Other listening and/or speaking activity

Rugby themed task on reading (use of quotations and dialogue, facts versus opinions), researching and writing a short article. Topic links to ICT, suitable for use during e.g. Rugby World Cup, Six Nations Tournament or with any group keen on sport![img_assist|nid=5708|title=|desc=|link=popup|align=left|width=100|height=71]

One of the Level 2 Functional English Writing exam papers asked students to write a speech.

I found a speech online and showed them how to use repeated words, emphasis, subheadings and to think about their audience. I then used the Drink Aware website to create this resource to enable students to practise speech writing.

This resource could also be used to practise writing letters or emails to colleagues to encourage them to think about drink driving, and to practise other aspects of writing styles for Level 2 exams.

A simplified and adapted version of Carrie Bray’s 2011 New Year’s Eve Functional English practice test (which is aimed at E3). This version is aimed at E2 and includes: reading comprehension questions based on New Year superstitions, a cloze exercise, form filling, writing task, and speakign & listening actvities. Great as an introductory topic to spring term sessions.

To find the original higher level resource scroll down to See also and select New Year’s Eve E3 English tasks.

A counting game along similar lines to Snakes and Ladders. Learners will learn turn-taking, following instruction & basic counting skills. In addition, they will pick up social and communication skills along the way.

(Print onto A3 – a dice and counters needed)

Editor’s note
A PPT version is also included to enable the game to be played on a smartboard.

Three very useful sets of scripts and prompts.

• Using polite language when out and about
• Having someone around to your house
• Asking questions at school (e.g. parents chatting in the playground)

Uses the call-and-response song “Knock on Wood” from “Casablanca” to discuss superstitions (touch wood), opposites, emotions, and contracted words.

Two pages, the first of which has the vocabulary and song lyrics printed out for students, the second is the teacher’s lesson plan. Teachers will either need a “Casablanca” DVD or access the song clip from YouTube.

This activity encourages ESOL students:
- To communicate with each other while moving around the classroom,
- To revise Past Simple (questions and answers),
- To practise basic numeracy (subtraction).

With extensive teachers’ notes

Used with an Entry Level 1 ESOL group.
1) Bring in some real objects such as a long red wool scarf, a green plastic bag, a small silver mobile phone. Discuss the word order used to describe them. Learners can describe their own bags, phones, and clothes as necessary and write some examples on the table.
2) Put the adjectives in order in the example sentences and check as a group.

Topics to discuss based on Ascentis ESOL Entry 2 Speaking and Listening exam. Learners work in groups of 3. Each is given a slightly different topic to prepare and discuss, all based around a theme. In this case jobs. They are all expected to demonstrate use of present simple, present continuous, past simple and future tenses, as appropriate.

This is a combination of speaking & listening, note taking & writing, that I have used successfully as an ice breaker with new groups. It involves learners talking to several people and finding out about their food likes & dislikes (plus allergies, religious considerations etc) before planning a menu for a dinner party. The menu must be acceptable to all the guests! Finally each learner produces their menu presented in a conventional style.