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
this / that / these / those
Use this, that, these, and those to identify one or more people or things and show whether they are near or farther away.
Use after the complete A0 sequence, not as a lesson quiz.
Open diagnostic →10–15 min optional: Optional tutor-read sound discrimination · Optional distance-and-number matching · Optional number-and-distance oral transformation · Five-minute next-day demonstrative 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 this, that, these, and those to identify one or more people or things and show whether they are near or farther away.
What must become clear
Many nouns add -s for more than one: book → books, chair → chairs, key → keys . We use a few plurals here; the next lesson drills this fully.
High-value friction points
- These are my books.“These” is a plural demonstrative, so we use “are,” not “is.”
- I like this car.Car is one thing, so use a singular word. The car is near you, so “this” is best, not “these” or “those.”
- Those are my bags by the door.Use those for more than one thing farther away, and pair it with are.
Protect these lesson moments
- Discovery check: read the hint, then choose
- Drill 1: choose the demonstrative
- Drill 2: match each word to its meaning
- Drill 3: build the sentence
- Drill 4: point across the room
Learner production
Point and name: Find four things: two near you and two across the room. Say a full sentence for each: This is a…, That is a…, These are…, Those are…
- Introduce people: Introduce the people around you (real or invented). This is my colleague, Daniel. These are my friends from work.
- On the phone: Practice the openings in U.S. English. Hello, this is Ana. Who’s this? Is this Mr. Lopez?
- At the market: Point at near and far items and ask the price. How much is this? How much are those?
- Information gap: Your teacher places one or more objects near or farther away without naming them. Guess: Is this a phone? Are those your keys? Continue until you identify the objects.
Carry this language into the next session
tomorrow, return to the five-minute retrieval check before you reread the number-and-distance table.
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.
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: read the hint, then choose” express the same core meaning?
- How would you explain this decision in your own words: Many nouns add -s for more than one: book → books, chair → chairs, key → keys . We use a few plurals here; the next lesson drills this fully.
- What needs to change in this repair, and why: These are my books.
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 number-and-distance table.
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: read the hint, then choose and Drill 1: choose the demonstrative 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 distance-and-number matching · Optional number-and-distance oral transformation · Five-minute next-day demonstrative retrieval, then repeat the communication task with a new situation or stricter success criteria.
40–45 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: read the hint, then choose · Drill 1: choose the demonstrative · Drill 2: match each word to its 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: Many nouns add -s for more than one: book → books, chair → chairs, key → keys . We use a few plurals here; the next lesson drills this fully.
- 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: These are my books. “These” is a plural demonstrative, so we use “are,” not “is.”
- 12–15 min
Build + drill
Move from accurate choices to faster retrieval and sentence construction.
Teacher move: Prioritize these lesson tasks: Discovery check: read the hint, then choose · Drill 1: choose the demonstrative · Drill 2: match each word to its meaning · Drill 3: build the sentence. 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: Point and name: Find four things: two near you and two across the room. Say a full sentence for each: This is a…, That is a…, These are…, Those are…
- 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 number-and-distance table.
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: this key · these keys
Supports: Listen: one or more than one?: Look away from the script. Your tutor reads each phrase. Say “one” or “more than one,” then repeat the complete phrase. Listen especially for the short vowel and final s in this versus the long “ee” and final z in these .
- Clip 2
Read: that chair · those chairs
Supports: Listen: one or more than one?: Look away from the script. Your tutor reads each phrase. Say “one” or “more than one,” then repeat the complete phrase. Listen especially for the short vowel and final s in this versus the long “ee” and final z in these .
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 · this / that / these / those
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?
Many nouns add -s for more than one: book → books, chair → chairs, key → keys . We use a few plurals here; the next lesson drills this fully.
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 this, that, these, and those to identify one or more people or things and show whether they are near or farther away.
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.