Laura Elena Biculescu Laura Elena Biculescu

Demo lesson - Infinitive Language School
Low pre-intermediate, teens aged 15-16 level

Description

In this lesson the students practice both a receptive skill-reading and a productive skill - speaking. The context of the lesson is set through pictures. The students look at them and try to predict the content of the article and then they read for details; finally the reading is followed by a speaking activity that builds on the information from the text. If time allows there is a delayed error correction activity before the final feedback.

Materials

Abc Pictures
Abc Reading - How the world spends its free time
Abc Questionnaire
Abc Discussion cards

Main Aims

  • To provide detailed and deduction reading practice using a text about leisure activities around the world.

Subsidiary Aims

  • To provide fluency speaking practice in a conversation in the context of hobbies and leisure

Procedure

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

Have the students looks at photos different places such as, a concert hall, an art gallery, the beach, etc. Elicit their names and the activities which can be done in those places. Pick the beach and the shopping mall. Elicit the main difference between the two photos: indoors vs outdoors. The students work together (groups or pairs depending on class size) and divide the remaining places into the two categories.

Pre-Reading (5-7 minutes) • To prepare students for the text and make it accessible

Having the photos spread out on the desk or pinned on the board ask the students where do Russian people prefer to spend their time. Indoors or outdoors? Why? What about other nationalities? Americans? Indians? Thai? etc. Give them the handout with exercise A and tell the students they have 3 - 4 minutes to work in pairs and guess the answer to the questions. Follow up: Ask a few pairs to report their answers to the whole class. Elicit alternative answers from other pairs.

While-Reading (5-7 minutes) • To provide students with less challenging gist and specific information reading task

The students read the article and answer the questions in exercise A. In pairs they check and compare their answers and see if their initial guesses were correct. Follow-up: Was the information in the text surprising? Do Russian people do any of the activities mentioned? Which activities are not popular in Russia? Why?

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

Divide the students into pairs, ideally working with a new partner for the activity. Tell them that each pair will receive a set of cards with questions on them. They are to put the cards face down on the table, take one card and discuss it with their partner. Encourage them to ask follow-up questions and emphasize expressions like Why do you like it? Tell me more about it. What about you? What do you like? etc. Note: There are more questions on the cards then necessary. This activity acts like a buffer and you can decide when to stop it so that it fits the timing of your stage. Follow up: Pick 2 or 3 interesting questions and discuss them with the whole class.

Delayed error correction (2-4 minutes) • To correct any mistakes with the target language from the speaking activity

Put some of the sentences/expressions with mistakes you've identified on the board and draw the students' attention to them. Are they correct? How can we fix them? Depending on class size, the can also be done in groups. The students discuss their questions with their partners and report to the whole class.

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