1. The practice of phrasal verbs
The author prepared presentation of phrasal verbs in six different methods. Each method presented no more than 5-6 phrasal verbs and consisted of three stages: presentation, practice, and production. There were variety of methods in order not to get the students bored. The main task of the informants was to find out the meaning of phrasal verbs and implement the knowledge of these phrasal verbs into practice..
1.1. Plan of Task 1 – Introducing phrasal verbs in physical context
School: junior high school
Level: Intermediate
Number of students: 15
Teaching points: Introducing new phrasal verbs
Overall aim of the task: To provide and practice new verbs
Length: 10 minutes
Materials: BB, a chalk, a book, sheet of papers with
exercise on them
Author’s special notes: It is important:
To prepare enough copies of the sheet of papers with
exercises
To prepare chalk which is useful at the stage of
presentation
To make sure that every student has a book, a pen,
and a copybook
To know that it is a good element of lesson, especially
for young people
Presentation stage
Teacher’s activity:
It is essential to explain what a phrasal verbs are and why they are used (see the Theory Part p. ). Teacher writes six verbs on the board (BB) and draw Ss attention that these verbs are the roots of phrasal verbs. They are used in a very literal sense showing mostly the direction, place, or physical orientation.
Practice stage
Teacher’s activity:
T asks Ss to look at T and do what T does and checks if Ss know the meaning of verbs
Students’ activity:
Ss practice this physical and oral activity twice or three times.
Stand up and then sit down
Pick up your pen then write down some words in your copybooks
Take your paper and turn it over
Open your books then cover up page with a piece of paper
Production stage
Students’ activity:
S is asked to give Ss simple orders by using new phrasal verbs. Then they write down the verbs in their copybooks.
1.2. Plan of Task 2 – In the context of a sentence
School: junior high school
Level : Intermediate
Number of students: 15
Teaching points: Introducing new phrasal verbs which are
useful in everyday life
Overall aim of the task: To provide and practice new phrasal verbs
Length: 15-20 minutes
Materials: BB, a coloured chalk, sheets of paper with
exercises on them
Author’s special notes: It is important:
To prepare enough copies of the sheets of paper with
exercises
To prepare a coloured chalk which is useful in the
presentation stage
To teach verbs which are common in everyday life
To know that guessing the meaning of a verb from
the context of a sentence is an exciting activity
Presentation stage
Teacher’s activity:
T explains the Ss’ task while distributing the sheets of paper with exercises, then writes the verbs on the BB. Ss are to guess the meaning of the verbs. They are divided into groups and get points. T presents the first verb in the sentences.
Practice stage
Ss’ activity:
They read the sentences aloud and give the meaning of the verbs in the context.
1Sharon will be late for work today.
Her car broke down on the way to the freeway.
His taxi broke down on the way to the airport. He missed the plane.
2 Tim and Julie aren’t going steady any more.
They got really angry each other and broke up.
I’m sorry to hear that their marriage broke up.
I’m sure the divorce will be difficult for the children.
3 Lucy’s parents died when she was a baby.
Her grandparents brought her up.
Zosia and her husband are Catholics.
They’ll bring their children up as Catholics.
4 We don’t have school today.
The mayor called classes off today because of snow.
My flight will be called off because of dense fog.
I must call off my birthday party because I’m sick.
5 I’ve lost my extra car keys.
If you come across them while you are cleaning the room, please put them in a
save place .
I came across my best schoolmate when I was traveling around Scotland.
6 George won’t be at the office today. He came down with the flu over the
weekend.
I think I will come down with flu.
I’m tired, weak, and have a terrible sore throat.
Production stage
Ss’ activity:
Ss in their groups write sentences using new verbs, whereupon sentences are read aloud across the class.
1.3. Plan of Task 3 – Miming
School: junior high school
Level: Intermediate
Number of students: 15
Teaching points: Introducing new phrasal verbs grouping by
a main verb - take
Overall aim of the task: To provide and practice new phrasal verbs
Length: 15-20 minutes
Materials: BB, a coloured chalk, strips of paper with
the description of phrasal verbs
containing the verb take
Author’s special notes: It is important:
To explain to Ss that not only are these
phrasal verbs closely linked with one
main verb, but also the same phrasal verb
(the same particle) can have different
meaning
To allow Ss to divide themselves into
groups in order to achieve better effect
in their work
To prepare enough stripes of phrasal
verbs for three groups
Presentation stage
Teacher’s activities:
At first, T writes all the verbs on the BB with a coloured chalk. After that, T gives each group stripes with two different phrasal verbs with explanation of meaning in English and asks to mime them or present a drama without using new phrasal verbs. It is essential to control working in groups. T gives advice and checks the Ss’ ideas.
Practice stage
Students’ activity:
Ss work in groups on the given task. The group presents its work and the rest of the class guesses the meaning of the verbs in the Polish language.
Group I
Take off – leave ground (plane)
Take back – retract sth you said
Group II
Take off – leave school/work for a period; take 2 days off
Take back – return an item to a store
Group III
Take off – remove (a play)
Take in – deceive a person
Production stage
Ss’ activity:
Ss are asked to write six simple sentences using new phrasal verbs as homework.
1.4. Plan of Task 4 – Own story
School: junior high-school
Level: Intermediate
Number of students: 15
Teaching points: Introducing new phrasal verbs which are
chosen by students
Overall aim of the task: to provide and practice new phrasal verbs
Length: 10-15 minutes
Materials: BB
Author’s special notes: It is important:
To suggest some verbs and Ss decide to
choose only five of them
To be aware that Ss can make their own
decisions
It is essential to say that this exercise is
more interesting and demanding when
the class can work in computers class
where there is an access to the Internet
Presentation stage
Teacher’s activity:
T presents some phrasal verbs and makes the students propose their own. Finally, five verbs are written on the BB. After a while T instructs Ss that they are to write their own funny story with new verbs, doing their best to use their imagination. Ss can work in a small group (2-3 Ss) or do it individually.
Practice stage
Teacher’s activity:
T explains how new phrasal verbs work in a sentence, which verb sets are separable and reminds Ss of irregular forms of some verbs.
Catch on – to understand
Take to – to like; to be kind or favorable
Throw up – to vomit
Show off ( in front of) – to behave so as to try to get admiration for oneself, one’s abilities, etc.
Step down – to stop doing sth
Productuction stage
Ss’ activity:
Ss write their stories using computers, they can consult with T. Lastly, Ss send the stories on their e-mail address and printed ideas are brought to the school.
1.5. Plan of Task 5 - Pictographs
School: junior high school
Level: Intermediate
Number of students: 15
Teaching points: Introducing new phrasal verbs with their
opposite meanings
Overall aim of the task: To provide and practice new verbs
Length: 10 minutes
Materials: BB, 4 pictographs of phrasal verbs, and
small ones for Ss
Author’s special notes: It is important:
To have 15 copies of pictographs for Ss
To bring 4 pictographs and hang them up on the BB
To be aware that guessing the meanings of pictographs is
involving and makes the exercise funny
Presentation stage
Teacher’s activity:
T hangs up the pictographs with written phrasal verbs and elicits the Polish explanation of the verbs from Ss.
Practice stage
Students’ activity:
Ss say the meaning of the verbs (also the opposite meanings) in Polish language.
turn on # turn off
hang up # take down
take in # let out
put up # pull down
Production stage
Students’ activity:
Ss give simple oral orders using new phrasal verbs across the class. They stick their small pictures with glue in their copybooks.
1.6. Plan of Task 6 – In the context of a story
School: junior high school
Level: Intermediate
Number of students: 15
Teaching points: Introducing new phrasal verbs connected
with fire
Overall aim of the task: To provide and practice new verbs
Length: 15 minutes
Materials: BB, sheets of paper with exercises on them
Author’s special notes: It is important:
● To know that blaze as a hazardous and useful device is
is liked by students
● To prepare a coloured chalk (at the stage presentation)
● To prepare enough copies of exercises
Presentation stage
Teacher’s activity:
Using a red chalk, T writes a “warmer” question: What is fire/ blaze? on the board. Secondly, T explains a subject and distributes sheets of paper with exercises and writes five phrasal verbs. Finally, T pre-teaches some new vocabulary (if necessary)
Practice stage
Students’ activity:
Ss try to guess the meaning of the verbs, they say them in Polish.
Hotel Blaze Escape Drama (A. Cirocki; Teaching Phrasal Verbs...)
At present it is not known how the fire started. It seems the fire, broke out in the early hours of the morning. The fire alarm went off at around 2.00 a.m. It is thought it was set off by smoke coming from one of the bedroom on the floor. The fire spread quickly from the first floor to the second floor. The fire brigade were called in immediately and fire fighters were on the scene within 15 minutes, but by this time hotel was already in flames. They fought the blaze and managed to get in under control, though it look them to hours to put the fire out.
Production stage
Students’ activity:
Ss are asked to translate the following sentences into English.
- Jeden papieros może wywołać pożar.
- Natychmiast zatelefonuj do straży pożarnej.
- Pożar wybuchł w lesie.
- Niestety alarm nie włączył się.
- Na szczęście strażacy ugasili pożar.
Opracowanie Grażyna Wawrzyniak
nauczyciel języka angielskiego