Integrated Tense Review

Overview

Lesson 9 of 9 in Spanish Tenses and Commands. Students consolidate major Spanish tenses and commands through retrieval practice, collaborative stations, explanation of tense choices, and a short communicative task. The lesson ends with reflection on progress as language learners.

Learning intentions

Students will be able to:

• Select and form present, preterite, imperfect, present perfect, future, conditional, progressive, and relevant subjunctive forms.
• Use affirmative and negative commands accurately in meaningful contexts.
• Explain why a particular tense or mood is appropriate.
• Communicate a short narrative using a range of tenses.
• Reflect on their development as communicators and reflective learners.

Success criteria

• I can choose a Spanish tense or mood that matches the meaning I want to express.
• I can form and use verbs accurately, including commands and a relevant subjunctive construction.
• I can explain my tense choice using a clear reason.
• I can communicate a connected message using at least five different tenses.

Curriculum links

• IB Diploma Programme language development: communicative competence through accurate, purposeful spoken and written interaction.
• IB language concepts: communication, connections, creativity, and perspective.
• IB approaches to teaching: inquiry, active collaboration, contextualized language use, and reflection.
• IB learner profile: communicator, thinker, knowledgeable, principled, and reflective.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 minutes – Hook and retrieval warm-up Open with the opening question and retrieval prompt: “¿Cómo cambiaría tu vida si pudieras viajar al futuro?” Students individually write three short responses using different tenses, then share one with a partner. Invite two examples and briefly identify the tense choices.

2. 5–10 minutes – Review success criteria and strategy Display the lesson goals and tense-choice decision guide. As a class, review the meaning and formation of each target tense, focusing on distinctions students commonly confuse: preterite versus imperfect, present perfect versus preterite, and conditional versus future. Remind students that accuracy includes accents, agreement, and appropriate commands.

3. 10–25 minutes – Rotating language stations Divide the eight students into four pairs. Distribute the integrated tense review stations and allow pairs to begin at different stations, rotating approximately every four minutes. Use the station instructions on the station rotation directions.

• Station A: choose the correct tense or mood in contextual sentences and justify each choice.
• Station B: transform verbs into requested forms, including irregulars, progressive forms, and commands.
• Station C: correct errors involving endings, accents, auxiliaries, pronouns, and subjunctive triggers.
• Station D: retrieve forms from memory, then compare and explain answers with a partner. Students may consult the exam command words reference mat when interpreting task words such as explain, justify, transform, or compare. Circulate, record recurring errors, and provide guided corrections rather than immediately supplying answers.

4. 25–32 minutes – Whole-class error analysis Bring the class together using the anonymous error-analysis examples. Display three or four common errors noticed during the stations. Pairs discuss what is wrong, correct the sentence, and explain the rule or meaning that supports their correction. Ask students to identify whether the error concerns tense selection, formation, agreement, accentuation, or command structure.

5. 32–41 minutes – Communicative challenge Show the narrative challenge and speaking prompts. Each student prepares a one-minute response to the scenario: “Describe a difficult decision, a change in your life, or a plan for the future.” The response must include at least five tenses, one affirmative or negative command, and one subjunctive construction. Students may speak to a partner, record privately, or write a polished paragraph. Partners listen for tense variety and ask one follow-up question, such as “¿Por qué elegiste ese tiempo?”

6. 41–45 minutes – Reflection and exit assessment Display the reflection questions and final exit prompt. Students complete the final section of the self-assessment and exit reflection: identify one tense they now use confidently, one area requiring further practice, and one example that demonstrates progress. Invite two volunteers to share a useful strategy. Collect the worksheet for final evidence of learning.

Resources

• the integrated review lesson deck
• the integrated tense review stations
• the exam command words reference mat
• Timer
• Pens or highlighters
• Board or projector
• Optional audio-recording device
• Personalized verb banks for selected students

Assessment

• Formative observation during stations: tense selection, verb formation, explanations, and collaboration.
• Review station responses and error-analysis contributions for accuracy and misconceptions.
• Assess the communicative challenge and reflection for tense range, command and subjunctive use, comprehensibility, and thoughtful self-evaluation.

Differentiation

• Provide personalized verb banks, model sentences, color coding for auxiliary verbs and endings, and a reduced choice of forms for students who need support.
• Offer station choice, guided correction prompts, and oral alternatives to extended writing. Allow extra processing time and partner rehearsal before speaking.
• Use an uncluttered, dyslexia-friendly worksheet with a clear sans-serif font, generous spacing, short instructions, and consistent color coding. Read prompts aloud when helpful.
• Extend advanced learners by requiring a polished spoken or written narrative with at least five tenses, two different commands, one subjunctive construction, and a brief explanation of how tense choices shape meaning. Ask them to reflect on their progress using IB learner profile skills, especially communication, thinking, and reflection.