Conversation Lesson - Neighbours BBC | British Council 2010

ConversationLessonNeighbours IntermediateLevel(canbeadaptedineitherdirection) Approximately2hours WhenImakeadecisionabouttopicsforconversationlessonsitfollowsthattheyhavetobe somethingthateverybodyhasexperienceof.Thisismoreimportantthanchoosinganinteresting topic,althoughyoumayquestiontheidea.Simply,themoreinterestingatopicmaybetoone studentthelessinterestingitmaybetoothers.Neutraltopicstendtorevolvearoundeveryday things,butdogiveeverybodychancetotalk.Andafterall,youcanmakeanythinginterestingifyou try. Neighboursarepartoflife.Illbehonestandsaythatsomeofthestudentsinmycurrentschoollive invasthousesinopenspacesinthemountains,butbyandlarge,weallhaveneighboursthusalso experienceofneighboursandinmostcasesthiswillmeanbothgoodandbad. Sowerereadytotalk. Stage1 Whatareneighbours? WithoutanyintroductionIgivepairsofstudentssixorsevensentencesandaskthemtodiscuss them,agreeordisagree.Theyarethenexpectedtochoosethedefinitionwhichbestfitstheirown experienceanddiscusstheirreasonsforthiswiththeirpartner. Atthebeginningofaconversationclassitpaystohavestudentsrealisethattheyhavetospendtime speakinginpairs,butImalsosuretoshowtheclassthatwewillcometogethertoshareideastoo. EarlyoninthislessonIbringthegrouptogethertoachievethisaim,andtomakesurethatthe groupisontopicbeforewemoveon. Aneighbourisapersonwhokeepsyouawakeatnight Aneighbourisapersonwhointerestsyoumorethanyourownfamily Aneighbourisapersonyouwanttoknowisthere,butneverwanttosee Aneighbourisapersonwhofeedsyourcatwhenyouareonholiday Aneighbourisapersonwhoknowseverythingaboutyou,butyoudontknowhow Aneighbourisapersonwhowatchesyoufromacrossthestreet Aneighbourisapersonwholivesnextdoortoyou Aneighbourisapersonwhohelpsyouintimesofneed

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Conversation Lesson - Neighbours BBC | British Council 2010

Wediscussafewofthestatementsandrelatethemtotherealityofourexperiences.Manyofus havenoisyneighbourswhileothersfindtheirneighboursreliabletothelast.Itsnicetotalkabout this,providednobodyfeelsobligedtospilltoomanybeans,aswesayinEngland.Putsimply,they dontneedtosayanythingabouttheirneighboursiftheydontwantto. Stage2 Vocabulary StayingwiththethemeofStage1canhelpusdeveloptheideaswithaviewtogettingsomenew vocabularyintoplay.Aneighbouris...allowedustoexploreourexperiencesofthepeoplewholive nearus,thistimeweexploreourknowledgeofEnglishasIgivetheclasssomewordstodefine. Afavouris... Noseyis... Noisyis... Gossipis... Trustworthyis... Theneighbourhoodis... Conflictis... Reliableis...

Theremaybemore,thisisjustasample. Whenstudentshavedonewhattheycan(withorwithoutdictionaries,althoughnormallyIdont allowtheminconversation)weshareourdefinitionsandItidythemupwherenecessary. Then,onceagaininpairs,studentsrelateeachofthewordstothegeneralideaofneighbours. Stage3 Morevocabularycharacterwords OneofthebroadesttopicsinEnglishistherangeoflexisusedtodescribepersonalityandcharacter. Anditsnotasifwecannarrowitrealistically.Therearesimplyhundredsofwordsineverydayuse whichlendthemselvestosayingwhatapersonislike. InStages1and2studentsinvestigatedsomeofthebasicdifferencesbetweenneighboursand possiblyrelatedthemtopersonalexperience.Stage2ideallyfinisheswithadiscussionofneighbours incertaincontexts,forexamplemakingnoiseearlyinthemorningorcallingthepolicewhenthey seesomethingsuspiciousinyourgarden. Sowhatkindofpersonwoulddothesethings,andwhatkindofneighbourdowewant?Perhapsthis stagecouldbeconsideredsuperfluousasitsnotneighbourspecific,butasexperiencedteacherswill acknowledge,somethingscanbeaconstituentpartofmanytopics,andtheresalwaysroomfora littlerevision. WhenIdothis,IfocusonwordsIneedmystudentstomeet,ortoimprovetheirknowledgeof,so whenyoulookatAppendix1andfindmylistofwords,youmightwanttochangeafewtosuityour needs.Alwaysdothis,youknowyourstudents,butyourfocusotherwiseshouldbetogetthemto

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Conversation Lesson - Neighbours BBC | British Council 2010

applythesewordstoneighbours,actualorfictional,andtogetthemtogiveexamplesofhowthese characteristicsplayoutinreallife. Igivestudentsthehandout,whichtheyoftenfindselfexplanatory,butamsuretogiveinstructions becauseIdontwantthemtofocusonwritingwordsinatable,butratherdiscusshowthese characteristicsimpactupontherelationshipbetweenthefamilyat23Aandthosepeopleat23B.If theformerarealwayspolitebutlazydotheymakegoodneighbours,andhow?Ifthelatterare inconsideratebuthonestwhataretheyliketolivenextdoorto,andagain,how? Ifindthatdoinganexamplewithastrongstudentgetsthingsstarted.Imightaskthemiftheywould liketolivenextdoortoajealousperson,expectingtoreceiveananswerinthenegative.ThenIdask whynot,howwouldthispersonbeadifficultneighbour?Therestwritesitself. Trythisfortenminutes,althoughyoumayneedtokeepstudentssuppliedwithideas.Ifinditworks verywellwithaconfidentclass. Stage4 DiscussionQuestions Ifyouveunearthedmyconversationlessonsbefore,youllhaveseen(If+presentperfect,future perfect?Whatformoftheconditionalisthat?)thateachoftheminvolveastagewherestudentsare expectedtomakeconversationabouttheiranswerstothesequestions.Herearesomemore,pairs, talk.NotveryDELTAIsuppose,butthenIhaventdonetheDELTAsowhatdoIknow?(Ihavemy reasons.)
Doyougetonwellwithyourneighbours? Doyouoftenvisitthem,ordotheyvisityou? Aretheysimilarpeopletoyou,forexamplearetheythesameage,ordotheyhavethesameinterests? Couldyougoonholidaywithyourneighbours?Why(not)? Doyoudependonthemforanything,forexampletolookafteryourplantsandcatwhileyouare away? Doyouknowanystoriesofbadneighbours,eitherfromyourfriendsorfromthemedia? Whatisyourideaofterribleneighbours? Whatwouldyoudoifyourneighbourswerecausingyouproblems? Whatwouldyoudoifyouthoughtyourneighbourswereinvolvedinorganisedcrime? Nowthinkofthreemorethingsyoudliketoaskeachotherandtalkaboutyouranswers:

Astheytalk,Imonitorandjoinin,tryingnottotalktoomuch,butusuallyfailing.Thisisjustsucha greatjob,healthyenthusiasmisresponsibleforagreatdealofteachertalkingtime.Ifyoucan controlitbetterthanIdo,however,yourstudentswillbenefitmore. Stage5 BetterNeighbours Beforehand,letsrememberthatsometimes,somethingsarenotupfordiscussion.Iusetheearly stagesofanytopictomonitornotjustlanguage,confidenceorclassroomissuesbutalsoany presentingsensibilities,sowhenthetimecomestoaskthequestion,wouldyouchangeanyofyour www.teachingenglish.org.uk

Conversation Lesson - Neighbours BBC | British Council 2010

neighbours?IknowwhoImightavoidasking.Itsnotsuchanissueforthistopic,butworthbearing inmind. Asagroup,wefocusonthereallifeneighboursthatgraceorblightourdailylivesandIleave studentstogleamorgroanaboutthemforafewminutes.WhatImtryingtodoisestablishafocus ontheideaofperfectneighbours,orbetterneighbours,asthecasemaybe.Ipickthingsoutofthe pointsstudentsmakeandputthemtogethertomakeapictureofwhataneighbourwouldideallybe like. So,youdontlikenoisyneighbours?Wouldyouprefersomebodywhodidntinterfere?Isitgoodto havesuchconsiderateneighbours? Nothingtoospecific,Ijustwanttogettheclassontheideaofneighbourlyperfectionaheadofthe nextstage,whichisflexible,dependingontheprogressofthelessonoravailabletime. Stages6and7 DesignYourOwnNeighbours or ChooseYourOwnNeighbours Thefirstupissimple,Iputstudentsinpairs(maybedifferentpairs)andaskthemtodesignthe perfectneighbours.Iwriteafewthingsontheboardforthemtoconsider,Howoftendoyousee them?Whatpersonalitydotheyhave?Doyouspendtimetogether?Whatdotheydowhenyouare onholiday?Dotheyhavebettercarsorfurniture?Dotheyinviteyoufordinnerorviceversa? Ofcourse,thisisanunplannedstageandtobehonestIwouldntuseitaswellasthenextbecause thereistoomuchoverlap,butwithlesstimeImighttakethisoptiontobridgefromtheshorter earlieractivitiestothemoreinvolvedlaterones. Moretypicallyhowever,Iwouldtakethesecondoption. Appendix2containsanactivitywhichkeepsstudentsbusyandontopicforuptohalfanhour,ifthey doeverythinginfull.QuickanswersarethescourgeoftheconversationlessonandforthisreasonI trytoavoidpresentingthingswhichcanbesolvedinnotimeatall.Asthisonecan,Istressto studentsthattheymustdiscusseachone,bothprosandcons,beforeconsideringtheirdecision. Theactivityissimple,butanintroductionmighthelp,perhapsIdask,wouldyouprefertolivenext doortoapairofwannabepopstars,orabeerdrinkingrugbyplayer? ThenIhandthemtheactivityandusuallyfindtheytakegreatadvantageofit. Foreachofthesetwoactivities,whenpairshavemadetheirdecisionsIputthemwithanotherpair tocomparebeforewebrieflydiscussitasagroup.Inthecaseofthelatter,Iaskthemwhothey choseandthrowoutotherconsiderations,maybethatKevinandBritneymightdivorceandnotbe abletopaytherent.Acrossthewholeclassofstudents,somebodyusuallyhastheanswer. Stage8 www.teachingenglish.org.uk

Conversation Lesson - Neighbours BBC | British Council 2010

DinnerParty Iknowthisishardlyrelevantbutbriefly,Iprefertousemyownactivitiesinclassbecauseitgivesme agreaterconnectionwiththelesson.Adeepersenseofsatisfactionundoubtedly,butthisisofno directbenefittothestudents.ButwhenIusemyownmaterialsIfindthatIworkmuchbetterwith themandthiscanonlybegoodfortheclass. Nevertheless,manyverygreatteacherswithfarmoreexperiencethanmehaveinspiredalotofmy ownteachingandinsomecases,contributeddirectlytoit.Thenextactivityisnotmine,norhaveI mademorethansuperficialadaptationstoitscontent.HoweverIamyettoproduceanythingbetter anduntilIdo,thisexcellentactivitytakenfromPennyUrsDiscussionsThatWork,Cambridge UniversityPress,willcontinuetohelpmystudentsimprovetheirspeakingskills. IfyouprefertotaketheactivitystraightfromthatbookImsureyouwontbedisappointed. HoweverIhaveincludedaslightlymodifiedversioninAppendix3whichIwouldbesuretomodify furtherdependingonleveloranyotherlanguageinputIsawasnecessary. Thescenario:youliveinarespectableculdesacalongwithabouteightortenhouses.Allthe neighboursarefriendlywithyoubuttheydontgetonwitheachother,anditsruiningthedelicate balanceofthestreet. Soyouhaveinvitedthemfordinnerwithyouandyourpartnertocleartheairabit.Onlyproblem, wherecantheysit? Iveneverknownthisstagenotworkwondefully,butIllbehonest,Irarelyseestudentsfindthe solution.Theremaynotevenbeone,andIllgosofarastosaythatIdseethisasagoodthing,but itwouldbeirresponsibleofmetosendyoutoyourownclasseswithoutsomeinsightintothefact thatthisactivitymayhavenoperfectoutcome. LikeIsaid,thatsgood,itkeepsthemtalking.Myjobisnottoteachdinnerpartiesbuttoimprove fluencyandspokenconfidence,fromtimetotimeanearimpossibletaskcanbeaveryvaluable ingredient(providedtheydontknow). Butbearitinmind.Itmakesthefinalstageofdiscussingtheirsolutionseasier.ThefirsttimeIdid this,Iaskedforseatingplansandnobodyhadestablishedone,andthelastthingyouwantina fluencybuildingsituationisanunforeseenobstacletospeaking.Iremainpreparedtogetstudentsto describehalfcompletedseatingplanswhichinitselfcanbenefitthemforseveralminutes.Andlets notforget,indailylife,sometimeswehavetoexplainwhysomethingwasnotpossible,incompletion hasitsvalue. Ifyoudontliketheidea,modificationofthesituationswouldmakethistasksimpler,butremember, whentheyfinishthis,theyfinishspeaking,soavoidanythingtooeasy. Stage9 NeighboursfromHellDebate Whenwevediscussedwheretositfolkfordinner,itpaystofocusalittleonthegoodneighbours andbadneighboursfromthesamelist.Icouldaskstudentstocreatecharacterprofilesforthemand www.teachingenglish.org.uk

Conversation Lesson - Neighbours BBC | British Council 2010

choosethebestpersontolivenextto,andinsomewaysthiscouldbeyourchoicetoroundoffthe lesson. Howeverthiswouldbetootiring,Iveseenmomentumincreaseintheclassandamkeentoexploit this.Italsopaystoincludeafreeactivitytocomplementthemorecontrolledonesthathavegone before.Imovetheclassfromcontrolledthroughsemicontrolledoverthecourseofalessonsoit followsthatthefinalactivitywillbeuncontrolled,sotospeak.Admittedly,Idotrytocontrolafew things,butnotusuallywhattheysay. IonlyusetheconclusionofStage8asaleadintoStage9,forexampleImayasksomebodyifthey wouldliketolivenextdoortoAlanTopple.Mymainpurposenowistointroducetheideaofreally badneighbours,youknow,nottheoneswhoplayDuranDuranafter9p.m.buttheseriouslybad types,theoneswhoplayinabandthemselvesandhaventmadeenoughinroyaltiesyettohavethe housesoundproofed.Afewwordsspringtomind,becarefulnottoteachthosetoo. Itakepicturesandpassthemroundthecircle.Whatwoulditbeliketolivenextdoortothese people?Searchthenet,maybeGoogleimagesandbadneighbourswillfindyousomeniceshots,but bemindfulofcopyrightlaws.Someoftheworsepicturesdefydescription,andno,nobodycould imaginelivingnextdoortothem. Fiveminutesdiscussingthethoughtoflifenextdoorandtheresnothingmoretodo,Ipromptly dividetheclassintotwogroupsandgivethemarolecardeach,Appendix4. Theygettenminutestoprepare,andwithmyinputthiswillbeenough. ThenIsimplysplittheclassintotwofacinggroupsandletthemargue.Ifthelessonasawholehas gonewell,theclasshavepreparedwellandthestudentsareconfidentspeakers,thisstagetakes totalcareofitself.IfindallIneedtodoisenjoyit,andmakeafewnotesoferrorstogroupcorrect afterwefinish. Afterwevedonethis,studentsarefreetogoandyellattheirownneighbours.Orhugthem,of course. SuggestionsforFollowupActivities Guidedimprovisations.Studentsactoutanumberofneighbourlysituationswithout preparation,forexample,yoursonsfootballhascomeintoourgardenagain,oryourcathas eatenmyparrot Studentswriteangrypostitnotestostickontheirneighboursdoors Studentsdesignastreetwherealltheneighbourswouldliveinperfectharmony Studentswritetothecounciltorequestremovalofunrulytenantsintheflatabove Studentsreadsomequotationsonneighboursandchoosetheirfavourite Studentschipinandbuyalocalstreetinanupmarketcornerofthecityandinvitetheir teachertolivethererentfree www.teachingenglish.org.uk