Family and Siblings

Overview

This is lesson 8 of 18 in ¡Hola! Spanish Foundations. Students build on greetings, introductions and familiar Spanish nouns by using tener with un/una and singular or plural nouns to ask and answer about siblings.

Learning intentions

• WALT use tener to say whether I have siblings.
• WALT use un/una with a singular noun.
• WALT recognise and produce singular and plural nouns.
• WALT ask and answer questions about brothers and sisters.

Success criteria

• I can ask ¿Tienes hermanos?
• I can answer Tengo un hermano / una hermana.
• I can distinguish un hermano from dos hermanos.
• I can give a fuller description using numbers and adjectives.

Curriculum links

• Languages – key stage 3: communicate personal and factual information beyond immediate needs and interests.
• Languages – key stage 3: develop increasing spontaneity, independence and accuracy in speech and writing.
• Languages – key stage 3: develop and justify points of view in speech and writing, supporting preparation for further study.
• Languages – key stage 3 aims: foster listening, speaking, reading and writing skills in a modern foreign language.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Retrieval and hook. Open with the retrieval and family hook slides and display images of one child and two children with the question “¿Hermano o hermanos?” Teacher briefly revisits hola, ¿cómo te llamas? and familiar numbers; students respond chorally, then predict what changes when there is more than one person.

2. 5–12 min · Present the language. Use the core vocabulary and grammar slides alongside an illustrated family tree to introduce el hermano, la hermana, los hermanos, las hermanas, un, una, dos and tres. Teacher models Tengo un hermano, Tengo una hermana and Tengo dos hermanos, highlighting that the noun changes from singular to plural; students listen, gesture to one or more people and repeat with clear pronunciation.

3. 12–18 min · Listening and discrimination. Read or play eight short statements, such as Tengo una hermana and Tengo dos hermanos, using the prompts on the listening discrimination slides. Students show one or two fingers, then write the correct number and noun on the family and siblings practice worksheet; check answers through mini-whiteboard responses and correct pronunciation sensitively.

4. 18–27 min · Plural sorting and guided practice. Give pairs mixed noun cards and ask them to sort examples under singular or plural, then match them to un/una or a number using the sorting activity instructions. Students complete the matching and short gap-fill tasks on the family and siblings practice worksheet, explaining to a partner why un hermano and dos hermanos are different.

5. 27–38 min · Conti-style speaking carousel. Model the exchange ¿Tienes hermanos? — Sí, tengo dos hermanos / No, no tengo hermanos with supportive prompts on the speaking carousel slides. Students practise in pairs, changing partners every two minutes and using a family tree or invented family if they prefer; each listener records one accurate answer and partners give a simple “two stars and a wish” pronunciation check.

6. 38–43 min · Independent application. Display the challenge prompt on the independent writing and challenge slide. Students write four sentences about a real or imagined family, including a number and, where ready, an adjective such as mayor, menor, alto or bajo; students needing support complete sentence frames on the family and siblings practice worksheet.

7. 43–45 min · Exit check. Hand out the retrieval practice exit ticket slips. Students answer ¿Tienes hermanos? with one accurate sentence, translate dos hermanas, and rate their confidence; collect slips to identify who needs further work on plural nouns or tener.

Resources

• the complete family and siblings teaching deck
• the family and siblings practice worksheet
• Illustrated family tree
• Singular and plural noun cards
• Mini-whiteboards and pens
• Audio recording or teacher-read listening script
• Projector and speakers
• the retrieval practice exit ticket slips

Assessment

• Listen for accurate pronunciation and use of tengo, un/una and plural nouns during repetition and pair speaking.
• Use mini-whiteboards and worksheet responses to identify confusion between hermano and hermanos, or between un/una and numbers.
• Use the exit ticket to assess whether students can independently answer the question about siblings and translate a plural phrase.

Differentiation

• Provide an illustrated family tree, colour-coded noun cards and sentence frames: Tengo ___ hermano(s), Tengo ___ hermana(s) and ¿Tienes hermanos?
• Offer dyslexia-friendly vocabulary on the worksheet: clear sans-serif font, increased spacing, short chunks, icons beside each noun, and audio or teacher-read versions of all key words and listening items.
• Pair students deliberately for supportive speaking; allow rehearsal time, pointing, reading aloud from a prompt mat and an invented family where discussing a real family may feel uncomfortable.
• Challenge confident learners to ask a follow-up question and give a fuller description using numbers and adjectives, for example Tengo dos hermanos: un hermano mayor y una hermana menor.

Extension

• Create and describe an invented family tree using at least three different numbers, singular and plural nouns, and two adjectives.
• Perform a short dialogue from memory, including the question, answer, a follow-up question and a fuller family description.