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Lesson Plan: Giving Compliments in English
Learner Context for this Lesson
Learners in this EFL course are University students at a South Korean university. From ages 20-23, the [25] learners have mixed proficiencies in English, from intermediate-mid to intermediate-advanced, in reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Most of the learners have been learning English since grade school, and have continued their English language development by taking this EFL course, which focuses on: building competency in, and facilitating intercultural communication in the L2—in at-home communities, and overseas (imagined) communities. The current unit is 2 out of 4 in this course, and dives deeper into English speech acts, and pragmatic behavior in their usage across various interactional contexts. Today’s lesson we will discover the various social functions of giving compliments in English, and structuring compliments based on a familiar/unfamiliar audience to the speaker. Additionally, this lesson will bring some awareness to learners, as they will compare examples of Korean compliments they use in speech, and English ones.
IPIC Model
Knowledge: The structures and terms that are associated with the speech act.
LWBAT…
understand the meaning of common forms that are used in American English compliment sentences.
Use syntax templates to practice making personalized compliment sentences, based on an audience of their choice.
Identify the thematic categories that compliments typically fall into, and articulate possible instances of correlation with English and their L1. ( E.g.— Pointing/Referring to the category “personality” and being able to say a word or phrase that would pertain to that feature. Ex: “..are so kind..”, “you are thoughtful.”, “..I ____ that you are patient.”
Subjectivity: The ability to articulate their choices using the terms they know.
LWBAT…
Identify, and then express to their partners, their individual reasonings for the compliments they chose to give.
Notice the interactional differences of complimenting to make concise visual and/or mental connections to their own usage/experience and the contextual examples explored during the lesson.
Discuss the potential functions of compliments within categories: ability/skill, performance, personality, appearance.
Analysis: The ability to assess a situation in context, and determine the social dynamics, and distance/closeness of relationship between the compliment giver & receiver.
LWBAT…
Interpret compliments based on contextual situations in the L1, to the L2.
Identify the compliment structures that best fit the intended audience, based on the hearer’s social position, and closeness in relation to the speaker.
Assess the situation that the speaker is in and articulate a compliment that is appropriate based on environmental cues.
Conduct informal analysis of differences and similarities between compliments in different contexts.
Note: This quadrant is not integrated into our activity; however, this is how we could address awareness in the classroom, in a future lesson about receiving compliments and the complex motivating factors behind types of compliment giving.
Awareness: The ability to evaluate the listener’s reaction and adjust their response if repair is needed.
LWBAT…
Adjust their compliment if confusion occurs.
Understand the response that is given to them and be able to articulate the meaning from the response that someone gave to them.
Restate the compliment if repair is needed.
Understand how their compliment has affected the other member of the conversation and whether it was effective or not.
Activity Procedures & Instructions
Pre-Lesson Task
This handout will have been given to students in the previous class— in the form of a handout. They also have access to this handout online. (Seen at the bottom)
The handout requests students to write down compliments that they give/receive/hear for a week and write down: the context it was given, age & gender, perceived social-hierarchy and/or relationship with the speaker, and brief observations if the compliment changed the dynamic in any way.
(Students have been explicitly reminded over canvas and in person, that this homework is required to do a part of the activity in today’s class— however, if a student is not able to complete it in time, they can still participate.)
Start of activity
(15-20 Min)
Activity #1: Procedures & Warm-up tasks
Instructor introduces the topic, and explicitly shares the learning objective for the activity. (3 Min)
Elicit thinking: With a partner or in groups of 3, briefly discuss in English the following: Do you give compliments (often/not at all)? Why do you think complimenting people is important? Write down on a piece of paper around 5 of the most common compliments you say/hear in Korean, (Share with learners that they can write what they think is the English ‘version’ or ‘equivalent’ to the Korean phrases they write.). (4 Min)
Instructor asks each group to briefly share what they discussed (1 Min), and share one Korean compliment they wrote— Instructor writes it to the side of the board in Korean. (Instructor asks if any students would share their English ‘versions’- write down on the board as well to touch on them later in the lesson) (3-4 Min)
Show next slides on projector to tie-in their answers to simple English compliment sentences, and structure examples. — if a similarity with the Korean on the board is found, get students’ attention to notice it. (4-5 Min) (Follow up with learners if they have questions)
Present the next slide, asking learners to observe for 60 seconds, what the visuals may be representing. (Focus: These are all ex. of giving compliments. What makes these scenarios different from each other? What do you perceive is happening or may occur?) (1-2 Min)
Ask for some students to share their thoughts— or have them just share their with their partner/group members (Guide any possible answers given, toward the aspect(s) that require noticing: the environments/places, the perceived “roles” of the people interacting, distance between individuals, their gender or age etc. ) (2-3 Min)
Middle of activity
(25-30 Min)
Activity #1: Analyze in Context, Identify & Compare
Video Analysis
Pass around a handout to students, and explain the task: Watch a video, & using the transcript, underline where you see/hear a compliment being given (not focusing on responses)
Check with students: Questions, Comments, Comprehension? Do they understand the instructions? (1 Min)
Watch Video (6-8 Min):
Students watch the video twice to ensure that as many compliments are underlined as possible
Teacher elicits students to point out where they noticed compliments and to ensure that students have either noticed or are now aware of all of the compliments in the video
Now, the teacher asks students, with a partner, to highlight with one color or put a star above the item or thing that is being complimented on and highlight with a different color or circle the word used to compliment the the item or thing
After students have analyzed the script, on the other side of the handout, there is a chart that is similar to the chart that they had in their homework assignment (7-10 minutes)
Students will fill out the chart using the situations and scenarios that they just saw in the videos
Students will have access to the videos on their computers if they need to review a section
Identify & Compare
After students have watched the video and analyzed the transcript, they will now compare the transcript to their homework.
Using the chart from their homework and the chart that they filled out after the video, students will try to notice any differences and similarities between the two (additionally the Korean examples they briefly wrote/thought about in the beginning of class) ( 4-5 Min)
This activity will get students thinking about compliment structures that will relate to the next lesson when compliment structures are introduced in English. Here, students will start to notice differences between Korean and English compliments. (They can expand on this in the end with reflection on whether or not the compliments they are used to giving in their L1, are similar or different/ easier/harder to do in their L2 )
End of activity
(5-6Min)
Wrap up reflection
Students will share 1 or 2 things they thought were interesting: features, structures, words, contexts, etc. — to their group members, taking turns until everyone at the table shares at least one thing. (2 Min)
The instructor will facilitate a small feedback “circle”, where students will be asked to share any key takeaways, or what they found to be most interesting/challenging from their findings. Instructor should highlight that understanding language usages in context is vital for their course objectives— segueing into a brief announcement of next class’s topic, and then class dismissal. (4 Min)
Canvas page will be uploaded for students to continue any potential discussions, questions and clarifications, or feedback for today’s lesson.
Homework Assignment
Students write a one to two paged paper discussing the similarities and differences between the two charts (their homework chart and the video analysis chart)
This assignment allows students to continue thinking about the differences outside of the classroom.
This assignment allows the teacher to check for understanding and to confirm that the students are noticing the structures and cultural differences that the teacher wishes them to notice at this time.
Assessment Method for this Lesson
Assessments in this lesson will be done by the teacher observing students and joining groups when groups are discussing the given questions. Assessments will also be done through the analysis assignment. During this activity, the teacher will be checking on students to see if they notice all of the compliments. After students have been given enough time, the teacher will elicit answers from the students to assess and ensure that the students noticed all of the compliments and comprehend them. Direct feedback will not be given in this lesson, but the teacher will take into account the students level of understanding the topic when adjusting the next lesson. An assessment of understanding will be done on the homework assignment that is passed out this lesson in the future.
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