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This is a vocabulary and conversation activity for higher levels (high B2+) on the subject of travelling. Download the student handout and powerpoint below:
Holiday Destinations – Powerpoint
UPDATE: I’ve combined this lesson plan with the “My Ideal Holiday” lesson.
Warmer
In pairs students discuss the following questions
- What’s the best place you’ve ever visited?
- How often do you travel?
- Do you have any trips planned for the near future?
Travel Expressions
Gist task
Give out the handout. Have students read the texts and decide who they are most similar to. Let them share their ideas in pairs or small groups and give reasons for their answers.
Meaning Match
Have students match the expressions in bold with the definitions at the bottom.
KEY:
- get the travel bug.
- live it up
- catch some rays
- travel light
- at the crack of dawn
- savour local delicacies
- sit and watch the world go by
- feel right at home
- experience a culture shock
- watch one’s back
- a culture vulture
- have everything planned out
- travel on a shoestring
- see how the mood takes one
- off the beaten track
Practice
Students complete the sentences with the correct expressions:
KEY:
- F
- L
- B
- C
- G
- M
- J
- H
- K
- I
- E
- A
- D
- O
- N
Discussion
Students discuss the following questions in groups of 3.
- Do you travel light? If so, how do you decide what to pack?
- You have to watch your back when you’re travelling alone; there are a lot of dangerous people out there. Do you agree?
- Which place that you’ve visited was the biggest culture shock? Where did you feel right at home? Why?
- Do you normally travel on a shoestring or live it up? How can you save money while travelling? Would you consider hitchhiking or couchsurfing?
- Have you got the travel bug? Have you got itchy feet? If so, where’s next on the list?
- Do you like to pack a lot in/have a full plate or see how the mood takes you when you’re travelling?
- What’s the perfect place to sit and watch the world go by for you?
- How important is it for you to catch some rays when you’re on holiday?
- How do you choose a holiday destination? Are you a culture vulture?
Holiday Destinations Discussion
Project the powerpoint, tell students that they are going to choose a holiday destination in their groups from a number of popular places around the world.
Show them the second slide and have them copy down the different expressions:
| I’d like to go | I wouldn’t like to go | I wouldn’t mind |
| Right up my street
My dream destination It’s on my list … really floats my boat | Not my cup of tea
I don’t see the appeal of… It just doesn’t do it for me. …isn’t really my thing … don’t/doesn’t really float my boat … are a big no-no for me. | Why not?
Go on then, I’ll give it a go. I’ll try anything once! |
Then have students discuss the different holiday destinations in groups and decide on one which the whole group would like to visit.
Follow up
Students could write a CAE/CPE style Proposal composition about the process of deciding on a holiday destination for the group. They could evaluate the different merits and drawbacks of three of the destinations from the powerpoint and recommend one as the destination for an end of year trip.
Alternatively they could write a review of a holiday to one of the places.