A GUIDE TO GETTING STARTED WITH

GRADE 7 & 8 ENGLISH

IN THE 2024/25 ACADEMIC YEAR
CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 3
TARGET LANGUAGE ESSENTIALS AND COMMUNICATION PRACTICES............................ 3
Language Essentials .............................................................................................................. 3
Language Functions ............................................................................................................... 4
Communication Practices ....................................................................................................... 4
WHAT TO TEACH AT THE START OF THE YEAR, WHILE STUDENTS AWAIT THEIR BOOKS4
GRADE 7 ............................................................................................................................... 5
GRADE 8 ............................................................................................................................... 9
TIPS FOR TEACHING WITH LIMITED RESOURCES ..............................................................14
8th GRADE STUDENTS: MANAGING THE CURRENT SITUATION
Scenarios to Address the Knowledge Gap ……………………………………………………….17
Creative Practices to Address the Knowledge Gap ................................................................17
How Inspectors and Administration Can Help........................................................................17
CONCLUSION ..........................................................................................................................17
INTRODUCTION
In the 2024-2025 academic year, English in Moroccan middle schools will be taught to 50%
of grade 7 and 100% of grade 8 students. The MOE expects that the 7th and 8th grade student
books and independent learning activity books will not be available in the market until
November 2024. However, teachers will have access to soft copies of material (digital PDFs)
to support students’ English learning from the beginning of the 2024-25 academic year.

In September 2024, teachers will have soft copies (digital PDFs) of the following:

Grade 7 (click here or the individual links below)

 Spotlight 1 Student Book Part A, Welcome Lessons, Units 1-2, and Phonics Support
 Spotlight 1 Teacher’s Guide Part A, Welcome Lessons, Units 1-2, and Phonics Support
 Spotlight I Independent Learning Activity Book (ILAB) Part A, Units 1-2
 Spotlight 1 Flashcards
 Spotlight 1 Audio
 Links to useful curriculum-aligned videos

Grade 8 (click here or the individual links below)

 Spotlight 2 Student Book Part A, Welcome Lessons and Units 1-2
 Spotlight 2 Teacher’s Guide Part A, Welcome Lessons and Units 1-2
 Spotlight 2 Independent Learning Activity Book (ILAB) Part A, Units 1-2
 Spotlight 2 Flashcards
 Spotlight 2 Audio
 Links to useful curriculum-aligned videos

This guide provides teachers with ideas to support student learning during this transitional
period.

TARGET LANGUAGE ESSENTIALS AND COMMUNICATION

PRACTICES
Teachers need to emphasize essential vocabulary, language functions, and communication
practices to help students reach this goal. The outline below provides core guidance on
language students need to know and be able to use.

Language Essentials
1. Basic Vocabulary:
o High-frequency words related to everyday topics such as family, daily routines,
hobbies, food, weather, and shopping.
o Incremental expansion of vocabulary, ensuring consistent review and
reinforcement.
 2. Simple Grammar Structures:
o Present simple, present continuous, and simple past tenses.
o Basic pronouns, adjectives and comparatives.
o Prepositions of place and time (e.g., «in the morning").
3. Basic Sentence Structures:
o Focus on affirmative and negative statements and WH- and Yes/No questions.
o Emphasis on using subject pronouns and possessive adjectives.

Language Functions
1. Introducing oneself and others,
2. Describing daily routines and hobbies,
3. Giving and asking for directions,
4. Asking for permission (can/may),
5. Expressing likes and dislikes,
6. Making simple requests and offering help.

Communication Practices
 Role-playing and easy-to-make cue cards: Simulating real-life situations to build
speaking confidence.
 Listening activities: Using audios to develop comprehension and pronunciation skills.
Students answer questions or fill in graphic organizers/forms about the gist/main ideas
and details.
 Pair and group work: Encouraging peer interaction to build practical language use.

WHAT TO TEACH AT THE START OF THE YEAR, WHILE

STUDENTS AWAIT THEIR BOOKS
With reference to the soft versions of resources provided, teachers can implement the
new curriculum using simple instructional practices and activities that do not require that
students have hard copies of the student book. This section outlines the key objectives students
should achieve between September and early November 2024.
The table on the following pages outlines what students should learn between
September and November 2024. Teachers should use this guide when planning
lessons for their students.
GRADE 7
Welcome to English!

 Create a welcoming environment where students feel confident to use English.

 Assess students’ existing background knowledge and review through interactive activities.
 Focus on oral communication; use games and fun activities; use ICT (chants, videos, listening) or worksheets if possible.
IMPORTANT NOTE: At the start, the aim is to get students comfortable with basic English. If they don’t get it all, that is okay.
These topics are taught again and recycled again throughout the curriculum.
Topics Useful language Students can begin to…
Greetings Hi/Hello. Answer the questions (when spoken slowly and clearly):
My name is…. I’m…. What’s your name?
What’s your name?
Nice to meet you.
How are you? (speaking and writing, in a text for example)
How are you?
I’m great / ok / not so good.
Classroom English Stand up, Sit down, look, raise your hand, Follow an instruction when spoken clearly and with gestures
open your book, close your book, write, to support understanding.
read, speak, listen, work in pairs/groups

Alphabet A-Z Say the alphabet with English pronunciation,

Write the alphabet in order,
Listen to a letter, name and write it.
Numbers 1-10 1-10 / one - ten Read and match numbers,
Count and report the number (5 pencils, 2 students, etc., for
example).

Days of the week Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Say the days of the week in order,
Friday, Saturday, Sunday. Say what day it is today.
Unit 1: Hello, Nice to Meet You!
Topics Useful language Students can …
Personal Where are you from? I’m from _____. / I am Ask and answer the questions such as :
Information from ____. Where are you from?
How old are you? I’m ___. / I am ___. How old are you?
What grade are you in? I am in ____. / I’m in ___. What grade are you in?

Can read a very simple personal intro and answer the

questions above.
Can write a very simple personal intro.
Alphabet What’s your first name? Ask for and give:
Numbers 1-20 What’s your last name? First and last name,
Can you spell that? How do you spell it? Spell first and last name ,
How old are you? Listen and write the spelling of someone’s name,
What grade are you in? Ask for, listen, and write someone’s age, grade, phone
What’s your phone number? number.

Family Mother, father, sister, brother, grandmother, Say who is in a family picture/family tree:
grandfather This is my (mother, father, etc.). His/her name is _____.

I-my / he-his / she-her / you-your Ask and answer simple questions about family:
Do you have a sister/brother? Yes, I do. / No, I don’t.
Do you have a brother/sister? What is your brother/sister’s name? His /Her name is…
Yes, I do. / No, I don’t.
Describe family with tall/short, young/old, big/thin Read or listen to a sentence (She/he is tall/short, etc.) and
simple adjectives match to the best picture.
Draw and describe a person: This is my (friend, mom,
etc.). She is (tall/short, young/old, etc..).
Ask and answer simple Yes/No questions about family: Is
your brother old? Is your sister tall?

Colors Yellow, green, blue, red, black, white, orange, Ask and answer: What color do you like? I like ____.
pink, gray, purple, brown How about you?
 I have, she/he has… Use have/has to say color of people’s possessions (I have a
Does he/she have..? Yes, she/he does. No, he/she green book. He has a blue phone. She has red glasses).
doesn’t.
Write simple description of a friend. (Example: This is my
friend, Sami. He has a blue phone and a red book.)

Unit 1 tasks (students choose one): 1) Create a personal profile poster (name, colors I like, family, etc.); 2) Create a Role Play
and Perform it (Greeting, Intro, Questions about family); or 3) Create and label a family tree.
Unit 2: This is Our School
Topics Useful language Students can …
Classroom items Student, teacher, desk, board, pencil, pen, paper, Name items in a classroom,
backpack, computer, notebook, book, eraser, Label items in a classroom,
marker, calculator, pencil sharpener, ruler Ask about possession:
Is this your ….? / Are these your …?
This is my ….. / These are my…. Is that your ….? / Are those your …?
That is my….. / Those are my …
Is this your ….? / Are these your …?
Is that your …? / Are those your …?
Describe a Recycle language above. Describe a classroom
classroom Example (My classroom is big. There is a big board. There
There is a …. in my classroom. / There are (#) … are four windows. There are 40 desks. …)
in my classroom.
Is there ….? / Are there …? Ask about a classroom
Is there a flag in the classroom? Yes, there is./No, there
isn’t.
Are there computers in your classroom? Yes, there are.
No, there aren’t.

Classroom Language Take out your book, put away your book, turn to Follow simple instructions when spoken slowly and
page #, stand up, sit down, go to the board, clean clearly. (Teacher or student gives a command and student
up, line up, hand in your paper does it)

What page are we on? Can ask for help using basic phrases (what page are we
I don’t understand. on, I don’t understand, etc.)
 I can’t see the board.
Do I need a pen?
Can you repeat that?
Can you write it on the board?
Can I have an eraser?
Rooms in a School classroom, art room, music room, science lab, Label the rooms in a school
computer room, prayer room, school office, Ask/answer questions about own school (Is there a
library, gym, playing fields, courtyard, dormitory dormitory? Etc…).
Describe a school in writing (Example: I go to Ibn Battuta
Middle School. It has a big courtyard and many
classrooms. There is a music room and a science lab.
There isn’t an art room. I love my school).

School Subjects art, math, computer science, history, English, Say/what subjects he/she likes and dislikes,
chemistry, geography, PE, biology, Arabic, Islamic Say/write the room in which a class is held (We have
education subject in the name of room).
Ask about and fill in basic school schedule form:
What subject do you have at 8 o’clock? I have ___, in ___
room. How about you?

School activities Read, write, listen to, speak, watch, use, study, Say what activities you like and dislike,
sing, draw, sleep, play, eat Identify school activities from a picture, and when listening
and reading,
Use simple present to talk about routines. I/You/We/They
read. He/She/It reads.
Use simple present with have/has: I/You/We/They have
biology at 8 o’clock. He/She/It has math at 10:00.
Unit Tasks (students choose one): 1) Draw a map of your school. Label all the places.; 2) Write your school schedule. Write the
activities you do and where you do them. 3)Make a video to introduce your school. Tell people about the places in your school and
activities people do there.
GRADE 8
Welcome Back!

 Create a welcoming environment where students feel confident to use English.

 Assess students’ existing background knowledge and review through interactive activities.
 Focus on oral communication; use games and fun activities; use ICT (chants, videos, listening) or worksheets if possible.
Topics Useful language Students can begin to…
Alphabet A-Z Say the alphabet with English pronunciation.
Write the alphabet in order.
Listen to a letter name and write it.
Numbers 1-50 1-50 / one - fifty Read and match numbers.
Count and report the number. (5 pencils, 2 students, etc.,
for example)

Days of the week Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Say the days of the week in order.
Saturday, Sunday Say what day it is today.
Months of the year January-December Say the months of the year in order.
Say the date.
Four seasons winter, spring, summer, fall Say the four seasons.
Classroom objects table, desk, chair, book, paper, notebook, pencil, Identify and say objects in a classroom.
pen, marker, door, window, clock, board,
bookcase, scissors, ruler, eraser, flag, map,
backpack, calculator, vase, globe
Describing location above, below/under, next to, in front of, behind, Describe location of classroom objects.
of objects on, in, between
(prepositions of
location)
Summer activities What did you do this summer? Ask and respond to questions about their summer
vacation.
go/went hiking, play/played computer games,
go/went fishing, go/went shopping, play/played
sports, swim/swam, visit/visited a museum,
read/read, sleep/slept in a tent, have/had a
barbecue, eat/ate a lot of ice-cream
 Me too! / Not me!

Classroom stand up, work in groups/pairs, put away your Follow classroom instructions from the teacher.
instructions book, turn to page ____, take out your book, go
to the board, line up, hand in your paper, clean
up your area, raise your hand, close your book,
work in groups
Classroom language I have a question. Use classroom language to communicate needs to the
What page are we on? teacher.
Can you repeat that?
Can you speak more slowly?
How do you spell that?
I forgot my homework.
I need a/an _________.
I’m sorry I’m late.
Can I go to the restroom

Unit 1: I want to be a graphic designer

Topics Useful language Students can …
Jobs I want to be a _________. Identify various occupations.

cashier, fashion designer, computer programmer,

coach, farmer, entrepreneur, hair stylist, hotel
receptionist, journalist, mechanic, nurse, police
officer, taxi driver, salesperson, server,
veterinarian
Job-related places A ______ works in a _______. Identify where various people work.

field, salon, restaurant, store, car repair shop,

office, hotel
Job-related activities I like / enjoy / love _____________ing. Talk about what people do in their jobs.
I don’t like / don’t enjoy / don’t love ______ing.
Discuss the skills they like and don’t like doing.
 I am / I’m good at __________ing.
I am / I’m not good at _______ing. Explain what they are good/not good at doing.

He/She/It is good at _____________ing.

He/She/It is not good at __________ing.

You/We/They are good at ________ing.

You/We/They are not good at _____ing.

help animals, give medicine, create pictures,

travel, write reports, teach students, interview
people, do research, talk with people, help
people, use a computer, sell, take care of
people/animals, paint, meet people, fix things,
cook, bake, draw, take pictures
Personality traits I’m/I am _____________. Talk about your personality traits.
He / She is _____________.
You/We/They are __________.

friendly, talkative, serious, responsible,

hardworking, helpful, creative, shy, quiet

Unit Tasks (Students choose one): 1) create a job profile; 2) interview someone about their job; 3) create your own company
Unit 2: How about a snack?
Topics Useful language Students can …
Common foods and What do you like to eat? Identify and food/drinks people like and dislike.
drinks
I like / I don’t like _______. Ask and answer questions about food likes/dislikes.

I do too! / Me too. / Same here. / Me neither. Respond to someone else’s likes/dislikes.

What’s your favorite food?

What did you eat for breakfast/lunch/dinner?
 yogurt, eggs, sandwich, pizza, burger, salad, fruit,
vegetables, seafood, chicken, beef, pasta, cheese,
bread, couscous, soup

tea, coffee, juice, milk, water, soda, milkshake,

hot chocolate
Food and drink Fruit: apples, oranges, grapes, strawberries, Identify various foods from different food groups.
categories carrots, onions, potatoes, tomatoes, pumpkin,
lemon, beans

Dairy: cheese, milk, butter

Meat: beef, fish, chicken

Grains: rice, flour, couscous

Recipes and What do we need to buy? Identify and use quantifier words for foods.
shopping lists
Food quantifiers: Use the plural form of food and drinks when talking about
bunch of grapes/bananas shopping lists.
grams of ______
kilogram of ________
bag of _______
packet of _______
carton of _______
bag of ________

count nouns (a/an, -s, -es, -ies)

egg/eggs
sandwich/sandwiches
cherry/cherries

non-count nouns
sugar
butter
flour
 Fast food, desserts, Fast food: chicken wings, hot dog, French fries, Identify fast food, desserts and snack foods.
snacks burger, pizza, sandwich

Desserts: smoothie, cookies, donut, cupcake,

fruit salad, ice cream, cake

Snacks: popcorn, chocolate, pretzel sticks, chips,

nuts, cracker, fruit, candy
Ordering in a Can I help you? Responding to questions about ordering in a restaurant.
restaurant Would you like ____? Identify and use quantifiers with specific foods.
Do you prefer ____ or ____?
More quantifiers
(quantity words) May I have a _________?
Can I have a _________?
Do you have any ______?
I would like a _______.

Bottle of _______
Glass of _______
Cup of _______
Bag of ________
Bowl of _______
Pack of _______
slice of _______
loaf of ______
Box of _______
Bar of ______
bunch of _______
Carton of _______
can of ______
jar of _______
Head of _______

Unit Tasks (Students choose one): 1) make a cooking video; 2) make a global cookbook; 3) create a poster on good table manners
TIPS FOR TEACHING WITH LIMITED RESOURCES
Especially at the beginning level of English language learning, it is possible to support student
learning with few or no resources. Below are some tips to help you get started. Feel free to use
your own creative ideas too.
Presenting new vocabulary

 Draw quick stick figures to show the meaning of new words; If you have paper, draw it
on paper (rather than the blackboard) so that you can use and reuse the images
 Bring pictures from magazines, advertisements, and other free paper resources around
the community
 Use mime/gestures to convey meaning

Personalizing and using vocabulary

 Write sentence frames on the board and have students ask/answer questions in pairs.
For example:
Do you like ____? Do you have a/an ____?
Yes, I do! / No, I don’t. Yes, I do. / No, I don’t.

Practicing listening without audio equipment

 Read dialogs and short stories to students. Have them:
o Stand when they hear a particular word.
o Write down answers to questions you put on the blackboard.
o Act out what you say.
o Follow instructions you give orally.
o Draw a quick picture (stick figure) to show the meaning.

 Note that the scripts for audio are found in the teacher’s guide at the end of each unit.
You can read them to the class and have them answer questions.

Presenting grammar/phrases to students

 Elicit questions and answers using stick figure scenarios. You can also use simple key
words in speech bubbles and ask students to tell you the sentence. For example:
 Hi! How
_____ you? I _____
great,
_____ this thanks!
your Yes, his
brother? name
______
Mostafa.

From the above, the dialog could be:

Boy: Hi! How are you?
Girl: I’m great, thanks. And you?
Boy: I’m great! Is this your brother?
Girl: Yes, his name is Mostafa.

 Use a chart to elicit the key language. This should come after presenting a simple
scenario to make the content and use clear without a long explanation.

Practicing language (grammar and vocabulary integrated)

 Chants! Write a short dialog on the board. Chant with students. Then let students
practice in closed pairs.
 Song! Write the words to a song on the board. Sing it with students. If simple enough,
let students write the next verse using language they are learning.
 Information Gap. Give students a chart to complete with key information. They can
copy it in their notebook. Then circulate around the room and ask classmates. Example:
Name Brothers Sisters Visual support on board:
Hi! What’s your name?
My name is ____.
Do you have a brother?
Yes, I have 2 brothers.
No I don’t.
Do you have a sister?
 Play bingo. Students draw a grid in their notebooks. They write numbers, letters or
words from a set of choices. Then you show a picture or real item. If they have the
word on their bingo board, they circle it. When they get a row of three (any direction),
they call BINGO.
 Correct the mistake. Put students into pairs or small groups of 3-4. Each group
needs one piece of paper (or a small white/chalk board). The teacher writes a sentence,
word, phrase on the board with a mistake. All at the same time, the teams write the
same exact thing but without a mistake. The first team to get the correct answer gets a
point.
 Line up questions. Put students into two lines. Students should face one another.
Write a question on the board. Students ask and answer the question. After about 20
seconds, raise your hand so that students stop speaking. Have the first student in one
line move to the back. Now everyone has a new partner. Give another question.
 Disappearing dialog. Put a dialog using key language on the board. Have pairs
practice. Change pairs, but before the students begin, erase part of the dialog. Keep
changing pairs and erasing parts of the dialog.
 Dictation. Read a word or sentence to students. They write exactly what they hear.
You can also have them draw a picture of it to show the meaning.
 Gestures. Have students act out key words. The other students guess. To ensure all
students get a lot of practice, have students play in small groups.
 Picture guess. Have students draw pictures for words/phrases on the board. The
other students guess. To ensure all students get a lot of practice, have students play in
small groups.
 Listen and stand up. Prepare a short story or dialog for students that uses words
from the lesson. Give each row of students in the class a word to listen for. When they
hear the word, they stand up. Example:
I like to play basketball. I also like to play football. I don’t like to swim, but I
like to go to the beach. At the beach, I don’t swim. But I play football with my
friends. I don’t play basketball on the beach. I play basketball in the park.
There is a pool in the park, but I don’t swim there. I also play football in the
park.

 Guided writing. Give students a short writing to complete that is related to the topic.
For example, if you had a lesson on weather, they can write a short text to a friend
about the weather today. Or in a lesson about school subjects, they can write a social
media post about their favorite school subjects. On the board, show an example (or
parts of a text/email/social-media post/list that the students can finish).
8TH GRADE STUDENTS: MANAGING THE CURRENT SITUATION

Scenarios to Address the Knowledge Gap.

Given the gradual scaling up of English in Moroccan middle schools, during the academic
year 2024/2025, there is a gap among 8th grade students. Some students studied English in the
7th grade and others didn’t. Even students who studied English in the 7th grade were not able to
cover the whole syllabus due to late starts. To address this gap, teachers have to choose one of
the two scenarios that best fits their own context.
1. Case 1: 8th graders who didn’t study English in 7th grade can use Spotlight 1 this year,
giving teachers the possibility of using extra activities from Spotlight 2.
2. Case 2: 8th grade students who studied English in 7th grade need to use Spotlight 2.
However, teachers need to use the first two months to review basic learnings from the
7th grade. (Relying on Spotlight 1 syllabus)

Creative Practices to Address the Knowledge Gap

1. Peer Tutoring: Pairing students with prior exposure to English with those who lack it
encourages collaborative learning and increases student engagement.
2. Targeting small chunks of language: Breaking lessons into small, manageable
segments to target specific areas where students may be struggling.
3. Language Games: These can turn vocabulary review and grammar practice into fun,
engaging activities, especially when physical or visual aids are limited.
4. Flipped Classroom Approach: Assign simple reading, writing and review tasks for
home, focusing on class time for hands-on practice and interaction.

How Inspectors and Administration Can Help

1. Training Workshops: Organizing workshops on how to maximize the use of available
resources (books, visual aids, audios).
2. Monitoring and Feedback: Regular visits and detailed feedback can help teachers
adjust their methods and better meet the needs of their students.

CONCLUSION
Despite the challenges of teaching English during this transitional period, it is possible to
deliver quality English instruction by focusing on the creative use of available resources and
targeted teaching practices. By focusing on the essential learnings, supporting teachers through
professional development, and fostering innovative classroom strategies, Moroccan middle
schools can successfully navigate the challenges presented by the integration of English in grades
7, 8, and 9. Ultimately, overcoming these barriers will require the collective effort of teachers,
supervisors, and even the broader community to ensure students achieve meaningful language
proficiency despite the limitations.