In this post, I am coming back to the issue of organising my classes around images rather than topics and lists of conversation questions. I am sharing the list of my 3 favourite illustrators and some tips on using their work during lessons.
upper-intermediate
Grammar revision with a music video: 4 ideas
The aim if this class is for your students to revise a number of grammar points: using narrative tenses, modal verbs, third conditional, and wish/if only to express wishes about the present and the past. The lesson is based on the music video to the song Shot at the Night by The Killers. It is suitable for levels upper-intermediate, advanced and students preparing for Cambridge exams.
Using past modals for speculation and deduction
In this post, I am describing activities where students practice using past modal verbs for speculation and deduction. I have been using them with upper-intermediate, advanced, FCE, and CAE students who often struggle with the concept of using modal verbs for something other than expressing ability or obligation.
TED Talk: Falling in love is the easy part
In this lesson, students watch a TED Talk by Mandy Len Catron, answer comprehension questions, practice asking and answering questions, and discuss the topic of falling in love, dating, and relationships. It is suitable for levels intermediate and higher. Before deciding to teach this lesson, take a look at this article and consider your students’ cultural sensitivity.
An interview with your future self: speaking / writing activity
The aim of this activity is to provide students with a context to revise present, past, and perfect tenses. I planned it with my teenage students in mind and the inspiration came from this article. It might be executed as a speaking or writing activity. Suitable for levels intermediate and higher.
Office Christmas parties lesson plan
The aim of this lesson is talking and writing about the dos and don’ts of office Christmas parties. It is a great opportunity to revise and practice different ways of giving advice. The lesson is suitable for adult students, levels pre-intermediate and above. The lesson is based on the article published in The Telegraph.
Phrasal verbs about food: writing activity
This writing activity helps students learn and practice different phrasal verbs about food. It is a perfect fit for classes about nutrition, diets, health, and fitness. It might be used with groups and individual students, levels intermediate and higher.
Used to speaking activity: life before smartphones
The aim of this activity is for students to practice using used to to describe their lives before they had smartphones. The idea came from seeing this photo collection by Eric Pickersgill and reading this article in The Guardian. Continue Reading …
Speaking prompts for advanced students: photos
How far would a conversation class go if the only discussion prompt was a single photo? No topic, no questions, no pre-determined outcome. Just the picture. Does it even make sense? This post describes how I decided to find answers to these questions.
Continue Reading …
Our lives without … speaking activity
This speaking activity encourages students to imagine their lives without something considered quite vital nowadays and describe the new reality. It is a fun activity for levels intermediate and higher, teenagers and adults alike. It offers the opportunity for students to collaborate, exchange ideas, and practice such grammar points as modal verbs or second conditional.
