PREVIEW ACTIVITY 1 Fluentize, LLC. Copyright 2022. For use only with license.

5 Common Beginner Snowboarding Mistakes (B2)

Work with a partner, group, or your teacher. Do the activities below together.

Discuss the questions below depending on whether you are / are not a snowboarder
PART 1
or skier.

QUESTIONS FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE SKIERS OR SNOWBOARDERS

1 What do you like about skiing or snowboarding? What do you dislike about it?
2 How good are you at skiing or snowboarding?
3 What kinds of tips would you share with a beginner?

QUESTIONS FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE NOT SKIERS OR SNOWBOARDERS

1 Have you ever tried snowboarding or skiing? If not, are you interested in trying?
2 What do you think attracts people to these sports?
3 What kinds of things would you research before starting?

PART 2 Fill in the missing letters for the body parts that are pointed out in the images below.

1 2 3

h l a k e h p

PART 3 Choose the correct answer for each sentence describing the images below.

1 2 3

The surfer’s butt is The surfer’s knees The water skier is

sticking / stacking out. are bend / bent . leaning / leaping back.
PREVIEW ACTIVITY 2 Fluentize, LLC. Copyright 2022. For use only with license.
5 Common Beginner Snowboarding Mistakes (B2)

PART 1 Choose the correct answer that fits the spaces for each sentence below.

1
You can see small in the snow.

a. bumps b. bushes c. bucks

2
The angle of this slope could be described as .

a. mellow b. steep c. flat

PART 2 Choose the correct word that fits the context of each sentence below.

1 When I was learning how to ice skate, I was falling down and
around on the ice a lot.

a. sliding b. sledding c. sailing

2 When you’re skiing down a slope, you will start to lose speed when the slope
out at the bottom.

a. floats b. flattens c. flips

3 Most people prefer to go skiing when the powder is fresh and the snow is
really soft, , and easy to ride on.

a. slushy b. smooth c. slippery

Bonus Phrase!

to catch your edge = when the side edge of your snowboard hits the snow
hard while making a turn, causing you to crash
5 COMMON BEGINNER
Fluentize, LLC. Copyright 2022. For use only with license.
SNOWBOARDING MISTAKES 5 Common Beginner Snowboarding Mistakes (B2)

PREVIEW DISCUSSION: Read the discussion topic

below and discuss it with your partner or teacher.

Do you know which places or locations around

the world are popular or well-known for skiing
or snowboarding?

VIEWING ACTIVITY

PART 1 Choose the correct adjectives that fit the context of the fixes for the mistakes that
the snowboard instructor discusses in the video. One is not used!

footed bent straight balanced controlled seated

0:27 1 MISTAKE: Leaning too far back onto your back foot

FIX: Reach down towards the front of your board with your front hand, so
that your weight will be more throughout your turns.

1:11 2 MISTAKE: Turning your board too quickly

FIX: Make the turn bigger, which will make your speed more .

2:00 3 MISTAKE: Leaning too far forward during a heel turn

FIX: Make sure your back is straight and your knees are .

2:35 4 MISTAKE: Having really straight legs and standing too tall during a heel turn

FIX: Move your body into a position almost like you’re
sitting in a chair.

3:16 5 MISTAKE: Falling off the chairlift

FIX: Practice riding one- for 20 or 30 minutes before getting
on the lift.
POST-VIEWING ACTIVITY 1 Fluentize, LLC. Copyright 2022. For use only with license.
5 Common Beginner Snowboarding Mistakes (B2)

PART 1 The instructor talks about what happens when you try to turn too quickly. He says...

“
When you try to turn too quickly, your body gets all twisted up and
then it makes you off-balance and you can catch your edge.”

What do you think it means if your body gets “all twisted up”?

a. It goes into a comfortable, relaxed position.

b. It goes into a firm, straight position and is very inflexible.
c. It goes into an unnatural, bent position and goes out of its normal shape.

PART 2 Write the correct prepositions that were used in the video.

1 If you lean too far your back foot while riding your snowboard, you
may end up sliding on your tail and falling .

2 You shouldn’t do a heel turn with straight legs. The fix for this is putting your
body in a seated position with your butt sticking and your knees bent,
almost like you’re sitting in a chair.

3 The fix for falling the chairlift is to practice riding one-footed on

a really mellow slope that flattens , and then work your way up
towards a steeper and steeper run.

PART 3 The snowboard instructor mentions the following snowboarding-related terms in the
video. Can you think of the opposite word for each word in bold? See the example:

1 (adjective) steep slope x mellow slope

2 (noun) tail x

3 (adjective) smooth terrain x

4 (adjective) straight knees x

5 (phrasal verb) lean back x

POST-VIEWING ACTIVITY 2
Fluentize, LLC. Copyright 2022. For use only with license.
5 Common Beginner Snowboarding Mistakes (B2)

SPEAKING TASK:

Your teacher will choose a few of the speaking topics below to discuss. Discuss the topics
with your teacher or partner. In your discussion, explain your ideas in detail.

1 What do you think would be some advantages / disad-

vantages of being a snowboarding or skiing instructor?
Describe what you think are some qualities of a good
snowboarding or skiing instructor.

2 Describe in your own words what you imagine the perfect

snowboarding trip to be like, as well as what a terrible
snowboarding trip would be like. Describe the conditions,
what happens during the trip, what the slopes are like, etc.

3 Some people say that snowboarding is not just a sport,

but a culture or lifetsyle. In what ways could snowboarding
have its own culture or lifestyle?

VOCABULARY TASK:

Below are some more images related to snowboarding. Match the terms to the images.
Two are not used!

railing binding carving flipping grinding

1 2 3

The snowboarder is fastening The snowboarder is board- The snowboarder is

her . sliding a . down the
slope.
QUIZ & REVIEW ACTIVITY Fluentize, LLC. Copyright 2022. For use only with license.
5 Common Beginner Snowboarding Mistakes (B2)

Work with a partner. Complete the quiz and review activities below.

PART 1 Questions. Discuss and answer the questions below about the video.

1. What can happen if you lean back too much while riding? What’s the fix?
2. What is the second mistake riders often make when turning their board?
3. In what kind of a position should your body be when you do a toe turn?
4. What is suggested in order to fix the mistake of falling off the chairlift?

PART 2 Vocabulary: Write the missing verbs / gerunds that fit the sentences below.

1 If you too far onto on your back foot while riding your
snowboard, you may end up around on your tail and
down.

2 When you try to turn too quickly, your body can get all twisted up and
then it makes you off-balance and you can your edge.

3 If you practice riding one-footed on some mellow slopes that

out, and then work your way up to slopes, it will help you fix
the mistake of off the chairlift.

PART 3 Images: Write the body parts that you see highlighted in the images below.

1 2 3

PART 4 Bonus: Match each group of things listed below to their corresponding categories.

a. tricks b. terrain park obstacles c. injuries d. stances e. equipment

1 regular, goofy, fakie 4 bindings, goggles, beanie

2 railing, halfpipe, grind box 5 sprains, bruises, fractures
3 ollie, backflip, boardslide