Months and Numbers

Overview

This 60-minute Spanish lesson introduces 7–9-year-old students to the months of the year and numbers from 1 to 20. It is designed for a class of 29 students, following UK Key Stage 2 Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) programmes of study. The lesson promotes active engagement, oral rehearsal, and cultural awareness with the use of varied kinaesthetic, visual, and auditory activities.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, pupils will:

• Recognise, say, and spell the months of the year in Spanish.
• Count confidently from 1 to 20 in Spanish.
• Apply knowledge of numbers and months in simple spoken and written contexts.
• Develop listening skills through aural discrimination of Spanish vocabulary.
• Enhance cultural understanding of Spanish-speaking countries’ calendars and date conventions.

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Curriculum Links

• National Curriculum KS2 MFL (Languages):
  Pupils should be taught to listen attentively to spoken language and show understanding by joining in and responding, explore the patterns and sounds of language through songs and rhymes, speak in simple sentences and write words and phrases.

• Framework for Languages / Modern Foreign Languages Programmes of Study (KS2)

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Resources

• Whiteboard/interactive board
• Flashcards of months and numbers 1-20
• Audio recordings of months and numbers in Spanish
• Custom worksheet (included below) with matching, fill-in-the-blanks, and a number/months grid activity
• Mini whiteboards and pens for students
• Alphabet and number charts for reference
• Colour pencils for worksheets

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Lesson Structure

1. Starter: Warm-up & recall (10 minutes)

• Greetings and simple questions in Spanish to set context.
• Quick ‘Count to 10’ chorus, reciting numbers 1-10 as a whole class. Use clapping to keep rhythm.
• Show flashcards for months and ask:
  “Who knows any months in Spanish?” — elicit any prior knowledge.
• Introduce the learning objectives briefly in English.

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2. Introduction to Months (15 minutes)

• Use interactive flashcards with images iconic to each month or season (e.g., ‘enero’ with winter snow).
• Model pronunciation carefully; students repeat chorally and individually.
• Use an interactive game: “Month Swap”
  • Call out a month in English, students hold up the matching Spanish flashcard.
  • Reverse: teacher shows Spanish card, students say English month aloud and then the Spanish equivalent.
• Write all months on the board in Spanish, emphasising spelling patterns and accents.
• Cultural Note: Briefly mention how some Spanish-speaking countries have regional festivals aligned to months.

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3. Numbers 1 to 20 (15 minutes)

• Introduce numbers with a song or chant (e.g., “Veintiuno, veinte, diecinueve...”) to make memorisation rhythmic and fun.
• Use flashcards of numbers 1-20 with colourful digits.
• Practice counting up and down as a class, then in pairs.
• Conduct an oral ‘number dictation’ activity: call out numbers and pupils write on mini whiteboards. Correct aloud immediately.
• Pair game: Each pair takes turns saying a number; the other must say the number before or after in Spanish.

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4. Consolidation Activity with Worksheet (15 minutes)

• Hand out differentiated worksheets featuring:
  • Matching numbers to words
  • Filling in missing months in a calendar grid (with visuals)
  • Simple translation exercise: e.g., “My birthday is in ________ (mes)”
• Pupils complete exercises individually but may discuss quietly in pairs.
• Teacher circulates, supporting and assessing understanding.

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5. Plenary and Assessment (5 minutes)

• Invite a few pupils to say their favourite month and a number between 1-20 in Spanish.
• Quick whole-class oral quiz: Teacher says either a number or a month in Spanish, students write answer on mini whiteboards (number or month in English).
• Praise effort and highlight good pronunciation or spelling.

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Differentiation

• Support: Flashcards with images, use of mini whiteboards for written outputs, paired support.
• Challenge: Extension task on worksheet includes writing a simple sentence about a favourite month and number, e.g., “Mi mes favorito es julio.” “Tengo quince años.”
• Encourage confident pupils to create a short dialogue with a partner using months and numbers.

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Assessment for Learning (AfL)

• Formative: observation during oral activities, pair work, and worksheet completion.
• Use mini whiteboards for immediate feedback during number dictation and plenary quiz.
• Teacher notes to identify pupils needing extra support or challenge for next lesson planning.

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Worksheet Sample Activities (to be printed)

Part A: Match the Spanish number to the digit (e.g., "quince" → 15)
Part B: Fill in the missing month in the calendar grid (e.g., enero, febrero, ____, abril...)
Part C: Translate and write: "My birthday is in ________ (month)."
Part D (Challenge): Write numbers 1 to 10 in Spanish next to English numbers.

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Homework Suggestion

Ask pupils to learn the months and numbers 1-20 at home. They could create a poster or practise saying their birthday month and age in Spanish to share next lesson.

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Teacher Reflection Notes

• Monitor which months or numbers present pronunciation or spelling issues.
• Adapt pace if students require more reinforcement of months or numbers.
• Consider integrating technology next lesson: e.g., using language apps or recording pronunciation for self-assessment.

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This lesson embodies a communicative approach aligned with UK MFL pedagogy, blending repetition, cultural context, and active student participation to build a strong vocabulary foundation in Spanish.