Claire Luxford Claire Luxford

TP 7 Reading: Dangerous Australian Animals
Intermediate level

Description

In this lesson, the students will read a newspaper article about dangerous Australian animals. They will first practice scanning the text for key words to answer some questions. They will then read for detail and answer a set of comprehension questions about the text. Finally, they will do a speaking task in the form of a pyramid discussion where they decide which items they should pack on a holiday to Australia to protect themselves from the animals.

Materials

Abc Teacher-Made Hand Out with comprehension questions
Abc 'Australia's most dangerous animals are coming to a town near you' news.com.au adapted by teacher
Abc Teacher-Made Hand Out with comprehension questions
Abc 'Australia's most dangerous animals are coming to a town near you' news.com.au adapted by teacher

Main Aims

  • To provide gist and detailed reading practice using a text about dangerous Australian animals in the context of travel

Subsidiary Aims

  • Speaking

Procedure

Warmer/Lead-in (3-5 minutes) • To set lesson context and engage students

T asks students to watch a short video and answer the questions: 'Which holiday destination is the video about?' and 'what is one reason why we should visit?' T plays short Australian Tourism commercial. T takes FB. T asks ss to talk in pairs and come up with two reasons why somebody wouldn't want to come to Australia in an attempt to elicit the answer 'because of all the dangerous animals'.

Pre-Reading (10-12 minutes) • To prepare students for the text and make it accessible by pre-teaching some vocab

T draws a picture of a snake on the board and attempts to elicit 'venom' T provides clarification of meaning, form and pronunciation of 'venom.' T does the same for 'prey' by drawing a mouse that looks like it is about to be eaten by the snake and goes through MFP again. T does the same for 'symptom'.

While-Reading (7-10 minutes) • To provide students with a less challenging scanning for specific information reading task

T gives HO to Ss and makes sure they leave it face down on the table. This is one article and the answers to the questions can be found anywhere. T projects the scanning tasks onto the WB: - What type of shark is it? - What is the name of the spider? - How many people are treated with anti-venom each year? - How many people die because of allergic reactions to honey bees each year? Instructions: You have two minutes to quickly scan the text for the answers to the questions. ICQs: Are we reading quickly or slowly? Do we read every single word or just look for key words? What could be a key word for question 1? (shark) What about questions three and four? (look for numbers and 'anti-venom' and 'allergic' or 'honey bees.') How much time? Ok, 3,2,1 go... Ss complete task and then check in pairs, quick finishers write answers on WB T takes FB.. how did you find that answer? Which word did you look for?

While-Reading (comprehension questions) (14-16 minutes) • To provide students with more challenging detailed reading tasks

T chests HO. Ok now we are going to read the text again and answer these questions. Is it ok if we don't know the meaning of every single word? (yes, try to guess from the context). Try by yourself first and then check with your partner. Ss do task, T monitors to see which are most difficult questions to look more closely at in FB. Ss peer check T takes FB, makes sure to ask for justifications: 'how do you know that's the answer?' etc

Post-Reading Productive Task (speaking) (8-10 minutes) • To provide with an opportunity to respond to the text and expand on what they've learned via a speaking task

T tells Ss that they are now going on holiday to Australia. What do we need to do first? ('pack a suitcase') Now, remembering that Australia is full of dangerous animals, what kind of things might we pack and why? T demos on WB: I'll take a mobile phone so that if there is an emergency I can call an ambulance. I'll also take boots in case I step on a snake. I'll also take a torch because spiders hide in dark places and I want to be able to see them.' T brainstorms some other ideas on in WB case students aren't sure (bandages, a map, a gun, a knife, insect repellent, a camera, long pants, thick socks, a lighter, a first aid kit, a book about Australian animals, a tent etc) In pairs, decide on three things you would take to Australia and give your reasons. You have three minutes then we are going to report back to the class. Make sure one person writes it down so you don't forget. ICQs: How many things? Do you have to give reasons? Do you need to write it down? Ss talk in pairs. T takes quick FB then asks Ss to get into groups of four (or three depending on numbers) Instructions: compare your lists and decide on three items that you think are the most important. ICQ How many items? T takes FB again. Ss get into larger groups so that class is divided into thirds or half depending on numbers and do the same thing again. Ss come up and write their final two lists on WB WC talks about two lists and decides on final list.

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