A joke can be an excellent icebreaker.

 

Motivation is paramount when we want to succeed at teaching. And humour is an excellent resource to get students involved. We can use jokes to start teaching our lessons.

In this case, I share this ladybugs interaction as trigger to introduce the Present Perfect tense. At the same time, we can enhance the development of our students’ thinking skills.

Let’s start by asking them “What has happened?”

Students will approach the use of the Present Perfect tense experientially, in real interaction. They will have to observe the image and analyse the context. Maybe

they don’t know the meaning of “Bless you”. If they ask, explain the meaning or ask them to look it up either in their paper dictionaries or in online dictionaries.

Write the question on the blackboard and highlight HAS HAPPENED (you can underline or circle the words, or you can write them in block letters).

Have students work in pairs or small groups to discuss the context. Allow their use of dictionaries. Give them some minutes to interact and start a sharing session. Let them say their options with isolated words, using the infinitive verbs, or even in Spanish, according to the students’ level.

While they state their ideas, write the correct version of them on the blackboard:

The bug

HAS SAID ‘bless you’ HAS GREETED HAS SNEEZED HAS LOST her spots. Etc.

 

Then, ask them to discuss in pairs or small groups and decide which option best describes the context.

Now you have various examples to start introducing the structure of the Present Perfect Tense.

You can ask students to explain why you use the Present Perfect Tense in this context, helping them to infer that it is a past event whose result is present. Again, students will be developing their thinking skills while they discover the use of the new tense.

Now, you can go on teaching the lesson you have planned.

Hope it helps!