Posted in 2Ts in a Pod: Podcast, Advanced C1, B2 First

2Ts in a Pod Lesson Plan: Dream Menu

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.

Posted in Conversation Classes

“I could eat a horse!” – Food Conversation Topic

Super simple conversation activity based around the topic of food. Suitable for a range of levels from A2 upwards. It was written for students based in Barcelona so a couple of questions won’t make sense outside Catalonia, but you can skip/adapt those ones. Credit to my DELTA tutor Neil Forrest for the dressing a salad question and nationalfoods.org for the weird national dishes questions.

Introduce the topic of food debates using the first slide about the Devon vs Cornwall cream tea debate. Cream teas are scones topped with jam and clotted cream but there is a heated debate regarding which should be put on the scone first. Cornish heathens think that the jam should go first, followed by the cream, which is just preposterous. Righteous Devonians know that the correct order is cream first, then jam. (can you guess where I’m from?) Then ask students to discuss any food debates that exist in their country.

Download the powerpoint below:

Posted in Listening Classes

Off Menu Podcast: Listening – Sindhu Vee

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Image credit: https://play.acast.com/s/offmenu/

This is a lesson plan for B2+ students based around a clip from the brilliant Off Menu Podcast presented by Ed Gamble and James Acaster. The idea is to use the listening exercise as a way to encourage students to listen to podcasts for pleasure outside class. Download the student handout and answer key below:

Off Menu Podcast

The Off Menu Podcast is hosted by comedians Ed Gamble and James Acaster. Every week a different guest comes onto the show and talks about their ultimate dream meal. The meal must include a starter, main course, side dish, dessert and drink. There are no limits to what each dish could be, some guests have chosen things as varied as McDonald’s fries and Pizza Hut pizza or their mum’s Christmas dinner or a traditional Indian curry.

This week’s guest is the Indian comedian Sindhu Vee. Sindhu was born in India and has also lived in the Philippines; she now lives in London with her Danish husband.

Predict with your partner: You’re going to listen to the part where Sindhu chooses her dream main course. What do you think she chooses?

Link to the episode. Timing: 29:49-32:50

Listen for Gist

First listen: What was the dish?

Listen for Detail

2nd listen:

  1. Where did she try the dish?
  2. Who made the dish?
  3. How did the different members of her family react to the chef’s driving?
  4. What surprised her about Sicilian food?
  5. What was her husband’s reaction to the dish?
  6. What really impressed her about the dish?

Language focus

Look at the expressions Sindhu uses, what do you think they mean?

“Maniacal driving”

“I had to keep face”

“Not cognisant of the world around him.”

“You have a fight and flight response.”

“You’re gonna fight through to the taste.”

Follow up

Listen to the rest of the episode for homework, what does Sindhu choose for the other parts of her dream menu?

Answer Key

Listen for Gist

First listen: What was the dish? Pasta arrabbiata with angel hair pasta

Listen for Detail

2nd listen:

  1. Where did she try the dish? Near Florence
  2. Who made the dish? Mr Mancini the boss of the hotel
  3. How did the different members of her family react to the chef’s driving? She was fine, her husband was scared, her kids loved it
  4. What surprised her about Sicilian food? How spicy it was
  5. What was her husband’s reaction to the dish? He went blind
  6. What really impressed her about the dish? How it maintained its flavour despite being so spicy

Language focus

Look at the expressions Sindhu uses, what do you think they mean?

“Maniacal driving” – driving like a crazy person

“I had to keep face” – to maintain one’s reputation

“Not cognisant of the world around him.” – Not aware/unconscious

“You have a fight and flight response.” – Instinctive reaction, stand and fight or run away

“You’re gonna fight through to the taste.” – Battle against the spiciness to the flavour

Posted in 2Ts in a Pod: Podcast, Listening Classes

2Ts in a Pod: Episode 3 – Food – Listening Activity

 

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Image credit: Mark Wilding

Anna Balquin, one of the listeners to our podcast made this fantastic listening activity based around a section of episode 3 about food. The extract you’ll need is 10.57 – 15.09, download the student handout and answer key below:

2Ts in a Pod Food listening

Student Handout

Pre-listening

1. Discuss these questions with your partner:
• What’s your favourite comfort food?
• What do you think a ‘supper club’ is?
• What do you know about food from the USA? What are some traditional American dishes?

2. First listen

We’re going to listen to Nicole talk about her supper club. What kind of food does she serve?

3. Second listen: listen again and answer the following questions.

1. How long has Nicole been living in Barcelona?
2. What did Nicole serve with the brisket?
3. Do the supper club guests usually know each other?
4. Where did gumbo come from?
5. Which cultures does the dish gumbo mix?
6. What’s the first thing you do when making gumbo?
7. What is the holy trinity?
8. What were the main ingredients of the gumbo that Nicole made?
9. How does Katy express that she likes the sound of Nicole’s gumbo?

4. Look at this quote from the audio and discuss its meaning with your partner.

“I love to gather people around the table that are from different walks of life”

Answer key:

2. First listen

We’re going to listen to Nicole talk about her supper club. What kind of food does she serve? Southern US soul food

3. Second listen: listen again and answer the following questions.

1. How long has Nicole been living in Barcelona? over a decade
2. What did Nicole serve with the brisket? collard greens, sweet potato mash, green beans, crispy shallots
3. Do the supper club guests usually know each other? no
4. Where did gumbo come from? Louisiana New Orleans
5. Which cultures does the dish gumbo mix? West African with French
6. What’s the first thing you do when making gumbo? Make a roux (butter, flour)
7. What is the holy trinity? Onion, celery, bell peppers
8. What were the main ingredients of the gumbo that Nicole made? prawn chicken sausage and bacon
9. How does Katy express that she likes the sound of Nicole’s gumbo? “Oh my gosh, my mouth is watering!”

 

Posted in 2Ts in a Pod: Podcast, Listening Classes

2 Ts in a Pod: Episode 3 – Food Glorious Food! Teacher’s notes

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Image credit: Mark Wilding

Follow us on twitter @RobbioDobbio + @2tspod

Sorry for the delay but the teacher’s notes for episode 3 are now ready! Click the link below to download them:

Teacher’s notes Ep3 Food

We talked about food, glorious food! We interviewed Nicole Hooks and Abbi Nelliug about US Southern soul food and traditional Dominican food respectively. Nicole speaks about her southern food pop-up supper club Sarah Juliette’s Southern Kitchen. Click the link below to find out more, she’s got events coming up in the next few weeks. Also, check out the recipe for the delicious gumbo that we taste on the show.

https://www.facebook.com/SarahJuliettesSouthernKitchen/ – Check out Nicole’s page
https://goo.gl/EGJ1U7 – Gumbo recipe

 

Posted in 2Ts in a Pod: Podcast, Listening Classes

2Ts in a Pod Episode 3: Food, Glorious Food!

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Follow me on twitter @RobbioDobbio + @2tspod

Episode 3 of 2Ts in a Pod is live! We’re talking about food, glorious food! We interviewed Nicole Hooks and Abbi Nelliug about US Southern soul food and traditional Dominican food respectively. Nicole speaks about her southern food pop-up supper club Sarah Juliette’s Southern Kitchen. Click the link below to find out more, she’s got an event coming up this weekend. Also, check out the recipe for the delicious gumbo that we taste on the show.

https://www.facebook.com/SarahJuliettesSouthernKitchen/ – Check out Nicole’s page
https://goo.gl/EGJ1U7 – Gumbo recipe

Teacher’s notes coming soon!