The EFL SMARTblog

Plans for Leap Year Day

2012-02-29T14:50:00.002Z

You are going to

listen to radio clip about Leap Year Day and answer some questions
listen to going to and present continuous used for plans and arrangements

1) Discuss

What is Leap Year Day?

Why is it special?

Do you have any traditions connected with Leap Year Day?

Do you do anything special on Leap Year day?

2) Listen to this radio clip

What are the people going to do?
Listen and do the matching exercise below

Listeners plan their Leaps for PM (mp3)

From BBC Radio 4 PM http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qskw

3) Discuss
Do the activities seem special to you?
What is special about the people who are doing them?

4) Now answer these questions

5) Discuss

Are you going to do anything special for Leap Year Day?
When is the next Leap Year Day?
How much time have you got to prepare?

6) More on Leap Year Day

http://www.englishblog.com/2012/02/leap-year-day.html

Printable version here

Inspiring People

2012-02-26T18:52:00.002Z

You are going to

watch a video and talk about people who inspire others
practise past simple
practise some vocabulary connected with occupations and people who try to change the world
talk about what / who inspires you

1) Discuss

What does inspiring mean?

What kind of people or things inspire you?
In what jobs is it necessary to try and inspire people?
Why do people try to inspire others?

Look at the photos below.

How many of them do you know?
What do you know about them?

Look at their names

Top left to right - Mother Teresa, Winston Churchill, Muhammad Ali, Che Guevara, Bob Marley,

Rosa Parks, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Mohandas Gandhi, Emmeline Pankhurst

2) Do the matching exercise
How many do you know? Match the occupation with the name.
You can drag and drop the occupations to the names.

3) Discuss
Who do you think is the most inspiring of the 10?
Why?
Watch the clip. Do you agree with the order of the list?

4) Discuss

Do you agree with the order of the list? Why / Why not?
What can you remember about the people in the clip?

5) Do the quiz

Be careful of spelling and punctuation. You can use numbers in some answers.

6) Read

Can you put the correct past forms in the gaps?

7) Do the crossword

The answers are all from the video / reading text.
How many can you remember?

Crossword printable version here
Printable exercises here

8) Speak
Do a balloon debate http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balloon_debate

9) Discuss / Write

Who inspires you?
Write about someone who inspires you.
Plan
1. Introduce the person. Who are they? Why are they important to you?
2. Describe the the person in more detail. Describe their character / personality. Why / How do they inspire you? Do they inspire you because of their beliefs / their actions? What exactly have you learnt from them?
3. Are you a better person because of them? How have they changed you? Give an example of something you do that they inspired.
4. Conclude. How would your life be different without them? Restate why they are important to you in a few words.

10) Read

What inspires you? Try a quiz
http://quizilla.teennick.com/quizzes/1476632/what-inspires-you

http://www.quibblo.com/quiz/1hR2N3l/Who-inspires-you

11) More

Shakira and Beyonce / Writing a biography of someone you admire
http://efllecturer.blogspot.com/2011/10/shakira-and-beyonce-contrasting-writing.html

Occupy Education http://occupyedu.tumblr.com/

The Icing on the Cake

2012-02-20T10:30:00.001Z

You are going to

watch a video about memories and do a listening exercise
use remember + gerund for talking about memories
practise would and used to for talking about past habits
describe and write about memories and past habits

1) Discuss

What things do you remember from your childhood?
What are your earliest memories?
What are your favourite memories?

2) Introduction
You are going to watch a StoryCorps video.
Blanca Alvarez and her husband crossed the border to immigrate into the U.S. and then struggled to make ends meet. They hoped to shelter their children from these harsh realities, but Blanca's daughter Connie reveals how much children can really see of their parents' lives—and the inspiration they draw from their struggles.

A) Watch the video
What does Connie remember from her childhood?
The film is called "The Icing on the Cake" what do you think that means?

B) Answer the questions

3) Grammar

Look again at what Connie says

Remember. If you are remembering things in the past and you use the verb remember, what must you do with the verb which follows?

Answer - Highlight here = Use a gerund -ing. I remember eating, I remember playing...

If we want to talk about past habits and repeated activities what language can we use?

Answer - Highlight here = Would. You can also use Used to

See here - Contrast of Used to and Would

http://www.onestopenglish.com/support/ask-the-experts/grammar-questions/grammar-contrasts-1-used-to-and-would/146344.article

4) Practise

Have a look at this presentation and practise Remember + Gerund, Would and Used to

Remember the Past

View more presentations from David Mainwood

5) Gap-fill

Practise Remember + Gerund, Would and Used to in this gap-fill exercise

Gijon

Sporting de Gijon

Printable version here

6) Writing

Memories

Write about a memory you have of something you did in the past.

It could be a holiday, your first visit to the UK (or another country), a school trip, a memory from your childhood or just somewhere you used to live...

Talk about what you remember doing
Use Would and Used to but remember the secret of good writing is variety so try and use both of them with a variety of other past tenses
Introduce the topic and have a concluding sentence or paragraph
You can use the ex 5 gap-fill as a model

7) More Practice

Would for Past Habit Jumbled Sentence Games 1 - 10

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-games/grammar/jumbled-past-would-1.htm

Past habits - Used to / Would interative exercises

http://www.tolearnenglish.com/cgi2/myexam/liaison.php?liaison=_use_

More videos from StoryCorps

http://www.youtube.com/storycorps

Whitney Houston - Why do stars fall?

2012-02-13T14:04:00.000Z

You are going to

discuss fame and celebrity
listen to a radio interview and do a gap-fill

Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American recording artist, actress, producer and model. In 2009, the Guinness World Records cited her as the most-awarded female act of all time. Her awards include two Emmy Awards, six Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, and 22 American Music Awards, among a total of 415 career awards in her lifetime. Houston was also one of the world's best-selling music artists, having sold over 170 million albums, singles and videos worldwide.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitney_Houston

News 11th February 2012
American singer and actress Whitney Houston has died in Los Angeles at the age of 48.
The mother of one died in her room at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, where she had been staying as a guest.
The singer had battled substance abuse in recent years.

Discuss
They have talent, money, looks, fame... everything.

Why do some stars lose it all?
Can you think of any other stars who have come to a tragic end?
What goes wrong?

Listen
Listen to this interview with music journalist and presenter Paul Gambaccini on the Stephen Nolan Show

What does Paul think was special about Whitney Houston?
What does he think went wrong in Whitney's life?

Listen and find out
Music journalist Paul Gambaccini looks back on the life and career of Whitney Houston, who died at the weekend aged 48 (mp3)

Listen again and read the summary of the interview below.
Fill in the gaps with words from the list.
Vocabulary

Feet on the ground = a realistic understanding of your own ideas, actions, and decisions
Going south = failing

Discuss
What do you think?

Are some stars so powerful that no one ever says no to them?
Would it be better if celebrities kept their problems private?
Should the media be more responsible when it reports on celebrities?
Why are we so interested in celebrities' private lives?

Accidental Inventions and Hidden Heroes

2012-02-12T13:15:00.000Z

You are going to

practice past simple and past continuous
watch a video about inventions and do a matching exercise
watch a video about a science exhibition and do a quiz
listen to a radio interview about what motivates inventors and do a gap-fill
read an interview with inventor Mark Champkins
discuss and describe inventions
write about an invention

1) Video 1 - Discuss

What are the most useful inventions that we use today?
What couldn't you live without?
Is it a simple everyday object like a pen or a paper clip or something more complex?

You are going to watch a video called "10 Accidental Inventions"

What inventions do you think they are?
Why do you think they are called "accidental"?

Watch and find out

2) Matching exercise

Match the beginnings of the sentences with the ends. Watch the video again if you need to.

3) Grammar

Look at the sentences again. How many tenses are there?
Which phrases are Past Simple?
Which are Past Continuous?
What's the difference between the Past Simple and Continuous?
Not sure? Look here

4) Video 2 - Discuss

You are going to watch a clip about an exhibition called the "Hidden Heroes Exhibition."

Who do you think are the "Hidden Heroes?
Why do you think they have called them "hidden"?
What kind of objects do you think are in the exhibition?

Watch the clip

Now answer these questions. Watch the video again if you need to.

5) Discuss - Listen

Rawlplugs and screws

Do you agree that the objects in the Hidden Heroes exhibition are very important?
Why do inventors invent things?
What do you think is the main motivation for inventing?

Listen to an interview with inventor Mark Champkins on BBC World Tonight and find out.

Who invented the paper clip & the rubber band? (mp3)

Fill in the gaps in the summary with the verbs from the list. Choose them from the drop-down menu.

Printable version available here

6) Reading

Interview with Mark Champkins. Look at the questions.

What inspired you to become an inventor?
What is your favourite invention ever?
What invention could you not live without?
Which object in the museum is the most inspirational or influenced your time here so far?

Go here to read Mark's answers
http://sciencemuseumdiscovery.com/blogs/insight/inventor-in-residence/

7) Discuss

What would you invent if you could?
What inventions does the world need now? Why?

8) Writing / Discussion

What invention couldn't you live without?

Describe it.

Is it a simple everyday object or something more complex?
What's it for?
What kind of design has it got?
Has the design changed much since it was invented?

Look on the internet. Find out some history

Who invented it?
Where was it invented?
Was it invented by accident?
Why and how was it invented?
What were they trying to do when they invented it (what else were they working on)?

What do you think about it?

Why is it important?
What did it change or make better for people?
What couldn't we do without it?
Why couldn't you live without it?

Write about your invention
Write it using 3 - 4 paragraphs (see above)
Don't forget to have an introduction (say what it is and why you are choosing it)
and a conclusion (your opinion of it / why couldn't you live without it and why you think it's important)

More practice

More reading
http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/hiddenheroes

More past continuous and past simple
http://efllecturer.blogspot.com/2011/04/past-continuous-with-gifs_12.html
http://efllecturer.blogspot.com/2011/04/past-simple-past-continuous-with-gif.html

More inventions http://efllecturer.blogspot.com/2011/12/what-would-have-happened-if-10.html

What are the worst branding gaffes?

2012-02-11T10:17:00.000Z

You are going to

discuss gaffes, advertising and translating
listen to a radio interview and do a true / false quiz
practise the passive
give advice about how to avoid making gaffes when speaking another language or visiting another country

Discuss

What's a gaffe?

gaffe /gaf/ Noun: An accidental act or remark causing embarrassment to its maker; a blunder: "an unforgivable social gaffe".

Synonyms: faux pas - blunder - mistake

Have you ever made any gaffes? Describe one
Do you ever make any gaffes when you are speaking in a foreign laguage?
Do you know of any translations from your language into English which may cause a gaffe?
Do you know of any translations from English into your language which may cause a gaffe?
Why should we be very careful when we translate into another language?
What are "false friends"
What's an advertising or branding gaffe?
Can you give any examples of advertising or branding gaffes?

Listen

Listen to a radio interview from BBC Radio 4 Today. The interview is about branding gaffes.

The carmaker BMW launched a Mini Cooper marketing campaign in Germany to try to take advantage of the cold weather. Unfortunately the Mini Cooper's name was attached to a cold weather front which killed many across Europe. BMW is embarrassed and a spokesman said that "it took on catastrophic proportions and left so many victims... we do regret it very much."

In this interview Allyson Stewart-Allen, a marketing expert who runs International Marketing Partners, explains how to avoid a branding mistake.

Listen to the interview
What other examples of branding gaffes do they give?

What are the worst branding gaffes? (mp3)

Listen again and do the exercise below

Grammar - Passive

What's the difference between these sentences?

They translated the text into Chinese
The text was translated into Chinese

Which one uses the passive?
When do we use the passive?

Not sure how to use the passive? Look here http://efllecturer.blogspot.com/2011/04/passive-present-simple.html
or here http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/grammar/passive.htm

Try this exercise to practise the passive using phrases from the interview.

Printable version here

More practice

Passive
http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/active_passive/sentences_gaps.htm
http://esl.about.com/library/quiz/blgrquiz_passive1.htm

Other activities
Things that happen on the internet every 60 seconds
http://efllecturer.blogspot.com/2011/08/60-seconds-things-that-happen-on.html
Making Potato chips
http://efllecturer.blogspot.com/2011/05/making-potato-chips-ielts-describing.html

Reading
More funny gaffes
http://k3hamilton.com/cb/cbgaffes.html

http://www.learnenglish.de/mistakes/HorrorMistakes.htm

Writing / Discussion

What advice would you give to an English speaking person who was learning your language or coming to visit your country?
How could he / she avoid making any gaffes?

Discussion / Listening / Writing - Is smacking a child ever justified?

2012-02-08T10:43:00.000Z

You are going to

listen to a discussion and do a gap-filling exercise
practise verbs used to report speech
discuss parenting and children's behaviour
prepare and write an IELTS task 2 question on this theme

Discuss

What's the best way to educate children?
What's the best way to teach children about right and wrong?
How should parents discipline children when they do wrong?
Do you think it is ever right to smack a child who has done wrong?
What is the law in the UK with regard to smacking?
What is the law in your country?
How does the education of children affect society?
How did your parents raise you?
Are you a parent? How do you / will you raise your children?

Listen
You are going to listen to a short discussion from the BBC Radio 4 Today programme
http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/default.stm

David Lammy, the Labour MP for Tottenham and former minister, sparked controversy when he said parents in his constituency were confused about the law on smacking.
Cindy Butts, adviser on the Metropolitan Police's Operation Trident, and Sunny Hundal, Guardian writer and editor of left wing blog Liberal Conspiracy, discuss whether smacking is ever justified.

Listen to the discussion

1) Who says the following? Cindy Butts or Sunny Hundal?

some families don't understand the law
was beaten as a child
people are more willing to ignore authority nowadays

Click play to listen

Is smacking ever justified? (mp3)

2) Listen again and fill in the gaps with a verb from the drop-down menu.

Printable version available here

Grammar - Reported Speech

Look at the text again.
The verbs in the gaps in the summary can all be used to report speech. We can also use Say and Tell but the test of good English is being able to use varied vocabulary.
What other verbs in the text are used to report speech?
Highlight for answers = dispute, maintain, claim, consider

Practise reported speech here
http://www.englishcafe.com/blog/reported-speech-reporting-verbs-27093

Discuss

The law in the UK states that a parent can smack a child without reddening the skin. Do you agree that the law is fair and sensible?
What are the alternatives to smacking?
Do you think parents should have training to raise children?
Are people more willing to ignore authority nowadays? Is this good or bad? What are the causes?
Do you agree there has been a breakdown in discipline in young teenagers?
How much are parents responsible for the actions of their children?

Writing

Choose one of the following IELTS questions

Some people think it would be a good idea for schools to teach every young person how to be a good parent. Do you agree or disagree with this opinion? Describe the skills a person needs to be a good parent.
Firm discipline is a necessary part of teaching children. To what extent do you agree or disagree
In some countries children have very strict rules of behavior, while in other countries they are allowed to do almost anything they want. To what extent should children have to follow rules? Give Reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Behaviour in schools is getting worse. Explain the causes and effects of this problem, and suggest some possible solutions.

More Practice
More reported speech
http://www.englishcafe.com/blog/reported-speech-reporting-verbs-27093

Reporting verbs lists
http://www.edufind.com/english/grammar/rep7.cfm
http://academicenglishcafe.com/ReportedandQuotedSpeechVerbs.aspx

Game http://academicenglishcafe.com/HotChocolateCoolQuotesBetaRV.aspx

Reading
Daily Mail - Labour MP: Smacking ban led to riots because parents fear children will be taken away if they discipline them
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2093223/Labour-MP-David-Lammy-Smacking-ban-led-riots.html

More BBC Radio 4 Today stories on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/thetodayprogramme

What Britain Loves

2012-02-06T16:26:00.001Z

You are going to

discuss countries and stereotypes
watch and listen to a TV ad.
listen and order words and expressions
talk about what your country / region / city loves

1) Discuss

What is the British stereotype?
What do the British love?
Think of some things we love

2) Watch the clip

What does Britain love?
Can you guess before you watch?

3) Put the words and expressions in order
Look at the list of words and expressions in the exercise below
Do you understand all of them?
Watch the youtube clip again. While you listen, use your mouse to drag the expressions into the right order on the lines.

4) Discuss / Writing

Do you think the ad is true?
What do you love doing?
What do people in your country love doing?

What does you country love?
Make a list of things
Read them out to the class or make a poster.

Grammar
Don't forget - "... loves + a NOUN or VERB +ing"
eg Britain loves a celebration
or
Britain loves gardening

The Beatles

2012-02-05T10:34:00.000Z

You are going to

revise the past simple
listen to a video about the Beatles and do a matching exercise
read a text about the Beatles and do a gap-fill exercise
do a quiz based on the information in the lesson

1) Discuss

2012 is the 50th anniversary of the Beatles' first hit single.

Who were the Beatles?
What were their names?
What did they do?

Watch the video to find out.

2) Do the matching exercise

Look at the exercise below. The information in the boxes on the right is in a different order to the film. Use your mouse to drag the information in the boxes on the right to the correct heading on the left.
Watch the film again if you need to.

Listen to this Beatles concert from 1965 while you do the gap fill exercise below.

4) Gap-fill

Read the text and fill in the gaps.
You can choose the correct answer from the drop-down menu.

Sgt Pepper

Abbey Road

5) Beatles Quiz

How much can you remember?
Do this quiz. There are 12 questions.

6) Writing

Choose someone famous that you like. Write about them.

When was he / she born?
Where was he / she from?
What did he / she do?
How did he / she become famous?
Did he / she make films?
Did he / she get married?
Why do you like him / her?

7) More
Printable worksheet here

More past simple practice
http://efllecturer.blogspot.com/2011/04/past-simple-forms.html

More practice with the Beatles http://www.esllistening.org/beatles/home.html

More Beatles info and music http://www.beatles.com/

And in the end...

Willpower - How can you improve it?

2012-02-04T11:16:00.001Z

You are going to

discuss willpower
listen to a radio programme about willpower and do a gap-fill exercise.
do a quiz to find out how much willpower you have

Discuss

Do you have willpower?
What is willpower?
When do you need it?
When you decide to do something do you always finish it?
Oscar Wilde said "I can resist everything but temptation". Can you resist everything?
How can you improve your willpower?

Listening

Read the summary below of the BBC Radio 4 interview with Roy Baumeister about willpower. Can you guess any of the words which go in the gaps?
Listen to the recording below and fill in the gaps with the word you hear.

Be careful of your spelling!

According to a new book, the most important thing to make a person successful is willpower and not self-esteem as is sometimes thought.

Professor Roy Baumeister, author of Willpower: Rediscovering Our Greatest Strength, talks to the Today programme

Click play to listen. Fill in the gaps.

Self-control "is the best thing you can give your children" (mp3)

More
Listen to a debate on this subject BBC's The Forum here http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00mxby8

Reading

How much willpower do you have?
Find out in this quiz http://www.youthink.com/quiz.cfm?obj_id=80878

Why willpower matters – and how to get it
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/feb/07/why-willpower-matters

Achievements - Laura Dekker: a heroine for our times?

2012-01-28T10:40:00.000Z

You are going to

Review past tenses
Read and analyse a text about Laura Dekker
Look at vocabulary and expressions to describe personality
Discuss keeping diaries and blogs
Discuss and write about an achievement using a variety of past tenses
Discuss and write some IELTS style questions

1) Introduction
A) Who is Laura Dekker?
What do you know about her?

Where is she from?
How old is she?
What is her achievement?
How long did it take?
Why did the authorities try to stop her?

B) Watch the news report to check your answers

C) Watch again, listen and fill in the spaces in the gap-fill exercise with a verb

D) Grammar - Look again. What are the tenses in each sentence?

2) Discuss

Look at the map below

Would you like to sail around the world on your own?
What skills do you think you need?
What kind of a person do you need to be? Think of some adjectives or expressions.
Do you agree with the Dutch authorities that Laura was too young to do the trip?
What do you think Laura learned from the trip?

3) Reading

3a) Read the text below quickly and put these paragraph headings into the correct spaces in the text. Each heading describes the paragraph which follows

A) She is determined

B) She is a reluctant superstar

C) She is good with cockroaches

D) She was born to sail

E) She becomes the youngest person to circumnavigate the globe

Read the text again and find the answers to these questions.

3b) What expressions or adjectives are used to describe Laura?
3c) What did she learn from the trip?

4) Vocabulary

Check / Guess / Find out
What do these underlined expressions from the text mean? Try and guess from the other words in the sentence.

Paragraph 1

a trip her father had hoped would "cure her wanderlust"

Paragraph 2
She took on six-metre-high waves and extreme weather
heading into the Cape of Good Hope
her storm jib (a sail used in storms) got jammed
Another of her sails ripped completely
She dodged near-collisions with cargo ships
Not in the least squeamish, she had to rescue live flying fish that had flung themselves into her cabin, and scrub the stinking remains of decomposing squid from the deck
the ants and cockroaches that had stowed away in her cabin.
Paragraph 3

she set off

in the meantime

Paragraph 4

Dekker has just pipped the previous youngest

Now do the exercise

5) Grammar

Tenses. Look again at part 1D. What were the tenses?
How many tenses can you find in the reading text? Give one example of each.

Find a past simple = She survived weeks at sea...

Find a past continuous =

Find a present perfect =

Find a past perfect =

Find a conditional =

Find a passive =

6) Discuss

What do you think of Laura's achievement?
Do you think she is a heroine?
Was she right to follow her dream or was she too young?
Were the Dutch authorities right to try and stop her?
How much do you think she learned on the trip?
Would she have learned as much at school?

Look at Laura's blog http://www.lauradekker.nl/English/News.html

Why do you think she kept a diary / blog?
Do you keep a diary or blog?
What are the advantages of keeping a learning diary or blog in English?

Think of an achievement in your life and talk about it eg learning to drive, learning English, entering a competition, doing a course...

Why did you decide to do it?
Describe doing it. Was it difficult? How did you feel during and after?
What did you learn from it?
What did you learn about yourself?

7a) Writing

Now write about your achievement
Organise and plan

Paragraph 1 - Introduce the achievement. Say why you wanted to do it. Use past tenses - past simple and continuous / past perfect

Paragraph 2 / 3 - Describe doing it - preparation, difficulties, your feelings. Use past tenses - past simple and continuous / past perfect. Use some adjectives to describe the activity and your feelings.

Paragraph 4 - What have you learnt from doing it? How has it changed your life? How have you changed? What are the benefits? Would you recommend the activity to others? Try and use a variety of tenses; past simple and continuous / past perfect / present perfect / conditional / passive

7b) Writing (IELTS)

Discuss and prepare to write about one of these questions

Should parents be obliged to send their children to school? Or should they have the right to choose how to educate them?

Some people believe that governments have a duty to make sure all their citizens are healthy, safe and well educated. Others say that this can lead to state interference and infringes on the freedom of the individual to choose how to live. Discuss both views and give your opinion

“Not everything that is learned is contained in books.” Compare and contrast knowledge gained from experience with knowledge gained from books. In your opinion, which source is more important? Why? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

8) More reading

Laura Dekker's website http://www.lauradekker.nl/English/About_Laura.html
Laura Decker: A heroine for our times by Emine Saner. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/23/laura-dekker-sailing-heroine-times
Daily Mail http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2089989/Laura-Dekker-Dutch-girl-16-youngest-sail-world-own.html

Ex 3 and 4 - Printable version here
Other answers - Highlight below

1C Answers
1) has. 2) arrived, set. 3) had. 4) were, was 5) were, wanted, wanted. 6) had, have. 7) has.

1D Answers 1) Present Perfect. 2) Past Simple. 3) Past Perfect. 4) Past Simple, Past Passive. 5) Past Simple x 3. 6) Past Perfect, Past modal - should. 7) Present Perfect Passive.

3a) Answers
She was born to sail
She is good with cockroaches
She is determined
She becomes the youngest person to circumnavigate the globe
She is a reluctant superstar

3b) Answers

stoic, a cool head, wanderlust, not in the least squeamish, determined, experienced solo sailor, values solitude and a proximity to nature, has a deep appreciation of the beauty the world has to offer, "mostly I simply enjoy the endless silky blue ocean and the quiet peace that it brings," "At sea, I feel comfortable and I come to rest."

3c) Answers
- To prepare for the trip Dekker had done training in first aid and sleep management, and had become a more experienced solo sailor,
- Sailing around the world, navigating difficult port approaches, storms, dangerous reefs, and the full - responsibility of keeping herself and her boat safe
- Learned to value and appreciate nature

5) Answers
past simple - She survived weeks at sea...
past continuous - Her Dutch parents were living on a yacht...
present perfect - Her mother has said...
past perfect - ... flying fish that had flung themselves into her cabin
conditional - If Laura had drowned people would have accused us of not doing enough to protect her
passive - Dekker was placed under state guardianship by a Dutch court

Groundhog Day

2012-01-26T10:59:00.001Z

Teacher's note; the worksheet below was designed to be watched in a computer room as an individual student activity. It is quite long (the opening 30 minutes of the film) and revises present simple for habit. The advantages of doing the activity individually are that it gives the student the chance to pause and rewind difficult sections of dialogue until they have understood and completed the worksheet to their own satisfaction. However it can be done as group activity in class if it is divided into more easily digestible chunks.

The film is not on Youtube

DVD available from amazon here

1) Introduction
Festival

What happens at the Groundhog Day festival?
When is it?

Find out here

Film
Watch the film trailer

What is Phil Connors' job?
Why is he in Punxsutawney?
What strange thing happens to him there?

2) Reading

Toby Young's review of Groundhog Day here
Pages from New progress to First Certificate: Self-study student's book By Leo Jones (1997, out of print) based on Tony Young's review on Google Books here

3) Film worksheet

Groundhog Day (first 30 mins of film) for EFL

View more documents from David Mainwood

4) Discuss

Why do you think Phil is living the same day again and again?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of living the same day again and again?
If you were Phil what would you do?
Would you want to stay repeating the same day or would you try to find a way out?
What do you think Phil will learn from the experience?
What do you think is the message of the film?

5) More Groundhog Day resources
The Best Resources For Groundhog Day
by Larry Ferlazzo
http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2009/02/03/the-best-resources-for-groundhog-day/

Air New Zealand All Blacks Flight Safety Video

2012-01-22T10:46:00.002Z

You are going to

1) Discuss flying and air safety procedures
2) Watch a flight safety video and do some comprehension activities
3) Look at and practise the following grammar points;
   a) the zero conditional with an imperative
   b) "should" and "were to" in conditionals to express improbability eg "If something should / were to happen..."
   c) language for advice, instructions and obligation
4) Write an instruction / advice leaflet
5) Adapt your leaflet into a powerpoint presentation or film

Teacher's notes;

1. Answers are in the SlideRocket presentation at the bottom of the post

2. The All Blacks are the New Zealand rugby team.

1) Discuss

How often do you fly?
Do you pay attention to the flight safety demonstrations?
Do you know what to do in an emergency?
Make a note of any vocabulary you need to explain what to do. For example; take off, land, exit, signs, seats, fasten, seat-belt, life-jacket, oxygen mask, overhead compartments, evacuate

2) Video
a) Do you know..?
You are going to watch a flight safety video. How many of these questions do you know the answers to?

Where should you store your baggage?
What should you do if the seat-belt sign is switched on?
If an oxygen mask should drop down in front of you, what would you do?
What should you make sure of before you help anyone?
If an emergency were to happen during take-off or landing, what should you do?
How do you put on the life-jacket?
Where can you smoke?
How will you find the exit if there is no light?
What should you count?
What should you do with your mobile phone?

2b) Watch the video to check your answers

Air New Zealand - 'Crazy About Rugby' Safety Video from CDow on Vimeo.

2c) After you watch. How much can you remember?

Finish the sentences.

Even if you fly with us often, please keep your eyes on the briefing.
Make sure all your baggage is stored away…
Whether you’re in the front row or the back…
We recommend you keep your seat-belt fastened throughout the flight, but…
If the seat-belt sign is switched on…
If an oxygen mask should drop down in front of you…
If there are young ones around you…
If an emergency were to happen during take-off or landing…
If you find yourself needing to smoke on this flight…
If you need to find your way out even if it’s All Black…
Should we need to evacuate…
Mobile phones can interfere with aircraft systems and mustn’t be used in flight unless...

Can't remember them all?

Try the matching exercise below

3) Discuss Grammar

1. What do these sentences have in common?
2. What's the difference between them?

A) If an oxygen mask drops down in front of you, use it to breathe.

B) If an oxygen mask were to drop down in front of you, use it to breathe.

C) If an oxygen mask should drop down in front of you, use it to breathe.

D) Should an oxygen mask drop down in front of you, use it to breathe.

3. Which 3 are the most unlikely?

Practise
If + "were to... " http://www.englishpage.com/conditional/wereto.html
http://www.englishpage.com/conditional/conditional11.htm

Conditionals - Alternative forms http://esl.about.com/cs/advanced/a/gr_cond_alt_2.htm

4) Writing

Use the information from the video to write a flight safety advice leaflet.
or
Write a leaflet advising people what to do in an emergency
For example - A fire
Does your school or college have fire drills?
Do you know what to do and where to go if there was a fire?

Use some of the language from the video

If the alarm were to ring...

If the alarm should ring...

Should the alarm ring...

Make sure you...

All students must...

We recommend (that) you + verb

5) Speaking

Turn your leaflet from part 4 into a presentation or film.
Make a powerpoint presentation
or
direct and act in an instructional film telling people what to do in an emergency

6) Sporting vocabulary

This Air New Zealand video features the New Zealand All Blacks Rugby team. There are many sporting expressions in the video. Read the transcript here http://lybio.net/air-new-zealand-crazy-about-rugby-safety-video/travel-events/ or watch the video again. How many can you find?

Make a note of any other vocabulary in the film that you find useful

More air safety videos http://www.carhire.org/blog/funny-flight-safety-videos

SlideRocket presentation (containing answers)
Click on it to start

Internet goes on strike - Discussion / Writing an argument

2012-01-18T14:18:00.001Z

Updated 23/1/2012 to add the interview with Jacob Appelbaum who argues the case against SOPA and talks about Megaupload and the surveillance state. It's at the bottom of the post.

Why is the internet "on strike"?
1) Read
18 January 2012
Wikipedia joins blackout protest at US anti-piracy moves
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16590585
Wikipedia has taken its English-language site offline as part of protests against proposed anti-piracy laws in the US.
Users attempting to access the site see a black screen and a political statement: "Imagine a world without free knowledge."
The user-generated news site Reddit and the blog Boing Boing are also taking part in the "blackout".
However, Twitter has declined to join the shutdown.

Read more
Viewpoints: Sites go offline in US piracy laws protest
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16604990

SOPA debate: Who’s involved and what are the stakes? A look at the politicians, companies and lobbying groups involved in the dispute over Stop Online Piracy Act.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/sopa-debate-whos-involved-and-what-are-the-stakes/2012/01/17/gIQAZAVq5P_gallery.html

Watch a video http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/interactive/2011/dec/23/sopa-stop-online-piracy-act

2) Discuss

What is copyright?
What is online piracy?
What should we do about online piracy?
Have you ever downloaded movies and music?
Do you think we should pay for them or should they be free?
What are the consequences of free movies or music?

for customers?
for retailers?
for business?
for musicians, actors and people who work in those industries?

Do you think they should look for other ways to invest in and sell their products?

Give examples

What other content on the web is free?
Should news be free?
Should knowledge be free? Why / Why not?
Do you think wikipedia is right to shut down in protest or should we have laws that shut down websites that share content without paying copyright?
What are the consequences of closing down websites which share copyrighted content? Which of your favourite websites would be affected?
Take note of some advantages and disadvantages of free and paid internet content and prepare to write the question below

3) Write
Write an answer to this question.
The film and music industry want to close down websites which freely share copyrighted content. Others say that this goes against freedom of speech. Which view do you agree with? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

Interview with Jacob Appelbaum who argues against SOPA and talks about Megaupload and the surveillance state.

Looking to the Future - Activities and Achievements (Future Continuous and Perfect)

2012-01-08T11:55:00.000Z

You are going to

look at and practise the future continuous for describing future activities
look at and practise the future perfect for describing future achievements
watch a video which makes some predictions about the future
order some sentences while watching the video
discuss future activities and achievements

1) Discuss / Practise Future Continuous

Future Continuous
Look at the presentation and discuss the questions

Future Continuous

View more presentations from David Mainwood

2) Read, discuss and put in order
Read the list of predictions for the future

Discuss. What do you think? How many will come true?
Choose 10 and say when you think they will happen (Soon? In 2020? In the distant future?... )
The predictions are not in order. Put the 10 predictions you think will come true in order with the year you think they will happen. Two are done as examples

Our Future?

2015 - We will be using translating apps to speak foreign languages
We will be "cloud computing" (storing all our data and using apps on the internet)
People will be using bionic limbs
Petrol vehicles will have become obsolete
Personal flight will have become normal transport
We will be living on the Moon
Robot companions will be living with us
Robot servants will be working for us
Renewables will have overtaken fossil fuels
We will be travelling on interstellar spacecraft
Cars will be driving themselves
Earth population will have peaked at 20 Billion
Nuclear fusion will have met our energy needs
2050 Men and women will have landed on Mars
We will have discovered other Earth-like planets
We will be recording every moment of our lives
Most people will have moved to other planets
We will have worked out how to unify quantum theory
We will have become "cosmosapiens" living in the universe
We will be experiencing "augmented reality"
All tyranny will have ended
We will be growing human spare parts

3) Watch the video to see if you are right.
Answers below

4) Discuss the video

Do you agree with the predictions? Why / Why not?

Can you discuss or comment on them?

For example
I can't believe that cars will be driving themselves in 2040
I hope all tyranny will have ended by 2040
If we use translators we won't need to study foreign languages
If robots do all the work what will we do?
People may / might / could be living on the Moon sooner than 2050

5) Discuss / Practise Future Perfect

Look at the predictions again. What tenses are they?
Which ones are Future Continuous?
Which ones are Future Perfect?

What's the difference between the Future Continuous and the Future Perfect?

Look at the presentation and practise the Future Perfect

Future Perfect

View more presentations from David Mainwood

6) Discuss your targets and predictions

What are your targets and predictions for the future?
Targets

What will you be doing in the next 12 months?
What will you have achieved by this time next year?

Predictions for 1 year ahead

What will be in fashion?
What will we be talking about and doing?
What will be in the news?

Don't forget to use the Future Continuous and the Future Perfect where possible.

7) Writing

What are the positive and negative effects of the progress of science and technology on our lives? What influence will they have on our future?

8) Reading

What do you think are the 20 top predictions for the next 100 years?

Find out what BBC readers thought here.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16536598
How likely are they to come true?
How many do you agree with?
Take notes and discuss or comment on them (as in ex 4)

9) More grammar practice

http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/futurecontinuous.html
http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/futureperfect.html

Answers - highlight below

2015 We will be using translating apps to speak foreign languages
2018 We will be "cloud computing" (storing data and using apps on the internet)
2010 We will be experiencing augmented reality
2015 Robot servants will be working for us
2030 Robot companions will be living with us
2030 Tyranny will have ended
2030 Renewables will have overtaken fossil fuels
2030 Petrol vehicles will have become obsolete
2040 Personal flight will have become normal transport
2040 Cars will be driving themselves
2040 We will have worked out how to unify quantum theory
2050 Nuclear fusion will have met our energy needs
2050 People will be using bionic limbs
2050 Men and women will have landed on Mars
2050 We will be living on the Moon
2055 We will have discovered Earth-like planets
2100 We will be recording every moment of our lives
2100 We will be growing human spare parts
2100 Earth population will have peaked at 20 Billion
2500 Most people will have moved to other planets
3000 We will be travelling on interstellar spacecraft
10000 We will have become cosmosapiens

What would have happened if..? 10 Inventors Killed By Their Own Inventions (3rd Conditional)

2011-12-17T11:13:00.000Z

You are going to

discuss inventors and inventions
watch a video about inventors and inventions
do some comprehension activities based on the video which introduce and practise the 3rd conditional
look at and practise the 3rd conditional using photos from a presentation
reflect on the past and say what you would have done differently using the 3rd conditional

1) Discuss

Who invented television?
Who invented the internet?
What famous inventors do you know?
What did they invent?
What modern activities did they make possible?
What do you think have been the most important inventions in history?

2) Video clip - "10 inventors who were killed by their own inventions"

Before you watch, look at the list of inventors and inventions below.
The names are in the correct order but the inventions are not. As you watch, match the name with the correct invention.

Can you guess any before you watch?
The inventors were killed by their own inventions. How do you think they died?

The numbers are in reverse order as the video is a top 10 countdown. One is done for you.
You can drag and drop the inventions.

Watch the video and check.

3) Discuss

All of the inventors were killed by their own inventions.
If they had known...

What would the inventors have changed?
What would they have done differently?

4) Match the beginnings and ends of these sentences

How much can you remember?
The beginnings and ends of the sentences below have been mixed up.
Match the beginnings of the sentences in the left hand column with the ends in the right hand column.
The first is done for you.
You can drag and drop the ends of the sentences.
Watch the video again if you need to check.

Note for 3 and 4 - been strangled and been convicted are passives.
Printable version here

5) Presentation on the 3rd conditional

If the inventors had been more careful, they would have lived.
If we are imagining changes in the past what language do we use?
Look at all the sentences in ex 4. How do we make the 3rd conditional?
Look at the presentation to check.

3rd Conditional

View more presentations from David Mainwood

6) Discuss / Practise

Reflect on the past. Think. Imagine.
In the last 12 months...

What would you have done if you'd had more time?
Would you have studied more English?
Would you have looked for a new job?
What would you have done differently if you'd had other choices?

Do you have any regrets in life?

What would you have changed if you'd had the chance? If I'd had the chance I would have...
If you had known a year ago what you know now, what would or wouldn't you have done differently in the last 12 months? If I'd known 12 months ago that ..., I would have...
What would you have changed in your childhood or when you were at school / college / university ? If I had studied music, I would have learnt to sing
What things wouldn't you have done? If I had known .., I wouldn't have...

7) Reading

Who are the top 10 most popular inventors?
What did they invent?
Find out here http://inventors.about.com/od/inventorsalphabet/tp/popularinventor.htm

Here's a list of inventors and their inventions. Find 5 which you think are the most useful.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_inventors
Can you make some sentences in the 3rd conditional?.
Imagine...

If Tim Berners Lee hadn't invented the world wide web, they wouldn't have sold so many computers

If John Logie Baird hadn't invented TV, we wouldn't have been able to watch so many TV programmes

How many UK children think the Queen invented the telephone?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/8565258.stm

8) More practise
More practice on 3rd Conditional
http://www.englishgrammarsecrets.com/thirdconditional/exercise2.swf

http://www.englishgrammarsecrets.com/thirdconditional/exercise3.swf

More All Time 10s
http://www.facebook.com/alltime10s

http://www.youtube.com/alltime10s
Many thanks to All Time 10s who provided the video in this post with incredible speed when I asked about the idea on their facebook page. If they hadn't provided the video, this post would not have been possible!

Breakfast with Eric and Ernie

2011-12-12T18:30:00.000Z

You are going to

discuss breakfast

look at breakfast / kitchen words

watch a video about breakfast

practise asking and answering questions in the present simple

practise using auxiliaries in the present simple - Do, Don't, Does, Doesn't
describe what you do for breakfast

Teacher's note. This activity is designed to practise the present simple. By substituting Did for Do / Does it can also practise the past. Students can describe the activity in the past if they know the past forms of eat, drink, listen, make, put, throw, catch, beat (eggs), squeeze, open, close, toss (pancakes), cut, take

Revise and practise the present simple here http://efllecturer.blogspot.com/2011/04/present-simple.html

Scroll down for the SlideRocket presentation version of this post

Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise

Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise were two famous British comedians. This clip shows how they make breakfast when they are listening to the radio.

Discuss

1) What time do you have breakfast?

2) What do you eat and drink for breakfast?
Do you

drink tea?
drink coffee?
drink orange juice?
eat a cereal?
eat toast?
eat bacon and eggs?
eat biscuits?
eat pancakes?
make your breakfast?

3) Look at the photo. What can you see on the table?

4) What is your kitchen like? Describe it.

5) Have you got these in your kitchen?

milk	knife
bowls	kettle
cups	teapot
tray	bread
plates	toaster
cupboards	lemons
eggs

6) What other things have you got in your kitchen? Make a list in 1 minute.eg kettle, cooker...

Watch the clip

1) Vocabulary check
What do these words mean?

throw, catch, slices, beat (eggs), squeeze, open, close, toss (pancakes), cut, take

2) Look at the photos. What are their names?

Eric

Ernie

3a) Look at the list of breakfast activities before you watch.
Put their names next to the activities you see them do. After you watch do the interactive exercises below the video

listen to the radio √ = Eric and Ernie	beat the eggs √ = Ernie
eat breakfast cereal	cut the lemons √ = Eric
drink coffee = X (They don't drink coffee)	squeeze lemons
eat biscuits	toss pancakes
throw slices of bread	put water in the tea pot
catch the bread	make the tea
put bread in the toaster	catch the toast
open the cupboards	take sausages out of the fridge

Watch

3b) How much can you remember? Choose the correct answer

Practise

Ask and answer questions
For example

Does Eric catch the bread? Yes he does
Does Ernie put the bread in the toaster. No he doesn't, Eric puts the bread in the toaster

Continue...

Revise and practise the present simple here http://efllecturer.blogspot.com/2011/04/present-simple.html

Write

Describe what you do for breakfast
I have breakfast at 8 o'clock. I drink...

Practice of past simple

Look at the pictures in the presentation below

Tell the story in the past. Use the vocabulary from the exercises and these verbs in the past; eat, drink, listen, make, put, throw, catch, beat (eggs), squeeze, open, close, toss (pancakes), cut, take

For example; This morning Eric and Ernie had breakfast. They ate cereal and listened to the radio…

Worksheet on Slideshare http://www.slideshare.net/DavidMainwood/breakfast-with-eric-and-ernie-for-efl-10552566

SlideRocket presentation version of this post

What will happen if..? (1st Conditional)

2011-12-06T11:36:00.000Z

You are going to practise the 1st conditional by

looking at some some photos and asking / answering questions
looking at a health and safety picture and predicting some dangers

1) Discuss / Find out

What is health and safety?
What is the 1st conditional
When do we use it?
How do we make it?

Answers. Highlight here

Health and safety = People try and look at present dangers and predict accidents before they happen

We use the 1st conditional to talk about things which we can see now will be probable in the future.

If + Verb in Present, + Future

What will happen if you practise?
If you practise, you will learn

2) Practise
Watch the presentation. Ask and answer questions about the photos using the 1st Condional. Click the page to go.

What will happen if... (1st Conditional)

View more presentations from David Mainwood

3) Discuss / Write
Look at the picture. What dangers can you see?
How many sentences can you make using the 1st conditional?
eg If someone opens the door, the woman will fall off the chair.

Picture source http://www.cnxnotts.co.uk/pdfs/kangaroo/partners/WRL/OopsOuchAargh.pdf

4) More practice

Conditionals 1 and 2 here http://efllecturer.blogspot.com/2011/04/conditionals-1-and-2.html

http://efllecturer.blogspot.com/2011/12/what-would-happen-if-2nd-conditional.html

More health and safety language http://www.esolcourses.com/topics/health-and-safety.html

Find / take some photos of your class / college / home and make sentences about any dangers you see.
Make a health and safety leaflet. Remember to use some 1st Conditionals If you..., you will...

Some suggested answers for the picture - highlight below

If someone opens the door, the woman will fall off the chair
If she falls, she will hurt herself
If the kettle falls off the cupboard, boiling water will burn someone.
If the woman at the desk touches the electic fire, she will burn her feet
If the electric fire gets too hot, it will burn the desk or start a fire
There are boxes and a cup on the floor. If the man trips on them, he will drop the box
The man is smoking. If the cigarette ash falls in the box, it will start a fire
There are too many plugs in the socket. If they get too hot, they will start a fire
If someone opens the door, he will trip on the wires
There are too many books and files on the high shelf. If it breaks, they will fall and break the computer or hurt someone.

What would happen if..? (2nd Conditional)

2011-12-04T16:02:00.000Z

You are going to practise the 2nd conditional by

discussing some imaginary situations
reading some texts and doing some comprehension activities featuring conditionals

Note; Conditionals can be revised here Conditionals 1 and 2

1) Introduction

Look at the presentation and answer the questions in pairs or groups. Click to go to each new question.

If... 2nd conditional

View more presentations from David Mainwood

2) Discuss

What do you think?

What would happen if you stopped sleeping?
If the ice caps melted, would it flood Earth?
What would happen if you were locked in an airtight room? How long would you survive?
What would happen if a large meteorite hit the Earth?

3) Reading / Webquest

Read the questions for each text and then click on the links to go to the page and find the answers

1) What would happen if you stopped sleeping?

Look at these questions

What happens if you don't get enough sleep?
What are the 3 theories of why we sleep?
What do you think happens after three days of no sleep
What would happen if you were forced to stay awake?

Now read here to find the answers
http://express.howstuffworks.com/ask-mb-stop-sleep.htm

2) If the ice caps melted, would it flood Earth?

Read the text below. Fill in the gaps with these sentences endings;

a) sea levels would not be affected.
b) it wouldn't flood all the Earth.
c) it would add another 20 feet to the oceans.
d) all of these cities would be under water.
e) sea levels around the world would rise about 200 feet.

Full text here http://express.howstuffworks.com/ask-mb-ice-melt.htm

3) What would happen if you were locked in an airtight room? How long would you survive?

Read the text to find the answer
http://express.howstuffworks.com/ask-mb-oxygen.htm

Read again. Match the numbers and sentences in the exercise below.

4) Finally (very), what would happen if a 500km asteroid hit the Earth?

Would we survive?
What would happen to the oceans?
What would happen to life on Earth?

Watch the video and find out. Turn the captions on and read the subtitles.

More practice
More here http://express.howstuffworks.com/ask-marshall.htm
What other interesting facts can you find?

Can you make any more questions with what would happen if..?
Ask the questions and give answers.

Go here for more conditionals practice Conditionals 1 and 2

Answers for Ex1 and Ex4 highlight below

Ex1

You're more prone to disease, and a child's growth can be stunted by sleep deprivation.
A) Sleep gives the body a chance to repair muscles and other tissues and replace aging or dead cells. B) Sleep gives the brain a chance to organize and archive memories (dreaming is probably a part of that process). C) Sleep may be a way of recharging the brain.
A person will start to hallucinate and clear thinking is impossible. With continued wakefulness, a person can lose grasp on reality.
You'd probably fall asleep before something as drastic as death could happen.

Ex 4

Life would not survive and the oceans would be vaporized

Merry Christmas Mr Bean

2011-11-27T18:47:00.000Z

Teacher's note;

The activities in the worksheet at the bottom of this post are based on the full episode available on DVD or on youtube http://youtu.be/L2UCRNldC3s (it cannot be embedded here).

This post contains some exercises based on the embeddable youtube clips. The answers are in the worksheet.

DVD available here

Mr Bean celebrates the traditional British Christmas: the baubles, the crackers, the nativity scene, the carols, the presents, the turkey and the mistletoe... they are all here. As no British Christmas is complete without a disaster or two that makes it the typical British Christmas!

You are going to

discuss Christmas
watch the Christmas Mr Bean episode and do some activities
find Christmas words in a word search exercise
write the story in the past tense
find out more about the typical British Christmas and some of the Christmas things in the video.

Christmas Vocabulary – crackers, mistletoe, Christmas tree, tinsel, carols, carol singers, Santa Claus / Father Christmas, stockings, presents, holly, turkey, stuffing, fairy lights, angel, star, cards, pudding, baubles, nativity scene, baby Jesus, manger.

Discuss

Do you celebrate Christmas?
What do people usually do on Christmas Eve in the UK?
What do people usually do on Christmas Day in the UK?
Do you know of any special Christmas food or Christmas customs in the UK?
What decorations do we have?
What’s a cracker?
What’s mistletoe?
What are carols?

Watch clip 1
Answer the questions in the interactive exercise after you watch

Did Mr Bean have any Christmas decorations?
What Christmas decorations did Mr Bean have?
What kind of films were on TV?
Did Mr Bean like the films?
What did the children sing?
Did Mr Bean like them?
What did he eat?
Did he give the children anything?

Now do exercise 1 (the answers to questions 9 and 10 are in the next clip)

Watch clip 2

Answer the questions in the interactive exercise after you watch

1) What were his 3 Christmas presents and who were they for?

2) Who says it?
Put “B” for Bean or “G” for his girlfriend.

___”Are you alright in there?”
___“Fine, thank you”

___“Cup of tea?”
___“Oh Yes, if you’re having one”
___“Well I might”
___“Have you got the turkey on?”
___“Do you want a hand?”
___“No, no, thank you”

3) Fill in the gaps from this list of verbs
USE THE PAST FORMS
(You can use some verbs more than once)
Pull Eat Give Do Cry Make Be Ring Find Leave Want Scream Throw Lose Put Hang Be See

Mr Bean _____ lunch
The turkey ______ very big
He ______ stuffing inside the turkey
He ______ his watch
His girlfriend ______ the doorbell
She ______ up the mistletoe
She ______ when she ___ Mr Bean
She ______ the coal bucket out the window
Mr Bean ______ his watch
They ______ sandwiches for lunch
She ______ him a present
She ______ a kiss
He ______ want to kiss her
He _____ her a present
She ______ after she ___ her present and ______ the flat
Mr Bean ______ the cracker
There ___ an explosion

Now do exercises 2 and 3

4) Do the word square

There are 19 Christmas words hidden in this box. Can you find them all?
The words go across → and down ↓

5) Do the crossword

Printable version here

Worksheet and answers

Merry Christmas Mr Bean for EFL

View more documents from David Mainwood

5) Writing

Tell the story of Mr Bean's Christmas in the past. Start Mr Bean went shopping in Harrods. He...
Describe your typical Christmas
Describe a similar festival in your country (talk about the typical food, clothes, traditional activities etc)

6) Reading / Webquest
Find out about the typical British Christmas.

Click on the links to find the answers
Why do we decorate our houses at Christmas?
When is Boxing Day?
Why is it called Boxing Day?
What is Christmas Pudding?
Why do we have Christmas trees?
Who is Father Christmas?
What are mince pies?
What is a nativity play?
What do children do at Christmas?
What are the 12 days of Christmas?

Read more about the traditional British Christmas here http://projectbritain.com/Xmas/index.html#top

More activities here http://www.esolcourses.com/topics/christmas.html

Could you live without it?

2011-11-21T02:27:00.000Z

Reading - Living without electricity
Writing - Argument essay / advantages and disadvantages of mobile phones

You are going to

read a text about a man who lives without electricity
discuss what electrical items you could live without
watch a clip about mobile phones and answer some questions
write an argument essay about the advantages and disadvantages of mobile phones

Note; this post can be viewed as sliderocket presentation. Skip to the bottom of the post

1) Introduction

What are the essential things in your life? What couldn't you live without?
Could you live in a world without computers, cars, TV, mobile phones, electricity...?
What would you miss the most?

2) Reading

You are going to read an article about someone who has lived for 29 years without electricity. How do you think he manages to live without electricity?
How does he cook, heat the house and see in the dark?
Read the text and find out.

Not seeing the light at Downhill

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-15763248
By Nicola Weir
BBC NI district journalist

John faces his 29th Christmas without electricity. Two years ago, he successfully campaigned to have electricity installed along his road. But while his neighbours are enjoying their kettles, lights, washing machines and fridges, 77-year-old John McCarter is still waiting to be hooked up.The home that he's lived in since 1983 on the Seacoast Road at Downhill, close to Coleraine, is still being heated by two open coal fires, with candles providing his only light.

John lives in an idyllic setting, with his home nestled under the cliffs looking out to sea, but his living conditions are far from perfect: "During the summer, brilliant. Except for the fact you haven't got a thing like a fridge, which I can live with." "However, when the winter comes and the temperature drops down to minus four degrees and you get out of bed in the morning, and even before you get out, you can see your breath hanging on the air - it's far from pleasant," he said.

"The cooking isn't a problem, because I've got a gas cooker and that satisfies that end, but lighting is one candle and one tealight. "The candle provides the general lighting, the tealight lights up the face of the clock to let me see as the minutes tick away. "I have two open fires, one in the sitting room and one in the living room. "They're adequate provided they are burning, but the problem is you can't stay up all night to keep them alight so I usually stoke them up about 11.30pm before I go to bed, but by 3am, in the morning they're out and then the temperature just plummets. "By the time you are thinking of getting out of bed at 8am, the temperature inside is the same as outside."

Drag and drop to match the words from the text to the right definition

3) Discuss

Could you live like John?
Could you live without your mobile phone, smartphone, blackberry or computer? Why / Why not?
Are you addicted to them? / Do you know anyone who is addicted?
What do you use your mobile phone for? Make a list of all the things you can do with it.
Do you know how mobile phones can affect your health?
Do you think that mobile phones are sometimes anti-social? Why / why not?
Look at the words below. Which describe how you feel about your phone? Can you think of any more?

4a) Now watch this clip.

What answers to questions 2, 4, 5 and 6 do people in the video give?
What is the video maker's opinion of mobile phones?

4b) Advantages and disadvantages of mobile phones or smartphones

Add some ideas of your own and make a list of good things and bad things / advantages and disadvantages of mobile phones or smartphones.

5) Writing

You are going to write an answer to this question

"Mobile phones; Friend or Foe?"

When writing it's very important to have a plan
Think

How many paragraphs are you going to write? 3 or 4 = introduction + main text = a) advantages b) disadvantages + conclusion
What are you going to say in the introduction? Introduce and describe the thing you are going to talk about - describe it as if you are talking to an idiot or someone from another planet; eg Mobile phones are very popular. They can be used to communicate, text, take photos…
What are you going to say in the main text? Give examples of ideas, compare and contrast them = a) advantages b) disadvantages
What are you going to say in the conclusion? Sum up your ideas in 1 or 2 sentences. Give an opinion. Don’t introduce any new ideas.

Linking Words
1) What words or expressions can you use to introduce ideas?
A
B
C
Highlight = Firstly, for example, for instance, (+ writing the idea as a question )

2) What words or expressions can you use to continue, explain or contrast your ideas?
A
B
C

Highlight = Secondly, thirdly, also, moreover, furthermore,

Because, so, therefore, as a result,

However, on the other hand, nevertheless, although

3) What words or expressions can you use to finish or conclude your ideas?
A
B
C

Highlight = In conclusion, to summarise, on balance, it can be seen that... , it remains to be seen..., in the opinion of this writer...

Look at writing intoductions and planning here http://efllecturer.blogspot.com/2011/07/ielts-writing-introductions-for-task-2.html
and here http://efllecturer.blogspot.com/2011/09/describing-photos-comparing-contrasting.html

Write the essay - check!

If you have not...

written an introduction
used paragraphs
used appropriate language (see above)
written a conclusion
followed the instructions

then you have not finished or answered the question properly!

Examples - use these practice examples to help you
http://www.examenglish.com/IELTS/IELTS_writing2.htm

http://www.ieltsonline.com.au/IELTSexpress/writing/task2/practice/03_writing_wt2_essay.asp

6) More writing practice

Write argument essays (advantages / disadvantages) about other topics eg computers, the internet, air transport, fast food, exams, learning a second language...

7) More reading
Daily Mail
How mobile addiction led us to lose our manners...

Pros and Cons http://cellphones.procon.org/

BBC News
Third of adults use smartphone says Ofcom report

Are mobile phones safe for our children to use?

Cartoon http://www.englishblog.com/2011/08/cartoon-mobile-phone-addiction.html

Infographic http://www.cashgenerator.co.uk/are-you-addicted-to-your-mobile-phone.aspx

Sliderocket Presentation version of this post

Answers - highlight below

2) Reading
Answer = He has a gas cooker, two open fires and candles

Find words or expressions which mean

- connected = hooked up
- a beautiful place= idyllic setting
- be situated in a sheltered place = nestled (in)
- suitable / enough = adequate
- make hotter = stoke up
- fall quickly = plummet

4) Answers

- What do you use your mobile phone for? - phoning, texting, facebook, games, communication, apps, internet, social network
- How many say they can't live without a mobile? 3 out 4 cant live without mobile
- Do you know how mobile phones affect your health? - texting can damage your eyes, rumours, not really "clued up", not quite sure, more dangerous than smoking but no evidence to back this up.
- Do you agree that mobile phones are anti-social? - can be anti-social at times, but good for keeping in contact, allow you organise going out, stay in touch, access social network sites, antisocial on buses and trains, in the supermarkets, there is a clear divide between young and old on this but this may change
- Opinion = Conclusion - growing technology, to see the impact on health and society we have to wait for the future

4b)
Suggested ideas
Advs = good for keeping in contact, be organised, social network sites, + internet access, cheap, convenient, fun
Disadvs = anti-social, health issues(?), + addictive, distracting

3 Minute Wonder; Never Left Home - Chandra from India

2011-11-14T02:06:00.000Z

You are going to

discuss tradition and change
watch a short clip about a man who is looking for "traditional Britain" and answer some comprehension questions
discuss some IELTS writing questions on tradition and change
write an IELTS / argument question on tradition and change

Discuss

Has your country changed much in the last 50 years?
Is life for you different to when your parents or grandparents were young?
What are the differences between now and the past?
Do you think change is a good thing? Why / Why not?

Before you watch the video

Have you been to Britain? / Would you like to visit Britain?
How do / did you imagine Britain?
What do you think is "traditional Britain"?
Do you think traditional Britain is the same as modern Britain?
Do you think this poem describes modern or traditional Britain?

I wandered lonely as a Cloud
That floats on high over Vales and Hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd
A host of dancing Daffodills;
Along the Lake, beneath the trees,
Ten thousand dancing in the breeze.

(William Wordsworth)

Watch the video and answer the questions

How does Chandra feel about his first visit to the UK?
What kind of education did he have?
Why was he surprised when we came to the UK?
How many Indians live in the UK?
What percentage of them live in London?
Why does he go to "Chaucer's" Canterbury?
What is he worried about?
What are the answers to his question about “traditional Britain”?
What does he find strange in the countryside?
What does he say about modern Britain?

Note - the video may be slow to load.

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNzkxNDYwMDA=.html

http://player.youku.com/player.php/sid/XNzkxNDYwMDA=/v.swf

Answers - highlight below

Excited
British influenced
He found so many Indians
More than 1.8 million
35%
Maybe he’ll find the Britain he’s looking for
Has traditional Britain gone forever?
Countryside, “difficult to pin down”, Fish and chips, bad summer, tea…
The British don’t seem to know what he’s looking for. He thinks he learnt more about English history in India than the locals.
Modern Britain is full of global brands. Immigration has made it multicoloured. There is something for everyone

After you watch

What do you think?

Why don't the British people in the video know what he's looking for?
What are traditional values? Are they worth keeping?
What is globalisation? Is it a good thing?
Should people know more about their history and traditions or should we look more to the future?
Are we losing traditions and traditional values in the race to be modern? Is that good or bad?

Dicussion / Writing

Look at these IELTS writing topics. Dicuss them and choose one to write (250 words).

Some people believe that visitors to other countries should follow local customs and behaviour. Others disagree and think that the host country should welcome cultural differences. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
People nowadays work hard to buy more things. This has made our lives generally more comfortable, but many traditional values and customs have been lost and this is a pity.
Society advances most when people break from the traditions of their predecessors. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
Cultural traditions today are often used for money making purposes, especially in the tourism industry. Do you feel this development is more positive or negative?
It is inevitable that as technology develops so traditional cultures must be lost. Technology and tradition are incompatible – you cannot have both together. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
There are many different types of music in the world today, why do we need music? Is the traditional music of a country more important than the international music that is heard everywhere nowadays?

Remember to plan your essay.
Look here for advice on introductions IELTS: Writing introductions for task 2

Reading

Chandra mentions 3 famous British writers / poets; Shelley, Wordsworth and Chaucer.
Search on the net and find out about them. When did they live? What did they write?

Find out more about the UK here Life in the UK; The British and how to understand them
here Visit Britain - Webquest
and here Visit Britain - You're invited

Visit Britain - Webquest (Reading / Scanning)

2011-11-07T02:26:00.000Z

You are going to look at the Vist Britain website and answer some questions about Great Britain

Instructions
You only need to scan for information. Don't read everything. You only need to look for words which will help you find the answers.
Try and do it as quickly as you can.
Scanning is an important skill to learn especially for reading texts in exams.

Introduction

Discuss
What can you do or see in Great Britain?

Watch the video.
How many activities and places can you see?
Note as many as you can. Whoever gets the most is the winner!

Reading.

Click on the links and read scan the pages to find the answers. Try and do it as quickly as you can.

1) Britain
What is Britain?
Go here

2) Food

What's Britain's national dish?
Go here

3) History

A) When did "Britain" start to exist?
B) When did the Romans arrive?
C) How old was Queen Victoria when she became queen?
D) What achievements happened between 1901 - 1944?
Go here

4) Cities and Towns

What are the 4 capital cities in Great Britain?
Go here

5) Myths and Legends

A) Where was Robin Hood from?
B) Where can you see a monster?
C) How old is Stonehenge?
Go here

6) London

A)How many languages can you hear in London?
B) How many attractions are there?
C) How many shops are there?
Go here

7) England

A) What's the population of England?
B) What attractions can you see?
Go here

8) Northern Ireland

A) What's the capital of Northern Ireland?
B) What's the population?
Go here

9) Scotland

A) What is Scotland's largest city?
B) What is the population?
C) Why is it Scotland's "style capital"?
Go here

10) Wales

A) How many languages do the Welsh speak?
B) Why is it called "the land of castles"?
C) What is the Welsh national sport?
D) Where is the Millennium Stadium?
Go here

11) Government

What's the difference between the House of Commons and the House of Lords?
Go here

12) 2012
What's happening in 2012
Go here

13) Football

How old is the FA Cup?
Go here

14) Music

What can you do and see at the British Music Experience?
Go here

15) Things to do

Go here Click on any of the links on the page.
Choose 3 things you would like to do and say why you want to do each activity.

1
2
3

Finished? Now try the Visit Britain - You're Invited activities

Answers - Highlight below

1) Britain Britain is made up of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, together with the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland	8) Northern Ireland A) Belfast B) 1.7 million
2) Food Curry	9) Scotland A) Glasgow B) 580,690 C) Its innovative buildings, stylish shops, cultural centres, more than 30 art galleries and museums and an annual programme of performing arts and festivals
3) History A) around 6500 BC B) 43 AD C) 18 D) the invention of the television; the founding of the British Broadcasting Company (BBC); the discovery of penicillin by Alexander Fleming; and insights into the structure of the atom, which led to the development of nuclear weapons and energy.	10) Wales A) 2 B) It is home to 641 famous fortresses - more castles per square mile than anywhere else in the world C) Rugby D) Cardiff
4) Cities and Towns Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh, London	11) Government The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament. It’s a democratically elected body consisting of 646 members called Members of Parliament (MPs). The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament, and here members called ‘Lords’ meet to debate, change Bills and scrutinise the work of the Government. Members of the House of Lords aren’t elected; they either inherit their title or are appointed by the Government or shadow cabinet.
5) Myths and Legends A) Nottingham B) Loch Ness C) 50,000 years	12) 2012 The Olympics
6) London A) Over 300 languages B) 238 C) 30,000 shops	13) Football 140 years (founded in 1872)
7) England A) 50 million B) Historical sites like Stonehenge, ecological attractions such as the Eden Project and family attractions ranging from zoos and safari parks to picnic spots and beaches	14) Music Learn about music’s influence on art, fashion and politics and download music from the BME archive. You can also live your rock ‘n’ roll dreams and play guitar, piano or drums in the fully equipped Gibson Studio. There are also infamous, irreplaceable pieces of British music memorabilia.

Visit Britain - You're invited.

2011-11-03T10:47:00.000Z

You are going to

watch 3 tourist adverts for Great Britain
do some listening and vocabulary activities
look at adjectives to describe feelings and places
write or present a descriptive advert for your country

Note; There is a Sliderocket presentation version of this post at the bottom of the post.

Discuss

What do you know about Great Britain?
Look at the pictures here to help you. Talk about each subject you see (it may take a few seconds to load).

Source http://www.visitbritain.com/en/GB/

Watch Advert 1

You are going to watch an advert for Great Britain.

1) What words do they use to describe Great Britain?

Source http://www.visitbritain.com/en/GB/

2) Now look at the exercise below. Match the correct meaning to the participles on the left.
You can drag and drop the expressions into the right place.

Answer these questions
How do you feel when you go on holiday?
How do you feel when you watch a good film?
How do you feel when you fall deeply in love with someone or something?
How do you feel when you see a magic trick?
How do you feel when you do something dangerous?
How do you feel when your teacher tells you that you are a brilliant student?

Watch Advert 2

You are going to watch Jamie Oliver. Jamie is a famous TV chef.

1) Here are some adjectives. Watch the advert and match them with these topics;

cities | countryside | seaside | food

amazing = cities
busy
bustling
(really) special
lush
green
amazing
(absolutely) incredible
great
some of the very best (in the world)

Source http://www.visitbritain.com/en/Things-to-do/Britains-celebrities/BYI-Jamie-Oliver.htm

Now do the exercise.

2) Jamie says the UK is "steeped in loads of tradition" but also we are a "magpie culture"

What does he mean by "magpie culture"? (A magpie is a bird. It can also describe a person who collects and keeps many things)
What examples does he give?

Answers - highlight below

We are very multicultural. We take and embrace bits from different cultures.
Food. Music. Fashion. The arts.

Watch Advert 3

You are going to watch Dev Patel in London's Leicester Square. Dev Patel starred in the film Slumdog Millionaire

1) Before you watch. What do these expressions mean? Double click on each word to find out.

cutting edge, forefront, really into, a melting pot, diverse, chilled out, buzzing, energetic, boisterous

2) Read his introduction. Why does he like Leicester Square?

Coming from the suburbs most exciting thing about central London for my friends and me was the energy of Leicester square. I always wanted to be an actor and this is the place where all the big premieres happen and I dreamt of one day having one of my films here too. My dream did come true. The British "Slum Dog Millionaire" film premier was down in Leicester Square.

3) Watch the advert. What adjectives does he use to describe Britain?

http://www.visitbritain.com/en/Things-to-do/Britains-celebrities/BYI-Dev-Patel.htm

4) Now put these sentences from the video in the correct order. Watch again if you need to.
You can drag and drop the sentences into the right place

Writing / Presentation

Write or present a short advert for your country, city or region
Look on the internet to find important information
Talk about the cities, countryside, food, culture and customs

Don't forget to use lots of adjectives

Past participles say how something makes you feel - invigorated, involved, inspired...
Adjectives describe something - amazing, busy, bustling, really special, lush, green, amazing, absolutely incredible, some of the very best, cutting edge, diverse, chilled out, buzzing, energetic, boisterous...

Reading and practice

More infomation and reading about Great Britain

http://www.visitbritain.com/en/GB/
Look at the top 50 UK places. Where would you like to go?
Choose 3. Say why you would like to go there.

More on participial adjectives http://www.grammar-quizzes.com/passive3a.html

SlideRocket Presentation version of this post

Shakira and Beyonce / Contrasting / Writing a Biography

2011-10-24T11:28:00.002+01:00

You are going to

Talk about famous people
Read and listen for information about two celebrities
Compare and contrast them
Write a biography of someone famous

Note; This post was updated 30/12/2011 due to the Shakira biography clip being removed from Youtube. I replaced it with another clip and altered the comprehension questions.

1) Discuss
Look at these people.

Do you know who they are?
What are they famous for?
Have you ever dreamed of being famous?
Would you like to be famous?
What do you think it takes to achieve fame or success?
Do you think any of them have changed the world we live in or made our lives better?

Highlight here for answers;

Leo Di Caprio, Bob Marley, Martin Luther king, The Beatles, David Beckham

Che Guevara, Mother Teresa, Shakira, Elvis Presley, Beyonce

2) Read and watch
Clip 1

You are going to watch a clip about Shakira

What do you know about Shakira?
Where is she from?
How old is she?
What does she do?

Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll (born February 2, 1977), known professionally as Shakira is a Colombian singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, dancer, and philanthropist who emerged in the music scene of Colombia and Latin America in the early 1990s. Born and raised in Barranquilla, Colombia, Shakira revealed many of her talents in school as a live performer, demonstrating her vocal ability with rock and roll, Latin and Middle Eastern influences with her own original twist on belly dancing. Shakira is a native Spanish speaker and also speaks fluent English and Portuguese as well as some Italian, French and Arabic.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakira

Answer these questions;

What was her dream when she was growing up?
What did she know at 18 months old?
What could she do at 3?
How old was she when she started writing songs?
When did she get a record deal?
What does her foundation do?
What awards has she won?
How succesful is she now?

Highlight below for answers

To become a famous performer
She knew the entire alphabet
Read
8
13
It provides high quality school facilities, nutritious meals and homework assistance and counselling
Various Grammy music awards
She sells millions of records and is one of the top earning women in music

Clip 2

You are going to watch a clip about Beyoncé

What do you know about Beyoncé?
Where is she from?
How old is she?
What does she do?

Beyoncé Giselle Knowles (born September 4, 1981), often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American R&B recording artist, actress and fashion designer. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child. Knowles rose to fame in the late 1990s as the lead singer of the R&B girl group Destiny's Child, one of the world's best-selling girl groups of all time.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beyonce_Knowles

Answer these questions;

What did her parents do?
What did her parents realise early on?
How old was she when she entered her first talent competition?
How old was she when she was chosen for "Girls Time"?
Why did her father give up his job?
When did she make her 1st solo album?
What was the name of her first film?
What kind of charities does she support?

Highlight below for answers

Her father was record manager and her mother was a costume designer
They had a star on their hands
7
11
To represent her group
2003
Dream Girls
Childrens charities

Add the information below with what you know from the texts and clips

	Shakira	Beyonce
1) Date of Birth	February 2nd 1977	September 4th 1981
2) Nationality	Colombian	American
3) Early life	Started performing at an early age	Entered singing and dancing competitions as a child
4) Career	Has won several Grammy awards and has sold millions of discs	Rose to fame in the late 1990s as the lead singer of the R&B girl group Destiny's Child, one of the world's best-selling girl groups of all time. Now has a solo career and makes films
5) Other interests outside performing	Philanthropist; her foundation provides high quality school facilities, nutritious meals and homework assistance and counselling	Fashion designer, supports childrens' charities.

Highlight the spaces above for the answers

3) Compare and contrast

Look at the information

What do Shakira and Beyonce have in common?
What differences are there?

Can you compare and contrast them (say what the similarities and differences are)?

use both, also, as well, too to express similarities
use but, however, whereas, on the other hand to express differences.

eg Both of them are singers. Beyonce is from the USA whereas Shakira is from Colombia.
Write 5 more sentences
Highlight below for suggested answers

Beyonce was born in 1981 but Shakira was born in 1977
Beyonce started performing as a child and Shakira did as well / too
Shakira has always been a solo artist, on the other hand Beyonce started in a group
Beyonce has made films however Shakira has remained a singer
Beyonce and Shakira both help children

Look at the people in the photos (above or below)
Can you make similar sentences to compare or contrast them?

Now listen to both of them in this clip. What do you think of the song?

4) Writing

A) Watch this clip and discuss the questions below

How many of these people do you know?
Why are they famous?
Did they change the world?
How did they think differently?

Text

"Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules, and they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify and vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as crazy, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do."

Look at the words from the text in the left column below.
Can you match the words from the text on the left to the definitions on the right. Drag and drop the words to the correct place.

B) Write about someone famous.
Think of a famous person. Take a few minutes to find any information on the internet about him / her. Only look for important information.
Use this plan to help you. Write your biography with 4 paragraphs. If you are writing about someone who is dead. Talk about why you think they are important today in paragraph 3

If anyone wants to write about someone and post it in the comments below please go ahead :)

Armando created a Sliderocket presentation of this post which is here

More practice

1) Find out more about Shakira and do some exercises here http://www.famouspeoplelessons.com/s/shakira.html by Sean Banville
Find out more about Beyonce and do some exercises here http://www.famouspeoplelessons.com/b/beyonce_knowles.html by Sean Banville

2) Find some more worksheets about famous people here
Famous People Lessons.com http://www.famouspeoplelessons.com/index.html
EFL / ESL Lesson Plans Using Biographies And Profiles - From Sean Banville

3) Choose some people from the website and make sentences to compare and contrast them.
or
choose some people you know and compare and contrast them.

Describing photos (comparing, contrasting and speculating)

2011-09-29T01:11:00.001+01:00

Look at the presentation

Practise language for:

Describing photos
Comparing and contrasting photos (discussing similarities and differences)
Speculating on what might be happening
Reacting to photos (giving opinions)

Comparing and Contrasting photos

View more presentations from David Mainwood

Writing

The language used here for comparing and contrasting / speculating is also useful for writing discussion / argument essays.
The same framework can also be used for planning writing discussion / argument essays:

Introduction - describe the situation / topic to be discussed
Compare / contrast ideas (for and against / advantages and disadvantages)
Speculate on solutions to problems raised by the question
Conclusion - give an opinion

Which pairs or groups of photos in the presentation could be used to demonstrate ideas for argument writing topics about education, technology, food, family, work, leisure, health, advertising etc?

More Practice on May / Might / Could / Must / Can't

See here for more photo practice on modal verbs for probability and certainty http://efllecturer.blogspot.com/2011/04/modal-verbs-for-possibility-and.html

and here for modal verbs of deduction http://efllecturer.blogspot.com/2011/04/modals-of-deduction-past-and-present.html

The Truth About British Rain - The Great British Weather

2011-09-21T10:46:00.002+01:00

You are going to

watch a clip about British weather
look at some True / False sentences
look at a paragraph which describes a process / cycle and do a vocabulary gap-fill
look at an IELTS task 1 question

Discuss

What do you think is the typical weather in the UK?
Do you think the UK has a lot of rain?
Why is it so rainy?

Before you watch

Decide if these sentences are true or false

The UK has 99 days of rain a year.

The Lake District in the UK

All our rain comes from the Atlantic Ocean
All our rain starts 4000 miles away in the Atlantic
Every drop of our fresh water comes from the oceans
It's a never ending cycle
Swansea is the wettest city in the UK
The Lake District gets 69 inches of rain a year
It rains on average 207 days a year there
Rainguage Cottage is probably the wettest cottage in England
Emily Pratt feels proud of living in the wettest place
The floods of 2009 happened after 5 days of heavy rain
It was described as a once in a thousand year weather event
The power of the great British weather should never be under-estimated.

Now watch the clip to find out

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00jd19w

Now do the true or false exercise

Watch again

Fill in the gaps in the text. Watch the clip (0:39 - 1:18) and listen again to check.

Find out more

about UK weather here http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/
Is it raining in the UK today? Look here http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/uk_forecast_weather.html

More weather practice

here http://efllecturer.blogspot.com/2011/09/bbc-weather-forecast.html

Writing for academic IELTS task 1

IELTS Task 1 practice - Describe the picture in 150 words
Try this question from ielts-simon.com
http://ielts-simon.com/ielts-help-and-english-pr/2011/04/ielts-writing-task-1-water-cycle-essay.html

IELTS Writing Task 1: "Water Cycle" essay

The diagram below shows the water cycle, which is the continuous movement of water on, above and below the surface of the Earth.

Source http://ielts-simon.com/