Alan Granada is an ALT in Kanagawa, teaching English across elementary, junior, and senior high schools. He helps students build communicative confidence by starting from what they can already do and using Adrian Leis’ Task 1-Present-Practice-Task 2 framework, or TPPT. See Part 1 and Part 2.

Recently, a JTE asked me, shortly before class, if I could run a supplementary lesson on the present progressive. It wasn’t much notice, but I wasn’t too worried. Over the past few years, I’ve found myself relying more and more on the TPPT framework when planning lessons. Having that structure in the back of my mind makes it much easier to put a lesson together quickly without losing a clear sense of progression. With a simple PowerPoint, a couple of worksheets, and a few classroom materials, I was ready to go.

Task 1: Guessing the Phone Conversation

To begin the lesson, I showed the class a photo of a mother calling her son and asked them to imagine what the conversation might be. Ideas came quickly:
What are you doing?
What time will you go home?
What do you want to eat for dinner?
Without realising it, students were already moving towards the language we would need later in the lesson. The activity activated what they already knew while naturally introducing the idea of talking about something happening right now, providing an easy bridge into the present progressive.

Presentation: Guided Noticing through Description

Next, students turned to the first activity on the worksheet, which showed several people doing different things inside and outside a house. Before they began, the JTE pointed out that the task was similar to the picture description section of the EIKEN Pre-2 speaking test, in which students describe what people are doing in an illustration. Students then wrote sentences describing four of the people they could see. As I walked around the classroom, I came across responses like these:
Chibi eating cat food. Chibi is cute.
Shin is going school in/on bicycle.
Jack is in room. He studying very hard.
Rather than correcting every sentence immediately, we used these attempts as opportunities to notice patterns together. After comparing their work in pairs, several students shared their ideas with the class before we discussed how the sentences could be developed further.

Practice: Spot the Difference

For the practice stage, students worked in pairs on a classic Spot the Difference activity. Each student received either Worksheet A or Worksheet B and had to describe what was happening in their picture without looking at their partner’s. Together, they worked to identify around eight differences. Because the only way to complete the task was by exchanging information, students found themselves using the present progressive repeatedly in a meaningful context rather than simply repeating model sentences.

To get everyone started, my JTE and I demonstrated the first example together.
JTE: In picture 1, a man is eating an apple.
ALT: Oh, in picture 2, a man isn’t eating an apple. He’s eating a sandwich.

Once the activity began, the classroom quickly filled with conversation. Students stayed focused on completing the task, and the repeated use of the target language became a natural part of that process rather than the goal in itself. Looking back, I think this activity worked particularly well because it sat comfortably between the more structured work that came before it and the freer communication that followed. Students were still receiving support, but they were beginning to use the language to solve a genuine problem together.

Task 2: Phone Conversation Role Play

For the final task, I returned to the phone conversation from the beginning of the lesson. Students worked in pairs to create short conversations using a simple framework:
Where are you?
I’m in the…
What are you doing?
I’m…

Once they had established the basic exchange, they were encouraged to continue the conversation by asking follow-up questions and expanding their responses. To decide who would make the call, students played rock-paper-scissors, with the winner becoming the caller and the other student answering the phone.

At this stage, my JTE and I stepped back a little. We were still there to offer support when needed, but we wanted students to take greater ownership of the conversations. As they spoke, we moved around the classroom listening, taking notes, and noticing both successful language use and the areas where students needed more support.

One idea I would like to try in future lessons is introducing a short +α (a Japanese coinage meaning a little extra) Time before students switch roles. The activity could pause for a couple of minutes while we share useful expressions we have heard, highlight interesting language that has emerged naturally, or briefly discuss common problems before students continue the conversation. Rather than interrupting communication, this would allow feedback to grow directly out of what students are actually saying, giving them the chance to use that language immediately when they resume the activity.

To finish the lesson, a few volunteers joined me for a final role-play. Their conversations had the whole class laughing—the kind of genuine laughter that relaxes the classroom and reminds everyone that language learning can be both challenging and enjoyable.

Classroom Reflections

Before each main activity, my JTE and I modelled the task together in English so students could see exactly what they were expected to do. Demonstrating the interaction in this way reduced the need for lengthy explanations, minimized translation and helped students begin the activities with confidence.

Another principle that has become increasingly important in my teaching is encouraging students to use all the language they have available, rather than waiting until they can produce perfect English. That sometimes means combining simple English with gestures, incomplete sentences, or brief moments of Japanese while working with a partner. Used purposefully, these shifts between languages often help students clarify their thinking, support one another, and keep the conversation moving. At this stage of learning, communication matters more than perfection.

Observations

One of the patterns I noticed was the contrast between students’ confidence during pair work and their hesitation when speaking in front of the whole class. Even after lively conversations with a partner, very few students volunteered to present. It’s something I’ve noticed across different year groups: as soon as the activity shifts from a private conversation to a public performance, many students become much more self-conscious.

That observation has made me rethink the way I finish communicative activities. Rather than asking for volunteers, I’m beginning to see the value of identifying students during the task and inviting them to share afterwards. The presentation then becomes a continuation of the conversation they were already having instead of a separate performance.

Just as importantly, I think it’s worth explaining why those students have been chosen. Simple comments such as I liked how you asked a follow-up question or Your gesture really helped your partner understand show the class that we’re recognizing effective communication rather than perfect English. Small moments like these can reduce anxiety, reinforce positive habits, and help students understand what successful interaction actually looks like.

Next Time

Next week we’ll teach the same lesson to the remaining first-year classes, and I intend to make several small changes. The first is practical. The pictures in the Spot the Difference activity were slightly too small, making it harder for students to notice details and slowing the conversations. Enlarging the images should help the activity flow more naturally.

I also want to refine the sharing stage by selecting students during the activity rather than asking for volunteers afterwards. Explaining why they have been chosen should make that stage feel more supportive while reinforcing the kinds of communicative behaviours we want to encourage.

Finally, I’d like to leave enough time for students to reflect briefly at the end of the lesson. Even a simple question about what worked well or what they found useful can help students recognize their own progress while giving me ideas for the next lesson.

One of the advantages of teaching the same lesson more than once is that I learn something new each time. Small adjustments to the materials, pacing, or even the way I respond to students can gradually make the lesson stronger each time I teach it.

Continuing the Learning Process

Preparing this lesson at short notice reminded me why I keep coming back to the TPPT framework. It gives me a simple structure to build on, even when planning time is limited. More importantly, it gives me a way of thinking about lessons that doesn’t end when the class finishes. Teaching the same lesson several times has also reminded me that good lesson plans are rarely finished after the first attempt. Each class reveals something new, whether it’s an activity that needs refining, an unexpected student response, or a better way of supporting communication. I sometimes think of that process as refining a recipe: try something, observe what happens, learn from the experience, and adjust it for next time.

Looking back over these three lessons, learning through the experience has been the biggest takeaway for me. TPPT has certainly helped me organize lessons, but the real value has come from paying closer attention to what happens once those lessons begin. The framework provides the structure. Reflection is what helps it grow.