VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY HO CHI MINH CITY

UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES

FACULTY OF ENGLISH LINGUISTICS & LITERATURE

FINAL PAPER/FINAL PROJECT

COURSE: TEACHING ENGLISH TO YOUNG LEARNERS

2ND SEMESTER - ACADEMIC YEAR 2022-2023

Student’s full name Trần Thị Tuyết Trinh

Student ID 2057011031 No.: 13

Class Code 2221NVA158.101

Instructor Trần Trung Nguyên, MA (Mr.)

Final paper Microteaching Total Score Examiners

Score ( 60%) ( 40%) (70%) (signature and full name)
In figures In words

Other comments and suggestions:

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Topic:
Develop a portfolio consisting of the following contents:
A. Lesson plan evaluation – Individual work: (40%)
Write an essay (500 to 800 words) to evaluate your group’s lesson plan. The essay should
clarify:
1. The strengths and weakness of the lesson plan
2. The suggestions for improvements
B. Reflection – Individual work: (60%)
Based on the in-class discussions and your home reading, write an essay (500 to 700
words) to reflect your improvements and your major concerns regarding ONE of the
following aspects of TEYLs:
1. Knowledge of young learners
2. Understanding of different learning styles and strategies
3. Lesson planning
4. Classroom management
5. Working with people
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A. Lesson plan evaluation
There is no denying that a lesson plan plays a crucial role in determining what students will learn,
how the lesson will be given, and how learning will be assessed. However, any lesson plan has
strengths to promote and weaknesses that are essential to improve. This essay will look at the
strengths and weaknesses of our group's lesson plan and some practical solutions to improve it.

One of the noticeable strengths of our lesson plan is identifying the main goal and objectives
appropriate for learners' levels and needs. About the aim of the lesson, providing vocabulary about
colors for seven-year-old students with a level of A1 and asking them to practice structures used
to describe the existence of something or somebody is appropriate. This is because students have
already known some words related to colors at this stage, called the Pre-operational stage;
teaching vocabulary about colors will become easier. Moreover, students are thought to have the
complete target grammatical system at seven, so learning "there are or there are '' structures is not
challenging for them. Besides, three objectives in our lesson plan totally meet learners' needs:
memorizing vocabulary, distinguishing structures, and developing confidence in communication.
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As a result, our lesson plan will assist learners in understanding the purpose and direction of the
lesson effectively. Secondly, it is irrefutable that setting up a suitable sequence of classroom
activities is a concerning facet when designing a lesson plan. Indeed, choosing the ESA procedure
for our lesson is an insightful decision because of its various benefits for students and their
learning process. According to Harmer (1998), the ESA method may raise learners' interest,
curiosity, and emotions in learning a topic by attracting attention and motivating them to engage.
In addition, to increase the students' interest and understanding of the new course material, the
ESA method is suggested to be effective. Last but not least, the most noticeable strength of our
lesson plan is that we successfully designed various group work activities for students in the
classroom. Gillies (2003) states that students working together are more motivated to achieve than
when working individually. Therefore, we were concerned about encouraging students to work in
groups as much as possible instead of working individually with the hope of creating a
collaborative learning environment for them.

Besides the aforementioned noticeable strengths, there are still some weaknesses in our lesson
plan. The most apparent weakness is dividing into groups again after each activity has an adverse
impact on the lesson's progress. Indeed, our lesson plan consists of four group working activities
with a different number of members for each team in every activity, such as two teams for
vocabulary practice activity, three groups with five members for finding suitable pictures, pairs
working in rearranging unscramble words and three groups for coloring picture activity. One
feasible solution that can be implemented to remedy the issue mentioned above is choosing the
most appropriate group division way for all the group activities in our lesson. We should divide
fifteen students into three groups, with five members for each group, which will help us conduct
all activities in the lesson easier and more effectively. Furthermore, some activities could not be
beneficial for students as the primary objectives we identified for the lesson. For instance, since
we do not teach students forms of vocabulary about color in the previous parts, it is unsuitable for
students to practice there is or there are with forms of vocabulary in arranging unscrambled words
exercise. Thus, we should more carefully consider each activity and its order in the lesson.
Moreover, if needed, we may adapt each activity by adding, omitting, or replacing it with another
effective activity for the lesson.

In conclusion, our group's lesson plan has some strengths and weaknesses. Our lesson plan may
improve with my suggestions for the weaknesses mentioned above.
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References
1. Chiriac, E. H. (2014). Group work as an incentive for learning - students' experiences of
group work. Frontiers in Psychology, 5.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
263100570_Group_work_as_an_incentive_for_learning_-_students'_experiences_of_group_work
2. Harmer, J. (1998). Applied Linguistic and Materials Development. London: Brian
Tomlinson and contributors.
Appendices

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY-HO CHI MINH CITY

UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES

FACULTY OF ENGLISH LINGUISTICS & LITERATURE

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LESSON PLAN

Students’ full names:

1. Lê Đỗ Cao Nguyên
2. Nguyễn Khánh Ly
3. Cao Minh Hạnh
4. Trần Thị Tuyết Trinh

Instructor’s full name: Tran Trung Nguyen, MA. (Mr.)

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A. Students and Setting

STUDENTS:
 Age: 7 years old
 Proficiency level: A1
 Previous experience: Beginning English learners (pre - A1 students)
 Characteristics: energetic, short term of concentration, curious
SETTING:
 Type of institution: An English language center

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  Size of class: 15
 Schedule: 3 sessions/week (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday)
 Duration of each lesson: 90 minutes
B. Lesson background
1. Previous lesson:
 Unit 2
 Topic: Animals
 Language focus: Vocabulary - Grammar
 Sub-skill: Speaking
2. Present lesson:
 Unit 3
 Topic: Colors
 Language focus: Vocabulary - Grammar
 Sub-skill: Listening
C. Aims and Objectives
 Aims: The lesson is designed to provide students with vocabulary about colors and the
practice of structures used to talk about the existence of something/somebody.
 Objectives:
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
 memorize the vocabulary about colors
 distinguish the structures used to talk about the existence of something/somebody
 develop confidence in using the target vocabulary and structures
D. Materials and sources
 Materials:
 Textbook
 Video
 Flashcards
 Handouts
 Instructions and guidelines:
 Sources: Link
E. Procedures: ESA
Duration: 90 minutes

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 Stages & Stage aim(s) Teacher’s Students’ Anticipated problems
Timing activities activities & Solutions

Engage Act 1: - Attract students’ - Play a song - Watch the song - Students may not feel
attention and video about video engaged enough to
Warm-up
arouse their colors participate in this
- Sing and dance
(3 minutes) curiosity activity.
- Sing and together with
dance together teacher → Teacher gives each
with students student a sticker.

- Provide students
Study Act 2: - Respectively - Repeat after - Students may not
with vocabulary
show the first the teacher remember the colors.
Teach about colors
four colors
vocabulary → Teacher repeats
(yellow, red,
about colors those colors again.
blue, green) and
(10 minutes) ask students to
repeat (whole
class → half of - Say the correct
the class → word for each
small groups → color
individuals)

- Continue
showing the
next four colors
(purple, black,
brown, white)
and ask students
to repeat (whole
class → half of
the class →
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 small groups →
individuals)

- Randomly
show colors and
ask students to
say the words
for revising

Study Act 3: - Help students - Divide the - Stand in two - Some students make
memorize class into two lines noise while playing the
Practice
vocabulary about teams and ask game.
vocabulary - Compete to say
colors they have them to stand in
color in the → Teacher claps hands
(7 minutes) learned two lines
cards as quickly to get students’
- Show as possible and attention.
flashcards then move to the
containing end of the line
animals with
colors randomly
to the student at
the head of each
line

- Repeat with
all of the
remaining
students

Study Act 4: - Help students - Give each - Listen to the - Some students are still
memorize student a colors that confused and don’t
Practice
vocabulary about handout teacher says know which picture
vocabulary
colors they have they should choose.

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 (7 minutes) learned - Say the colors - Choose the → Teacher slowly
and ask students correct picture repeats the colors once
to choose the by circling A/B again.
correct picture
by circling A/B

Study Act 5: - Help students - Divide the - Raise the card - Some groups may send
identify colors class into 3 containing the a representative to raise
Practice
that they have groups, each animal with the the card.
vocabulary
learned group has 5 appropriate
→ Teacher asks each
(7 minutes) members color
member from each
- Give each group to take turns to
group 8 cards raise the card instead of
containing choosing the only
animals member to raise the
(Horse, Lion, card.
Bird, Rabbit,
Fish, Elephant,
Tortoise,
Lizard) with
colors (yellow,
blue, red,
green, purple,
black, brown,
white)

- Say “Find the

+ color +
animal” (E.g:
Find the blue
bird)

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Study Act 6: - Help students to - Prepare two - Look at the - No problem
distinguish pictures: pictures
Teach
between there is
grammar + Picture 1:
and there are
One animal of
(10 minutes)
each type in one
picture (lion,
bird, rabbit,
- Listen and
elephant)
repeat
+ Picture 2:
Two or more
- Replace the
animals of each
words
type on one
picture (lion,
bird, rabbit,
elephant)

- Make
examples to
illustrate
structures “there
is” and “there
are”

- Have students
repeat the
examples and
replace the
words with the
vocabulary
about animals

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Study Act 7: - Help students to - Divide the - Work in teams - Students may not feel
memorize there is class into two engaged enough to
Practice - Volunteer to
/there are teams participate in this
grammar answer
grammar activity.
- Show a picture questions
(7 minutes) structures
including 6 → Teacher gives each
animals with member of the winning
different team a bonus.
numbers

- Respectively
say 6 sentences
using grammar
structures: there
is/there are

- Ask students
whether these
sentences are
True/False

Study Act 8: - Help students to - Give handouts - Listen to - Students may choose
distinguish to students teacher’s wrong answers.
Practice
between there instruction
grammar 1. There is/ → Teachers provide
is and there are
There are correct answers and
(10 minutes)
yellow lizards. - Choose There detailed explanations for
is/There are students.
2. There is/
There are a
brown elephant. - Repeat the full
sentence
3. There is/
There are a

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 green tortoise.

4. There is/
There are white
rabbits.

5. There is/
There are a red
bird.

6. There is/
There are black
kittens.

- Ask students
to choose There
is/ There are to
complete the
sentences

- Say the whole

correct
sentences and
ask Ss to repeat

Study Act 9: - Help students to - Ask students - Work in pairs - Students find difficulty
memorize there is to work in pairs in arranging a set of
Practice - Unscramble
/there are unscramble words
grammar - Provide each the words to
grammar because they do not
pair with a set make 6
(14 minutes) structures remember vocabulary
of words to sentences in 8
about colors and
unscramble minutes.
animals.
- Give students - Volunteer to
→Teacher reviews
8 minutes to come to the

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 finish 6 board and vocabulary about colors
sentences unscramble and animals once before
words students start doing this
- Ask randomly
exercise.
6 students to
come to the
board. Each
student
unscrambles the
words to make a
full sentence

- Correct the
exercise

Activate Act 10: - Help students to - Divide the -Students may find it
memorize class into three - Receive animal difficult to say there is/
Practice
vocabulary about groups (5 cards and a there are for one animal
vocabulary
colors and there students in each picture with many colors.
and grammar
is/there are group)
- Stick the → Teacher asks
(10 minutes) grammar
- Give each animal cards on students to use one color
structures
group 5 sets of the picture for one animal.
animals made of
- Come to the
paper (2-3
board and talk
pieces of each
about their
set)
product using
- Give each the target
group a piece of structure
A3 paper
printed with an
empty zoo for

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 students to stick
the animal on

- Asks students
to present their
groups’ pictures
using the target
vocabulary and
structures

Act 11: - Help students - Ask students - Make a line - Students may not say
review all to make a line the full sentence with
Wrap-up - Listen
vocabulary and the color and the animal
- Show two carefully
(5 minutes) grammar that they picked
boxes: one for teacher’s
structure in the
colors, one for instruction → Teacher says first
lesson
animals and asks students to
- Pick one card
repeat the full sentence.
- Ask students for color and
Then the teacher asks
to pick one card one card for
students to pick other
for color and animal
cards to say
one card for
- Say there
animal - Students use wrong
is/there are with
grammar structures
- Ask students two cards that
there is/there are
to say “There they picked
is/there are + →Teacher says the
- Get stickers
color + animal” correct sentence and
from the teacher
with two cards asks students to repeat
and come back
that they picked
to their seats
- Give stickers
for students
with the correct

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 answers

Additional possibilities

Homework/ further work

F. References
Koustaff, L., & Rivers, S. (2022). Oxford Discover 1 (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.
G. Appendices
a) Textbook:

b) Other materials:
1. Handout for activity 4:

3. Pictures for activity 6:

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5. Pictures for activity 7:

6. Handout for activity 8:

7. Pictures for activity 10

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 8. Cards for activity 11:

B. Reflection
From my perspective, the Teaching English for young learners course is a crucial subject in my
academic journey at the university. In this course, it is impossible not to mention lesson planning,
which is one of the most crucial aspects of Teaching English to young learners. I will reflect on
my improvements and significant concerns regarding lesson planning in this essay.

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Initially, I struggled with setting clear and achievable objectives for my lessons. However, I am
becoming more and more confident in identifying the objectives of a lesson after I have learned
that setting up a good objective should focus on three central facets such as what knowledge
students gain from the lesson, how their skills are improved, and how their attitudes or behaviors
toward the lesson. Furthermore, related to learners' attitudes or behaviors, it is essential to be
concerned about the level of their understanding or performance in the classroom, the content, and
the context of the lesson. Thus, I always aim to create focused, goal-oriented lesson plans tailored
to my young learners' needs. For instance, in our group's microteaching, we successfully identified
crucial objectives for teaching vocabulary and grammar, such as memorizing vocabulary,
distinguishing structures, and developing confidence in communication. Besides, I have learned to
select activities that cater to the cognitive, linguistic, and social development of young learners
from this course. For example, I now include interactive games, songs, and storytelling in my
lessons to engage students and facilitate language acquisition. Indeed, there is no denying that my
lessons have improved with the warm-up activity by singing and dancing with students following
the song's rhyme. These activities make learning enjoyable and promote a positive classroom
environment. Besides, I have learned to introduce new grammar concepts and vocabulary words
in context, using engaging activities and real-life examples. This approach helps young learners
understand the relevance of grammar and vocabulary in everyday communication and makes the
learning process more enjoyable. Last but not least, I've discovered the significance of flexibility
in lesson planning, so I always prepare backup activities and am open to modifying the lesson
plan as needed. Moreover, I have learned to design a lesson plan that can be utilized for various
sizes of class since this is highly effective for me to apply the only lesson plan for different
environments instead of having to change or make a new lesson plan for each lesson.

Despite my improvements, I still have concerns regarding lesson planning in the Teaching English
for young learners course. One of my primary concerns is addressing the diverse needs of young
learners within a single lesson plan. Differentiation is essential in Teaching English for young
learners, as students may have varying levels of language proficiency, learning styles, and
interests. Thus, I am continuously working on incorporating differentiated activities and materials
in my lesson plans to adapt to the particular needs of my students. However, due to focusing on
designing various activities for a lesson, I was not concerned about the efficiency of each activity
in the lesson plan, which led to the lesson failing to achieve the aims I set up initially. Another

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concern is integrating assessment in my lesson to effectively gauge my students' progress.
Assessing young learners can be challenging, as traditional assessment methods may not suit this
age group. Thus, through each activity in the classroom, I can assess each student's learning styles
and attitudes to design suitable activities to help them increase their interests and curiosity with
lessons. Last but not least, time management remains a concern in my lesson planning. Allocating
appropriate time for each activity and ensuring a smooth transition between activities can be
challenging, especially with young learners with shorter attention spans. I am refining my time
management skills and incorporating strategies, such as setting time limits and using visual aids,
to help my students stay on track during lessons.

In conclusion, through in-class discussions and home reading, I have made significant progress in
setting clear objectives, incorporating age-appropriate activities, and ensuring flexibility in my
lesson plans. However, I still have concerns regarding differentiation, assessment, and time
management.

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