Image credit: old-fashioned-school-room.jpg By Robert Weissberg
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This is a conversation exercise for adult students (A2+) in which they talk about and compare their experiences at school. I have prepared this activity as a follow up to studying comparatives and superlatives so encourage students to compare their schools and personal experiences: Your school was stricter than mine.
Download the handout here:
Useful language:
We had to…
We weren’t allowed to…
We couldn’t…
We didn’t have to… (it wasn’t necessary)
(noun/gerund)… was compulsory
(noun/gerund)… was prohibited
Discussion questions
Put students into groups of 2-4 and have them discuss the questions and then feedback/report what they’ve learnt from their classmates to the rest of the class. For small groups conduct the discussion as a class.
- Where did you go to school?
- Can you describe your school?
- Did you have to wear a uniform? If so, what did it consist of?
- What time did you have to start school?
- What were the rules at your school?
- We had to…
- We weren’t allowed to…
- We couldn’t…
- (noun/gerund)… was compulsory
- (noun/gerund)… was prohibited/against the rules.
- Did you eat lunch at school?
- Who was the best teacher you had at school? Why?
- Who was the strictest teacher you had at school?
- What was your favourite subject?
- What was your least favourite subject?
- Describe a typical day at your school.
- What facilities did your school have? (gymnasium, swimming pool etc.)
- Have you been to your school recently? How much has it changed?
- Would you send your children to the same school?
- What things have changed for the better?
- What things have changed for the worse?
- Who was your best friend at school?
- Are you still friends with them now?
- Do you think school is easier or more difficult nowadays? Why?
Homework: Write an essay comparing and contrasting modern schools to schools in the past. Or a “day in the life” description of your school experience.