Tag Archives: writing

Creative Writing : Using Wordle

Lesson Plan: Advanced, , , ,

I’ve been using Wordle for quite a long time now but this idea is something I have not yet tried. This task involves using this great little tool called Wordle and the very popular Breaking News English site.
I read about this idea in Marisa Constantinides’ blog, which I highly recommend if you’re a teacher.

Lesson Plan:
• Tell students they are going to write a short news report. Write on the backboard the following heading

” Teacher on trial for attacking student”

and ask students to comment of this heading and what they think  might lead a teacher to attack a student.

• Display with the OHP the Wordle and ask students in pairs to brainstorm ideas for an article using the words in the Wordle Cloud. Explain new vocabulary if necessary

• Give students about 15 minutes to write the first draft of the article.
• Play the audio from Breaking News English twice and ask students to add, improve or edit their articles.
• Students write the final draft of the article on a coloured sheet of paper, which is them posted out on the walls of the classroom. Students stand up, read everybody’s article and vote for the best.

Students compare their aticle with the real one. Click here

• Finally, it would be interesting to talk a bit about the role a teacher plays in our society. These questions might be helpful to get them started.

Do you think being a teacher is easy or difficult?

Do you feel sorry for Mr Harvey or the student?

What kind of behaviour do you see in your classroom?

What can society do to make students respect their teachers?

If web cameras were put in classrooms, teachers would teach better classes and students would behave better. What do you think?

Guess the Game

Games, Lesson Plan: Pre-Intermediate, Students' Corner, Writing, , , ,

Still on the subject of sports, today let’s focus on a writing activity where you’ll have to make use of lots of things learnt this week, namely

  • Modals: have to/don’t have to/ must/mustn’t
  • Vocabulary related to sports
  • Prepositions of movement

What to do?? Simple!!! Look at the following  pictures. What do they all have in common? Exactly!! They’re all sports.

What do you have to do? Choose a sport and give a good definition for it, mentioning everything you know about it as regards equipment, rules of the game, where you can practise it…etc. Make sure you do not write the name of the sport as we, readers, will have to guess the name of the sport you are describing.

Need a dictionary? Here : Monolingual http://dictionary.cambridge.org/

Bilingual  http://www.wordreference.com/es/

Ready??

The Weather: The British National Passion

Lesson Plan: Advanced, , , , ,

Isn’t it true that one of the first things that comes into your mind when you hear the word “England “is bad weather?

Contrary to the popular belief IT does NOT RAIN everyday but the thing is that talking about the weather is a national obsession and pastime. In England this is an ever-interesting, even thrilling topic, and you must be good at discussing the weather . It’s also important to learn this rule:”Never ever contradict anybody when discussing the weather”. Should it hail and snow, should hurricanes uproot the trees from the sides of the road, and should someone remark to you: “Nice day, isn’t it?” – answer without hesitation: “Isn’t it lovely?” (adapted from How to be an Alien)

It’s therefore important that you know how to respond to comments about weather as it often seems to be the device to start a conversation. Now that you have been warned, don’t miss the opportunity to do this lesson plan I have prepared for my Advanced students on The Weather. Click here to see the whole Lesson Plan

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This is real life: a cheeky customer

General, Students' Corner,

Thanks to Tatiana Baena , a student at Pre-intermediate level, for her  hilarious speech. We really had a nice laugh listening to you.

One day, in December, I don’t know if it was one or two years ago ,a lady came into the shop. This lady wanted a black coat; she needed the coat because she had a very important party. It was a business dinner.
She wanted a cheap coat because she had a very good, expensive and pretty coat; of course she was talking about her mink coat
Well, while we were talking about the business dinner she went to the changing room and tried the black coat on. She liked it and before paying she warned me if there were any problems she would take it back and I said:” .Of course .No problem” , so she bought the coat and paid cash.
After three or four days, the lady came back with the black coat. She changed it for a black t-shirt and black trousers, we said:” see you, bye, bye”, and I put the coat on the coat stand.
When I was alone, without customers, I put the coat on the clothes rail, and I don´t know why I looked into the pocket of the coat but I found a bus ticket and a 50€ note.
I don’t know how I felt, but the best is coming.

The lady came back again after one hour. I couldn´t believe it! She wanted to try the same coat again because when she arrived home, she thought the coat fitted her very well. I saw her put her hands into the pocket and then  she looked at me with a white or red face and I said with a beautiful smile :”What´s wrong?”. She didn´t tell me anything and she thanked me because I was so kind and she left.
After two months the lady came back and she asked me to forgive her for her behaviour and I returned her the 50€ note, since then she has been back to the shop every month.