Showing posts with label 5-8 min. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 5-8 min. Show all posts

Feb 6, 2011

TV series


Target level: A2 (CEF)

Aim of the activity: gap filling listening + writing
Duration of the activity: 5-8 min to set the activity


  • Give sts the hand out (available here).
  • Allow one minute for them to read.
  • Play the audio (available here). (Play the audio twice, if necessary)
  • Sts have to listen and fill in the gaps.
  • Ask them What's your favourite TV series? - if they don't like any series, ask them about movies.
  • Ask them Why do you like it? What's it about?
  • Ask sts to describe the plot of the series, or one of the plots, in a composition and follow the hand out as a model.
Extra ideas:

I recorded the video myself and, yes, Moonlighting is my favourite TV series. If you want to create your own text and audio, you can write the text in a word-processor and record it with your computer and a microphone. I used the Free Sound Recorder, which is very simple. One extra thing: don't worry if it doesn't come out very well in the first try. I recorded it tree times before I considered it OK (and it isn't perfect, but my sts liked it a lot).

Feb 3, 2011

Blame it on the Samba

Aim of the activity: talk about emotions (basic students)
Duration of the activity: 05-08 minutes


  • Show students the first two minutes of the video (from 0:33' to 02:00').
  • Ask the students about Joe Carioca and Donald Duck feeling throughout the video, such as How are they feeling? Are they happy? Are they bored? Are they sad? How does the samba make them feel? What about the waiter? Is he a little mad?

  • Ask students about their own experience with music: Does samba make you feel happy? What kind of music makes you feel happy? How do you feel when you listen to The Smiths?
  • Recycling: ask students about the scenery. Are they in New York? Are they in Rio de Janeiro?
  • Recycling: ask students about the actions of the characters (for this you either have to play the video twice, or you play the video stopping at each action). They will probably come up with: walk(ing) / go(ing) to a restaurant / sit / bring the menu /smoke /  play an instrument or play the guitar / sing / dance
  • they'll probably ask you about tear (01:20')