past simple and present perfect

Hi, I just want to ask if someone maybe knows how to teach the difference between past simple and present continuous? I am a teacher to be and we have to make a lesson plan to introduce that to the learners...I am having some difficulties and I was wondering if someone can help me?? I am almost desperate so please....HELP!!!

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by jasna

Hi, I just want to ask if someone maybe knows how to teach the difference between past simple and present continuous? I am a teacher to be and we have to make a lesson plan to introduce that to the learners...I am having some difficulties and I was wondering if someone can help me?? I am almost desperate so please....HELP!!!

Welcome, jasna

What are the difficulties you're coming up against?

well to tell you the truth I don't know how to explain the difference to the learners. which examples to use? and how to introduce them this difference? through text, model sentences? thanks for your answers...

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by jasna

well to tell you the truth I don't know how to explain the difference to the learners. which examples to use? and how to introduce them this difference? through text, model sentences? thanks for your answers...

OK, well, here's one thing that may help you. Take a look at how the various textbooks available introduce and explain the simple present and present continuous.

Take into consideration the level of your students (i.e., what can they do?), and their first language background (i.e., how do they use the various tenses in their languages, and do they even have the same tenses?).

Design a lesson with activities for listening, speaking, reading, and writing. You could start by

a) explaining the similarities/difference between simple and continuous--you can do that several ways (e.g., have the students circle the various tenses in a short paragraph; have the students read the paragraph or listen to the paragraph).

b) Show when/how the simple and continuous are used (e.g., I tell my students that the simple expresses a photogragh, a still picture, whereas the continuous expresses a video, a moving picture). Ask the students how those tenses are expressed in their first language.

c) Introduce the verbs that do not take ING, the ones that do not express movement (i.e., stative verbs). Hand out pictures, stills as well as those showing movement (e.g., a person sleeping, a person running), place the students in pairs or groups and ask the students to discuss why it is that the person "sleeping" is described using an ING movement word (i.e., it describes a state of being)?

d) Ask the students to write a lists a verbs that they think take ING (i.e., looking, *wanting), and then discuss the variations they find.

e) Have the students use ING in a close sentence exercise or have them write their own.

There's more you could do. You'll have to decide what will work best to meet your students' needs.

All the best,

...I don't know how to thank you, Casiopea!! I think that this ideas will help me...it is hard to start on nothing you know...our techer for didactics just gave us the topic and nothing else. anyway if you come across any new ideas, would you please let me know? thank you again- I owe you one