Spanish I · 30 minutes
Suggested grades 9–12 · Unit 1: Familiar Exchanges and Messages · Lesson 1 of 2
Meet a Partner and Keep the Exchange Going
Ask and answer familiar questions, then request clarification instead of guessing.
Mr. S Teaches · Original starter lesson · HS-SP1-01 · Grade range is planning guidance.Language practice target
Practice target: familiar words, supported phrases and short sentences. This is a classroom task target, not an independently assessed proficiency rating or a guaranteed Spanish I exit level.
Watch, notice, discuss
Video choices for this lesson
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How to introduce yourself in Spanish
By Butterfly Spanish
Model a name-and-origin introduction, then have partners add a follow-up question.
Open on YouTube: How to introduce yourself in Spanish (opens a new tab) ↗Introducing people in Spanish
By Butterfly Spanish
Compare introducing yourself with introducing a partner; practice matching names and pronouns.
Open on YouTube: Introducing people in Spanish (opens a new tab) ↗10 common questions in Spanish
By Butterfly Spanish
Choose a practical question for a follow-up; add the lesson’s clarification phrase yourself.
Open on YouTube: 10 common questions in Spanish (opens a new tab) ↗Which question and response could you adapt to keep your partner exchange going?
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Learning objective
Complete an exchange of at least four turns with two questions, two relevant responses and one clarification phrase.
Before you begin
- Read the phrase bank aloud with a teacher or partner.
Gather your materials
- Paper and pencil
- The original Spanish text and phrase bank included in this lesson
Language to know
- ¿Cómo te llamas?
- What is your name? Use a fictional name for this activity.
- Me gusta…
- I like…; followed here by an activity word.
- ¿Puedes repetir?
- Can you repeat? A phrase for repairing understanding.
- también
- Also or too; connects a shared preference.
Understand the concept
Use fictional identities. Phrase bank: Hola (hello); me llamo… (my name is…); ¿cómo te llamas?; me gusta leer (I like to read); me gusta dibujar (I like to draw); ¿y a ti? (and you?); ¿puedes repetir?; gracias (thank you). A conversation requires a response to what the other person actually says. Repeating a memorized script without listening is rehearsal, not yet evidence of independent interaction. The phrase me gusta leer treats the activity as what is pleasing; it is not formed by adding an English-style subject before gusta.
Teach it step by step
- Read the bank, match each question with its purpose and practice a clear pace rather than an accent imitation.
- Choose a fictional name and one of the two preferences. Keep your choice hidden from your partner.
- Ask a name question, respond, then exchange preferences and acknowledge a shared or different choice.
- Have the partner say a preference softly or substitute the other listed choice. Use ¿puedes repetir? and respond to the clarification.
- Swap roles without reading a complete script. Record which parts required support.
Make the thinking visible
Worked example or model response
A: Hola, me llamo Leo. ¿Cómo te llamas? B: Me llamo Ana. A: Me gusta leer. ¿Y a ti? B: Me gusta dibujar. A: ¿Puedes repetir? B: Me gusta dibujar. A: Gracias. The final response acknowledges the repeated information rather than introducing an unrelated question.
Guided practice
With the bank visible, practice one name exchange and one preference exchange. Change the fictional name on the second attempt.
Independent practice
Create a new four-to-eight-turn conversation with a partner, changing the preference unexpectedly once. Ask for repetition and give a relevant response. Write one thing you understood without help.
Quick assessment
Your partner says me gusta leer after you ask about a preference. Which response continues the exchange: ¿y a ti? alone, me gusta leer también, or an unrelated classroom location? Explain your choice.
Answer key & assessment criteria
Answers and teaching guidance
- Guided: names can vary; the response to ¿cómo te llamas? should use me llamo plus the chosen fictional name. Preferences should use the supplied activity forms.
- Independent criteria: both learners ask and respond, the preference matches the partner’s actual reply, clarification is requested when needed and the response after repetition is relevant. Accuracy can be supported by the bank.
- Assessment: me gusta leer también acknowledges the preference and a shared interest. ¿Y a ti? can return a question in another context but alone does not state your response here; an unrelated location does not answer the exchange.
Look for: Assess understandable meaning, listening and repair. A brief successful rehearsal is not a proficiency certification.
Make it work for your learner
More support
Keep a question/response card visible and allow written chat on paper instead of spoken exchange.
Extension challenge
Add ¿qué te gusta hacer? and a new teacher-checked activity. Keep the partner’s answer unknown in advance.
Verified references · Selected contributions
Standards connections
Subject-content standards
These records identify the part of a subject standard practiced here. Course placement is instructional guidance; the source’s category or band remains authoritative.
Contributes to world-language standard
Interpersonal Communication
World-Readiness Standards · All learner levels · selected introductory task
Exchange familiar information and repair misunderstanding in a short conversation.
Read the official standard ↗The named standard is the identifier used in the current official summary. This supported interpersonal task practices one selected communicative purpose; it does not demonstrate the entire standard, independent spontaneous proficiency or a state course crosswalk.
Verified 2026-11-04. Selected contribution, not full attainment.