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Type:

A writing task 2 practice topic

Level:

IELTS

Time:

40 minutes

Skill:

Writing Task 2

Work:

Students work individually

Stage:

Controlled writing practice

Focus:

Compulsory Military Service

Compulsory military service lasting from several months to several years is an important element of a young man's life in some countries. However in a world that is increasingly peaceful, is compulsory military service necessary for a society?

1. Copy one handout for each individual student and distribute them.

2. Read through the instructions with the students and outline the main features of the question. Give students an authentic time limit of 40 minutes in class, or set the task as homework.

3. Monitor the students and provide language input or inspiration when appropriate. Don't worry about errors at this stage.

4. The best feedback for this task involves collecting the work and marking it. To lessen your workload, reduce the number of words/time in the task. Feedback common language and IELTS errors on the board at the next opportunity.

Type:

An individual writing task

Level:

Upper-Intermediate

Time:

20 minutes

Skill:

Writing

Work:

Students work individually

Stage:

Controlled grammar writing practice

Focus:

Present Perfect Simple and Continuous

Tired of gap fills that don't actually do anything? Get your students to write the target language itself with this classic writing task on the present perfect simple and continuous.

1. Copy one sheet for each individual student and distribute them.

2. Focus students' attention on the instructions. Students must correct the information in the sentences so it is true.

3. Monitor the students, and when appropriate provide any necessary individual language or vocabulary input.

4. Give students a warning when their time limit is about to expire and then insist on pens down and heads up.

5. For feedback, there are a number of options including students writing some/all of the answers on the board, students orally contributing their answers, and collecting and marking the work etc.

6. Draw the students' attention to any specific mistakes which seem prevalent through the work and offer language input.

Type:

A pair work activity

Level:

Business

Time:

5-10 minutes

Skill:

Speaking

Work:

Students work in pairs

Stage:

Lead-in

Focus:

Location for New Business

Future or existing entrepreneurs are very likely to be sitting in front of you, so give them this discussion handout as a lead-in to the topic of entrepreneurship. Students consider where to start-up a range of new businesses.

1. Copy one handout for each pair of students, and cut the handouts in two.

2. Put the students into pairs, and distribute a half handout to each individual student.

3. Focus students' attention on the instructions and emphasise students must discuss their location ideas with regard to the city they are in.

4. Allow students around ten minutes or until the conversation dies down to discuss the topic.

5. Finally, elicit responses from some of the students and draw to their attention any appropriate vocabulary or serious language mistakes.

Type:

A pronunciation activity

Level:

Elementary

Time:

15 minutes

Skill:

Pronunciation

Work:

Drill with individual students as a whole class

Stage:

Lead-in

Focus:

Syllables

Great for a stand alone introduction to syllables, or as a pronunciation practice for comparative adjectives, this handout also consolidates students' range of vocabulary.

1. Copy one sheet for each pair of students, cut the worksheets in two and distribute them.

2. First, explain the concept of syllables. Get students to demonstrate their understanding by putting the adjectives in the call out into the table. For extra difficulty and a nice practice of adjectives, encourage students to write the opposite adjective in the table also.

3. Get students attention as a whole group and drill the words with all students and with individual students. Model the correct pronunciation and get students to repeat multiple times.

4. This activity can be done as a lead-in or at any time in the lesson to energise lethargic students. If done at the beginning, why not revisit it at the end to see if the students remember?

Type:

A pair work activity

Level:

Intermediate

Time:

15 minutes

Skill:

Speaking

Work:

Students work in pairs

Stage:

Controlled grammar speaking practice

Focus:

Make, Let and Allow

Good practice on these semi-modals is often hard to find or set-up. This mini-debating activity can be executed in different ways, but a decent debate with students using the target language is guaranteed with this issue-based task.

1. Copy one handout for each individual student.

2. Put the students into pairs, and give out the handouts one between two (distribute the remaining sheets after the activity to ensure better pair work).

3. Focus students' attention on the instructions and provide students with necessary examples to encourage them to speak.

4. Allow students the time necessary to discuss each sentence with their partner.

5. Monitor the students, providing language input or error correction when necessary.

6. Make sure now every student has a copy of the handout, and elicit responses from some of the students and draw to their attention any appropriate vocabulary or serious language mistakes.

Type:

A class mingle activity

Level:

Pre-Intermediate

Time:

20 minutes

Skill:

Speaking

Work:

Students work individually then as a whole group

Stage:

Controlled grammar speaking practice

Focus:

Present Simple and Continuous

If it's a productive whole class speaking task you're after on the present simple and continuous, use this in your classroom. This worksheet involves question formation writing and speaking using both tenses and time phrases used with both.

1. Copy one sheet for each individual student and distribute them.

2. Focus students' attention on the instructions. Students write questions using either the present simple or continuous. Depending on the ability of the students, the questions can be checked at this stage.

3. Next, tell them to stand up and mingle and to get a different person to answer every question. Provide students with necessary examples to encourage them to speak. Allow students the time necessary to get the required amount of answers from their fellow students and make sure they ask for extra information.

4. Monitor the students, providing language input or error correction when necessary.

5. Finally, elicit responses from some of the students and draw to their attention any appropriate vocabulary or serious language mistakes.

Type:

An individual writing task

Level:

Intermediate

Time:

20 minutes

Skill:

Writing

Work:

Students work individually

Stage:

Free grammar writing practice

Focus:

Present Simple and Continuous

This free writing approach to the two main present tenses encourages students to write sentences about themselves. This worksheet is ideal for students who can fill in the gaps but still struggle using the present simple and continuous correctly.

1. Copy one handout for each individual student and distribute them.

2. Focus students' attention on the instructions. Students write short sentences in either the present simple or continuous which is true for them.

3. Monitor the students, and when appropriate provide any necessary individual language or vocabulary input.

4. Give students a warning when their time limit is about to expire and then insist on pens down and heads up.

5. For feedback, there are a number of options including students writing some/all of the answers on the board, students orally contributing their answers, and collecting and marking the work etc.

6. Draw the students' attention to any specific mistakes which seem prevalent through the work and offer language input.

Type:

A speaking task 2 practice topic

Level:

IELTS

Time:

10 minutes

Skill:

Speaking Task 2

Work:

Students work in pairs

Stage:

Free speaking practice

Focus:

An Early Memory From Childhood

Describe an early memory you have from childhood. You should say: what the memory was; when the event happened; why you remember it.

1. Copy and cut up enough handouts so that each individual student has a card.

2. Put students into pairs and distribute a card to each individual student. Give students one minute of preparation for an authentic practice, or longer for a more controlled practice.

3. Tell students that one of them will talk for two minutes about the topic on the card addressing all the points. Emphasise that the listening partner must not interrupt the speaker, and instead think of two questions to ask him/her when he/she has finished.

4. Time the practice and go round the room monitoring the speakers. Let students know when their time limit is up and allow time for the listening partner to ask his/her two questions.

5. Swap roles and carry out step 4 again.

6. After the students have finished the second time, give feedback on the students' task performance. Highlight any language or task errors which could be improved upon.

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