How an alligator became an emotional support animal: ‘They said it was a

midlife crisis’
Level: Intermediate – Teacher’s notes
b. Before reading the article carefully, students
Article summary: How an unusual emotional use some of the key words to fill the gaps in the
support animal has given an American man a sentences to ensure that they understand and know
new sense of well-being. how the words are used in other contexts.

Time: 90 minutes Key:

1. attention 5. hug
Skills: Reading, speaking, writing 2. nominated 6. willing
3. comfort 7. register
Language focus: Vocabulary, speaking, & 4. foster 8. sense
writing
3. Understanding the article
Materials needed: One copy of the
worksheet per student a. Students read the statements and decide whether
they are true or false according to the article. They
should correct any that are false.
Note:
Key:
An Emotional Support Animal (ESA) is a type of therapy 1. False. He’s been around animals all his life,
animal that assists people with mental and emotional but only got Wally 5 years ago.
disabilities. ESA’s are not trained to perform a specific 2. False. Joseph had been suffering from
task such as alerting its owner to take medicine. Rather, depression after some of his closest friends and
they are assistance animals that help their owner’s family members died.
mental health. 3. False. His doctor wanted to prescribe him
anti-depression medicine, but Joseph didn’t
1. Warmer want to take it.
4. False. Joseph tells stories about how he plays
a. In this warmer task, students work with a partner games with Wally, the (alli)gator.
or in groups of three and try to answer the 5. True
warmer questions. Afterwards, hold a short group 6. False. Joseph says Wally refuses to bite
feedback session. anything that’s alive.
7. True
2. Key words 8. False. Joseph is willing to travel by ship and
train, but he doesn’t think that an alligator is
a. Students write the correct word from the wordpool suitable for travelling by plane.
next to the definitions on the lines provided.
Then students find and highlight them in the article 4. Key language
to read them in context.
a. Students find multi-word phrases that fit with
Key: the meanings.
1. hogs 6. register
2. attention 7. sanctuary Key:
3. sense 8. foster 1. went viral
4. comfort 9. nominated 2. hanging out with
5. hug 10. willing 3. lost your marbles
4. talk him out of (something)
5. midlife crisis
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 How an alligator became an emotional support animal: ‘They said it was a
midlife crisis’
Level: Intermediate – Teacher’s notes
b. Next they use them to complete the sentences.

Key:
1. lost your marbles
2. midlife crisis
3. went viral
4. talk him out of
5. hanging out with

c. Then students use each of them in sentences of

their own.

5. Discussion

a. Students discuss the questions related to the

article and give their reasons and justifications for
each answer, referring to their own experiences
wherever possible.

6. In your own words

a. Students first research the process of registering an

emotional-support animal in the US or in the UK.

Next, they write an email stating why their pet

(dog, cat, parrot, etc.) should be designated an
emotional-support animal, including information
about what kind of support the animal is able
to provide.

Get them to read each other’s emails and decide

how strong a case they each make and whether they
think the application is likely to be successful.
D •
TE E E
SI AD L
EB LO B
W N IA

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