Teaching English: What Makes a Great Lesson?

WEEK 1 UNDERSTANDING LEARNERS

Differentiating content

Examples of differentiated tasks

You could choose a more or less challenging task for your learners from the one in your
coursebook, or you could offer them a choice of task.

Reading and listening

 Student A: Answer questions 1-4
Student B: Answer questions 5-8
Work in pairs. Tell your partner the information you found out
Alternatively, ask learners to answer odd numbered and even numbered
questions.

 Fill in the missing words
e.g. The man felt ________ when he saw the advertisement.
 Circle the correct answer
e.g. The man felt confused / relieved / disappointed when he saw
 Put the pictures in order
 Put the events in order
 Cross out the incorrect statement
 Say if the statements are true or false
 Tell a partner what you remember about the text

Writing
Below are three alternative tasks where learners write an email complaining about a bad
hotel experience. Learners could write alone, in pairs or in groups.

Task A

You are going to write an email to complain about a hotel you stayed in.

With your partner decide:

 What was wrong with the hotel

 What you want the hotel manager to do

Write your email

© British Council 2019

Task B

You are going to write an email to complain about a hotel you stayed in.

With your partner, decide what problems you experienced.

Use the following phrases in your email.






Task C

You are going to write an email to complain about a hotel you stayed in.

Dear Mr ____________

I stayed in your hotel in ____________ last ____________. I am very unhappy about

the _____________ because they were___________________.

Also, the ____________ was terrible.

I want you to__________________________________________________.

Thank you

________________

Speaking
Below are three ways to conduct a restaurant role play. The class are divided into As and
Bs and each is given a role card

Task A

Read your role card, then role play the conversation with your partner.

Student A: You are a waiter in a restaurant. Listen to your customer and reply to his/her
questions.

Student B: You are a customer in a restaurant. Decide what you want to eat and drink.
Order your meal.

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 Teaching English: What Makes a Great Lesson?

Task B

Work in groups. As are the waiters, Bs are the customers.

As, think about questions waiters ask customers in a restaurant.

Bs, think about questions customers ask waiters in a restaurant.

Now, work in pairs (A and B) and role play the conversation between a waiter and a
customer in a restaurant.

Task C

Read your role card, then role play the conversation with your partner.

Student A: You are a waiter in a restaurant. Listen to your customer and reply to his/her
questions.

Useful language:

 How can I help you?

 Would you like anything to drink?
 Anything else?

Student B: You are a customer in a restaurant. Decide what you want to eat and drink.
Order your meal.

Useful language:



 Can I have the bill, please?

Vocabulary e.g. transport

 Match the words and pictures
 Write the correct word
 Underline the correct word
 Put the words (car, bus, bicycle etc.) in the correct column of the table

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 e.g.
Public transport Private transport

 Look at the types of transport. Write 1-10 in order of how fast they are (1 is the
fastest)
 Tell your partner about the different types of transport you use

Grammar
Below are some activities for practising the past simple.

 Write about your last holiday

 Write five things you did last weekend
 Complete the sentences:

 Put the verbs into the past simple tense

e.g. Yesterday I _________ (wake up) at 7.00.
 Circle the correct form of the verb
e.g. Yesterday I wake up / waked up / woke up at 7.00.
 Underline and correct the mistakes using the past simple tense
e.g. Yesterday I woke up at 7.00. I feel really excited because it was my birthday.
 Match the infinitive form to the past simple

© British Council 2019