Meeting People 9 Sports 13
Friendship 17 Holidays 21
Stereotypes 25
Time Management 29 Schooling 33
Politics 37
If You Could 41
Inventions and Discoveries 45 Money 49
Parenting 53
Space Exploration 57 Superstitions 61
Television 65 Stress 69
Memories 73 Phobias 77
Social Issues 81
Media and News 85 Transcripts & Answer Key 01
02 03 04
05 06
07 08
09 10
11 12
13 14
15 16
17 18
19 20 How to Teach This Book 4
Suggested Lesson Plan (60 min.)
scaffold speaking tasks for lower-level or less secure speakers. However, it is not mandatory for higher-level and more advanced speakers to work systematically through all of the activities. Because the speaking topics are related by theme rather than specific content, the material in each unit is flexible and adaptable.
The lesson plan presented here is suggested for a class that requires significant support for each speaking task. Classes that do not require as much support may be able to jump right into the topics and start talking. It is left up to individual instructors to gauge how thoroughly each step of this lesson plan needs to be implemented in their classes.
4 How to Teach This Book
Warm-up with Listening
Have students look at the unit topic. Ask the class to brainstorm a few possible questions they might ask someone about the topic and write them on the board. While students are suggesting questions, take time to briefly discuss how students might plan an answer for a few of the questions. For example, point out which questions should be answered with examples of personal experiences and which should be answered with opinions.
After a reasonable list of questions is written on the board, play the audio track for Activity 1. Students will hear three speakers give short talks related to the unit topic. Based on what they hear, students should determine if the speaker is talking about his or her experience or opinion.
After playing the audio track once, replay it, but stop after each speaker. Discuss what the students heard (or did not understand), and determine if the speaker was explaining an experience or an opinion. Continue replaying and stopping after each speaker until all three talks have been discussed.
Activity 1 (10 min.)
Vocabulary and Brainstorming
Have students read through the list of words and phrases as a class, focusing on their pronunciation and meaning. Then have students sort the words and phrases into the three categories provided. After everyone has finished sorting the list, check it as a class. After checking each category, ask students to brainstorm three to five additional words or phrases that could be added to the given category. All of the vocabulary brought out in this activity can help students as they answer the speaking prompts that follow in the unit.
Activity 2 (5 min.)
Model Dialogs
Play the audio track for Activity 3 and have students read along as they listen. After each dialog, stop the audio and discuss any questions student may have regarding vocabulary or grammar presented in the dialog. After all three dialogs have been heard and discussed, have students work in pairs. Pairs should practice the dialogs, taking turns saying each role.
Activity 3 (5 min.)
For classes that need additional pronunciation practice, replay the audio track, but stop after each line or sentence.
Students should try to repeat what they hear on the audio track, focusing on their pronunciation and intonation.
Note
6 How to Teach This Book
Interviews
Ask each student to choose one of the three questions to answer.
Give the students a few minutes to write notes related to how they would answer the question.
Next, assign each student in the class as either “A” or “B.” Have students work in A-B pairs. Have the “A” students interview “B”
students. First, they should ask which question their classmate chose. “A” students may then refer back to Activity 3 to see possible questions to ask in the interview. Give students two or three minutes to collect information from their partner. Then have the “B” students interview “A” students in the same way.
When these interviews are completed, have all of the “A” students stand up and move to work with a new “B” classmate. Repeat the interview process for the new pairs.
Because this activity is an interview, students should not feel pressure to talk at length about their answers during the interviews. Giving one or two sentences as an answer is sufficient for this activity. The interviewer should then ask a follow-up question to get more information from the interviewee until the instructor stops the interview.
Note
Reporting
Choose a number of students to report to the class the information they learned through one of their interviews. An example of how students can report information is provided with this activity in each unit.
As an alternative to asking only a few students to report for the class, instructors may divide the class into several groups. Then all members of each group should take turns reporting information they learned through one of their interviews. This way, all of the students in the class can participate in Activity 5.
Activity 5 (10 min.)
Matching and Modeling
Play the audio track for Activity 6, and have students match the given questions with one of the responses they hear. These questions and responses are meant to provide additional speaking topics and models of responses for students. While checking the answers for this activity, it may be helpful for students to read the responses shown in the transcript for the unit.
Activity 6 (5 min.)
For classes that need additional pronunciation practice, have students work in pairs reading aloud the sample responses shown in the transcript.
Note
Pair Work
Have students work in pairs. One student in each pair will open his/her book. The other student will close his/her book and put it aside for the moment. The student with the open book will choose one of the questions listed in Activity 7 and write notes related to answering the question. The student who does not have a book will be the timer. The timer will look at the board while the instructor marks off increments of 10 seconds on the board.
After one minute, the timer tells his/her classmate to stop making notes.
Now it is time for the student with the open book to start talking for two to three minutes (depending on the level of the class).
The timer continues watching the board as the instructor marks off increments of time on the board. After the specified time, the timer tells his/her classmate to stop speaking.
The timer will now become the speaker, and the speaker will become the timer. Repeat the above process with the speaker first opening his/her book and making notes for one minute before speaking for two to three minutes.
Activity 7 (10 min.)
Extra Practice
The questions provided in the Extra Practice activity can be used in a variety of ways. Sometimes, instructors may wish to use these questions for full-class discussions of “hot” topics.
Alternatively, the questions can be used for group work or pair work. The questions can also be assigned as journaling homework or speaking homework. As speaking homework, students can record their responses on a voice recorder or using a computer.
These responses can be submitted to the instructor for a completion grade or for some other type of evaluation.
For classes that need additional pronunciation practice, have students work in pairs reading aloud the sample responses shown in the transcript.
Note
8 How to Teach This Book
Unit 01
Meeting People
1
Listen to the speakers. Check the type of answer the speaker gives.
a. Speaker #1: personal experience personal opinion b. Speaker #2: personal experience personal opinion c. Speaker #3: personal experience personal opinion
2
Sort the words and phrases by writing them in the correct categories.
Track 1
visiting a museum getting a good education breaking a bone
the death of a loved one starting your own company going hiking
watching a movie being in an accident having children
an extended hospital stay relaxing with friends owning a home
LIFE GOALS BAD EVENTS
WEEKEND ACTIVITIES WEEKEND ACTIVITIES
BAD EVENTS
LIFE GOALS
10 UNIT 01 Meeting People
A: Describe the unhappiest day of your life.
B: The unhappiest day of my life was when I broke my arm.
A: How did you do that?
B: It was a really silly accident! I fell over a vending machine in my haste to get the chocolate bars inside.
A: What happened after that?
B: I had to spend all day in hospital, and no one came to see me.
Now practice these dialogs with a classmate.
A: What do you usually do on the weekends?
B: On the weekend, I try to do something exciting or different.
A: Why do you try and do that?
B: During the week I work hard and do the same thing every day, so I really to try to enjoy my weekends.
A: Can you give an example?
B: For example, I like to go hiking or perhaps visit a museum I haven’t seen before.
A: What is your goal in life?
B: My goal in life is to get a good education, specifically in science.
A: Why in science?
B: I want to open my own company to make new medicines to help sick people.
A: Why would you do that?
B: I believe global health is a very important issue, and people need affordable medicine.
Life Goals
Bad Events Weekend Activities
10 UNIT 01 Meeting People
A: Describe the unhappiest day of your life.
B: The unhappiest day of my life was when I broke my leg.
A: How did you do that?
B: It was a really silly accident! I tripped over the sidewalk in my haste to cross the street to get to an ice cream store.
A: What happened after that?
B: I had to spend all day in the hospital, and no one came to see me.
Now practice these dialogs with a classmate.
A: What do you usually do on the weekends?
B: On the weekend, I try to do something exciting or different.
A: Why do you try and do that?
B: During the week I work hard and do the same thing every day, so I really try to enjoy my weekends.
A: What sort of weekend activities do you like?
B: I like to go hiking, or perhaps visit a museum I haven’t been to before.
A: What is your goal in life?
B: My goal in life is to get a good education, specifically in science.
A: Why in science?
B: I want to open my own company to make new medicine to help sick people.
A: Why do you want to do that?
B: I believe global health is a very important issue, and people need affordable medicine.
LIFE GOALS
BAD EVENTS
WEEKEND ACTIVITIES
Name: ___________
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
My Classmates
Now interview two classmates. They will interview you as well.
First, ask which question they chose. Then make notes of each answer.
Unit 01
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
My Notes
4
Choose one of the questions below. Prepare your answer to this question by writing notes below. Use the questions from Part 3 to help with your notes.
a. What do you usually do on the weekends?
b. Describe the unhappiest day of your life.
c. What is your goal in life?
5
Tell your class about one of the classmates you interviewed.
Name: ___________
_________________________________
________________________
________________________
Information: OK Good Excellent
Fluency: OK Good Excellent
Pronunciation: OK Good Excellent
Rate your own speakingRate your own speaking Rate your own speaking Example:
I talked to Amber. She told me what she usually does on the weekends.
She said she spends most of her weekend doing homework. Some- times, if she doesn’t have a lot of homework, she rents DVDs or plays video games. Anyway, usually she stays home on weekends.
Question:_____ Question:_____
Question:_____
Name: ___________
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
My Classmates
Now interview two classmates. They will interview you as well.
First, ask which question they chose. Then make notes of each answer.
Unit 01
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
My Notes
4
Choose one of the questions below. Prepare your answer to this question by writing notes below. Use the questions from Part 3 to help with your notes.
a. What do you usually do on the weekends?
b. Describe the unhappiest day of your life.
c. What is your goal in life?
5
Tell your class about one of the classmates you interviewed.
Name: ___________
_________________________________
________________________
________________________
Information: OK Good Excellent
Fluency: OK Good Excellent
Pronunciation: OK Good Excellent
Rate your own speakingRate your own speaking Rate your own speaking Example:
I talked to Amber. She told me what she usually does on the weekends.
She said she spends most of her weekend doing homework. Sometimes, if she doesn’t have a lot of homework, she rents DVDs or plays video games.
Anyway, she usually stays home on weekends.
Question:_____ Question:_____
Question:_____
12 UNIT 01 Meeting People
Now share your response with a classmate.
Try answering one or more of these questions for extra practice.
Use at least three sentences in your response to each question.
1. Are you an outgoing person? Explain.
2. Describe one thing that can improve your mood instantaneously.
3. What inspires you to be creative? Why?
4. If you won $1,000,000 in a lottery, how would you spend it? Explain.
ex tra practice
For more practice, look at the transcripts on p. xx and practice these responses with a classmate.
Information: OK Good Excellent
Fluency: OK Good Excellent
Pronunciation: OK Good Excellent
Rate your classmate’s response:
Rate your classmate’s response:
Rate your classmate’s response:
7
Choose one of the questions below. Prepare your own response to this question by writing notes below. Be sure to fully explain your answer.
a. If you were not in class, what would you be doing right now? Why?
b. Name five things that are important for you in a friend. Explain.
c. Would you like to be famous?
Why or why not?
a. If you were not in class, what would you be doing right now? Why?
b. Name five things that are important for you in a friend. Explain.
c. Would you like to be famous?
Why or why not?
__________________
________
__________________
________
__________________
________
__________________
________
__________________
________
My Notes Question:_____
Response #1
Response #2
Response #3
12 UNIT 01 Meeting People
Now share your response with a classmate.
Try answering one or more of these questions for extra practice.
Use at least three sentences in your response to each question.
1. Are you an outgoing person? Explain.
2. Describe one thing that can improve your mood instantaneously.
3. What inspires you to be creative? Why?
4. If you won $1,000,000 in a lottery, how would you spend it? Explain.
ex tra practice
For more practice, look at the transcripts on page 1 and practice these responses with a classmate.
Information: OK Good Excellent
Fluency: OK Good Excellent
Pronunciation: OK Good Excellent
Rate your classmate’s response:
Rate your classmate’s response:
Rate your classmate’s response:
7
Choose one of the questions below. Prepare your own response to this question by writing notes in the provided space. Be sure to explain your answer.
a. If you were not in class, what would you be doing right now? Why?
b. What are some important qualities in a friend?
c. Would you like to be famous?
Why or why not?
a. If you were not in class, what would you be doing right now? Why?
b. What are some important qualities in a friend?
c. Would you like to be famous?
Why or why not?
__________________
________
__________________
________
__________________
________
__________________
________
__________________
________
My Notes Question:_____
Response #1
Response #2
Response #3