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
Subject pronouns (I, you, he, she, it, we, they)
Choose I, you, he, she, it, we, or they to show who a sentence is about without repeating a person’s or thing’s name.
Use after the complete A0 sequence, not as a lesson quiz.
Open diagnostic →10–15 min optional: Optional typed pronoun recall · Five-minute next-day pronoun 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
Choose I, you, he, she, it, we, or they to show who a sentence is about without repeating a person’s or thing’s name.
What must become clear
They can mean more than one person or one person. We still say they are and they want : A new client is here. They are waiting.
High-value friction points
- My sister is a nurse.“My sister” is already the subject, so we do not add “she”.
- The book is heavy. It is old.A book is a thing, so we use “it”, not “he”.
- They are my friends.Maria and Tom are other people, so we use “they”, not “we”.
Protect these lesson moments
- Quick practice: replace the name
- Quick practice: choose the pronoun
- Tile game: match the meaning
- Drill: choose the right pronoun
- Sentence builder: put the words in order
Learner production
Pair drill: point to people or objects in the room. Partner answers with a full sentence: She is Maria. It is a pencil. We are students.
- Personalization: Write three true sentences using I, you, we , then read them aloud.
- Thirty-second response: identify yourself, your listener, one person whose pronoun you know, and one unknown caller. Use I , you , he, she, or they , and singular they .
Carry this language into the next session
in your next class, introduce three people you know using he , she , and they . Then return to the five-minute retrieval check without reviewing your notes first.
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.
Spanish → English
One pattern to test
Keep the English subject visible
- Possible transfer
Works in finance.
- English rebuild
She works in finance.
Why it can happen: Spanish verb endings often make the subject recoverable. English verb forms carry less person information, so a normal statement usually needs an explicit subject such as I, she, they, or it.
Natural English:
- He lives near the office.
- It starts at nine.
Brazilian Portuguese → English
One pattern to test
Name the English subject
- Possible transfer
Is very important.
- English rebuild
It is very important.
Why it can happen: Portuguese can omit a subject in contexts where the verb form or conversation makes it clear. Standard English usually needs the subject expressed, including dummy it for weather, time, distance, and evaluations.
Natural English:
- It is raining again.
- She works with international clients.
Turkish → English
One pattern to test
Keep the English subject in place
- Possible transfer
Am working today.
- English rebuild
I’m working today.
Why it can happen: Turkish verb endings can identify the subject, which makes a separate pronoun unnecessary. English normally requires an overt subject even when the verb form or context makes the person obvious.
Natural English:
- We start at eight tomorrow.
- She is waiting outside.
Czech → English
One pattern to test
Keep ordinary English subjects visible
- Possible transfer
Work from home on Fridays.
- English rebuild
I work from home on Fridays.
Why it can happen: Czech verb endings often identify the person, so subject pronouns can be omitted. English verb forms carry less person information, and a normal finite clause usually needs an explicit subject, including it in weather and time expressions.
Natural English:
- She starts work at eight.
- It is getting colder outside.
Mandarin Chinese → English
One pattern to test
Let grammatical role choose the English pronoun
- Possible transfer
Her called I. / Please send she the file.
- English rebuild
She called me. / Please send her the file.
Why it can happen: Mandarin pronouns do not change form between subject and object roles. English distinguishes I and me, he and him, she and her, we and us, and they and them according to position and grammatical job.
Natural English:
- They invited us to the meeting.
- She sent him the revised document.
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 “Quick practice: replace the name” express the same core meaning?
- How would you explain this decision in your own words: They can mean more than one person or one person. We still say they are and they want : A new client is here. They are waiting.
- What needs to change in this repair, and why: My sister is a nurse.
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
in your next class, introduce three people you know using he , she , and they . Then return to the five-minute retrieval check without reviewing your notes first.
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 Quick practice: replace the name and Quick practice: choose the pronoun 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 typed pronoun recall · Five-minute next-day pronoun 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: Quick practice: replace the name · Quick practice: choose the pronoun · Tile game: match the meaning.
- 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: They can mean more than one person or one person. We still say they are and they want : A new client is here. They are waiting.
- 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: My sister is a nurse. “My sister” is already the subject, so we do not add “she”.
- 12–15 min
Build + drill
Move from accurate choices to faster retrieval and sentence construction.
Teacher move: Prioritize these lesson tasks: Quick practice: replace the name · Quick practice: choose the pronoun · Tile game: match the meaning · Drill: choose the right pronoun. 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: Pair drill: point to people or objects in the room. Partner answers with a full sentence: She is Maria. It is a pencil. We are students.
- 3–5 min
Reflect
Make progress visible and choose one specific next use.
Teacher move: in your next class, introduce three people you know using he , she , and they . Then return to the five-minute retrieval check without reviewing your notes first.
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 · Subject pronouns (I, you, he, she, it, we, they)
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?
They can mean more than one person or one person. We still say they are and they want : A new client is here. They are waiting.
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?
Choose I, you, he, she, it, we, or they to show who a sentence is about without repeating a person’s or thing’s name.
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.