer
open/closed questions...
6. Reading/Listening for Specific Information: To get students to understand at word
level.
 Answer specific questions (names, dates etc.,), physical reaction...
7. Personalize/React to text: To get students to react/respond to the text.
Discussion groups (e.g. can you identify with a character?) Agree/disagree and
‘why’, write something, finish story, write alternative ending...
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1. Lead-in: Generate interest in the topic/theme of the lesson and access pre-existing
knowledge.
 Discussion cards with questions, respond to media, mingle...
2. Present Model: To let students see what you expect them to produce (this follows
stages 2-5 of the Receptive lesson).
 Poster, presentation, story, give them articles...
3. Preparation: Time for students to plan/prepare.
 Monitor/help but don’t disturb the creative flow.
4. (Optional) Useful Language:
 Handouts, whiteboard… Engage students to the language (e.g. games, drill etc.,)
5. Complete Task: Time for students to complete the task.
Make sure you give them enough time to complete the task—let them know how
much time they have, and let them know when time in nearly up.
6. Feedback / Error Correction: To allow students to respond to each other’s work (peer
check) / hear teacher’s feedback / correct any errors which persist.
As students complete stage 5, monitor and listen for errors. Then you can correct
them on the white board with the whole class.
 Put student’s work around the room then give them a task (e.g. find 3 spelling
mistakes, choose your favourite, think of 3 questions to ask someone about their
text). Give them a reason to do it (e.g. a prize).