Lesson 7: Planning
You just need to start making a game plan!

I can talk about planning for something.

INTRODUCE

Planning is an important part of reaching your milestones. Sharing your plans with other people and getting their advice can help you think about your next steps well.

PRESENT

STEP A EXPRESSIONS

I. Go over the expressions with your tutor.

    1. We say it’s time to do something when we think we have to do it now.

     

    I’m turning 30 next year, so I think it’s time to buy a house.

     

     

    2. A game plan is a strategy to achieve something.

     

    The competition’s pretty tough. I need a game plan if I want to get a promotion!

     

     

    3. If something is on one’s mind, it means that a person has been thinking about it a lot.

     

    Going to the beach has been on my mind for a while now, so I just bought a ticket to Bali!

     

    II. What’s something that you’ve always wanted to do? Talk about it using the expressions above.

STEP B PRONUNCIATION

When a vowel is in an unstressed syllable, it’s often pronounced as /uh/.
Phrase Example

time to go

/ taym-tuh-go /

It’s / taym-tuh-go / soon.

a game plan

/ uh-geym-plan /

Shouldn’t you make / uh-geym-plan /?

UNDERSTAND

SPEAKING

Saori and Catherine are chatting at a café.

Catherine:

Aww! Aoi-chan called you “Mama” yesterday? That’s cute! She’s growing up really fast!

Saori:

I know! And actually, I’ve been thinking, maybe it would be nice if she grew up with other kids. You know, had someone to play with…

Catherine:

Well, she can play with this little one once she’s born. (laughs) Besides, she’s going to meet a lot of kids in preschool! She’s starting pretty soon, right?

Saori:

Yeah, that’s true, but that’s not it. What I meant to say is that maybe it’s time to start trying for a second child… I really want Aoi-chan to have a baby brother or sister.

Catherine:

Oh, okay. But do you think you’d be okay raising two little kids at the same time?

Saori:

Honestly, I think it would be pretty challenging, but I really want my kids to be close in age. My brother and I are about nine years apart, and we didn’t always get along when we were growing up. Plus, I think it has to be soon because I’m not getting any younger… My biological clock is ticking, you know?

Catherine:

Hmm, I guess you’re right… Have you talked to Naoki about this?

Saori:

Oh, no. Not yet! It’s been on my mind lately, but I can’t bring it up because he’s in Fukuoka most of the time. Sometimes, that makes me feel like it’s impossible…

Catherine:

Don’t say that! I’m sure you and Naoki can make it work somehow. You just need to start making a game plan!

TRIVIA

Do you know how to say toshigo (年子) in English? There’s actually no direct English translation for it. Instead, you can use the phrase (number) years apart to explain the difference in ages.

 

O My nieces are only a year apart.

O My brother and I are six years apart.

PRACTICE

STEP A EXERCISE

Match the sentences on the left with the expressions on the right.

1. He’s come up with a strategy to finish all his tasks early.

 

2. I’ve been thinking about visiting my hometown a lot recently.

 

3. I think you should clean up your room now.

a. be on one’s mind

 

b. a game plan

 

c. be time to do something

STEP B EXERCISE

Make sentences using the pictures and expressions. The form of some expressions may need to be changed.

ex. be on one’s mind
→ Going on vacation has been on his mind these past few days.

 

1. be time to do something

 

2. be on one’s mind

 

3. a game plan

CHALLENGE

Challenge 1

Your friend is thinking about making a big change in his/her life. Talk about his/her plans for it. Then, talk about something you’re planning on doing.

Today's Expressions

  • be time to do something
  • a game plan
  • be on one’s mind

Challenge 2

Discuss your ideas.

If Time
Allows
1

GAME PLANS
2

THE RIGHT TIME TO DO SOMETHING
3

ON YOUR MIND
1

GAME PLANS

  1. How often do you make a game plan for something?
  2. Do you think people with a game plan are more likely to achieve their goals than people who don’t have one?
  3. How important is it to stick to a game plan once you’ve created one?
  4. What would you do if something didn't go the way you planned?

2THE RIGHT TIME TO DO SOMETHING

  1. How do you know when it’s time for you to do something?
  2. What's something that you think you should do before this month ends?
  3. What's something that you think you should do before this year ends?
  4. What’s something you want to do but feel like it’s not yet time?

3ON YOUR MIND

  1. Are you comfortable with sharing what's on your mind with other people?
  2. Do you find it easy to guess what's on someone's mind?
  3. How do you stop thinking about something that’s been on your mind for a long time?
  4. Do you think people share what's on their mind on social media too much?

FEEDBACK

I can talk about planning for something.

LESSON GOAL ACHIEVEMENT

  • 4
    Very Good

    Could complete the task with ease

  • 3
    Good

    Could complete the task with some clarifications

  • 2
    Fair

    Could complete the task with additional instructions

  • 1
    Poor

    Could somehow complete the task with difficulty

PERSONALIZED FEEDBACK