Activity 1: Giving directions and describing a place

Targeted language skill: Speaking integrated reading/vocabulary

Media: Map & Voice recorder
Proficiency level: High-beginning to low-intermediate
Objectives:
To be able to
route.
To be able to
landmarks.
To be able to
To be able to
To be able to

choose popular spots on the map and plan a logical

describe the route clearly using street names and
add brief description of the popular spots.
explain the route logically and comprehensibly.
explain the information accurately.

Instructional procedures:
1. Review positional words and expressions that students are
familiar with from previous lessons. If students are new,
introduce new language before proceeding with the activity.
Directional phrases:
go straight, turn right, turn left, pass the ___, go over the ____ ,
cross the ____, next to the ____ , across from the ____ ,
between,

2. Next, imagine that your friend is visiting you this weekend and is
eager to see the Stanford campus. Unfortunately, your friend is
arriving while you are in class. Give directions to 5 popular spots
on campus for your friend to visit while waiting to meet you.
3. Study the map and circle 5 spots that you want your friend to
visit. Prepare a brief description for each spot you have chosen
and explain why you would like your friend to visit this spot.
Choose the last location where you would like your friend to meet
you.
4. Plan out a route for your friend using the map.
5. Record describing the route and brief description of each place
using your voice recorder on your phone.

6. In real life, you would send this recorded message and a picture
of the map to your friend before he/she visits.
Material: See Appendix 1
Sources:
Detailed map of campus and the FPCE buildings from Stanford Flow
Physics & Computational Engineering. Retrieved from
http://web.stanford.edu/group/fpc/pictures/500fullsize.gif
Appendix 1

Activity 2: Pass the message

Targeted language skill: Listening integrated with speaking,
pronunciation and writing
Media: Sentence strips, MP3 players with headphones (depending on
the number of teams)
Additional material: White board & dry/erase marker
Proficiency level: Mid-beginning to high-beginning
Objectives:
To be able to listen to the given sentence carefully.
To be able to pass the message as precise as possible.
To be able to write the message on the board.
Instructional procedures:
1. Place students into teams and have each team sit in a row.
2. The last student at the back of each row is given a different
sentence strip with recorded MP3 to listen to (download the MP3
file from the appendix 2).
3. The student must read and listen to the sentence then whisper to
the next student to pass the message down the line one by one.
4. When the sentence reaches the person at the front of the row, he
or she must stand up and write the sentence on the board.
5. Moderator looks at the sentence and gives direction whether the
sentence is correct. If the sentence is incorrect, the sentence
must be whispered down the line again from the back of the row.
6. The game continues until the first team writes the correct
sentence.
7. Depending on the level of the students, moderator can decide to
add more sentences or give longer sentences to the group. (For
more fun, I have used tongue twister sentences to add
challenge)

Material: See Appendix 2

Sources:
Idea adapted from Teach-this.com
H Wang. (2013). English Whispers. Retrieved from
http://www.teach-this.com/esl-games/listening-games
F. H. Kisito (2015). Download ESL.com: Tongue twisters for
pronunciation practice
+ free MP3 downloads. Retrieved from http://www.downloadesl.com/tonguetwisters/easy/easytongue.html
Appendix 2
Cut up the sentences below and distribute to each play.

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!

Download this mp3

I saw Susie sitting in a shoe shine shop. Download this mp3

Four furious friends fought for the phone. Download this mp3
Green glass globes glow greenly. Download this mp3
I have got a date at a quarter to eight; Ill see you at the
gate, so dont be late. Download this mp3
I thought, I thought of thinking of thanking you. Download
this mp3

A big black bug bit the big black bear, but the big black bear
bit the big black bug back! Download this mp3
How can a clam cram in a clean cream can? Download this
mp3

Activity 3: Interview scavenger hunt

Targeted language skill: Reading integrated with speaking and
writing
Media: Worksheet
Additional material: Clipboard, writing utensil
Proficiency level: Mid-beginning to low-intermediate
Objectives:
To be able to read the clues/interview questions and understand
the meaning.
To be able to find the right people in the given clue to interview.
To be able to write the message on the worksheet.
Instructional procedures:
1. Students can work individually or in pairs depending on the
classroom size.
2. Each student/pair is given different clues to find the right person.
3. Each student/pair is given a set of interview questions.
4. Students are given 30 minutes to follow the clues to find the
right person and interview.
5. Students regroup in the classroom and prepare a brief oral
presentation about the person they interviewed.
Materials: See Appendix 3.1 & 3.2

Sources:
Idea adapted from TalkEnglish.com. Retrieved from
http://www.talkenglish.com/Speaking/Interview/IntWork1.aspx

Appendix 3.1
( Cut up the clues and distribute to each
Clue 1:
Clue 2:
Clue 3:
This person is This person
This person is
the first
teaches
the oldest
person you
English using teacher in our
see when you computer and school who
enter the
introduces
has been
school
new programs teaching
building. You
that can be
English for 35
can ask this
used in work
years.
person
places.
questions
about the
building or
about your
schedule.

person/team)
Clue 4:
This person
makes sure
that our
building is
clean and free
of any trash.
Because of
this person,
we are able to
learn in a
pleasant
environment.

Appendix 3.2
Interview questions:
1. What is your full name including the middle name?

2. What is your favorite part of this job and why?

Clue 5:
This person is
the boss of
our school
who manages
both students
and teachers.
If you have
any major
question
about the
program, you
can ask this
person.

3. How long did you work in our school?

4. What is the first thing you do when you come to work?

5. What makes you feel most accomplished about your work?

6. Is there anything you would like to say to the students in our

school?

Activity 4: Write a narrative story

Targeted language skill: Writing integrated with vocabulary
Media: Comic strips
Proficiency level: High-beginning to low-intermediate
Objectives:
To be able to write a narrative story using the vocabulary list.
To be able to use more vocabulary beyond the provided list
independently.
To be able to look at the comic strip and understand the
message.
To be able to make a personal inference and answer a shortanswer question.
Instructional procedures:
1. Students are given a worksheet with comic strips about Father &
Son.
2. Students are to look at the comic strip and use the vocabulary
list to create a narrative story. Students need to write at least
one sentence per picture to describe whats happening in the
story. There is no limitation to the length of the story.
3. For extra credit, students can answer the question, Do you have
a funny story about your father or mother?

Vocabulary list:
Ready, dinner, book, interesting, son, father, where, go, get,
come, time, for

Material: Appendix 4
Sources:
Cathyinchina (2011, July 12). Comic strip father and son [iSLCollective].
Retrieved
From
https://en.islcollective.com/resources/printables/worksheets_doc_
docx/comic_strip_father_and_son/picture-description-comic/8117

Appendix 4:

Extra credit:
Do you have a funny story about your father or mother?

Activity 5: Taboo

Targeted language skill: Vocabulary integrated with listening and

speaking.
Media: Pictures
Materials: Picture cards, basket, timer
Proficiency level: Low-beginning to high-beginning
Objectives:
To be able to tell what the picture describes.
To be able to describe the picture without using words on the
card.
To be able to name what is being described using various
vocabulary items.
Instructional procedures:
1. Students can form 2 teams. If the class is large, divide students
into several teams.
2. Each team selects a representative to come up and choose a
picture from the basket.
3. First player describes as many picture cards as he/she can
without using the words on the card.
4. There is 1-minute time limit. While the player from team 1
describes, the player from team 2 monitors to make sure the
player does not use the words on the card.
5. Designate someone to keep scores and time.
Materials: See Appendix 5
Sources:
Eminemxu27 (2011, May 2). Taboo cards places in city [iSLCollective].
Retrieved
From
https://en.islcollective.com/resources/printables/worksheets_doc_
docx/taboo_cards_-_places_in_city/nouns-city-taboo/5563

Appendix 5

Bakery

Dont say:
Bake
Bread

Airport

Dont say:
Travel
Flight

Hospital

Dont say:
Sick
Doctor

Barber shop

Dont say:
Cut
Hair

Bank

Dont say:
Deposit
Money

Hotel

Dont say:
Live
Travel

Bookstore

Dont say:
Magazine
Book

Cinema

Dont say:
Watch
Movie

Bus station

Dont say:
Travel
Bus

Gallery

Dont say:
Painting
Art

Gas station

Dont say:
Petrol
Car

Gym

Dont say:
Exercise
Muscle

Police
station

Dont say:
Policeman
911

School

Dont say:
Study
Teacher

Laundromat

Dont say:
Clothe
Washing machine

Post office

Dont say:
Mail
Package

Pub

Dont say:
Drink
Bar

Zoo

Dont say:
Animal
Cage

Library

Dont say:
Book
Study

Pharmacy

Dont say:
Medicine
Drug

Court

Dont say:
Lawyer
Judge

Church

Dont say:
Religion
Christian
Catholic

Subway

&

Dont say:
Train
Railway

Parking lot

Dont say:
Car park
Ticket