Posted in Teacher Training

Delta Module 1: Quizlet Sets

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Image credit:The London School

Follow me on twitter @RobbioDobbio

This is a post for English teachers taking the Cambridge Delta course. While studying for the module 1 exam, I made these quizlet flashcard sets to help me revise, and it seemed to work because I got a distinction! Follow the links below to check them our for yourself.

Posted in Vocabulary Classes

Online Dating: Compound Adjectives

Image credit: www.hercampus.com

Follow me on twitter @RobbioDobbio

This is the lesson plan I designed for my DELTA vocabulary assignment. It is designed for B2 students. Students read online dating profiles and decide if the people are compatible and then learn compound adjectives and put them to use in a discussion. Download the students’ materials, powerpoint and lesson plans below:

My Lesson Plan for assessed class +procedure – Teacher’s procedure

Online Dating powerpoint

Dating Profiles materials – Students’ handout

Teacher’s notes

Activity Time
1.     First slide –Title, ask: “What do people put their dating profiles?”

2.     Give out handouts, what are the titles? Teach turn ons and offs

3.     Sts read, are they compatible?

4.     Task check across class: Why? Why not?

5.     Any doubts? Deal with compounds after.

6.     Students underline compound adjectives – show slide 2, underline them as task check

7.     Meaning matchdo first one as an example: 1-C

Answers: 1-c, 2-e, 3-f, 4-L, 5-g, 6-k, 7-a, 8-b, 9-d, 10-h, 11-I, 12-j

Task check with powerpoint.

8.     Form match in pairs

Task check on powerpoint

9.     Sts check which ones end in an extra syllable. Do first two as an example. Identify stressed syllable: First in second word. Fun and loving stressed.

10.                        Mumble drill first two. “Practice saying the first two to yourself quietly. Then say them to your partner.”

11.                        Controlled practice questions. In pairs, ask first question to your partner, they remember the compound. Example with strong pair (Aris and whoever)

12.                        New questions, new compounds.  Do top up in OC:

·        Opposite of dark-haired – light/fair-haired.

·        Someone with dark skin – dark-skinned

·        Someone with green eyes – green-eyed (jealous/envious)

 

Work with a partner, try to guess the compound. Do first one as an example. Ask to class. MAN-EATING CROCODILE

13.                        Practice: Discussion. What are your preferences for appearance? Do you like brown or blonde-haired men and women? “I like brown-eyed women because their eyes are very mysterious.”

14.                        Wrap-up/top-up. Look at boarded vocabulary. Work on pronunciation. Maybe do opposites etc: badly-paid, badly-educated. Dark/light-skinned etc.

15:05

 

 

 

15:15

 

 

15:18

 

15:23

 

 

 

15:28

 

 

 

 

15:37

 

15:42

 

 

15:45

 

 

 

 

 

 

15:55

 

 

 

16:00

 

Procedure

Stage Time Focus Procedure Aim
Pre-reading 5 mins pairs Sts discuss the typical information people put on dating profiles. To engage students top-down knowledge of relationships and online dating
Reading 10 mins Pairs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OC

Sts read Jon and Sally’s dating profiles. Then decide if the two are compatible in pairs.

 

 

 

 

 

Feed back in open class, T encourages discussion.

To introduce compound adjectives in context. To develop students receptive understanding of compounds

 

 

To check sts understanding of the text

Language Focus: Meaning 2 mins

 

 

 

5 mins

 

Pairs

 

 

 

 

 

 

OC

Sts underline all the compound adjectives in the two texts.

 

 

Sts match compound adjectives to their definitions on handout.

 

Task check across class and using powerpoint to confirm

To check sts ability to identify compound adjectives.

 

To develop sts understanding of the meaning of the target language.

Language Focus: Form 5 mins Pairs

 

 

 

OC

Sts group compound adjectives based on their form

 

 

Task check using powerpoint.

To develop sts understanding of the different compound adjective patterns.
Language Focus: Pronunciation 2 mins

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5 mins

Pairs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

pairs

Sts contrast the “-ed” compounds that end with /ɪd/ with those that end /d/ and the stress patterns in the different forms.

T highlights rules on powerpoint:

·         ends in “t” or “d” –ed = /id/ extra syllable

·         others –ed = /d/

·         noun is stressed in noun + present participle compounds (fun-loving)

 

Sts use phonemic script from handout to mumble drill target language individually then practice in pairs. T monitors and corrects.

To highlight different forms of pronouncing “-ed” endings and stress patterns in compound adjectives.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To practice the pronunciation of compounds.

Vocabulary practice 10 mins Pairs

 

 

 

 

OC

Sts ask and answer first set of questions on handout which elicit the target language. T monitors, reactively helping with pron.

 

T tops up:

·         Opposite of dark-haired – light/fair-haired.

·         Someone with dark skin – dark-skinned

·         Someone with green eyes – green-eyed (jealous/envious)

 

Sts answer 2nd set of questions to attempt to identify new compound adjectives by applying the rules of form they have just learned.

To consolidate meaning of target language, practice pronunciation and increase chances of retention.

To encourage autonomous application of the rules of compounding.

Personalised practice 10 mins Pairs

 

 

 

 

 

 

OC

Sts discuss their hair and eye colour preferences in pairs. Then decide on the 2 best and worst personality characteristics for a partner.

T monitors and boards emergent language.

 

Feed back to open class looking for agreement/disagreement and discussion.

To encourage creative use of the target language and make sts process it at a deeper cognitive level.
Wrap-up/topping-up 5 mins pairs T draws students’ attention to boarded emergent language and tidies up doubts and pronunciation errors. To exploit learning opportunities with emergent language.

Materials

Read Jon and Sally’s dating profiles below. Do you think they are compatible? Why? Why not?

 Jon, 26 years old, Edinburgh.

I’m a hard-working medical student from Aberdeen in Scotland. I go to the gym four times a week so I’m quite well-built. I do a lot of voluntary work and I’m training to be a doctor.

Turn-ons

I’m crazy about blonde-haired, blue-eyed women, I find them really attractive. I like women who are open-minded because I love travelling and trying new experiences.

Turn-offs

I really don’t like selfish people, with some people it’s all “me, me, me” and I can’t stand that. Another big turn-off for me is narrow-minded people, there are so many wonderful places to visit and people to meet in the world and I can’t wait to get started.

 

Sally, 25 years old, York.

I’m a fun-loving advertising executive from York in northern England. My job is well-paid but quite stressful so I like to have a good time at the weekends. I also like to do sport and help out at the local children’s hospital once a month.

Turn-ons

I’m into dark-haired mysterious men, but the most important thing for me is that they are kind-hearted, adventurous and have a good sense of humour. I read a lot and like having a good debate so I’m looking for someone who is well-educated.

Turn-offs

The biggest turn-off for me is big-headed guys, I can’t bear people who think they are better than others. I also don’t like bad-tempered people, I’m an optimist and I always try to see things in a positive way.

 

Read the texts and underline all the compound adjectives you can find.

 

Language focus

Match the compound adjective (1-12) to its definition (A-L)

1.      I’m a hard-working medical student. A.     Someone who often gets angry.
2.      I’m crazy about blonde-haired, blue-eyed women. B.      Someone who is strong and has muscles.
3.      I’m a fun-loving PhD student.

 

C.      Someone who works hard.
4.      I’m looking for someone who is well-educated. D.     Someone who is nice and generous.
5.      I don’t like big-headed people. E.      Someone who has blonde hair. Someone who has blue eyes.
6.      My job is well-paid but stressful. F.      Someone who likes to socialise and have a good time.
7.      I also don’t like bad-tempered people. G.     An arrogant person who thinks they are better than others.
8.      I go to the gym four times a week so I’m quite well-built. H.     Someone with brown or black hair.
9.      The most important thing for me is that they are kind-hearted. I.        Someone who is open to different opinions and activities.
10.  I’m into dark-haired mysterious men. J.        An intolerant person who doesn’t listen to other people’s opinions.
11.  I like women who are open-minded because I love travelling. K.      Something you earn a good salary for.
12.  Another big turn-off for me is narrow-minded people. L.       An intelligent person with a good education.

Form

Put the different compound adjectives in the correct box:

A.     Adjective + noun + -ed

1.      Narrow-minded

2.      _________________________

3.      _________________________

4.      _________________________

5.      _________________________

6.      _________________________

7.      _________________________

8.      _________________________

B.     Adverb + past participle

1.      Well-built

2.      __________________________

3.      __________________________

 

C.     Adjective/noun + …ing

1.      _________________________

2.      _________________________

 

 

 

Pronunciation

Look at the phonemic script of the compound adjectives:

  • In which adjective is the “-ed” pronounced as an extra syllable?
  • Which syllable is stressed in the compound adjectives?
  1. Blue-eyed – | bluːˈaɪd |
  2. Well-educated – | welˈedʒʊkeɪtɪd |
  3. Blonde-haired – | blɒndˈheəd |
  4. Big-headed – | bɪɡˈhedɪd |

What’s different about the stress in this one?

  1. Fun-loving |ˈfʌnˈlʌvɪŋ |

Practice

Take turns to ask these questions to your partner to test your memory.

  1. What do you call someone with blue eyes?
  2. What do you call someone with blonde hair?
  3. What do you call someone who has dark hair?
  4. What do you call someone who has a good education?
  5. What do you call a job with a good salary?
  6. What do you call an arrogant person?
  7. What do you call a person who is often angry?
  8. What do you call someone who is open to new experiences and opinions?
  9. What do you call someone who isn’t open to new experiences and opinions?
  10. What do you call someone with muscles?
  11. What do you call a nice, generous person?
  12. What do you call someone who isn’t lazy?
  13. What do you call an active, sociable person?

Use the different forms of compounding to make more compound adjectives to answer the questions.

  1. What do you call a crocodile that eats men?
  2. What do you call someone who writes with their left hand?
  3. What do you call a job with a bad salary?
  4. What do you call a child that behaves well?
  5. What do you call someone who looks good?

Discussion

Discuss these questions with your partner using the compound adjectives.

Appearance

  1. Do you prefer a specific hair or eye colour for a man/woman?
  2. Do you find muscles attractive?

Personality and lifestyle

  1. Is it important that your partner has a good salary? Why/why not?
  2. What are the two best personality characteristics for a partner? Why?
  3. What are the two worst? Why?
Posted in Conversation Classes, Listening Classes

Giving Advice: The Best Way to Quit Smoking

Image credit: tips.pk

Follow me on twitter @RobbioDobbio

I’m running the Barcelona Half-Marathon dressed as David Bowie to raise money for Cancer Research, sponsor me here:

https://www.justgiving.com/Timothy-Warre/

This is a lesson plan for B1+ students on the topic of quitting smoking in which students learn the language of asking for, giving, accepting and rejecting advice and using it in a role-play. I prepared and taught this class as part of my productive skills assignment for the DELTA at International House Barcelona.

Download all the materials below:

giving-advice-problem-cards – Role Cards

Smoking TWarre Prod Skills – Powerpoint

TWarre prod skills listening comp qs – Listening questions

TWarre Prod Skills Procedure – Procedure/Teacher’s notes

TWarre prod skills sts handout – Student hand out

Audio File

Procedure:

Stage Time Focus Procedure Aim
Speaking  1 3 mins Closed pairs

 

 

 

OC

Sts ask and answer questions about smoking from 1st slide of powerpoint (pp)

 

Give opportunities for 1 or 2 sts to explain how they quit.

To engage top-down knowledge and personalise topic.

Lead in to pre-listening.

Pre-listening 5 mins Closed pairs

 

 

 

 

OC

 

 

 

 

Closed pairs

Sts brainstorm different ways to quit. Board any that are different to the 4 on slide 2: nicotine gum/patches, e-cigarettes, hypnosis.

 

 

Show 2nd slide, board pronunciation of cigarette, patches and hypnosis. Drill briefly.

/sɪɡə’ret/ /ˈpætʃɪz/ /hɪpˈnəʊsɪs/

 

Sts answer questions at bottom of 2nd slide.

To activate top-down knowledge further and pre-teach some vocab for listening.

 

To check and improve pronunciation.

 

 

Sts react to content.

Listening 5-10 mins Closed pairs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OC

Introduce characters and situation from listening with 3rd slide.

 

 

Give out listening comprehension handout. Sts listen and answer 3 questions from handout:

1.       What methods does Joanne recommend?

2.       What methods does Ian recommend?

3.       Which method does Katy decide to try?

Replay as needed, break into two parts if necessary.

 

Check answers across class.

 

Give out handout, sts listen again with tape script. “Any questions?”

To ground sts in the situation of the listening.

 

TAVI exercise to aid sts listening comprehension. Secondary aim: to introduce exponents of advice in context.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To clear up doubts.

Language focus 10 mins Closed pairs

 

 

 

 

 

 

OC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OC/closed pairs

Sts categorise the exponents listed on the handout by meaning. Elicit correct categories for first 2/3. Show slide 4 with first 3 in correct categories.

 

While sts do this board all exponents  in categories, add phonetic script for pronunciation focus:

Drill pronunciation of:

If I were you, I’d…

/ɪf ˈaɪ wə ju: aɪd/ Stress “I” and “you”

That’s a good idea

/ðæts ə ɡʊd aɪˈdɪə/ stress “that’s”

Why don’t you try

/waɪ dəʊnt jə traɪ/ notice weak “you” compared to in “If I were you”

 

Sts analyse grammar of components. Use 5th slide to give examples, then answers.

Focus on meaning

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Focus on form: pronunciation, elements of connected speech.

 

 

 

 

Focus on form: grammar, verb patterns.

Speaking – controlled practice 1 2 mins Grps of 3 Sts use the transcript to practice the dialogue from listening.

 

Monitor and correct pronunciation.

Controlled practice of exponents without pressure of creating new sentences.
Writing + speaking controlled practice 2 5-10 mins OC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grps of 3

Sts write their own dialogue. Explain that we’ll do an example together on the board. Students don’t write anything yet.

 

Label one strong group of students A-C, choose strongest student to be A.

 

Give A a problem card.

 

Using cued dialogue on 6th slide model a dialogue on the board.

 

Sts create their own dialogues in the space on the handout. Monitor and correct written form, board vocabulary.

 

Sts read their dialogues.

Scaffolded controlled practice of exponents without performance pressure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spoken controlled practice.

Speaking controlled practice 3 10 mins Rotating groups of 3 A’s stand up and rotate to the next group. They explain their problem to the new group who give them advice. Less structured, A is now free to accept/reject advice.

 

Repeat until all A’s have spoken to all groups.

Less scaffolded controlled speaking practice.
Wrap-up 5 mins OC A’s tell class the best advice they received. Focus sts attention to emergent language. Sts respond to activity + develop fluency.

Student’s handout

Transcript

Katy: Hi guys, I need your help with a problem I’m having. I want to give up smoking but I’m finding it very difficult. What should I do?

Joanne: Well, if I were you, I’d try to stop smoking gradually. You know, smoke 10 cigarettes today, then 9 tomorrow, 8 the next day until you’ve stopped.

Katy: Hhmmm, I don’t think that’ll work. I tried it last year and it was too difficult.

Ian: I think you should buy an electronic cigarette. My girlfriend has one and she loves it!

Katy: I’m not sure. I think they’re bad for me too.

Joanne: Ok well, why don’t you try nicotine chewing gum or patches? My sister used them to give up.

Katy: Ok, that’s a good idea.

Ian: Or you could try hypnosis, my friend Sarah is a hypnotist, I could give you her number.

Katy: Hhmm, maybe not. I think I’ll try the nicotine chewing gum. Thanks for your advice guys.

Language

Put the expressions in bold (1-10) in the correct box (A-D)

  1. What should I do?
  2. If I were you, I’d try to stop smoking gradually.
  3. I don’t think that’ll work.
  4. I think you should buy an electronic cigarette.
  5. I’m not sure. I think they’re bad for me too.
  6. Why don’t you try nicotine chewing gum or patches?
  7. Ok, that’s a good idea.
  8. You could try
  9. Hhmm, maybe not. I think I’ll try the nicotine chewing gum.
  10. I recommend giving up gradually
A.      Asking for advice. B.      Giving advice. C.      Accepting advice. D.      Rejecting advice.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grammar

Look at the expressions in the language exercise, how does the grammar work?

  1. If I were you, I’d try to stop smoking gradually.

If I were you, I’d + BASE FORM (stop/go/have/buy etc.)

  1. I think you should buy an electronic cigarette.

I think you should + __________________________________

  1. Why don’t you try nicotine chewing gum or patches?

Why don’t you + _____________________________________

  1. You could try hypnosis/going to a hypnotist.

You could try + _________________________________________

  1. I recommend giving up gradually.

I recommend + _______________________________________

Now practice the dialogue in groups of 3, one person is Katy, one is Ian and one is Joanne.

Writing a new dialogue

Write a new dialogue with your group, you HAVE TO follow the structure below.

A: Hi guys, I need your help with a problem I’m having. (Explain problem)____________________________. What should I do?

B: Well, if I were you, I’d (gives advice) ____________________.

A: (rejects advice) ___________________________.

C: (gives advice) ___________________________.

A: (rejects advice) ____________________________.

B: Ok well, (gives advice) ___________________________.

A: (rejects advice) ____________________________.

C: (gives advice) ______________________________.

A: (accepts advice) __________________________. Thanks for your advice guys!

Posted in Conversation Classes, Vocabulary Classes

Where I live – Prepositions of place

my map

Follow me on twitter @RobbioDobbio

I’m running the Barcelona Half-Marathon dressed as David Bowie to raise money for Cancer Research, sponsor me here:

https://www.justgiving.com/Timothy-Warre/

This is a vocabulary lesson for pre-intermediate – intermediate students. Students will describe the area they live in and learn some prepositions of place.

Download the students’ hand out and teacher’s lesson plan below:

Where I live teachers handout

Where I live student handout

Warmer

Write the two questions on the board and have students complete them in open class.

 

  1. What area of the city ____ _____ live _____?
  2. What street ___ ____ live ____?

What area of the city do you live in?

What street do you live on?

Students ask and answer the questions in pairs.

Reading Comprehension

Introduce me as a character using the picture below:

Tim is an English teacher who lives in Barcelona.

Students read the text and answer the questions. Then check in open class.

Read the text and look at the map. Then answer the questions (1-9)

I live in Raval on Carrer de la Cera. When I want to go out for dinner I have a lot of options. There is a Burger King opposite my house. If I want pizza, there is a pizza restaurant next to my house. There is an excellent tapas restaurant under my house, and if I feel like a kebab there are 3 kebab shops around the corner!

Kebabs, hamburgers and pizzas aren’t very healthy so I need to exercise. Fortunately, there are two sports centres close to my house. One problem is that the academy where I work is far from my house, but I can catch the bus there from the bus stop in front of Pia School.

  1. What area of the city do I live in?
  2. What street do I live on?
  3. What is opposite my house?
  4. What is next to my house?
  5. What is under my house?
  6. What is around the corner from my house?
  7. What is close to my house?
  8. What is the problem about where I live?
  9. Where do I catch the bus to work?

Concept Checking

Use the positions of the students in the class or a pen and bottle to check students’ understanding of the prepositions. For example, hold the pen next to the bottle and ask “Where is the bottle?” elicit the prepositions from students. Sts do the same in pairs.

Memory gap-fill

Have this printed on the back of the handout, students flip the sheet over and try to remember the prepositions, they can refer to the map to help them, encourage them to work in pairs.

Can you remember the prepositions?

I live __ Raval __ Carrer de la Cera. When I want to go out for dinner I have a lot of options. There is a Burger King _______ my house. If I want pizza, there is a pizza restaurant _______ my house. There is an excellent tapas restaurant _______ my house, and if I feel like a kebab there are 3 kebab shops __________________!

Kebabs, hamburgers and pizzas aren’t very healthy so I need to exercise. Fortunately, there are two sports centres __________ my house. One problem is that the academy where I work is __________ my house, but I can catch the bus there from the bus stop ___________ Pia School.

Draw a map and describe your area

Using the map of the area around your school that you drew on the board earlier, elicit a description using the prepositions in open class, for example: There is a bakery opposite the school, there is a bus stop in front of the school. Draw in the features as the students describe them. Then tell students to draw a map of the area around their house on a piece of paper and describe it to their partner, help with vocab for shops etc, students then change partners and describe their area to someone new.

Follow up/Homework

Students write a paragraph describing their area for homework for the next day using as many of the prepositions as they can.

Posted in Grammar Classes, Reading Classes

Mysteries of the Ancient World: Past Modals of Speculation

Image credit: www.english-heritage.org.uk

Follow me on twitter @RobbioDobbio

This is a grammar lesson on the theme of mysterious ancient monuments. I taught this class as my assessed lesson for the grammar assignment of my DELTA. Download the procedure, powerpoint and handouts below.

Let me know if the lesson procedure is clear enough as it’s written in Cambridge DELTA speak!

Lesson Procedure Past Speculation 3rd draft

The Mystery of Stonehenge 3rd draft – Students’ handout

The Mystery of Stonehenge Teacher’s copy with key – answers underlined

Mysteries of the ancient world 2nd draft – Powerpoint with pictures

The Mystery of Stonehenge – Students’ Handout

Thousands of years ago, an ancient civilization raised a circle of huge, roughly rectangular stones in a field in what is now Wiltshire, England. Stonehenge, as it would come to be called, has been a mystery ever since. Building began on the site around 3100 B.C. and continued in phases up until about 1600 B.C. No written records exist to explain how or why it was built.

How was Stonehenge built?

The biggest of Stonehenge’s stones, known as sarsens, are up to 30 feet (9 meters) tall and weigh 25 tons (22.6 metric tons) on average. Scientists believe that they must have been brought from Marlborough Downs, a distance of 20 miles (32 kilometers) to the north. Transporting the stones that distance can’t have been easy.

Smaller stones, referred to as “bluestones” (they have a bluish tinge when wet or freshly broken), weigh up to 4 tons and come from several different sites in western Wales, having been transported as far as 140 miles (225 km). It’s unknown how people in antiquity moved them that far. Scientists speculate that during the last ice age glaciers might have carried these bluestones closer to the Stonehenge area. An earlier theory was that the builders could have used rafts to transport the stones over the water. However, more recent research suggests that this method can’t have been used because of the weight of the stones.

  1. Where do scientists think the Sarsen stones came from?
  2. What does the writer say about transporting the Sarsen stones?
  3. Where did the blue stones come from?
  4. How do scientists think the blue stones were transported to the site?

What was Stonehenge?

There are a number of theories as to what the site was used for. Archaeologists agree that the site must have had a spiritual significance. It may have originally been a cemetery, according to a new study. After examining bones exhumed near the stones, scientists believe that the burials must have taken place at the same time as Stonehenge was built, suggesting that the stones could have been gravestones for religious or political elite.

  1. What are scientists certain about the significance of Stonehenge?
  2. Scientists are sure that Stonehenge was a cemetery T/F

Stonehenge may have been constructed with the sun in mind. One avenue connecting the monument with the nearby River Avon aligns with the sun on the winter solstice; archaeological evidence reveals that pigs were slaughtered at Stonehenge in December and January, suggesting that ancient pagan sun celebrations might have taken place there.

Steven Waller, a researcher in archaeoacoustics has revealed that before part of the ring collapsed it must have had excellent acoustics and speculates that it might have been an ancient concert hall or cathedral.

  1. Why do scientists think the builders chose the location for the stones?
  2. What other events possibly happened at Stonehenge?
  3. What does Steven Waller say about Stonehenge?

Wild theories about Stonehenge have persisted since the Middle Ages. Some say Merlin the wizard may have cast a spell to make the rocks as light as a feather to help with the construction. UFO enthusiasts believe that ancient aliens could have built Stonehenge as a spacecraft landing pad.

  1. What unscientific methods for Stonehenge’s construction have been suggested?

Form – Past modal verbs of speculation

Look at the sentences on the board and complete the table

Subject          + Modal           + _____________     + _____________
I

You

He/she/it

Etc.

Could

Might

May

Must

Can’t

 

 

_______

…………………

…………………

…………………

…………………

Etc.

Practice – Memory Test

Answer the questions with your partner using past modals.

  1. What did the text say about transporting the larger Sarsen stones?
  2. What did the text say about glaciers?
  3. What are scientists sure about the significance of Stonehenge?
  4. What did the researcher in archaeoacoustics say about Stonehenge?
  5. What were some of the more wild theories about its use?

Easter Island Heads

  1. Scientists are almost certain that the stones had a religious significance.

Scientists believe that the stones________________________________ a religious significance.

  1. Scientists think that it’s impossible that the stones came from a different island.

Scientists think that the stones _________________________________ from a different island.

  1. It’s possible that the stones were carved to resemble a famous leader of the tribe.

The stones _____________________________________ to resemble a famous leader of the tribe.

  1. Some people believe that there’s a possibility that the stones came from another planet. Some people believe that the stones _______________________________________from another planet.

Lesson Procedure

Stage Time Focus Procedure Aim
Pre-reading 5 mins OC

 

 

 

In pairs

Show picture of Stonehenge. Ask if anyone has been there. Share information with class.

 

Sts speculate. How old is it? How was it built? What was it?

Introduce topic. To allow sts to apply top-down knowledge
Reading 1 2 mins Pairs Give out handout. Sts read intro. Report back to open class. How old is Stonehenge? To confirm speculation and generate interest.
Reading 2 + language focus (meaning) 20 mins Pairs

 

 

 

 

 

OC

Instruct sts to read next section quickly then read questions and answer in pairs.

 

 

 

Check answers – nominate – check across class.

 

Board first 5 sentences that answer questions with modal verbs.

Ask questions: “How certain are the scientists?” to develop understanding of meaning.

Board paraphrases: “could have” = “it’s possible” “must have” = “almost certain” etc.

Repeat for sections 3,4,5.

While sts read, board phonemics for sentences on board:

/mʌstəv/

/ka:ntəv/

/meɪəv/

/kʊdəv/

/maɪtəv/

To confirm speculation. To test sts ability to understand past modals.

 

 

 

 

To develop understanding of meaning of target sentences.

Language focus 5 mins Pairs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sts look at 5 boarded sentences, analyse structures and complete substitution table on handout:

 

Board formula: modal + perfect infinitive (have + past part.)

 

Focus on pronunciation, sts use phonemics on board to practice target sentences.

To develop form of structures.

 

 

 

 

 

To develop pronunciation of past modals.

Speaking – controlled practice 5 mins pairs Sts answer questions about text on handout in pairs, trying to use the target language. To practice and become more familiar with the structures.
Writing – controlled practice 5 mins pairs Show picture of Easter Island Heads with scientific theories. Sts complete sentence transformations on handout using past modals.

 

Check answers across class.

To practice written form and meaning.

 

 

 

To check answers and practice pronunciation.

Speaking – controlled practice 10-15 mins Pairs

 

 

 

OC

 

Pairs/groups of 4.

Sts speculate about the Easter Island heads in pairs. Monitor, board corrections.

 

Share ideas in open class.

 

Repeat with pictures of Magura Cave, Great Pyramids, Uffington White Horse.

 

Sts make speculations in pairs about new pictures then speak to pair next to them and share ideas.

To practice and become more familiar with the structures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

To come to a consensus about speculations.

Posted in Listening Classes

Listening: I got double-scammed!

Image Credit: blogs.thisismoney.co.uk

Follow me on twitter @RobbioDobbio

This is a listening lesson for high B1+. I designed this lesson for my DELTA receptive skills assessed class. It’s based around a listening text from Speak Out Upper-Intermediate (Pearson), in which a woman describes how she had her bag stolen while sitting in a café. I chose this text because this type of crime is an extremely common occurence here in Barcelona.

Below you can download the lesson procedure, students’ and teachers’ handout, an annotated version of the transcript and the listening file.

Lesson Procedure 

Lisas bad day student handout 

Lisas bad day Teacher’s copy

Audio file

annotated transcript lisa0001

The most important thing to bear in mind is that this is a class which focuses on developing students’ listening skills rather than simply testing their comprehension of a text so feel free to replay sections of the text as many times as it takes for them to get the message.

It’s important to follow the steps as laid out in the procedure. The pre-listening tasks, in which students make predictions about what will happen next, aid students in their comprehension as they are given the opportunity to apply their own knowledge and experience to the text.

After listening the language focus section on connected speech will help students to identify and decipher fast connetced speech, for example, the pronunciation of past modals “can’t/must/might have”. I’m currently working on my grammar assessment class in which I will come back to past modals of speculation. It should make a good follow-up class to this one so watch this space.

Posted in Conversation Classes, Grammar Classes

DELTA: Learner-led CLT – Present Perfect/Past Simple

Follow me on twitter @RobbioDobbio

This year I’m doing the DELTA part-time at IH Barcelona and I’m going to start blogging some of my lesson plans, feedback and general reactions to the course as I go.

Two weeks ago I had my diagnostic observation, basically my tutor and teaching practice group observed me while I taught a group of upper-intermediate adults for 45 minutes. Despite my nerves it went pretty well but my tutor’s main criticism was that it was too teacher centred and not learner-led enough. So it’s my second observed class tomorrow and I’ve prepared the following lesson plan to teach present perfect/past simple to the same group. My tutors are big on reactive teaching so I’m going to throw my students straight into a communicative exercise and then I’m going to correct them as I go and clear up any issues they have afterwards.

My aims are for the students to use the two tenses accurately and also use a range of time expressions. I’ve included they time expressions in the questions they have to ask in a classic “Find someone who” exercise. Let me know what you think and wish me luck!

TP 2nd class Present Per

Find someone who DELTA

TP 2nd class Present Per/Past Simple

Warmer

I’ve injured my foot. Questions. Have you ever had an accident? What happened? Were you ok? Reactions: Oooo, that’s gotta hurt! Nasty! You poor thing!

Find someone who

  • Give out handout.
  • Ss read in pairs checking for understanding, partner helps with unknown words. 2 mins
  • Instruction: “You have to find someone who has done all the things on the list, write their name and get some details”
  • Demonstration: They demonstrate on me for 1st Board their questions.
  • Drill weak forms in their questions: Have you been….? (Hev ya bin) Where didya go? Etc.
  • SS mingle and do exercise, monitor, correct. Collect sentences using time expressions: yet, already, just, ago, this time last week, in the summer, lately, for, since etc.
  • Board sentences but with time expressions missing.
  • SS turn over paper and try to complete the sentences.
  • Analyse time expressions. Which do we use with which tense? Can we use any with both?
  • Memory test in pairs, 1 student asks for example “who hasn’t washed the dishes from last night yet?”

Sentences to collect:

  1. __________ went to Morocco _____ years
  2. ________ has just bought a new _________.
  3. _________ visited _____________ in the summer.
  4. ________ hasn’t washed last night’s dishes
  5. _______ was in ____________ this time last week.
  6. _______ has lived in his/her house for ________ years /since __________,
  7. _______ went shopping earlier today.
  8. _______ has been to the cinema over the last fortnight.
  9. _______ has already planned dinner for tonight.
  10. _________ took up ________ last month.
  11. ________ has tried ____________

 

Present Perfect Past simple both
For, since, already, yet just,

Over the last fortnight

Ago, in the summer, this time last week, earlier today, last month For
Uses:

Past experiences, don’t say when, unfinished times: never, in my life, this year, today etc.

 

Recent events, no exact time, some relevance to present. Just/already etc.

Do you want a cup of coffee? No thanks I’ve just had one.

 

Continuing situations, started in past, continue now: for/since

I’ve lived here for 6 years.

 

Uses:

Complete/finished event, time is given: last month, yesterday etc. or obvious.

 

Did you see the game?

I went to the cinema last night.

 

Situation/habit that started and finished in past.

 

I lived in France for 3 years.

I played piano for 5 years when I was a child.

 

Memory Game:

1 student covers their paper while the other asks questions to see what they remember. Focus should be on remembering the correct tense and time expression.

Demonstrate:

Who has been to the cinema over the last fortnight?

What did _______take up last month?

What has _______ just bought?

Who hasn’t washed last night’s dishes yet?

 

Find someone in the class who has done all these things:

  Name Details
Has been to Morocco

 

   
Has just bought a new gadget    
Visited another country in the summer    
Hasn’t washed last night’s dishes yet    
Wasn’t in class this time last week.    
Has lived in their house for over 30 years    
Went shopping earlier today    
Has been to the cinema over the last fortnight    
Has already planned dinner for tonight    
Took up a new hobby last month    
Has tried a new dish lately.