Tag: vocabulary

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

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

Posted on by Tim Warre

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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!

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Posted in Proficiency, Reading Classes, Vocabulary Classes

C1/C2 Holiday Diary: Reading & Vocabulary

Posted on by Tim Warre

Image result for madagascar

Image credit: Madagascar Wiki – Fandom

Follow me on twitter @RobbioDobbio

This is a reading and vocabulary lesson plan for higher level students based around an example of a holiday diary. It works well as a model for CPE article tasks about travelling. Download the power point and handout below:

Holiday Diary Madagascar – Handout

Holiday Diary madagascar pp – Power point

Procedure

Show the power point and have students discuss the questions as a warmer.

Give out the handout and have students complete the exercises.

Encourage students to write a similar holiday diary for homework.

Holiday Diary

What do you know about Madagascar? Have you ever been there? Would you like to?

Read the text and tell your partner is this type if holiday would be your cup of tea.

Madagascar

We’re quite adventurous so your standard beach holiday doesn’t really cut it for us so after umming and ahhing for a few months we finally settled on a trip to Madagascar. We had set our sights on exploring the dense undergrowth of Madagascar’s jungles and maybe catching a glimpse of some of its famed wildlife.

We flew into the capital Antananarivo, no sooner had we stepped off the plane than we were hit by a wave of intense heat, Madagascar has a really humid climate so the sweat was pouring down our faces in no time at all. Antananarivo is bustling with life with a mindboggling network of haphazard back streets in which you can lose yourself in the blink of an eye. Apart from the hotel we’d booked online we’d decided to play it by ear for the rest of the trip so we set about looking for a guide to take us into the lush vegetation of the surrounding rainforests. Unfortunately there was a mix-up with our luggage that set us back 2 hours but eventually we picked up our suitcases and set off on our mission.

As a city, Antananarivo isn’t much to write home about, it’s pretty grimy and run-down and our taxi ride into the city centre was pretty fraught. When we finally arrived at our hotel it looked a sorry sight, not what we’d been led to believe in the brochure. However, we’re not really big on creature comforts so we didn’t mind. Luckily, the hotel organised guided-tours of the rainforest and there was one leaving the very next day.

We were up at the crack of dawn the next day to board the rickety old minibus that was going to take us out into the middle of nowhere to begin our adventure. The bus journey was a little bit hairy as the road was little more than a track with potholes everywhere. We gradually wound our way up through the mountainous landscape which surrounds the city until we reached the summit of one of the foothills where we stopped for a picnic. The views of the rainforest stretching out in front of us were a real sight to behold, never before have I seen such an awe-inspiring sight…

Read the text again and decide if these statements are true of false.

  1. The author likes beach holidays T/F
  2. Antananarivo is a difficult city to navigate around T/F
  3. They had the whole trip planned out beforehand T/F
  4. Their luggage was put on the wrong plane T/F
  5. They liked Antananarivo T/F
  6. The hotel was different to the description in the brochure T/F
  7. They don’t mind roughing it T/F
  8. The journey to the rainforest was relaxing T/F
  9. They were impressed by the views from the foothill T/F

Look at the expressions in bold, discuss their meaning with a partner.

Look at the expressions again and try to categorise them.

 

What can you remember? Work with a partner.

Madagascar

We’re quite adventurous so your standard beach holiday doesn’t really  ___     (1) it for us so after ________(2) and ahhing for a few months we finally settled ______(3) a trip to Madagascar. We had set our ___________(4) on exploring the _________(5) undergrowth of Madagascar’s jungles and maybe catching a ____________(6) of some of its famed wildlife.

We flew into the capital Antananarivo, no sooner had we stepped off the plane than we were hit by a wave of intense heat, Madagascar has a really humid climate so the sweat was pouring down our faces in no time at all. Antananarivo is ___________(7) with life with a mindboggling network of ________________ (8) back streets in which you can lose yourself in the blink of an eye. Apart from the hotel we’d booked online we’d decided to play it by ________(9) for the rest of the trip so we set __________(10) looking for a guide to take us into the ___________(11) vegetation of the surrounding rainforests. Unfortunately there was a _________(12) with our luggage that set us _________(13) 2 hours but eventually we picked up our suitcases and set off on our mission.

As a city, Antananarivo isn’t much to write home about, it’s pretty ________(14) and run-down and our taxi ride into the city centre was pretty fraught. When we finally arrived at our hotel it looked a ________  (15) sight, not what we’d been __________(16) to believe in the brochure. However, we’re not really big on creature ______________(17) so we didn’t mind. Luckily, the hotel organised guided-tours of the rainforest and there was one leaving the very next day.

We were up at the ____________(18) of dawn the next day to board the rickety old minibus that was going to take us out into the ____________(19) of nowhere to begin our adventure. The bus journey was a little bit __________(20) as the road was little more than a track with potholes everywhere. We gradually wound our way up through the mountainous landscape which surrounds the city until we reached the summit of one of the foothills where we stopped for a picnic. The views of the rainforest stretching out in front of us were a real sight to ________(21) never before have I seen such an awe-______________(22) sight…

Memory

Cover the text and try to retell the story using as much of the vocabulary as you can.

Personalise

Have you ever had a similar experience? Tell your partner about it using the vocabulary.

Posted in Conversation Classes, Young Learners

Christmas Communicative Crossword

Posted on by Tim Warre

Image result for christmas

Image credit: Pexels

Follow me on twitter @RobbioDobbio

This is yet another Christmas based activity, this one is for low-levels and young learners. Students work together to complete a Christmas themed crossword. Download the lesson plan and handout below:

christmas-crossword

Warmer – Hangman

Play hangman with “Merry Christmas” to go over the alphabet. Then, once they have guessed the word test and teach students ordinal numbers (first, second, third etc.) like so:

  • What is the first letter in “merry”? M
  • What is the sixth letter in “Christmas”? T
  • etc.

Write up the different ordinal numbers and drill pronunciation if necessary.

Christmas Crossword

In the handout above there are two versions of the crossword: The first version is just a standard worksheet that students could complete in pairs. The second version is a more communicative version.

Communicative Crossword

If you choose to try the communicative version, follow these steps:

  1. Put students in pairs, and label them A and B
  2. Give out the A handout to the As and B to the Bs.
  3. Tell students that they MUST NOT  look at each other’s worksheet.
  4. They have to work together to complete the crossword in English.
  5. Student A has all the “across” clues and student B has all the “down” clues.
  6. Student A reads a clue to student B and they try to figure out what the word could be, they then use the letters to get ideas about what the connecting words could be. This is where the ordinal numbers (the 6th letter is an “r” etc.)

Note: This activity works best as revision as it might be too difficult for young learners if they haven’t encountered these words before.

The winning team is the team that completes the crossword correctly first.

Key:

  1. Chimney
  2. Decorations
  3. Wrapping paper
  4. Reindeer
  5. Christmas
  6. Presents
  7. Turkey
  8. Santa Claus
  9. Angel
  10. Star
Posted in Uncategorized

CAE Ice-Breaker UPDATE

Posted on by Tim Warre

Image result for ice-breaker

Image credit: englishrussia.com

Follow me on twitter @RobbioDobbio

This is an updated version of my CAE/C1 ice-breaking activity for the first class of a course. Click this link to the prezi (you’ll only need the first 5 slides).

Obviously it’s tailored to my interests but you’ll get the idea and be able to adapt to your own.

First I flash up the sentences with the adjective/verb + preposition combination (petrified of) etc. and tell them that some are true and some are false. They have to decide which are true and which are false in pairs. Award points to the pairs who guess correctly.
Then test them on the prepositions by flashing up the slide with them omitted. Then they have to write 4 sentences using the same combinations, some true some false and read them to their partner, who has to guess which are T/F.
Then the next bit is 6 sentences with some nice phrases about personal interests etc. “I’m into….” etc. I show them my examples (they’re all true) and let them ask me some questions. Then they have to complete the sentences so they’re true for them.
Then they have to mingle around the class reading their sentences to each other, flash up the expressions for showing interest: Uh-huh, mm-hmmm etc. and encourage them to use them. Tell them that they should try to remember as much information as they can about their classmates. While they do this, monitor and board any emergent language to look at later.
After 10 mins or so have them sit down and split them into two teams. Select one member from the first team, the other team then has to remember as much as they can about that person:
“He’s into football and rugby.”
“He has a burning ambition to meet Messi.” etc.
Award 1 point for each correct bit of info. The idea is that they’re recycling the 6 expressions over and over and getting to know each other at the same time.
Posted in Conversation Classes, Vocabulary Classes

Working 9 to 5

Posted on by Tim Warre

Image credit: the-daily.buzz

Follow me on twitter @RobbioDobbio

This is a vocabulary activity for adults intermediate students. Students will learn some vocabulary related to the world of work and put it to use in a discussion. Download the handout and teacher’s notes below:

Working 9 to 5

Handout

Question completion

  1. What is the minimum hourly ______ in your country? Do you think it is enough?
  2. What is the average ________ for a politician in your country? Do you think it is enough?
  3. How long is your normal working day? Do you get paid for ________ (working extra hours)?
  4. Do you get a Christmas or Summer _________ in your job? If so, how much do you get?
  5. How much __________ do you get at Christmas, Easter and in the summer?
  6. Have you ever worked a night ________? What was it like? Do you know anyone who does it often?
  7. What are the most common ___________ jobs for people with children in your country?
  8. If you have to travel for your job, does your company pay your _________? Or do you have to pay them yourself?
  9. When was the last time you got a _________ from a carpenter/plumber/builder etc.? How much was it?
  10. How much does a teacher _________ in your country? Is it enough? Who do you think doesn’t _______ enough? Who do you think ________ too much?
A.SHIFT  B.EXPENSES  C.WAGE    D.SALARY    E.BONUS   F.OVERTIME   G.QUOTE    H.EARN    I.PART-TIME   J.TIME OFF

 

Different Trades

What are the names of these jobs?
  1. How do people train for these jobs in your country?
  2. Do you have any skills in these areas?
  3. What are the advantages of these jobs compared to an office job?

 

Procedure

Give out the handout and have students complete the questions with one word from the box. Check their answers, students then ask and answer the questions in pairs or groups of three. Feed back in open class.

Students then try to name the different tradespeople then ask and answer the discussion questions.

Key

  1. Wage (normally refers to hourly or weekly pay from a job)
  2. Salary (often refers to annual amount)
  3. Overtime
  4. Bonus
  5. Time off
  6. Shift
  7. Part-time
  8. Expenses
  9. Quote
  10. Earn, earn, earns

Trades

  1. Plumber
  2. Electrician
  3. Builder
  4. Carpenter
  5. Painter and decorator
  6. Gardener
Posted in Vocabulary Classes

Online Dating: Compound Adjectives

Posted on by Tim Warre

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 match – do 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 Exam Preparation Class, Vocabulary Classes

We’re BFFs! Friendship Expressions

Posted on by Tim Warre

Image credit: www.zazzle.com.au

Follow me on twitter @RobbioDobbio

This is a worksheet on expressions related to friendship for higher level learners. I designed it with CAE students in mind. Download the worksheet and key below:

bffs-4-eva update

Have students complete the worksheet in pairs and then personalise the expressions so that they are true for them.

BFFs!

Match the expressions on the left with the simple definition on the right.

1.       My best friend and I have been through thick and thin together.

2.       My best friend is such a good laugh.

3.       My best friend and I are like brothers/sisters from another mother.

4.       I can always turn to my friend for advice or help.

5.       My best friend always stands up for me in an argument or fight.

6.       I know that my best friend has got my back if there’s any trouble.

7.       If I tell my friend a secret, I know that their lips are sealed. They would never spill the beans.

8.       My best friend is definitely not a fair-weather friend.

9.       My best friend and I are lifelong friends.

10.   My best friend from primary school and I have drifted apart.

11.   My best friend and I are joined at the hip.

12.   I often crash at my friend’s house at the weekend.

 a.       My best friend isn’t a person who is only around for the good times.

b.      My best friend from primary and I have slowly lost contact.

c.       My best friend is very trustworthy and good at keeping secrets.

d.      My best friend and I spend almost all our time together.

e.       My best friend is very funny.

f.        I often sleep over at my friend’s house.

g.       My best friend and I have experienced both good and bad times together.

h.      I know my best friend will defend me if anything bad happens.

i.         My best friend always defends me in a fight or argument.

j.        My best friend and I are very similar.

k.       If I have a problem, I can always talk about it with my friend.

l.         My best friend and I have been friends for a very long time.

 

Complete the sentences

Try to complete the sentences from memory

  1. I won’t tell anyone, my lips ________ _________.
  2. You’re such a ________________, as soon as there are any problems you disappear!
  3. I always see those two together, they’re practically joined _____ ______ _______.
  4. Jenifer spilt ______ ________ to everyone at the party about Sarah and Johnny.
  5. Don’t worry, if they start a fight I’ve _____ ______ ______. I’ll definitely stand _____ _____ ______.
  6. Freddy was there for me when my dog died but also when I got my dream job, we’ve been __________ ______________ ____________ _______________ _____________.
  7. I don’t know what happened, we were best friends at uni but I guess we just _________ __________.
  8. It’s getting late and I can’t be bothered to walk home can I ___________ _________ yours tonight?
  9. I always have so much fun with Tony, he’s such a __________ __________.
  10. We’re so similar it’s ridiculous we’re like _________ ____________ ___________ _______________.

Describe a close friend to your partner using as many expressions as you can.

Key

  1. G
  2. E
  3. J
  4. K
  5. I
  6. H
  7. C
  8. A
  9. L
  10. B
  11. D
  12. F

Sentence completion

  1. Are sealed
  2. Fair-weather friend
  3. At the hip
  4. The beans
  5. Got your back, up for you
  6. Through thick and thin together
  7. Drifted apart
  8. Crash at
  9. Good laugh
  10. Brothers/sisters from another mother