Here is a link to a prezi with various discussion topics. They were selected with adults in mind but some will work with teens too, enjoy.
Month: November 2013
Word Formation List FCE/CAE/CPE
Just a quick note…
Before you use these materials… We’ve created a new podcast aimed at B2+ level English students and teachers alike. You can listen for free at our SoundCloud page below. You can download teacher’s notes to accompany them from our Facebook page or from this blog. All comments and feedback welcome! Give us a like and a share 😉
https://www.facebook.com/2tspodcast/
Word Formation List
Thanks to Valerie Collins for bringing this great list to my attention.
Useful FCE websites
Great resources for FCE. Thanks Sandy!
Here are all of the useful websites I can find to help students preparing for the Cambridge First Certificate exam. Please let me know if there are any broken links, or if you find something you think I should add.
General
Great website, full of tips, especially for Reading, Use of English and Writing. I’d definitely recommend students look at the word bank every day, and that teachers try to make use of those words in their classes to motivate students to use it! There is also a bank of writing showcasing all of the different text types, including teacher feedback.
http://www.cambridgeesol.org/exams/fce/index.html
The official Cambridge FCE website, with information about the length of the papers and the task types, as well as some free materials to download.
http://firstcertificate.wordpress.com/
Three sites aimed at students. All include information, tips and exercises covering all parts of the exam.
http://tefltastic.wordpress.com/worksheets/exams/cambridge-exams/fce/
Alex Case’s…
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Desert Island Problem Solving Speaking Activity
Follow me on twitter @RobbioDobbio
Before you use these materials… We’ve created a new podcast aimed at B2+ level English students and teachers alike. You can listen for free at our SoundCloud page below. We have released 5 episodes so far and you can download teacher’s notes to accompany them from our Facebook page or from this blog. All comments and feedback welcome! Give us a like and a share 😉
https://www.facebook.com/2tspodcast/
Task handout:
https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=79CFF252BEEA0A7D!503&authkey=!ABjaGRY8sNM-iRU
Language handout:
https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=79CFF252BEEA0A7D!504&authkey=!AICWqGyfQ2DTrCE
It’s an old classic but as they say, the old ones are the best!
Warm up questions
What’s the most remote place you’ve ever visited?
Did you spend the night there?
Do you like camping?
Have you ever slept under the stars?
Would you consider it?
What’s the most dangerous natural environment you’ve been in? Jungle? Desert?
What things do you always take with you on holiday?
Part 1:
Give out desert island and language handouts and explain the situation.
Task:
You have been selected to take part in a social experiment. You and your group will be taken to a desert island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. You will have to survive there for a year without contact with the outside world. The island has:
- Fresh water
- Banana trees
- Coconut palms
The climate is mild (not too hot, not too cold) first individually make a list of 8-10 things you think you will need to survive. Then, as a group you will have to decide on 8 things, list them in order of importance.
Students think of their own personal lists first.
In groups they first list all the possible problems they will encounter, then decide on a list of items that will help with these problems.
Students present their lists to class explaining their decisions.
Part 2:
Students must go into more depth about how their island will work.
Students must decide on:
- Roles and responsibilities
- Division of labour
- Leadership
- Justice / punishment / laws /rules
- Decision making
Students present their system to the class, other groups can ask questions.
Language:
We’re definitely going to need ________________
__________________ will be vital / essential / extremely useful / completely useless / a waste of space
I can’t live without ____________________
Making Suggestions
I think we should……………….
I reckon we ought to…………………
Why don’t we………………………..
How about / what about + gerund………………………….
Agreeing / Disagreeing
| Agreeing | Disagreeing | Ending an argument: |
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Quizicon’s 100 most common words quiz
A cool and surprisingly difficult quiz!
What are the most common words in English and how can this question help FCE students prepare for Open Cloze exercises?
In this simple online quiz from Quizicon you have 5 minutes to guess the 100 most common words in English. Simple, eh? And a good challenge! And, guess what, these words all happen to be articles, determiners, pronouns, auxiliary verbs, modals, prepositions, possessive adjectives, linkers, etc, ie. exactly the kinds of words students need to be aware of when completing an open cloze.
When I’ve done this with my students they’ve enjoyed the challenge and on one occasion even asked to try it again! I found it an interesting way to introduce the exam exercise and it was a good way to get the students working together – I had one student typing while the rest were calling out suggestions for him to type.
If you know any other…
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Error Correction Techniques
Some really nice error correction techniques.
HOT or COLD?
As English teachers, we know that making mistakes is the proof of learning, but the question is how we can handle these mistakes. We need to sharpen our error correction skills in order not to demotivate our students.
There are two kinds of error correction techniques:
- Hot correction: As soon as we notice a student making an error while we are presenting the language or practicing activities, we can ask CCQs (concept checking questions) that focus on meaning and form.We should encourage self correction first and then peer correction if needed.
Also within hot correction, we can use Quick fire Drills, these are:
- Repetition drills: In this type,teacher first models the target language then students at first drill chorally, then individually.
- Backchaining: For longer utterences this is a useful type. In it the language is in chunks and it is drilled from the end backwards.
e.g.
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The €100,000 question, conversation topic
Put your students in groups of 3 and ask them the following question:
What would you do with €100,000?
Give them 2 minutes to share their ideas, then have them report each other’s answers to the class. (each person reports someone else from their group’s answer)
Did anyone give it to charity?
Give out the following handout:
https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=79CFF252BEEA0A7D!452&authkey=!AB2H6x3IinOC6wE
In their groups students discuss the problem and then present their ideas to the class.
As a wrap up ask the students which suggestions they thought were the best, see if they can come to an agreement as a class on how to give the money away.
Task:
A long lost aunt that you didn’t know you had has recently passed away. In her will she left your group €100,000 with a note saying it should be given away to “make the world a better place.” Decide in your groups who you are going to give it to.
Making Suggestions
I think we should……………….
I reckon we ought to…………………
Why don’t we………………………..
How about / what about + gerund………………………….
Agreeing / Disagreeing
| Agreeing | Disagreeing | Ending an argument: |
|
|
|
CAE writing a book review
Before you use these materials, why not check out our new podcast for learners and teachers alike? It’s called 2Ts in a Pod, have a listen here:
This is a lesson plan to set up students for the review writing task in part 2 of the CAE writing paper.
To begin with go through the following conversation questions either as a class or split into small groups.
Did you enjoy reading when you were growing up?
Which book made the biggest impression on you when you were younger?
Where / When did the events of the book take place?
Describe the plot.
Describe the characters.
Why did you enjoy the book so much?
Have you reread the book now that you are older? What did you think?
Will people still be reading books in 50 years?
How do you think reading culture will change?
Ask students for the titles of some of their favourite books, put them on the board and brainstorm the plot, characters etc.
Tell students that for home work this week they are going to write a review of a book which had a profound affect on them when they were growing up. It could be a children’s book or a book they read when they were a teenager. A review is always in part 2 of the writing paper so the word limit is 220 – 260 words. Their review should include:
- a brief description of the story / plot
- the reasons why they enjoyed it / why it had such an impact on them
- who they would recommend it to
Here is a link to my prezi which will talk the students through how to go about it.
http://prezi.com/tvjva9mynbsj/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy&rc=ex0share
Here is a link to the handout that goes with the prezi:
https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=79CFF252BEEA0A7D!423&authkey=!AAw6I4WaWW6ghR0
The prezi contains references to the text book I am using with my students: Spotlight on CAE.
Zombies in the classroom
Here is another fantastic activity from Adam Simpson’s blog. Using interactive youtube videos in the classroom to practice a range of structures.
Games to use in the classroom
Here’s a link to a great blog with templates for some great games to revise vocabulary and grammar:
Tim's Free English Lesson Plans 