The very first contact with English. Learners build the alphabet, sounds, numbers and a handful of survival phrases — enough to say who they are and exchange a few words.
Printable one-to-one lesson plan
Articles a / an
Use a or an for one person or thing, and choose the correct article by listening to the first sound of the next word.
Use after the complete A0 sequence, not as a lesson quiz.
Open diagnostic →10–15 min optional: Optional tutor-read sound discrimination · Optional no-choice article retrieval · Five-minute next-day article retrieval
Derived from this lesson’s source
Lesson-specific teaching brief
This is not a second lesson registry. The plan reads the same native content that produces the learner page.
What the learner should do
Use a or an for one person or thing, and choose the correct article by listening to the first sound of the next word.
What must become clear
Use a or an for one person or thing, and choose the correct article by listening to the first sound of the next word.
High-value friction points
- He is an engineer.A singular job needs an article. Engineer begins with a vowel sound, so use an.
- I have a car.Car begins with a consonant sound, so use a, not an.
- My sister is an engineer.A singular job needs an article, and engineer begins with a vowel sound.
Protect these lesson moments
- Discovery check: what sounds natural?
- Drill 1: hear the first sound
- Drill 2: build the sentence
- Drill 3: add a description
- Drill 4: find the incomplete chunk
Learner production
Desk scan: Find five singular objects near you. Say a full phrase for each: a phone, an old notebook, a cup .
- Work and people: Complete true or invented sentences: I am a/an... , My friend is a/an... , I need a/an... .
- Information gap: Your teacher silently chooses an object. Ask, Is it a phone? Is it an eraser? Continue until you identify it.
- Fast fluency round: Your teacher says a noun. Immediately say the complete chunk. Use: email, client, office, meeting, hour, university, idea, problem .
- Thirty-second response: describe one person and two things in your life. Use at least one a phrase and one an phrase, then explain one choice by first sound.
Carry this language into the next session
tomorrow, return to the five-minute retrieval check before you reread the rule.
Tutor-only contrastive support
L1 Transfer Lens
Test a pattern. Do not label a learner. Use this only after the learner’s actual production gives you evidence.
Select a first language to reveal only the contrasts relevant to this lesson.
Turkish → English
One pattern to test
Use articles as meaning signals
- Possible transfer
I bought new phone. / Sun is bright today.
- English rebuild
I bought a new phone. / The sun is bright today.
Why it can happen: Turkish does not organize noun reference with the same article system. English uses a or an to introduce one non-specific countable thing and the when the listener can identify the intended thing.
Natural English:
- I need a charger for my laptop.
- The charger on your desk is mine.
Russian → English
One pattern to test
Use articles to manage shared reference
- Possible transfer
I bought phone. Phone is on desk.
- English rebuild
I bought a phone. The phone is on the desk.
Why it can happen: Russian does not use articles to mark whether a noun is new, identifiable, or general. English uses a or an to introduce one non-specific countable item, the when the listener can identify it, and zero article for many general plural and uncountable meanings.
Natural English:
- I spoke to a client, and the client asked for a revised estimate.
- Coffee helps me focus, but the coffee in this cup is cold.
Ukrainian → English
One pattern to test
Mark new, known, and general nouns
- Possible transfer
She has new job. Job is difficult.
- English rebuild
She has a new job. The job is difficult.
Why it can happen: Ukrainian has no direct a, an, and the system. English article choice tells the listener whether a singular countable noun is being introduced, whether a reference is identifiable, or whether a plural or uncountable noun is general.
Natural English:
- I saw a message, but the message disappeared.
- Public transportation is convenient in this city.
Czech → English
2 patterns to test
Signal whether a noun is new or identifiable
- Possible transfer
I need charger. Charger is in bag.
- English rebuild
I need a charger. The charger is in the bag.
Why it can happen: Czech has no article system equivalent to English a, an, and the. English article choice packages reference: one new non-specific countable thing, an identifiable thing, or a general plural or uncountable idea.
Natural English:
- She booked a room, but the room was not ready.
- Books are useful, but the book on my desk is outdated.
Use an article with a singular profession
- Possible transfer
My sister is engineer.
- English rebuild
My sister is an engineer.
Why it can happen: Czech can use a profession noun after the copula without an article. In English, a singular countable profession normally needs a or an when it classifies one person by job or role.
Natural English:
- He is a software developer.
- My new manager is an experienced editor.
Mandarin Chinese → English
One pattern to test
Use English articles to signal reference
- Possible transfer
I bought new computer. Computer is fast.
- English rebuild
I bought a new computer. The computer is fast.
Why it can happen: Mandarin uses classifiers with numbers and demonstratives but has no direct a, an, and the system. English articles tell the listener whether one countable noun is new, identifiable, or part of a general category.
Natural English:
- She ordered a taxi, and the taxi arrived early.
- Computers are useful, but the computer in this room is slow.
French → English
One pattern to test
Put most adjectives before the noun
- Possible transfer
I have a meeting important at ten.
- English rebuild
I have an important meeting at ten.
Why it can happen: Many French adjectives, including colors, nationalities, and most longer adjectives, follow the noun. In English, a single adjective almost always comes before the noun it describes, and the article may change to an before a vowel sound.
Natural English:
- We stayed in a small hotel near the station.
- She drives a red car with a German license plate.
German → English
One pattern to test
Use a or an before a single job title
- Possible transfer
I am engineer. / She is nurse.
- English rebuild
I’m an engineer. / She’s a nurse.
Why it can happen: German normally leaves out the article when someone states their profession, nationality, or role after sein. English needs a or an before a singular countable job noun, even when it simply describes what someone does.
Natural English:
- My brother is an electrician.
- I’m a project manager at a software company.
Use while teaching
Operational teaching notes
Choose a route before class, but change it when the learner’s production gives you better evidence.
Ask before explaining
- Which examples in “Discovery check: what sounds natural?” express the same core meaning?
- How would you explain this decision in your own words: Use a or an for one person or thing, and choose the correct article by listening to the first sound of the next word.
- What needs to change in this repair, and why: He is an engineer.
Correct for the stage
- Controlled work: correct immediately, then require the complete repaired sentence.
- Fluency building: note repeated errors and reformulate after the learner finishes the thought.
- Communication: interrupt only when meaning breaks down or the target decision is the lesson’s main evidence.
Retrieve, do not reteach
tomorrow, return to the five-minute retrieval check before you reread the rule.
Short, core, or extended
Choose the route
All three routes end in learner production. More time means more contrast and transfer, not a longer explanation.
Short route
Retrieve for 3 minutes. Notice and discover for 8. Use the two most diagnostic tasks from Discovery check: what sounds natural? and Drill 1: hear the first sound for 12. Protect 9 minutes for Learner production, then reflect for 3.
Core route
Follow the six-stage sequence below. Reduce repeated controlled items when accuracy is already stable, but keep the nearest useful contrast and final production.
Stretch route
Add Optional tutor-read sound discrimination · Optional no-choice article retrieval · Five-minute next-day article retrieval, then repeat the communication task with a new situation or stricter success criteria.
35–45 min core working plan
Session sequence
Protect the final communication and reflection time. If the learner needs more support, reduce the number of controlled items instead of removing production.
- 5 min
Retrieve
Activate what the learner already controls and check any prerequisite language.
Teacher move: Open with the first practice route: Discovery check: what sounds natural? · Drill 1: hear the first sound · Drill 2: build the sentence.
- 6–8 min
Notice
Let the learner observe meaning and form in a small sample before naming the rule.
Teacher move: Keep the noticing conversation anchored to this decision: Use a or an for one person or thing, and choose the correct article by listening to the first sound of the next word.
- 8–10 min
Discover
Connect form, meaning, use, word order, and the nearest useful contrast.
Teacher move: Test the learner’s explanation against this repair: He is an engineer. A singular job needs an article. Engineer begins with a vowel sound, so use an.
- 12–15 min
Build + drill
Move from accurate choices to faster retrieval and sentence construction.
Teacher move: Prioritize these lesson tasks: Discovery check: what sounds natural? · Drill 1: hear the first sound · Drill 2: build the sentence · Drill 3: add a description. Reduce repetitions if needed, but keep the final production time.
- 12–15 min
Communicate
Use the target language for a real adult purpose the learner cannot complete by copying.
Teacher move: Learner production: Desk scan: Find five singular objects near you. Say a full phrase for each: a phone, an old notebook, a cup .
- 3–5 min
Reflect
Make progress visible and choose one specific next use.
Teacher move: tomorrow, return to the five-minute retrieval check before you reread the rule.
Tutor-only source
Listening scripts
Read these lines from the tutor plan while the learner lesson remains on screen. Each clip names the learner item it supports.
Optional tutor-read sound discrimination
- Clip 1
Read: hotel
Supports: Tutor-read listening check: Look away from the script. Your tutor says one word or noun phrase. Say the complete chunk with a or an , then repeat it without a pause.
- Clip 2
Read: email
Supports: Tutor-read listening check: Look away from the script. Your tutor says one word or noun phrase. Say the complete chunk with a or an , then repeat it without a pause.
- Clip 3
Read: useful tool
Supports: Tutor-read listening check: Look away from the script. Your tutor says one word or noun phrase. Say the complete chunk with a or an , then repeat it without a pause.
- Clip 4
Read: old office
Supports: Tutor-read listening check: Look away from the script. Your tutor says one word or noun phrase. Say the complete chunk with a or an , then repeat it without a pause.
- Clip 5
Read: honest manager
Supports: Tutor-read listening check: Look away from the script. Your tutor says one word or noun phrase. Say the complete chunk with a or an , then repeat it without a pause.
- Clip 6
Read: university
Supports: Tutor-read listening check: Look away from the script. Your tutor says one word or noun phrase. Say the complete chunk with a or an , then repeat it without a pause.
Delivery and evidence notes
- Answers: a hotel · an email · a useful tool · an old office · an honest manager · a university
- Ask after each answer: “What first sound did you hear?”
Keep only useful evidence
After-lesson notes
These notes are for deliberate tutor records or printing. Nothing is stored in the learner’s browser.
The learner can now…
Write one observable use of the target language.
Still needs support with…
Record one repeated error, contrast, or point of hesitation.
Next retrieval prompt
Write one short prompt the learner will answer at the next session.
Anonymous live-lesson evidence
Learner pilot worksheet
A0 · Articles a / an
Pilot 1 of 30 recorded · 3 remaining
Date
Approximate starting level
Core lesson time
Starting evidence
What did the learner already control? What was the first misconception, hesitation, or contrast that mattered?
Did the principle become clear?
Use a or an for one person or thing, and choose the correct article by listening to the first sound of the next word.
Did the first hint help?
Record the first item that caused difficulty and whether the contextual hint led to self-correction before the full repair appeared.
Could the learner do the outcome?
Use a or an for one person or thing, and choose the correct article by listening to the first sound of the next word.
Listen for: The learner uses the target language independently for a real purpose.
What remained available?
If possible, check before rereading in the next session. Record what returned independently and what still required a cue.
Keep, revise, or investigate?
Note any explanation the tutor still had to supply, the smallest useful revision, and whether another pilot should test the same issue.