View Content #26355

By Leila Tamini Lichaei, CASLS Fellow

Lesson Objectives: Learners will be able to...

• Compare  details of the pragmatics of apologies in the US with apologies in their L1 cultures
• Make personal decisions and articulate them (demonstrate subjectivity)
• Adapt the strength of an apology to the situation  

Materials: infographic, cut into 4 sections; Sentence Sorting Activity worksheet, with sentences cut into strips; Apology Scenarios worksheet

1- Observation

Presentation: The teacher introduces the topic of apologies in the American English. She gives example phrases that can be used for apologizing. A good apology usually has two main components: the verbal articulation (i.e. Excuse me!, I’m sorry, I am terribly sorry, I apologize, etc.), and an explanation to add sincerity to the apology. Apologies can be frequently used by everyone in daily conversations. The phrase “I am sorry” can also be used for showing sympathy.

Reflection: Think, Pair, Share

For warm up, teacher asks learners to think about the last time they apologized to someone. Then find a partner and share it with them. They can also add if the apology was in English or their mother tongue and how it might have been different from apologies in American English.

Example: The last time I apologized was when I accidentally broke my mom’s favorite vase. I told her, “I am so sorry mom; I didn’t mean to do that!”

2- Analysis

For scaffolding, the teacher asks students to think about what the steps to a good apology are. Learners can work individually or in pair/groups and write down the steps. The teacher then asks students to share what they came up with and writes it on the board. Next, the teacher uses an infographic that presents four steps to an apology. Ask students to compare their steps with the ones in the infographic. Stress that no analysis is more valid than any other. 

Here is a link to the infographic you can use: https://infograph.venngage.com/p/211288/apology

Cut the infographic into four sections and ask students to put them in order. For the next part of the activity, have learners match the phrase lists with the four sections of the infographic. How would they sort them differently using their own steps? 

3- Expansion

The teacher provides different apology scenarios. Student will work in pairs/groups, discussing which previously mentioned steps each apology includes, if the apology is appropriate or not, and how they might be changed. They can rewrite their own apologies if preferred.