We’ve made it to 50 episodes! Thanks to all our listeners for your continued support, we ❤️ you all!
In episode 50 we’re pressing on with Richard Osman’s wonderful debut novel The Thursday Murder Club, chapters 24-31.
Why not get your students to listen and read along?
Part 2 of our 2 part series on green movements in ELT is now live on the SoundCloud page.
Tim spoke to Colm Downes from the British Council’s Climate Action in Language Education department and Daniel Barber from ELT Footprint about the great work their organisations are doing to raise awareness of issues surrounding the climate crisis and drive change in the industry and wider society in general. Check it out!
If you want any further information about the movements and the topics discussed, take a look at the links below:
Colm Downes – British Council – Climate Action in Language Education
Website: https://www.britishcouncil.org/climate-connection/get-involved/action-language-education
The Climate Connection Podcast: https://www.britishcouncil.cn/en/teach/climate-connection/CALE/podcast
Daniel Barber – ELT Footprint Worldwide
Website: https://eltfootprint.org/
Twitter: @ELTfootprint
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/eltfootprint
Part 1 of our climate special on green movements in ELT is now live on our SoundCloud page.
We spoke to Harry Waters from Renewable English and Chris Etchells and Johanna Stirling from ELT Footprint UK about the great work their organisations are doing to raise awareness of the effects of climate change and strive towards a greener future!
Listen to the episode and then follow the links below to get involved in the movements!
Harry Waters – Renewable English
Website: renewableenglish.com/
Twitter: @Renewablenglish
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Renewable-English-100488502126874
Johanna Stirling & Christopher Etchells – ELT Footprint UK
Website: eltfootprint.uk/
Twitter: @ELTFootprintUK
NEW EPISODE! In Episode 47 Tim & Katy tell stories of some of the unluckiest people to have ever lived! Which one do you think is the unluckiest?
This great lesson plan by Alice at Hot Take English is based around one of the hard luck stories from this episode; why not set the podcast for homework and then use the lesson plan in the following class?
This is part 5 in our book club series on Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club. In this episode we look at chapters 18-23, discuss the things that happen and dig into some of the vocabulary.
Why not encourage your high level students to read and listen along with us? You’ll find the other 4 episodes on our SoundCloud page.
After a bit of an unexpected hiatus, we are back with a new episode of 2Ts in a Pod on the topic of shopping!
We understand how important it is to release podcast episodes on a regular basis and following a more regular timetable so we’re endeavouring to turn over a new leaf! You can expect more episodes soon! We’ve got 3 more in the can already!
This is a lesson plan by Katy Wright based around a clip from episode 24 of our podcast 2Ts in a Pod. In the episode we pay homage to the excellent Off Menu podcast by talking about our dream meals.
There are two versions of the lesson plan, one for B2 students and one for C1 based on two different clips from the episode. Download the handouts below:
Students listen to the clips, focus on some of the language used and then record themselves describing their own dream meals. They can then upload their videos/audio to Flipgrid.
This is a guest post by my friend, colleague and co-host of the podcast 2Ts in a pod, Katy Wright. It’s designed to help students preparing for the B2 first exam get to grips with some of the phrasal verbs and fixed expressions they might encounter in the exam. Students read a text about Jim’s forgotten dream, then try to recreate the text using key words. Download the student handout below:
A FORGOTTEN DREAM
Jim couldn’t stand his job. All he did all day was sit at his desk and pretended to work while watching the heavy rain outside his window. He was meant to be selling insurance on the phone, but he wasn’t very good at it. In fact, he had sold very few contracts. This was because all he had ever wanted to do was be an actor in Hollywood. He had loved acting when he was a teenager, but instead of going to America he studied Business and he put off looking for fame. “I’ll look into that when I have finished Uni” he said to himself. This was his biggest regret in life. On his way into work that day, his 15-year-old car broke down. Standing in the rain trying to change the tire he made up his mind. He wasn’t going to carry on like this. He was going to make a big change…
Jim hated (STAND) his job. All he did all say was sit at his desk and pretended to work while watching as it rained heavily (HEAVY) outside his window. He should have been (MEANT) selling insurance on the phone, but he wasn’t very good at it. In fact, he didn’t sell many (FEW) contracts. This was because all he had ever wanted to do was be an actor in Hollywood. He had loved acting when he was a teenager, but rather than go (OF) to America he studied Business and he postponed looking (PUT) for fame. “I’ll investigate (INTO) that when I have finished Uni” he said to himself. This was his biggest regret in life. On his way into work that day his 15-year-old car stopped working (DOWN). Standing in the rain trying to change the tire he made a decision (UP). He wasn’t going to continue like this any longer (ON). He was going to make a big change…
Middle:
End:
This is a conversation topic for B2+ students in which they discuss things that annoy them. First they study some expressions related to annoyance and anger, then put them to use in a discussion about different annoying habits. Download the student handout, key and Powerpoint below:
Warmer
Start by writing “Pet hates/peeves & Bugbears” on the board and give examples of some of your personal pet peeves using some of the expressions from the student handout.
Vocabulary Focus
Give out the handout and have students complete the expressions. Check answers in open class.
Instruct students to cover the handout, then show the first slide from the Powerpoint, students now need to remember the expressions using the words from the exercises on the handout:
STAND – I can’t stand it when…
The sentences are animated on the Powerpoint so you can reveal them one at a time.
Repeat for the expressions about anger.
Discussion
Put students in pairs or groups of three.
Go through the slides on the Powerpoint showing different annoying habits and behaviours.
For each slide encourage students to discuss their feelings about the topic and also think of a specific time in their lives when they’ve witnessed such behaviour, and how they reacted. If they can’t think of a specific time, encourage them to speculate about how they would react: “If I saw someone throwing litter out of a car window, I would lose my rag!”
Encourage students to share their opinions and experiences in open class.
Wrap up the activity by having students write a definitive list of 3 pet peeves/bugbears that they have.
For adult students or groups that you know well, you may want to teach slightly more explicit versions of the expressions:
Lose one’s shit
It fucks me off
Homework
Have students listen to our episode of 2Ts in a Pod on the topic of Pet Hates:
New Episode! This is the first in a new series of book club episodes based around Richard Osman’s brilliant page-turner “The Thursday Murder Club”. Tim and Katy discuss the plot a few chapters at a time and highlight some useful language. Try it out with your high-level students!