SARSing

lesson plans
Bojana Đukić, Montenegro
 Problem:

Obligatory curriculum
Outdated course books
Not so interesting topics
Different backgrounds
Cultural differences
 Solution: SARS strategy

SUPPLEMENT ADAPT

REJECT SUBSTITUTE
 • Supplement your course books when you feel the need (if you
are not satisfied with students’ achievements from the
previous unit, if you feel that units are not properly
connected… add an/some extra activity)
• Adapt- change the focus of the activity in your book, make
it more usable and workable for your students
• Reject-feel free to skip some parts of the course book if you feel
that your students cannot benefit from it
• Substitute- don’t be afraid to substitute some activities and replace
them with different ones if your students will be more engaged and will
help them in their learning
• WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE
SOME LESSON OBJECTIVES
• WILL HAVE DIFFICULTIES
UNDERSTANDING SOME OF THE
• NEED MORE PRACTICE OF A CERTAIN
TOPICS DUE TO DIFFERENT
BACKGROUNDS, CULTURAL
DIFFERENCES, AGE LEVELS,
PERSONAL INTERESTS…
• WILL BE MORE ENGAGED IN ACTIVITIES
• NEED A CONTEXT
THAT INCLUDE TOPICS THAT THEY FIND
INTERESTING (PERSONALIZE THE • SHOULD REVIEW
ACTIVITIES) SOMETHING FROM PREVIOUS
UNITS WITH CONNECTION TO THE
NEW ONE
COMMUNICATIVE OR GRAMMAR ASPECT
• COULD DO WITH MORE/LESS
CONTROLLED/FREE ACTIVITIES
 TELL YOUR STUDENTS WHY YOU ARE DOING THIS

TRY TO INTEGRATE GRAMMAR AND SKILLS TEACHING

It is useless
TO TEACH YOUR STUDENTS HOW TO (FORM) USE PASSIVE
VOICE WITHOUT PUTTING THE
EMPHASIS ON WHEN (USE) TO USE IT AND NOT TO PROVIDE
THEM WITH CONTEXT (MEANING)
LANGUAGE IS A
BODY THAT FUNCTIONS AS A WHOLE AND CANNOT BE TAUGHT
SEPARATELY (GRAMMAR WITHOUT
SKILLS OR VICE VERSA)
 Source:
• AE E-teacher, Winter course 2020, Teaching grammar communicatively, The Online Professional English
Network Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S.
Government and administered by FHI 360.
• New Headway, the 4th edition, Beginner student's book, Oxford university press

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