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
BOOKS........................................................................................................................ 4
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............................................................................................................ 18
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
My name is…. I’m…. clearly):
What’s your name? What’s your name?
Nice to meet you.

How are you? How are you? (speaking and writing, in a text for
I’m great / ok / not so good. example)

Classroom Stand up, Sit down, look, raise your Follow an instruction when spoken clearly and with
English hand, open your book, close your gestures to support understanding.
book, write, 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 Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Say the days of the week in order,
week Thursday, 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 Ask and answer the questions such as :
Information am 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 ____. / What grade are you in?
I’m 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 How do you spell it? Spell first and last name ,
that? How old are you? Listen and write the spelling of someone’s
What grade are you in? name,
What’s your phone number? Ask for, listen, and write someone’s age,
grade, phone number.

Family Mother, father, sister, brother, Say who is in a family picture/family tree:
grandmother, 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 brother/sister? Do you have a sister/brother? Yes, I do. / No, I
Yes, I do. / No, I don’t. don’t.
What is your brother/sister’s name? His /Her
name is…

Describe family tall/short, young/old, big/thin Read or listen to a sentence (She/he is

with simple tall/short, etc.) and match to the best picture.
adjectives 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, Ask and answer: What color do you like? I like
orange, pink, gray, purple, brown ____. How about you?

I have, she/he has… Use have/has to say color of people’s

Does he/she have..? Yes, she/he does. possessions (I have a green book. He has a
No, he/she doesn’t. blue phone. She has red glasses).

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, Name items in a classroom,
pen, paper, backpack, computer, Label items in a classroom,
notebook, book, eraser, marker, Ask about possession:
calculator, pencil sharpener, ruler Is this your ….? / Are these your …?
Is that your ….? / Are those your …?
This is my ….. / These are my….
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
There is a …. in my classroom. / There board. There are four windows. There are 40
are (#) … in my classroom. desks. …)
 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 Take out your book, put away your book, Follow simple instructions when spoken slowly
Language turn to page #, stand up, sit down, go to and clearly. (Teacher or student gives a
the board, clean up, line up, hand in command and student does it)
your paper
Can ask for help using basic phrases (what
What page are we on? page are we on, I don’t understand, etc.)
I don’t understand.
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 classroom, art room, music room, Label the rooms in a school
School science lab, computer room, prayer Ask/answer questions about own school (Is
room, school office, library, gym, there a dormitory? Etc…).
playing fields, courtyard, dormitory 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, Say/what subjects he/she likes and dislikes,
English, chemistry, geography, PE, Say/write the room in which a class is held (We
biology, Arabic, Islamic education have 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, Say what activities you like and dislike,
study, 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 Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Say the days of the week in order.
week Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday Say what day it is today.
Months of the January-December Say the months of the year in order.
year Say the date.
Four seasons winter, spring, summer, fall Say the four seasons.
Classroom table, desk, chair, book, paper, Identify and say objects in a classroom.
objects notebook, pencil, pen, marker, door,
window, clock, board, bookcase,
scissors, ruler, eraser, flag, map,
backpack, calculator, vase, globe
Describing above, below/under, next to, in front of, Describe location of classroom objects.
location of behind, on, in, between
objects
(prepositions of
location)
Summer What did you do this summer? Ask and respond to questions about their
activities 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 Follow classroom instructions from the teacher.
instructions away your 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 I have a question. Use classroom language to communicate needs
language What page are we on? to the 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 A ______ works in a _______. Identify where various people work.
places
field, salon, restaurant, store, car repair
shop, office, hotel
Job-related I like / enjoy / love _____________ing. Talk about what people do in their jobs.
activities 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. Explain what they are good/not good at doing.
I am / I’m not good at _______ing.

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 What do you like to eat? Identify and food/drinks people like and dislike.
and 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, Identify various foods from different food
categories strawberries, carrots, onions, potatoes, groups.
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
bunch of grapes/bananas talking about 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, Fast food: chicken wings, hot dog, Identify fast food, desserts and snack foods.
desserts, snacks French fries, 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 Would you like ____? restaurant.
Do you prefer ____ or ____? Identify and use quantifiers with specific foods.
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:
Visual support on board:
Hi! What’s your name?
My name is ____.
Do you have a brother?
 Yes, I have 2 brothers.

Name Brothers Sister

s

 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 8 th grade
students. Some students studied English in the 7 th grade and others didn’t.
Even students who studied English in the 7 th 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.