Perfect Way to Start an ESL Lesson for 12-Year-Old Students

Objective: To engage students, review the first lesson, and spark curiosity about the new topic in a fun and interactive way.

**1. Warm-Up: “Two Truths and a Lie” (10 minutes)

• Purpose: Get to know each other better and review basic sentence structures.
• Instructions:
  • Each student thinks of three statements about themselves—two true and one false.
  • They share these with the class, and the other students try to guess which statement is the lie.
• Example: “I have a pet turtle, I can play the guitar, and I’ve been to Japan.”

2. Quick Review Game: “What Do You Remember?” (5 minutes)

• Purpose: Reinforce what was covered in the first lesson.
• Instructions:
  • Ask questions related to the first lesson (vocabulary, grammar, or a fun fact).
  • Use a ball or an object to pass around the room—whoever catches it answers the question.
• Example Questions: “What new word did we learn last time?”, “What’s the past tense of ‘go’?”

**3. Introduce the New Topic: “Mystery Box” (5 minutes)

• Purpose: Spark curiosity about the day’s lesson.
• Instructions:
  • Place a few objects related to the new topic in a box (e.g., school supplies for a lesson on school vocabulary).
  • Let students reach into the box and feel an object without looking. They describe what they feel and guess what it is.
  • After a few guesses, reveal the objects and introduce the topic.
• Example Objects: Pencil, notebook, eraser, etc.

**4. Interactive Activity: “Scavenger Hunt” (20 minutes)

• Purpose: Practice vocabulary and work collaboratively.
• Instructions:
  • Create a list of items or pictures (related to the new vocabulary) hidden around the classroom.
  • In pairs or small groups, students search for the items, using English to describe where they find them.
  • For each item found, they have to use the new word in a sentence.
• Example: “I found a ruler under the desk!”

**5. Wrap-Up: “What Did We Learn Today?” (5 minutes)

• Purpose: Reinforce the day’s learning and prepare for the next lesson.
• Instructions:
  • Ask students to share one new word or phrase they learned.
  • Encourage them to think about how they might use these words in their everyday life.
• Example: “Today I learned the word ‘notebook’. I use a notebook to write my homework.”

**6. Preview of Next Lesson (1 minute)

• Purpose: Build anticipation for the next class.
• Instructions:
  • Briefly mention what the next lesson will be about and how it connects to today’s topic.
• Example: “Next time, we’ll learn how to talk about our favorite school subjects!”

**7. Fun Exit Ticket (optional, 2-3 minutes)

• Purpose: Make the end of the lesson memorable.
• Instructions:
  • As students leave, ask them to tell you one word they remember from the lesson or give them a quick question related to what was covered.
• Example: “Before you go, tell me one new word you learned today!”