Video Summary - How to teach grammar (PPP Model) TESOL / CELTA

Main ideas / concepts taught

The video demonstrates how to teach grammar using the PPP model (common in TESOL/CELTA):
- Presentation: introduce the target language
- Practice: controlled activities focusing on form/meaning
- Production: freer speaking/writing where learners use the language
The target grammar focus throughout is Past Simple (positive, negative, and questions), including:
- Understanding time reference (e.g., when, yesterday, last week, in 1904, when he was 10)
- Forming Past Simple:
  - Regular verbs: base + -ed
  - Irregular verbs: different verb form (e.g., return → returned)
- Spelling/pronunciation and sound rules for -ed:
  - /ɪd/ after /t/ (e.g., started)
  - /t/ after voiceless sounds (e.g., worked → /t/)
  - /d/ after voiced sounds (e.g., returned → /d/)
- Word order:
  - Negative: did not + base verb (e.g., did not return)
  - Questions: Did + subject + base verb…? (e.g., Did he return to Spain?)
- Negative question stress and pronunciation emphasis (negative parts are stressed)
The lesson theme used for motivation: Pablo Picasso, with learners answering/guessing information about him.

Show a picture for 10 seconds
Turn off screen
Learners discuss with a partner for about 2 minutes:
- What they saw / any facts / how it made them feel

Use the “true/false” sentences to highlight Past Simple concepts, such as:
- Single past action (e.g., “He started to paint when he was 10.”)
- Repeated/habitual past (e.g., “He worked lived in Paris from 1904” interpreted as ongoing/repeated over a period)
- Negative Past Simple and did / did not
- Questions with Did…?
Elicit:
- Past Simple marker cues (e.g., when, from 1904, yesterday)
- Form and structure:
  - Positive: worked / started / returned
  - Negative: did not return
  - Questions: Did he return…?
- Pronunciation focus:
  - Compare -ed sounds (started / worked / returned)
  - Explain the role of voicing for whether -ed is pronounced as /t/ or /d/, and /ɪd/ after /t/

Learners receive sentences in present simple
Task: convert to Past Simple and add a past-time marker
- Example: add “yesterday”
- Other items use timing supplied on the worksheet (e.g., last week, last month, etc.)
Guidance:
- Regular verb endings: when verbs end in -e, add only -d
- Example: use → used
Check answers:
- Whole-class correction (e.g., listened to the radio yesterday)
Reinforce adverb placement:
- Time adverbs can appear at the beginning or end of positive sentences

Learners complete partially written Past Simple sentence frames
They can use their own ideas (not required to be true)
Teacher monitors and corrects:
- tense
- regular verb spelling and pronunciation

Practice in pairs:
- A = museum guide
- B = tourist who knows little about Picasso and asks questions
Requirements:
- Use Past Simple to talk about Picasso’s past life/actions
- Ask some questions (teacher suggests 1–2, but allows “quite a few” / lots)
- Include negatives if possible (did not…)
Learners stand up and may walk around during role-play

Past Simple meaning is supported by time context:
- when / yesterday / last week / last month / from 1904 / when he was 10
Past Simple verb form:
- Regular verbs: base + -ed
- Irregular verbs: use the correct past form (e.g., return → returned)
Negative/question formation uses did:
- Negative: did not + base verb
- Question: Did + subject + base verb…?
Pronunciation of -ed depends on the preceding sound:
- voiceless → /t/
- voiced → /d/
- after /t/ sound → /ɪd/

Teacher / instructor (unnamed): guides the lesson and provides explanations
Students / learners (unnamed): referred to in subtitles (e.g., Luke, David, Mark, Andrea, Laura, Jason, Michel, Alex, Theo, and J)
Content source/topic: Pablo Picasso (biographical information used for reading and role-play)