I. Teaching aims and demands

1.         The Ss can use the following words and phrases:

clever, yourselves, find out, fall off, teach oneself, piano

2.         The Ss can use the following expressions; using the reflexive pronouns

1) She didn’t hurt herself

2) She taught herself

3) Learn all by oneself

4) Could she swim when she was … years old ?

II. Difficult points:

1) The modal verb “could” when talking about the past experience

2) The reflexive pronouns

III. Teaching aids

1) a recorder      2) some pictures      3) some pieces of paper

VI. Teaching steps

Step One    Warming-up  

1.         Greeting

2.         Chatting

The teacher is chatting with the students to revise:

1) What’s their favourite sport?

2) What do they like doing?

and the teacher can also present two new words “clever”, “piano”.

eg: What’s your favourite sport?

Do you like playing basketball / football… ?

Do you like playing computer games?

Oh, but I like playing the piano (show a picture of a piano) Can you play the piano?

You’re very clever. You can play the piano.

Do you like playing games?

Do you like playing guessing games?

Are you good at guessing games?

Let’s play a game.

Step Two    Language input  

3.         Presentation

You’re good at guessing games. So let’s play a guessing game. I want to find out who is the cleverest student. There’re three people in my family. I like going shopping. I want to buy my husband a coat. I want to buy my daughter a beautiful skirt. Guess:

What do I want to buy myself?

You want to buy yourself         .(let some Ss guess)

Oh, you’re clever. I want to buy myself a dress. What do you want to buy yourself?

4.         Action chain in groups.

What do you want to buy yourself / yourselves?

What do they want to buy themselves?

What does he / she want to buy himself / herself?

5.         Presentation and drill

1) I know you’re good at guessing games. I want to know if you are good at thinking?

(show a picture of Jim.)

The boy is Jim. He lives by himself on this island.

No one looks after him. No one helps him.

What does he have to do?

Help the Ss to answer: He has to look after himself.

He has to help himself.

2) Can you look after yourselves?

You must look after yourselves and keep healthy.

I think your English is quite good. Who teaches you?

The Ss may answer “Miss     teaches us” or “Mr       teaches us.”

Show a picture. (The twins are reading Japanese).

Look at them! They’re learning Japanese. Who teaches them? Nobody.

They learn Japanese by themselves.

They teach themselves.

3) Can you speak English?

Could you speak English five years ago?

Could you speak English when you were … years old?

(Help the Ss to say: Yes, I could / No, I couldn’t)

Could you look after yourself when you were four years old?

Could you ride a bike when you were five years old?

Who taught you ?(I taught myself)

Look at the picture. (show a picture in a big gymnasium)

some boys are swimming, some girls are skiing, some are skating, some are playing computer games, some are playing cards / chess…).

Practice in pairs, let the Ss ask and answer in pairs.

eg: —Could he / she / they swim / skate… when he / she / they was / were 9 years old ?

—Yes, she / he / they could.

—Who taught her / him / them ?

—She / He / They taught herself / himself / themselves?

4) Can you take photos?

Could you take photos when you were 7 years old?

Who taught you to take photos?

Do you want to see some photos.

Step Three    Listening and speaking  

6.         Listening

Here are some of the twins’ family photos? (The teacher can show some of the twins’ family photos.)