1) You need to teach your 14-year-olds in order to enable them to do this activity: “You and your desk-mate have

just been
interviewed for a radio survey about teenagers. Your big brother wants to know what both of you were asked and the
answers you gave. Write to him so he’ll be interested in the radio survey when it is on next week.” Create a short text you
need to use in the process and make a lesson plan to demonstrate the procedure for an average class (2 hours/week).

LESSON PLAN

I Info about the learners

Class / Age: 8th grade, 25 Ss
Level: A2+ / B1
School status:
Learner profile:
II Info about the lesson
Title: Reporter on duty!
Topic: Teenage life
[Type of lesson]: teaching
Aims: To use Reported Speech for reference to a past conversation
To write a letter about an interview

Teaching aids and materials: Handouts 1, 2, 3, and 4, board, markers

III Procedure:
Stage Activity Interaction Time Observations (backup
plan, possible difficulties)
Warm-up The Star – guessing game. T draws a five-pointed star Individual 3’ - Ss must use past tenses.
on the board. At each point T writes a mystery clue
about his teenage life. Ss must guess what the clues are
about (events in the T’s past). Ss must say two sentences
for each guess.
Presentation a) T distributes Handout 1 with the following text and Pairs 2’
questions:
Clare: “Hi, Tom! Did you speak to Keith? Is he coming
to the game tonight?”
Tom: “Oh, hi! Yes, I did. I asked him, actually, but he
wasn’t sure. He said that he was busy at home.”
Clare: “Oh, his Mom brought two rescued puppies
home. Keith said that he didn’t want to miss playing
with them before they went to the shelter. But he asked
me if I was going to the game so maybe he wanted to go
too.”
Tom: “Well, then, we could pay a visit to see the
puppies before the game, right?”
Questions:
Is Keith free this evening?
Did Keith speak to Clare about the game?

Ss must write their answers on Handout 1, then check

with their deskmate.

b) Game: “What did you say?”

T distributes Handout 2 and Ss do Task 1:
1. I am worried about the snow. 3’
2. I am tired. Pairs
3. The secretary is out for lunch.

In random pairs, Ss take turns to act out a short

exchange:
Example:
A: “I am tired.”
B: “What did you say?”
A: “I said (that) I was tired.”

Then Task 2.
In groups of three, Ss complete the following script (in
writing) where they have to turn to Past Tense a verb Groups of 5’
other than be: three
Example:
A: “I need a break.”
B: “What did A say?”
 C: “A said (that) she needed a break.”
The verbs are: ‘see a blue car’, ‘like short lessons’,
‘listen to the radio in the evening’, ‘enjoy meeting with
friends’, ‘study from home’, ‘cook sometimes’.
Also, they need to practice yes/no and wh-questions
(variations in the script):
Do you agree that … ? / What did she ask?
When do you have free time? Etc.

Then, Ss give the rule: “After I said/I asked we use past

tense.” Ss write it on the board and in their notebooks.
Also, they note down the model for reported questions:
She asked if I was free.
He asked when I was free. 3’
Controlled Handout 3: Ss must transform a dialogue into a Individual, 3’
Practice Reported Speech letter. peer
correction
Semi- Handout 4: Game - Interviewing your friends S-S 15’
controlled Ss receive individual cards with suggestions for 5
practice interview questions. They have to use them to interview
two (appointed) classmates orally and write down their
answers using Reported Speech. Examples (any 5
questions from the list, of both colours)
1. Do you live near your school?
2. Where do you meet your friends?
3. Are you a member of a sports club?
4. What is your favourite sports person?
5. Do you have a hobby?
6. When do you practice your hobby?
7. Do you play video games?
8. What do you want to study at university?
Ss have to then report about their classmates: e.g., ‘Peter
said he lived near his school.’ Etc.

Free “You and your desk-mate have just been interviewed Individual, 15’
practice for a radio survey about teenagers. Your big brother peer
wants to know what both of you were asked and the correction
answers you gave. Write to him so he’ll be interested in
the radio survey when it is on next week.” This letter
relies on the notes collected in the previous activity (6
questions in total, three for each person giving the
interview). It also relies on the model in Handout 3. So,
before starting, Ss create a letter template (date,
beginning and ending expressions) on a separate sheet,
and brainstorm for the first and last paragraph. Then
they fill in the rest of the letter.
Example:
Bristol, March 4th
Dear George,
Thank you for the kite, I love taking it out on the hill.
I’ve got news: a reporter came to class today and
wanted to take us an interview for the radio!
 He asked me … and I said …. He wanted to know if
Mark …., but he said …. The reporter also asked him
when …, and Mark said … Then, my turn again! He
asked me if …, and I …. Finally, the reporter asked both
of us what … I said …., and Mark said …

The interview will be on next week, I’ll call to tell you

when. You should hear Mark giggling all the time!
Best,
Tony

Handout 3:

Read the dialogue and complete Ann’s letter to her friend

Penny: Ann: “Come visit us on Saturday!”
 Susan: “I am busy at work.”
Ann: “Is your baby sister better now?”
Susan: “Yes, she is very well now.”
Ann: “What do you know about the summer camp?”
Susan: “I don’t know very much, but it’s not
expensive.”
Ann: “Does your cousin have the contact details from
last year?”
Susan: “Yes, she does. She has both the phone
number and the email address.”
Reading, July 2nd
Dear Penny,
I’m writing from my aunt’s place in Reading. It’s very
nice, I’m staying here until the 25th.
I met Susan this morning. She has a summer job here. I
invited her over on Saturday, but she ………….. She has
a baby sister now and I knew the poor baby was teething,
but Susan said that …….. Did you know that she is going
on a summer camp? That’s why she is working now. I
asked ….., and she ….. Her cousin Betty went there last
year and loved it! I’m sure she would like to go again. I
asked Susan if Betty … and she said …. That place is
great for teenagers – there are a lot of activities there,
they even have a radio station!
I’ll write again next week!
Love,
Ann