ESOL Sc/E1.2a Make requests: ask for things or action

ESOL Sc/E1.2 Make requests using appropriate terms
Sc/E1.2a Make requests: ask for things or action

  • make requests with or without modal verbs. E.g. A cup of tea, please. Can I see the manager, please?
  • beware of intonation patterns for politeness, and be able to approximate them. E.g. Excuse me. Can you help me? 
  • be able to prepare the listener for a request, e.g. saying Excuse me

Living in the UK - A short guide to being polite

A four-page resource that discusses some of the polite conventions in the UK.  Sensitively Written with ESOL learners in mind. Topics include: being polite, saying sorry and punctuality. Part of the Living in the UK series. 

Editor's notes

Although aimed at E1-E2 ESOL it would also be a useful quick starter in higher level classes. Includes exam style questions, cloze task, and discussion/role-play prompts.

Level
Entry Level 1
Entry Level 2
ESOL
ESOL Sc/E1.2a Make requests: ask for things or action
ESOL Sc/E1.1b Articulate the sounds of English to be comprehensible to a sympathetic native speaker
ESOL: Reading text focus - comprehension (Rt)
ESOL Sc/E1.2a Make requests: ask for things or action
ESOL Lr/E1.2d Listen for phonological detail
ESOL Sc/E2.1a Use stress & intonation adequately to make speech comprehensible / meaning understood
ESOL Sc/E2.2a Make requests: ask for things or action
ESOL Sc/E2.2e Ask for directions and instructions
ESOL Sd/E1.1a Take part in social interaction
ESOL Sd/E2.1a Take part in social interaction
ESOL Lr/E2.5a Listen and respond to requests for action / permission
ESOL Lr/E2.6c Listen to and identify simply expressed feelings and opinions

Things to use in class

A set of two resources:
PPT with audio, so you can leave students pressing the left button and repeating the words, while you attend to others. 13 different objects such as pen, stapler, ruler, etc. are covered.
Classroom equipment cards
These cards show some items of vocabulary for equipment which could be requested in class. 12 different objects such as calculator, pencil case, rubber, etc. are included. Cards can be used with or without the words attached – see ideas below.
Picture cards only:

Level
M8
Entry Level 1
English
Adult Lit Rw/E1.1 Have limited, meaningful sight vocabulary of words, signs, symbols
Pre-entry
pre-Entry Rw/M8.3 Recognise & read a growing no. of words signs symbols
ESOL
ESOL Sc/E1.2b Make requests: ask permission
ESOL Sc/E1.2a Make requests: ask for things or action
ESOL Rw/E1.1a Recognise a limited number of words, signs and symbols
ESOL Lr/E1.5c Take part in more formal exchanges
Context
Education and teaching

A trip to the cinema

A trip to the cinema is an interactive narrative that follows family as they select a film to see (skimming and scanning), catch the bus (buying a ticket), ask for directions to the cinema, buy cinema tickets and snacks!
Provides prompts, dialogue scripts, maps and other ideas for speaking and listening work. Ideal for revision or recapping after student have covered buying things, giving directions, asking for information, etc.
Please read the notes area on slide 1 of this PPT for teaching ideas, curriculum links, etc.

Level
Entry Level 1
ESOL
ESOL Lr/E1.3b Follow directions
ESOL Rt/E1.1b Obtain information from texts
ESOL Rw/E1.1a Recognise a limited number of words, signs and symbols
ESOL Sc/E1.2a Make requests: ask for things or action
ESOL Sc/E1.3b Ask for information
ESOL Sc/E1.3c Ask for directions and location
ESOL Sc/E1.4c Give directions and instructions
Context
Art Film Media Music Radio TV
Leisure, Hobbies, Travel & Tourism

Buying a ticket

Buying a ticket provides prompts, dialogue scripts and other ideas for speaking and listening work, along with reading practice (obtaining information from texts). Covers football, cinema, bus and train tickets.
Originally used with the DfES ESOL E1 Skills for Life materials (Unit 4 – Local Transport, page 11 – Buying a ticket) but can be used alone. http://rwp.excellencegateway.org.uk/readwriteplus/Learning_Materials_ES…

Level
Entry Level 1
ESOL
ESOL Lr/E1.2b Listen for detail & respond, in a face-to-face situation
ESOL Rw/E1.1a Recognise a limited number of words, signs and symbols
ESOL Sc/E1.1a Use stress & intonation to make speech comprehensible
ESOL Sc/E1.1b Articulate the sounds of English to be comprehensible to a sympathetic native speaker
ESOL Sc/E1.2a Make requests: ask for things or action
ESOL Sc/E1.3b Ask for information
ESOL Sc/E1.3dc  Ask for clarification
Context
Art Film Media Music Radio TV
Motor vehicles & Transport
Sport and fitness

Buying clothes - PPT and dialogue cards

Buying clothes provides group vocabulary work along with many ideas for speaking practice. Please read the notes area on slide 1 of the PPT for teaching ideas, curriculum links, etc.
Covers buying a t-shirt (can be used with separate dialogue/clothes cards available below as PDF file), laundry symbols, UK shoe and clothes sizes, fabric patterns.

Level
Entry Level 1
ESOL
ESOL Rw/E1.1a Recognise a limited number of words, signs and symbols
ESOL Sc/E1.2a Make requests: ask for things or action
ESOL Sc/E1.3b Ask for information
ESOL Sc/E1.4a Make simple statements of fact
Context
Retail Hospitality Customer service
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