Creating Opportunity Worldwide

Pro-ELT Teacher Training Materials

Three questions about your life. 30 second for each answer.

WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT?

INTERESTS AND LEISURE TIME

I enjoy reading non-fiction in my free time.

Im interested in politics.
I love listening to traditional Malay music.
I thoroughly enjoy playing with my kids.
When I can, I usually watch TV, in particular the news.
When I have the chance I make my own skirts and dresses on my old
sewing machine.
One of my interests is traditional Indian dance.
My preferred leisure activity is gardening. I love to watch my plants
grow.
My favourite pastime is shopping. I absolutely love it!

The British Council, 2013

The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and education opportunities.
British Council Malaysia is a branch (995232-A) of the British Council, registered as a charity in England and Wales (209131) and Scotland (SC037733)

Creating Opportunity Worldwide

Pro-ELT Teacher Training Materials

FAMILY
I have a large/small family.
My family has seven members.
This is my immediate family.
My extended family consists of at least 40 relatives. .
We are a close-knit family and meet each other for family gatherings
at least five times a year.
My family are quite close.
I have been married for 14 years.
I was raised in the city/country.
I have five siblings. I get on well with all of them.

MY JOB
I am a secondary school teacher.
I teach English and science.
My job is very demanding, but its rewarding too.
I often work long hours.
Apart from teaching, one of my responsibilities is to organize exams.
In my work I deal with difficult teenagers.
My work involves not only teaching, but running the English Club as
well.
This job needs a lot of experience, paper qualifications are no good.
I commute one hour to work.

The British Council, 2013

The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and education opportunities.
British Council Malaysia is a branch (995232-A) of the British Council, registered as a charity in England and Wales (209131) and Scotland (SC037733)

Creating Opportunity Worldwide

Pro-ELT Teacher Training Materials

THE WEATHER
Its incredibly hot today, but it may rain in the evening, as the
weather has become quite unpredictable recently.
Its boiling hot today, but I hope it will cool down a bit in the evening.
Its very sunny and, as always, very humid.
Its a lovely day today, bright and sunny with only a few clouds in
the sky.

LIKES AND DISLIKES

I enjoy visiting my in-laws. My mother-in-law always prepares my
favourite food and my father-in-law loves playing with my kids.
I adore playing with my nephew. Hes so funny.
I am mad about fashion.
I am crazy about handbags. Ive got quite a collection now and I now I
have my eyes on a fabulous new one.
I dont mind doing most household chores, but I absolutely hate
ironing.
I thoroughly dislike loud parties.
I cant stand traffic jams. I get so frustrated when Im stuck in one,
which is almost every day.

LEARNING

The British Council, 2013

The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and education opportunities.
British Council Malaysia is a branch (995232-A) of the British Council, registered as a charity in England and Wales (209131) and Scotland (SC037733)

Creating Opportunity Worldwide

Pro-ELT Teacher Training Materials

I love learning new things. At the moment Im learning computer skills

and Im getting better and better at it.
When I was at school I used to hate maths, but now I am helping my
youngest with his homework and surprisingly, I enjoy it very much
I graduated from the English Department a couple of years ago, but I
feel I need to upskill my knowledge all the time, so whenever I can, I
attend conferences and seminars for teachers.
I have never had a chance to learn how to swim, so Ive asked my
friend to teach me.

HOLIDAYS AND TRAVEL

I have never been to Australia, but I want to go there one day.
I have been to the Perhentian Islands a few times and I thoroughly
enjoyed the place.
I am planning to go to Japan next summer. I want to do some
sightseeing.
When Im on holiday, I like to put my feet up and do nothing. I
sometimes do some snorkelling and sunbathing, thats it.
I would like to go on a walking holiday one day.

MEDIA
I spend quite a lot of time watching TV. I mostly watch
documentaries.
I occasionally read newspapers, but I mostly read about the news on the
internet. My favourite website is BBC News, as its so comprehensive and
the information is quite accurate.
The British Council, 2013
The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and education opportunities.
British Council Malaysia is a branch (995232-A) of the British Council, registered as a charity in England and Wales (209131) and Scotland (SC037733)

Creating Opportunity Worldwide

Pro-ELT Teacher Training Materials

I often use the internet to search for information, but I find that many
websites are unreliable and the information there is either misleading or
simply not true.

FUTURE PLANS
My dream is to visit Australia. I have never been there and sister tells
me its a really exciting place.
My ultimate goal is to complete my studies and get a degree.
Im thinking about changing my job. I would like to work as a secondary
school teacher, as I feel its more challenging than my present job.
Im going to start a family soon, so I wont have much time for
professional development.

BOOKS
Im now reading a book called The Fault in Our Stars. Its about
teenagers suffering from cancer, but the book is not gloomy at all. In fact,
its very funny at times.
I am an avid reader of romantic comedies. I cant help it!
This book is a real page turner.

The British Council, 2013

The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and education opportunities.
British Council Malaysia is a branch (995232-A) of the British Council, registered as a charity in England and Wales (209131) and Scotland (SC037733)

Creating Opportunity Worldwide

Pro-ELT Teacher Training Materials

The book has a strong plot with twists and turns, likeable characters
and vivid descriptions of the jungle.
Its the best book Ive read for a long time.
The book is hilarious so I do recommend it to anyone who wants a
good laugh.

FILMS
Ive recently seen a really good film. Its called Gravity and its about
two astronauts in the space. The special effects are amazing.
I am addicted to soap operas. I need light entertainment to relax at
the end of the day.
The film is based on a true story.
Its a thriller starring Bruce Willis. Its not suitable for children, as
there is quite a lot of violence in it.
I do recommend it.
In fact, Ive never seen such a good film.

FOOD
A the moment I am on a diet, so I avoid deep fried food, but I make
sure I have at least one nourishing meal a day.
I never skip breakfast.
My family often eat out and our favourite place is Rebung Chef. This
restaurant is very popular, so you need to book a table in advance.
I have a sweet tooth, so my favourite part of dinner is, of course,
dessert. I particularly like chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream on top.

HEALTH AND FITNESS

Im off colour today.
Im a bit under the weather today. I think Ive got a cold coming on.
The British Council, 2013
The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and education opportunities.
British Council Malaysia is a branch (995232-A) of the British Council, registered as a charity in England and Wales (209131) and Scotland (SC037733)

Creating Opportunity Worldwide

Pro-ELT Teacher Training Materials
Im out of shape, so Ive decided to do some yoga and aerobics in my local
fitness club.
Its important to keep your body in good shape. Besides, exercising also
uplifts your mood.

EXAMPLES OF POSSIBLE TOPICS

Who do you spend your free time with? What kind of things do you do
together?
How much time do you spend at home? What do you enjoy doing?
What sort of music do you listen to? Why do you enjoy it?
Does anyone you know have an interesting hobby? What does he/she do?
Have you got any plans for this weekend? What are you going to do?
Do you prefer to spend your free time on your own or with other people?
Why?
Do you like cooking? What sort of things do you cook?
Whats your favourite food? Why do you like it?
Do you like going to parties? Tell me about a good party youve been to.
Tell me about a day youve really enjoyed recently.
Is there something new youd really like to learn about? Why?
Are you happier doing mental or physical work? Why?
Do you prefer working on your own or with other people? Why?
What kind of work would you really like to do if you could choose?
Which area of your country would you like to get to know better? Why?
Whats the most interesting place youve visited near here? Tell me about
it.
Have you ever used English on holiday? Where were you? What did you
use it for?
Do you like to plan your holidays carefully or do you prefer to just go?
Why?
Where would you really like to go on holiday in the future? Why?
How much TV do you watch in a week? Would you prefer to watch more TV
than that or less? Why?
Tell me about a TV programme youve seen recently.
Do you have a favourite newspaper or magazine? Why do you like it?
Do you use the Internet? What sort of things do you look for in the
Internet?
The British Council, 2013
The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and education opportunities.
British Council Malaysia is a branch (995232-A) of the British Council, registered as a charity in England and Wales (209131) and Scotland (SC037733)

Creating Opportunity Worldwide

Pro-ELT Teacher Training Materials

Three questions. 45 seconds for each question.

Question One is to describe a picture.

DESCRIBE, SPECULATE

and REACT.
DESCRIBE THE PICTURE:
Who is there? Where are they? What are they doing? What do they look
like? How do they feel? Whats in the background (if important). Whats
the weather like (if important).
A general impression is better than separate details. You wont have time
to go into them, anyway.

The British Council, 2013

The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and education opportunities.
British Council Malaysia is a branch (995232-A) of the British Council, registered as a charity in England and Wales (209131) and Scotland (SC037733)

Creating Opportunity Worldwide

Pro-ELT Teacher Training Materials

This is a picture of a peaceful place in the country.

There are three people in the picture. I think they are at a family
gathering. The woman on the left is making a speech.
We can see some skyscrapers in the background.
SPECULATE
This is a lively, bustling city. It must be Tokyo.
She looks quite surprised. Perhaps shes forgotten about her own birthday.

I suppose its their anniversary.

They all look very smart. The woman on the right is wearing quite formal
clothes. They might be getting ready for some special occasion.
The woman is wearing baggy trousers and an oversized T-shirt. She must
be American The man behind her looks impatient.
They are all wearing casual clothes. They might be getting ready for a
picnic.
The child in the middle seems to be exhausted. He must have had a
really exciting day.
She must be the childs grandmother.
She could be his wife.
They seem to be enjoying themselves.
She looks very happy.
He looks worried. Perhaps hes missed his train.
I get the impression she is not happy about this situation.
It's not clear whether its a marketplace or a jumble sale.

REACT
I like this photo. It reminds me of my childhood days.
This photo makes me think of my own grandmother and the time we
celebrated her birthday.
I would love to try this. In fact, Im going on a trip like that next month.
I like this picture, though Im scared of heights and I am not keen on
trying out things like that.

The British Council, 2013

The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and education opportunities.
British Council Malaysia is a branch (995232-A) of the British Council, registered as a charity in England and Wales (209131) and Scotland (SC037733)

Creating Opportunity Worldwide

Pro-ELT Teacher Training Materials

Question Two and Three: comparison with own situation.

I would definitely choose picture 1, as I like being on my own.
I guess my first choice would be picture 2.
For me the most important thing is to work with friendly colleagues.
I dont think it really matters where you go as long as you have good
company.
Personally, I would prefer this place.
Of course, the good thing about living in the city is an abundance of facilities
and entertainment. On the other hand, life in the country is much less
stressful.
I wouldnt mind being on a beautiful island like that, but on the other hand I
think I would be bored to death after a couple of days there.
If I had to choose one of these places, I would definitely go for the one in the
picture at the top.

3 questions. 45 seconds each.

The British Council, 2013

The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and education opportunities.
British Council Malaysia is a branch (995232-A) of the British Council, registered as a charity in England and Wales (209131) and Scotland (SC037733)

Creating Opportunity Worldwide

Pro-ELT Teacher Training Materials

Question One: describe (expressions from Part Two), compare and

contrast. Question Two: react to one of these situations (expression from
Part Two). Question Three: compare with your own situation (expressions
from Part Two)
The pictures are based on a clear contrast. For instance:

Being with your family or friends vs. being alone

Working in a team vs., working by yourself
Active holiday vs. lying on the beach
Watching a match on TV vs. watching it live in the stadium with a bunch of friends
Peaceful, quiet countryside vs. bustling, noisy city
Unspoilt nature vs. a polluted city
Listening to the teacher vs. studying by yourself in the library
Learner-centred vs. Teacher-centred
Outdoors vs. indoors

COMPARE AND CONTRAST

Both pictures show a classroom. However, in the top picture the children are
listening to the teacher, whereas in the bottom picture they are working on their
own. Apart from that, the classrooms look quite different form each other.
There are animals in both pictures. In the first one they are in a zoo, kept in
cages, while in the other one they live in the wild.,
Although both pictures show a city, they must have been taken at different
times of day, as there are so many differences between them.
Both of these people look exhausted, but I imagine its for very different
reasons.
Both pictures show people doing sports, but there are a few important
differences between them.
The main difference seems to be that in the first picture its their job,
whereas in the other picture they are doing it for fun.

The British Council, 2013

The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and education opportunities.
British Council Malaysia is a branch (995232-A) of the British Council, registered as a charity in England and Wales (209131) and Scotland (SC037733)

Creating Opportunity Worldwide

Pro-ELT Teacher Training Materials

DO NOT describe the picture.

1 minute preparation. Dont write full sentences, just key words. Plan a
logical development of your talk (from PERSONAL to GENERAL).
A 2-minute talk, based on three questions. Here youre on your own, but
you may want to use one of the expressions listed before or one of the
discourse markers and fillers below.
DISCOURSE MARKERS

First of all,

Then
again,

Well,

Despite
that,

Anyway,

In fact,
Actually,

I forgot to
mention
that
as well as

On top of
that,

All the
same,

Still,

Even so,

Similarly,

Another
thing is,

Whats
more,

I mean,

What I
mean is

In other
words,

What I'm
trying to
say is

Now,
about the
next
question,

As a
result,

Let me
think,

Besides,

In
particular

One of the
reasons
why
Lets see,

Instead,

Of course,

Obviously,

Naturally,

For
instance

The first
thing Id
like to say
is

On the
whole,
Because
of this,

such as

My point is Right,

At the
same
time,
As a
matter of
fact,
In
contrast,
that is

The British Council, 2013

The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and education opportunities.
British Council Malaysia is a branch (995232-A) of the British Council, registered as a charity in England and Wales (209131) and Scotland (SC037733)

Creating Opportunity Worldwide

Pro-ELT Teacher Training Materials

That is to
say

I feel

I suppose

Im afraid

I guess

I reckon

Examples of possible topics:

Tell me about a good book you read recently.

What kind of books do you usually read?
Do you think paper books will be replaced one day by e-books?

Tell me about a time when you were late.

How did you feel?
Are people in your country usually punctual?

Tell me about something that you have done recently to keep you fit.
Will you continue doing that?
What are the reasons people do sports activities?

Tell me about the time you received some good news by letter or email.
Did you tell other people about the good news?
What is the best way to communicate good news: by letter, email,
telephone or in person?

Tell me about the time you enjoyed shopping.

Did you buy the things you needed?
Some people enjoy shopping a lot. Why do you think this is?

Tell me about a recent party you went to.

Did you enjoy yourself?
What makes a good party: food, people or the place?
The British Council, 2013
The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and education opportunities.
British Council Malaysia is a branch (995232-A) of the British Council, registered as a charity in England and Wales (209131) and Scotland (SC037733)

Creating Opportunity Worldwide

Pro-ELT Teacher Training Materials

Tell me about the time you visited an older relative.

Did you enjoy the time with her/him? What did you do?
How do people in your country look after older members of the family?

Tell me about a good film you saw recently.

Do you usually watch films like that?
Which films are popular in your country?

Tell me about a holiday you had recently.

Did you enjoy it?
What makes a good holiday?

Tell me about the time you met your whole family.

Did you enjoy yourself? What did you do together?
How important is it to keep good relationships with your relatives?

The British Council, 2013

The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and education opportunities.
British Council Malaysia is a branch (995232-A) of the British Council, registered as a charity in England and Wales (209131) and Scotland (SC037733)