Food lesson
Intermediate level
Description
Materials
Main Aims
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Listening for detail.
Subsidiary Aims
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Using the vocabulary from the listening to describe taste and texture orally.
Procedure (38-48 minutes)
The teacher explains that the topic of this lesson will be food. Dividing them into pairs, he asks the students to describe to each other the dinner they had yesterday, without actually saying the name of the food, so that their partner has to guess what the meal was. They are only allowed to describe the way of cooking, taste and texture, which the teacher demonstrates with a simple example. The point of this exercise is to get the students interested in the topic, but it also allows the teacher to gauge what students already know and what will require further explanation later on in the lesson.
The teacher gives the first section of the handout and points out the pictures of some unusual animals which are eaten around the world. He explains that the students will listen to a recording of an interview with someone who has eaten such strange delicacies, and asks them to circle the foods that the interviewee has eaten. The answers are briefly checked.
The students will listen to the recording a second time. This time they have to listen more closely to match the unusual meal with the adjectives he uses to describe them (pointing this out on the second handout before handing these out). They briefly check their answers with their partner and then go over the answers with the whole class. The teacher then asks the students to discuss in pairs the most unusual thing they have ever eaten and which meal they would choose if they had to eat one from the list of the interview.
The teacher points out the three columns in the vocabulary exercise and checks that students understand the difference between them. He divides the class into groups of three and asks them to complete the columns with the words from the previous listening exercise (time: 5 min), demonstrating the first sentence. Students that finish early can write their answers on the board. The whole class then goes over the answers.
The teacher points out the next vocabulary exercise and before dividing them into pairs, demonstrates what the students are meant to do by describing one or two of the items on the list (It's sweet and bitter. Delicious! =Dark chocolate") He emphasizes that they should take turns guessing. After monitoring them, the teacher goes over any possible difficulties they may have run into, using the whiteboard if necessary.
The teacher divides the students into new pairs and asks them to describe to each other the best and worst meals they have ever eaten. If there is enough time left, the students can switch pairs a second time. The teacher then asks a few students to share their story with the rest of the class.