How often do you...? A school radio listening lesson
Children listen to a school radio interview, complete a frequency chart, learn where adverbs of frequency go in a sentence, and ask each other how often they do things.
At a glance
- From
- Level 2, Moving Up English: Week 1, Getting to know you again
- Grammar
- present simple and continuous; adverbs of frequency
- Key language
- always, usually, often, sometimes, hardly ever, never / I always have toast. He is never late. Do you ever...? How often do you...?
- Children make
- A completed listening chart and six true sentences about the class's habits.
- Class size
- Works with 10 to 50 children; pair and group steps say how to scale.
Objective
Children understand adverbs of frequency in spoken English and put them in the correct place in a sentence.
Success criteria for children
- I can hear always, usually, sometimes and never in a recording.
- I can put the adverb before the main verb and after "be".
- I can ask "How often do you...?" and answer in a full sentence.
Timing: 60 minutes
| Minutes | Stage | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 6 | Warm-up: the frequency line | Children stand on a line from never to always for a statement. |
| 6 to 16 | Teach the adverbs | Percentage scale; position before the main verb, after be. |
| 16 to 22 | First listening: gist | Who is the guest and what do they talk about? |
| 22 to 32 | Second listening: the chart | Tick the frequency for each activity in task 1. |
| 32 to 40 | Practice: word order | Worksheet task 2: put the sentence in order. |
| 40 to 55 | Speaking: class survey | Ask two classmates and report. |
| 55 to 60 | Exit ticket | Write two true sentences about yourself. |
Materials
- Worksheet, pencils
- A line on the board from 0 to 100 per cent, marked with the six adverbs
- Daily routines flashcards (free, linked from Week 1)
- Adverbs of frequency (free, linked from Week 1)
- Present simple or continuous (free, linked from Week 1)
Before the lesson: Two confident readers can perform the script, or you can read both parts. Do not give out the script before the second listening.
Step by step, with teacher talk
0 to 6 minWarm-up: the frequency line
- Make a line across the room from "never" to "always". Call out "I eat pizza." Children stand where it is true for them and tell a neighbour.
6 to 16 minTeach the adverbs
- On the board: always 100%, usually 80%, often 60%, sometimes 40%, hardly ever 10%, never 0%.
- Write: I always walk to school. She is never late. Show that the adverb goes before most verbs but after am/is/are.
- Say sentences with the adverb in the wrong place and let children shake their heads: "I walk always to school."
- "He is sometimes late." Does he arrive on time every day? (No.)
- Which is more, usually or sometimes? (Usually.)
- Do we say "I never am late"? (No: I am never late.)
16 to 22 minFirst listening: gist
- Play or read the script. Ask: "Who is the guest? Is it about school, food, or sport and weekends?" (All three: his week.)
22 to 32 minSecond listening: the chart
- Read the chart rows aloud. Play the script again; children tick one box per row.
- Compare in pairs, then listen a third time and check together.
- Kofi says "I sometimes have an egg too." Is it every day? (No.)
32 to 40 minPractice: word order
- Children unscramble and write three sentences. Check aloud.
40 to 55 minSpeaking: class survey
- Model "How often do you walk to school?" "I usually walk." Children ask two classmates "How often do you walk to school?" and "How often do you eat fruit?", plus one of their own, writing answers in their books.
- Back at their desks, they write two sentences about their classmates: "Anya usually walks to school."
55 to 60 minExit ticket
- See below.
Differentiation
Support
- Give a reference card with the six adverbs and the percentages.
- Tick the chart on the first two listenings, and write the survey sentences from a frame.
Stretch
- Use "once a week", "twice a month" and "every day" at the end of the sentence.
- Write a short diary of a week: "On Monday I always..."
- Compare two classmates: "Ali usually walks but Sara always cycles."
Listening script
A short interview, about one minute when read aloud. Kofi and Ava are story children from the Litlings cast.
Ava: Welcome to School Radio. Today I'm asking Kofi about his week. Kofi, do you always walk to school?
Kofi: Not always. I usually walk, but when it rains my dad drives me.
Ava: What do you have for breakfast?
Kofi: I always have toast. Sometimes I have an egg too, but I never have cereal. I don't like it!
Ava: Do you do any sport?
Kofi: Yes! I often play football after school, about three times a week.
Ava: And at the weekend?
Kofi: On Saturday I sometimes go swimming. On Sunday I'm always at my grandmother's house.
Ava: Are you ever late for the bus?
Kofi: Hardly ever. Maybe once a month, when I can't find my shoes!
Questions
- How does Kofi go to school when it rains?
- What does Kofi always have for breakfast?
- How often does Kofi play football?
- Where is Kofi every Sunday?
- How often is Kofi late for the bus?
Printable worksheet
Prints on its own A4 page. Use Print the worksheet above, or print the whole plan and the worksheet starts on a new page. One copy per child, or one per pair to save paper.
How often?
1. Listen. Tick one box for each line.
| always | usually | often | sometimes | hardly ever | never | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Kofi walks to school. | ||||||
| 2. Kofi has toast for breakfast. | ||||||
| 3. Kofi has cereal for breakfast. | ||||||
| 4. Kofi plays football after school. | ||||||
| 5. Kofi is late for the bus. |
2. Put the words in order.
- school / I / to / usually / walk
- late / is / never / she
- often / they / football / play
Answer key
Listening script questions
- His dad drives him.
- Toast.
- Often, about three times a week.
- At his grandmother's house.
- Hardly ever, about once a month.
Worksheet
- 1: usually; always; never; often; hardly ever.
- 2: I usually walk to school. / She is never late. / They often play football.
- Survey sentences: answers will vary. Check adverb position in the written sentences.
Exit ticket
Write two true sentences about yourself, one with always or usually and one with hardly ever or never. Check where you put the adverb.
Homework
Keep a tally for one week of how many days you brush your teeth, read, and walk or cycle. Then write sentences: "I always... I sometimes..."
Teaching this to a whole class?
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Start free with LitlingsMore lesson plans
- Level 2, Week 1: Getting to know you again (the curriculum week this plan comes from)
- All reading texts, dialogues, scripts, worksheets and answer keys on this page are original to Litlings and free to copy for classroom use.