The Grammar-Translation Method and the Silent Way
Teacher: Florea Maria-Cristina
Grade: 6th
Lesson: Irregular verbs
Type of lesson: acquiring new vocabulary and grammatical structure
Skills: speaking, writing, listening
Purpose: The purpose of the lesson is to enable Ss learn about the grammar rules of the
irregular verbs as well as learn vocabulary, which they will be able to use for self-expressing,
detaching themselves as much as possible from the T, in order to develop their own inner
criteria of correctness.
Didactic Strategies:
Methods: The Grammar-Translation Method and the Silent Way
Techniques: deductive application of rule, memorization, use words in sentences (the
Grammar-Translation method), rods, self-correction gestures, peer connection, structured
feedback (the Silent Way).
Organization: frontal activities, group-work
Materials: board, notebooks, Word-Chart, pointer
Objectives:
O1. to create an interactive environment
O2. to approach language both deductively and inductively, in terms of the method applied
O3. to know the meaning of a number of irregular verbs
O4. to know the three forms of a number of irregular verbs
O5. to pronounce a number of irregular verbs correctly
O6. to spell a number of irregular verbs correctly
O7. to use the new acquired vocabulary appropriately and correctly
Timing: 50’
PROCEDURE
Warm-up
Interaction: T-Ss
Timing:
3’
Speaking

The T greets the Ss and they greet the T back.

The T checks the Ss homework orally, encouraging them when it is required and
allowing them to self-correct if necessary.
Lead-in
Interaction: T-Ss
Speaking
Timing:
3’
O1. to create an interactive environment

The T states the objectives and the subject matter of the lesson, raising the Ss’
curiosity this way.

Then the T enquires about the classification of verbs in English, i.e. regular and
irregular verbs.
Activity 1: Deductive Application of Rule, Memorization (GTM) Interaction: T-Ss Timing:
Writing, listening
10’
O2. to approach language deductively
O3. to know the meaning of a number of irregular verbs
O4. to know the three forms of a number of irregular verbs
O5. to pronounce a number of irregular verbs correctly
O6. to spell a number of irregular verbs correctly

A number of 10 common and fairly used irregular verbs are listed on the board, one by
one. While writing, the T asks about the meaning of the verbs, giving an opportunity
to the Ss to respond. All the three forms of an irregular verb. i.e. the infinitive, the past
simple and the past participle, are written down on the board and in the Ss’ notebooks,
as well as the meaning of the respective verbs:
(to) be – was / were – been

= a fi
During this activity, the Ss are required to repeat the pronunciation after the T, so as to
make sure that they pronounce the words correctly.
Activity 2: Rods, Peer Connection (the Silent Way)
Interaction: T-Ss
Speaking
Timing:
13’
O2. to approach language inductively and automatically
O3. to know the meaning of a number of irregular verbs
O4. to know the three forms of a number of irregular verbs
O5. to pronounce a number of irregular verbs correctly
O6. to spell a number of irregular verbs correctly

After a short break which announces Ss they are about to start another activity, the T
puts a number of coloured wooden blocks on the table, called rods. Every block has an
irregular verb attached to it. There is a Word-Chart hanging from the board, on which
the 10 verbs are still written. The T picks one rod from the table, which she holds up
and shows it to the class pronouncing the word “to be”. At the same time, she moves
towards the Word-Chart and points to the verb “to be” on the chart. After a short
pause, the T pronounces the past simple form of the verb “to be”, using the pointer to
show it on the Word-Chart. The same thing happens for the past participle form of the
exact verb. Then she places the rod to the other side of the table.

Then the T assigns one S to come in front of the class and pick another rod from the
table. The S has to repeat exactly the same operation as the T. This activity ends when
the rods on the table have ended.

In the meantime, the other Ss are encouraged to help those classmates if he or she is
experiencing difficulty, keeping in mind the fact that any help be offered in a
cooperative manner, not a competitive one.
Activity 3: Use words in sentences
Interaction: T-Ss, S-S
Writing
O3. to know the meaning of a number of irregular verbs
O4. to know the three forms of a number of irregular verbs
Timing:
17’
O6. to spell a number of irregular verbs correctly
O7. to use the new acquired vocabulary appropriately and correctly

The T splits the class into groups of four, assigning a number from 1 to 4 to each of
the Ss in one group. Then the T tells the Ss to leave their mother-group and split into
groups according to their numbers, so all the Ss who have been assigned 1, 2 and so
on. Afterwards, each group is assigned a number of four irregular verbs which they
have to use correctly in sentences of their own. Each group is supposed to write four
sentences with their verbs. There is one verb common to all of the groups, and that is
the verb “to be”. The T arguments her choice by saying that this particular verb is of a
high importance.

After the groups have finished writing the sentences, the Ss are told to return to their
mother-groups and share the sentences they made up in their number-groups.
Follow-up: Structured Feedback
Interaction: T-Ss
__ _______
Timing:
4’

Ss are invited to make observations about what they have learned. The T accepts their
comments in a nondefensive manner, but rather in an informative one, which would
only help her improve the future class.