Young Learners, Level 5: Superlatives and superheroes

9th December 2020

Everybody Up, Unit 4, Lesson 3

Comparative Superhero Game - English ESL Worksheets for distance learning and physical classrooms

Warm up game: forming questions

Put class into small groups. Each group, from a keyword, has to form a question asking a superlative.

For example, keyword ‘old‘: Who is the oldest ? Keywords: strong // fast // young // tall //

Amazing Spider-Man on Twitter: "Is anyone thinking logically anymore ? If The #Venom Spin-Off Universe was going to be a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Than Why Title that separate Universe "

Who is the strongest ? Who is the fastest ? Who is the youngest ? Who is the tallest ?

Next up as fast as Flash, with writing boards, students have to write the comparison.

For example: easy = easier

cheap // comfortable // interesting

NOW – what about the opposites ? What is the opposite of ‘easy’ and then the comparative form ?

Repeat with cheap // comfortable // interesting

You want to sit and read a comic book … but which chair ?

Chairs You Wouldn't Want to Sit On – BE OPEN BLOG

Make a sentence with:

comfortable / more comfortable / most comfortable

How about uncomfortable ?

Think wooden chairs are uncomfortable? These 5 seats prove otherwise | The Peak Singapore - Your Guide to The Finer Things in Life

Uncomfortable Chair Images, Stock Photos & Vectors | Shutterstock

How about cheap ? How about expensive ? Tell me about the comic books, Superman, The Joker and Yona.

Superman #5 PR 0.5 1940 — 21, 862 800 VND

Akatsuki no Yona Vol.33 Yona of the Dawn /Japanese Manga Book Comic Japan NEW — 226 050 VND

THE JOKER 7 LUTHOR - HIGH GRADE! LOW PRICE! — 959 300 VND

Think about a NEW superhero … maybe a Captain Vietnam ?

Think about what powers your hero has and we can work on this next week

Subject Index: Themes, features and topics

4th December 2020

Subject Index: An index of various subjects, taught to various levels and age groups.

Subject // Lesson // Date

International Holocaust Remembrance Day 2023 // 27th January 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/01/27/international-holocaust-remembrance-day/

FULL LESSON PLANS

Young Learners, pre-teens // Introduction (STB, Horseshoe, sentence correction, mingle activity) // 2nd April 2024: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2024/04/02/young-learners-pre-teens-introduction-lesson/

Adult class, level 3 // Introduction (STB, British food, present simple, pronunciation of negative words, and questions) // 22nd March 2024: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2024/03/22/adult-class-level-3-introduction-lesson/

Placement Tests

Level 2 end of book test // Mark Wiens video // 6th March 2025: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2025/03/06/level-2-end-of-book-test/

Level 3, Mid-Term Test (Part 1) // 3rd November: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2025/11/03/level-3-mid-term-test-part-1/

Introducing Jedi Master Princess L // 18th August 2024: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2024/08/18/introducing-my-jedi-master-princess-l/

Time Zone 2 // The jump into scholastic hyperspace // 10th August 2024: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2024/08/10/the-jump-into-scholastic-hyperspace/

Time Zone 2 // End of book test // 20th March 2025: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2025/03/20/end-of-time-zones/

Hyperspace hypertest // 3rd March 2025: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2025/03/03/the-hyperspace-hypertest-vocabulary-grammar-and-creativity/

Rating Systems for Time Zone 2 test // 17th August 2024: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2024/08/17/scholastic-hyperspace-the-rating-system/

CLASS RULES AND TEACHING NOTES

The Blue Star for talkative students // Teaching English in Vietnam // 12th January 2024: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2024/01/12/introducing-the-blue-star/

Blue Star, Black Star, Go Home // 3rd November 2025: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2025/11/03/how-to-deal-with-a-notoriously-noisy-class/

Class Check // 10th August 2026: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2026/08/10/class-check/

Online lesson rules // 11th February 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/02/11/lockdown-lessons-a-respectful-reminder/

Online Zoom Bingo game for teachers & TAs // 18th May 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/05/18/the-doom-of-zoom-classes-zoom-bingo-to-keep-teaching-staff-sane/

Classroom Objectives, Levels 3 & 4 // Young Learners // 27th December 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/12/27/young-learners-levels-3-4-class-objectives/

Classroom Rules from the Corleone Family // Teaching Notes // 16th July 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/07/16/class-rules-from-the-corleone-family/

Classroom rules for Young Learners // Confucius // 18th March 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/03/18/young-learners-class-rules-from-confucius/

Class rules May 2022 // 24th May 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/05/24/i-shouldnt-have-to-write-this-but/

Class rules for naming students // Teaching Notes // 5th April 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/04/05/whats-in-a-name/

Class Rules for noisy students // Teaching Notes // 1st April 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/04/01/young-learners-our-pledge-of-quiet/

Class Rules for Young Teens // Young Teens // 12th May 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/05/12/young-teens-our-pledge-of-quiet/

Classroom safety // A Message from Monkey Mike // 4th September 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/09/04/a-message-from-monkey-mike/

Fable of the frog and the scorpion // Teaching Notes // 2nd June 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/06/02/because-its-my-nature/

Learn English … or else ! // Teaching Notes // 1st May 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/05/01/learn-english-or-else/

Suggestions for students and teachers // Lunatics have taken over the asylum // 19th March 2025 https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2025/03/19/the-lunatics-have-taken-over-the-asylum/

Zoom classes: A dream or a nightmare ? // 21st July 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/07/21/zoom-classes-a-dream-or-a-nightmare/

Zoom classes: the dark side // 27th July 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/07/27/zoom-classes-you-cut-my-hours-you-slash-my-wages-and-you-give-me-these/

Zoom rules for Young Learners // 15th July 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/07/15/young-learners-zoom-class-rules/

Teachers’ Day 2022 // 20th November 2022: https://wordpress.com/post/thaypaulsnotes.com/15742

Teachers’ Day 2024 //22nd November 2024: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2024/11/22/teachers-day-2024-flowers-travel-cup-and-a-dinosaur/

Thank you, Kimchi // 14th November 2024: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2024/11/14/thank-you-kimchi/

Thank you, Little Eva // 23rd February 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/02/23/16483/

Thank you, Penny // 12th July 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/07/12/thank-you-penny-knock-knock-penny-knock-knock-penny-knock-knock/

Thank you, Princess // Teaching Notes // 4th August 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/09/04/6420/

Thank you, my Princess (third time) // Teaching Notes // 15th May 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/05/15/thank-you-my-princess-third-time/

Thank you, my Princess (again) // Teaching Notes // 7th May 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/05/07/thank-you-my-princess-again/

Thank you, Little Princess // 23rd May 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/05/23/thank-you-little-princess/

Thank you, my little princesses //30th July 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/07/30/15035/

Education is everything // The West Wing // 23rd September 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/09/23/education-is-everything/

ANIMALS

Animal superlatives (longest, smallest) // Young Learners, Level 4 // 24th November 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/11/24/young-learners-level-4-longest-heaviest-shortest-lightest/

Animals and insects (amazing facts) // Young Learners, Level 4 // 7th November 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/11/07/young-learners-level-4-intelligent-insects-amazing-animals/

Animal videos and activities: a compilation // Young Learners // 25th January 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/01/25/young-learners-animal-magic/

Penguins – The Perfect Penguin Quiz // Young Learners, Level 6 // 14th July 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/07/14/the-perfect-penguin-quiz/

Apple iPhones // Adult Class, Level 3 // 14th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/14/adult-class-level-3-cant-buy-me-love/

Apple workers in China // IELTS // 30th July 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/07/30/ielts-speaking-practice-manufacturing-in-vietnam/

Arabian Nights // writing exercise // 5th November 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/11/05/ielts-level-writing-exercise-1001-nights-the-arabian-tales/

King Arthur and the sword in the stone // Young Teens // 20th April 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/04/20/young-teens-king-arthur-the-sword-in-the-stone/

King Arthur, Robin Hood, Dick Turpin: Three British Legends // Young Teens // 13th May 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/05/13/young-teens-three-british-legends /

Area 51 // Adult Class, Level 3 // 12th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/11/adult-class-level-3-is-was-the-butler-wasnt-it/

ART & ARCHITECTURE

Architecture // Adult professionals // Architecture and engineering in history: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/07/adult-professionals-architecture-and-engineering/

Architecture: Burj Khalife & Willis Tower // Adult professionals. Mechanics, Part 3 // 7th Feb 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/02/07/adult-professionals-mechanics-part-3/

Architecture: giving opinions // Adult Speaking Class, level 2 // 9th April 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/09/adult-speaking-class-level-2-giving-opinions-architecture/

Architecture: World’s tallest buildings throughout history // Adult Speaking Class, level 2 // 9th April 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/09/adult-speaking-class-level-2-giving-opinions-architecture/

Art // Adult Class, Level 1 // 12 & 19 December 2018: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2018/12/19/adult-class-level-1-lessons-1-2/

Art: giving opinion // Adult Speaking Class, level 3: Art // 13th April 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/13/adult-speaking-class-level-3-art-what-do-you-think/

Art: DaDa & Surrealism // Adult Speaking Class, level 3: Dali, Dada & Surrealism // 23rd April 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/23/adult-speaking-class-level-3-dali-dada-and-surrealism/

Art: types of art // Young Learners, level 4 (Dali, Alice in Wonderland) // 16th May 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/05/16/young-learners-level-4-art-for-arts-sake/

Art: Being Creative // Young Learners, level 4 // 1st May 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/05/01/young-learners-level-4-be-creative/

Pieter Bruegel the Elder // Young Learners // 9th January 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/01/09/young-learners-time-travellers/

Bad Day – create narrative // IELTS, Lesson 3 May the Force be with you // 14th January 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/03/31/young-learners-levels-3-4-tell-me-a-story/

Bad Day – create narrative // Young Learners, Levels 3 & 4 // 7th April 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/04/07/young-learners-levels-3-4-i-had-a-bad-day-guess-why/

Bad Day Revisited: create a narrative // Young teens //12th May 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/05/12/bad-day-revisited/

Bad Student writing exercise // Young learners // 31st March 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/03/31/young-learners-levels-3-4-tell-me-a-story/

Banks // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 Part 2 // 6th January 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/06/adult-speaking-class-level-2-part-2/

Bonfire, Guy Fawkes // Adult Class, Level 3 // 5th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/05/adult-class-level-3-business-icons/

Bonfire Night // Young Learners 4 // 9th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/07/young-learners-level-4tell-me-what-you-want/

Bonfire Night // Young Learners, Level 4 // Safety First // 29th October 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/10/29/young-learners-level-4-safety-first-and-the-gunpowder-plot/

Boys’ Night Out // Adult Class, Level 3 // 3rd December 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/12/02/adult-class-level-3-the-times-they-are-a-changing/

Bristol, UK // Young Teens // 21st February 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/02/21/young-teens-deeply-madly-truly/

British Legends // Arthur, Dick Turpin, Robin Hood // 13th May 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/05/13/young-teens-three-british-legends/

Cars // Adult professionals // Adult mechanics: What can go wrong ?https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/12/16/adult-mechanics-what-can-possibly-go-wrong/

Castles in Europe // Adult Class, Level 1 // 2nd January 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/04/adult-class-level-1-2-things-that-go-bump-in-the-night/

Character building // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: Character development // 18th June 2020

Children: gifted // Young Learners, Level 4 // Talk show (Peter O’Toole) // 30th May 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/05/30/young-learners-level-4-what-does-the-future-hold-and-a-repeat-of-the-late-show/

Christmas for Young Learners // food, traditions and activities // 18th December 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/12/18/young-learners-a-christmas-compendium/

Christmas in Germany & UK // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 // 20th December 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/12/20/adult-speaking-class-level-2/

Cinema choice // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 // 20th December 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/12/20/adult-speaking-class-level-2/

Cinema choice // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: Cinema // 9th May 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/05/09/adult-speaking-class-level-2-cinema-what-shall-we-see/

Cinema: Why do you like this film ? // IELTS // 6th April 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/06/ielts-mindset-why-do-you-like-the-film/

Cities (UK) and areas // IELTS // 31st December 2018: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/03/ielts-5-reading-listening/

Cities – future worlds grammar // Young Learners // 26th February 2024: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2024/02/26/future-worlds/

Cities – A Perfect City // Writing project // Young Learners, Levels 3 & 4 // 11th April 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/04/11/young-learners-levels-3-4-what-is-your-perfect-city/

Cities – What’s the problem … and solution ? // Speaking exercise // Young Learners // 9th January 2024: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2024/01/09/whats-the-problem-with-your-city-and-whats-the-solution/

Clothes – types and materials // Young Learners // 11th November 20202: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/11/11/young-learners-level-2-i-would-go-out-tonight-but-i-havent-got-a-stitch-to-wear/

Clothes // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: Describing clothes // 19th March 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/03/19/adult-speaking-class-level-2-describing-clothes/

Clothes – expressing opinions // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 // Extended personality exercises // 20th June 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/06/20/adult-speaking-class-level-2-extended-personality-exercises/

Coffee in Viet Nam // Adult Speaking Class, level 2 // 20th December 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/12/20/adult-speaking-class-level-2/

Coffee in Saigon (exercise, idioms & dialogue) // 7th December 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/12/07/coffee-in-sai-gon/

Coffee, cooking & Tet Holiday // 1st February 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/02/01/adult-speaking-class-level-2-coffee-cooking-and-cuisine/

Complaining // Adult Class, Level 3 // 18th March 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/03/18/adult-class-level-3-sharks-and-dragons/

Complaining in shops // Adult Speaking Class // 6th January 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/06/adult-speaking-class-level-2-part-2/

Computers // Adult Class, Level 1 // 20th February 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/02/20/adult-class-level-1-computer-world/

Corona Virus in Vietnam // IELTS 4 – 5 // Implementing precautions // 25th March 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/03/25/ielts-4-5-mindset-implementing-precautions/

Corona Virus: news from UK // Listening Exercises, Corona Special // 6th April 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/06/listening-exercises-corona-special/

Countries

Create a country // Young Learners, Level 3 project // 5th April 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/04/05/young-learners-level-3-lets-start-a-new-country-up/

Africa // Tuareg people of North Africa // Adult Speaking Class, level 3 // 11th February 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/02/11/adult-speaking-class-level-3-theme-travel/

Amazon Rain Forest // Young Learners, Level 5 // 19th October 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/10/19/young-learners-level-5-amazon-rain-forest-quiz-and-comparisons/

Amazon Rain Forest Summer Project // Young Teens // 26th July 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/07/26/summer-project-make-an-amazon-river-fact-chart/

Ancient Egypt & Ancient Greece // Teenagers: Architecture & Mythology // 13th March 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/03/13/teenagers-architecture-and-mythology/

Ancient Egyptian Gods // Young Learners, Level 6 // 12th May 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/05/12/young-learners-ancient-egyptian-gods/

Ancient Egyptian Gods // Young Learners, Level 4 // 23rd February 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/02/23/gods-of-ancient-egypt/

Australia // IELTS 5-6.5 // 21st August 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/08/15/ielts-5-6-5-i-come-from-a-land-down-under/

China // Fishing with birds // 25th August 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/08/25/fishing-with-birds-a-writing-exercise/

Egypt // Holiday Project // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3 // 9th June 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/06/09/adult-speaking-class-level-3-holiday-project-egypt/

Germany // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Germany // 26th February 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/02/26/adult-speaking-class-level-3-theme-germany/

Germany: Rhine River // Young Learners, Level 6 // 12th February 2025: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2025/02/12/the-rhine-river-fairy-tales-and-gruesome-stories/

Greece: land and myths // Theseus and the Minotaur // Young Learners 5 // 6th October 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/10/04/young-learners-level-5-welcome-to-athens/

India //Focus on India // IELTS // 18th October 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/10/17/ielts-focus-on-india/

India // IELTS: Hello, India // 24th January 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/24/ielts-hello-india/

Japan // Focus on Japan // Listening and planning skills // 18th October 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/10/18/ielts-focus-on-japan/

Japan // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Part 6, 25th January 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/25/adult-speaking-class-level-2-part-6-2/

Korea // Hello Korea // 19th June 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/06/19/hello-korea-%ec%95%88%eb%85%95%ed%95%98%ec%84%b8%ec%9a%94/

Poland // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3 // 27th December 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/12/27/poland-history-culture-and-beer/

Poland salt mine // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 // 20th December 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/12/20/adult-speaking-class-level-2/

Russia // Adult Class, Level 3 // 4th December 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/12/03/adult-class-level-3-the-russian-soul/

Sweden // Young Learners, Level 2 // 18th May 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/05/17/young-learners-level-2-focus-on-sweden/

Sweden // Young Learners, Level 2 // continuous verbs & home furnishings // 31st December 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/12/31/young-learners-level-2-what-are-they-doing-in-sweden/

Switzerland // Adult Speaking Class, level 3. Theme:Travel // 11th February 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/02/11/adult-speaking-class-level-3-theme-travel/

Taiwan // Taiwan: Listening Extra // 12th April 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/12/taiwan-listening-special/

Taiwan (four videos:WHO dodge, President Tsai Ing-wen) // Taiwan: Listening Extra 12th April 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/12/taiwan-listening-special/

Taiwan National Day // 10th October 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/10/10/taiwan-happy-national-day/

Around the world in 80 minutes // (Brazil, Canada, Sth Korea, Egypt) // Young Learners, Level 5 // 26th July 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/07/26/adult-speaking-class-level-1-young-learners-level-5-around-the-world-in-80-minutes/

Around the world – collecting information // (Brazil, Canada, Egypt, South Korea) // Young Learners, Level 6 // 6th January 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/01/06/young-learners-level-6-collecting-information-making-a-presentation/

Countries (Brazil, Canada, Sth Korea, Egypt) // Young Learners, Level 2 // 1st June 2019:https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/05/31/young-learners-level-2-what-a-wonderful-world/

Countries (VN, UK, Mexico, Russia) // Young Learners, Level 3 // 7th September 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/09/04/adult-class-level-3-class-2-what-did-i-do-last-night/

Countries // Young Learners, Level 5 // Around the world in 80 mins // 27th October 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/10/26/young-learners-level-5-around-the-world-in-eighty-minutes/

Countries (festivals) // (Spain, UK, Niger, Mexico, Thailand) // Young Learners, Level 6 // 3rd September 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/09/03/young-learners-level-6-its-festival-time/

City itinerary project (London, Rio, Barcelona, Seoul) // Young Learners, Level 6 // 10th December 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/12/10/young-learners-level-6-travel-journal-project/

Gather information (countries) // (Brazil, Canada, Sth Korea, Egypt) // Young Learners, Level 5 // 25th August 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/08/20/young-learners-level-5-feelings-nothing-more-than-feelings/

Guess the countries (pictures) Signs // Young Learners 4 // 22nd June 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/06/21/young-learners-level-4-sign-of-the-times/

Guess the music (countries) // Young Learners 5 // 27th October 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/10/26/young-learners-level-5-around-the-world-in-eighty-minutes/

Cracking codes // Enigma machine // Young Learners 5 // 17th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/16/young-learners-level-5-cracking-the-enigma/

Creative writing // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: Storytelling // 29th March 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/03/29/adult-speaking-class-level-3-storytelling/

Creative writing // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: Storytelling part 2 // 30th March 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/03/30/adult-speaking-class-level-3-storytelling-part-2/

Creative writing // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: Storytelling part 3 // 31st March 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/category/adult-speaking-class-level-3/page/4/

Crime and punishment // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3 // 1st February 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/02/01/adult-speaking-class-level-3-theme-crime-and-punishment/

Culture shock, manners, etiquette // Adult Class, Level 3 // 15th January 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/15/adult-class-level-3-manners-etiquette-and-culture-shock/

Doing Chores // Young Learners, Level 3 // 27th August 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/08/27/young-learners-level-3-doing-your-chores/

Easter // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 // 1st January 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/01/adult-speaking-class-level-2-easter/

Emotions // Young Learners 3 // 6th July 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/07/03/young-learners-levels-3-2-lesson-outlines/

Engineering for young learners // tallestest buildings, Landmark 81 // Young Learners, Level 6 // 27th April 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/04/27/young-learners-level-6-engineering-projects/

English for engineers, mechanics, science:

https://thaypaulsnotes.com/category/adult-professionals/

Concorde // Adult professionals. Mechanics, Part 3 // 7th Feb 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/02/07/adult-professionals-mechanics-part-3/

Enigma machine // Young Learners 5 // 17th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/16/young-learners-level-5-cracking-the-enigma/

Entropy // Adult professionals. Mechanics, Part 3 // 7th Feb 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/02/07/adult-professionals-mechanics-part-3/

Environment // Adult professionals // Adult mechanics: What can go wrong ?https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/12/16/adult-mechanics-what-can-possibly-go-wrong/

Friction // Adult professionals. Mechanics, Part 3 // 7th Feb 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/02/07/adult-professionals-mechanics-part-3/

Landmark 81 // Adult Professionals / Mechanics Part 2 // 23rd January 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/23/adult-professionals-mechanics-part-2/

Robots in industry // Adult professionals // Adult mechanics: What can go wrong ?https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/12/16/adult-mechanics-what-can-possibly-go-wrong/

Shinkanshen (Bullet Train) // Adult professionals. Mechanics, Part 3 // 7th Feb 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/02/07/adult-professionals-mechanics-part-3/

Top Gear // Adult professionals // Adult mechanics: What can go wrong ?https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/12/16/adult-mechanics-what-can-possibly-go-wrong/

Nikola Tesla (video) // Adult professionals. Mechanics, Part 3 // 7th Feb 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/02/07/adult-professionals-mechanics-part-3/

Turbulence // Adult Professionals / Mechanics Part 2 // 23rd January 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/23/adult-professionals-mechanics-part-2/

Explorers // Mount Everest, Tenzing & Hillary //Young Learners 5 // 10th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/07/young-learners-level-5-because-its-there/

Family // Adult Class, Level 3 // 6th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/06/adult-class-level-3-we-are-family/

Five senses // Senses Working Overtime (Revisited) // He can, she can // 6th February 2025: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2025/02/06/young-learners-level-2-senses-working-overtime-revisited/:

Flea markets // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: Gift of the gab // 10th May 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/05/10/adult-speaking-class-level-2-the-gift-of-the-gab/

Food

Food (Korea, Germany, UK Christmas, Vietnam traditional) // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Theme: food https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/22/adult-speaking-class-level-3-theme-food/

Christmas food in UK // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: food // 19th April 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/19/adult-speaking-class-level-3-food/

Food (healthy or snack) // Young Learners 3 // 13th July 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/07/11/young-learners-level-3-my-town/

Food (Sweden) // Young Learners 2 // 18th May 2019: http://Sweden // Young Learners, Level 2 // 18th May 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/05/17/young-learners-level-2-focus-on-sweden/

Food (4 countries) // Young Learners 3 // 6th July 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/07/03/young-learners-levels-3-2-lesson-outlines/

Food (Vietnamese food) // Young Teens // 27th February 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/02/27/young-teens-course-review/

Food (what do you want ?) // Young Learners 2 // Review and Buster Keaton // 30th October 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/10/30/young-learners-level-2-review-and-buster-keaton/

Food (McDonalds) // Adult Speaking Class, level 2 // 20th December 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/12/20/adult-speaking-class-level-2/

Fortune telling // Adult Class, Level 1 // 30th January 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/29/adult-class-level-1-cross-my-palm-with-silver/

Fortune telling // Young Teens // 31st January 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/31/young-teens-unesco-sites/

Future & creative jobs // Young learners, level 4 U 7 // 30th May 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/05/30/young-learners-level-4-what-does-the-future-hold-and-a-repeat-of-the-late-show/

Hair styles // Adult Class, Level 1 // 14th October 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/10/14/adding-adjectives-increasing-interest/

Health // Young Learners 3 // 17th August 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/08/12/young-learners-level-3-whats-the-matter/

Health // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Health // 27th January 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/27/adult-speaking-class-level-3-theme-health/

Hometown – homes around the globe // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3 // 8th June 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/06/08/adult-speaking-class-level-3-home-is-where-the-heart-is/

Hometown & neighbourhood // IELTS // My Hometown // 28th October 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/10/28/ielts-my-hometown/

Hotels // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Hotels // 8th February 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/02/07/adult-speaking-class-level-3-theme-hotels/

Hotels booking a room and vocabulary // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3 // 18th September 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/09/18/adult-speaking-class-level-3-2/

How was your day // Adult Speaking Class, level 1: How was your day ? // 5th April 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/04/adult-speaking-class-level-1-how-was-your-day/

Idioms

Idioms: A one-stop shop // 27th October 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/10/27/more-idioms-than-you-can-shake-a-stick-at/

Idioms: food // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: food // 19th April 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/19/adult-speaking-class-level-3-food/

Idioms: a piece of cake // Teaching Notes // 1st June 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/06/01/idioms-a-piece-of-cake/

Idioms: are you pulling my leg ? // Teaching Notes // 2nd June 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/06/02/idioms-part-2-are-you-pulling-my-leg/

Idioms: everyday idioms, everyday // Teaching Notes // 3rd June 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/06/02/everyday-idioms-everyday/

Idioms: part 3 extended idioms use // Teaching Notes // 4th June 2020:https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/06/04/idioms-part-3-all-above-board-nothing-under-the-table/

IELTS: Mindset Introduction // IELTS // 23rd June 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/06/23/ielts-mindset-introduction-lesson/

Insults and disrespect // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Causing offence // 3rd Feb 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/02/04/adult-speaking-class-level-3-theme-causing-offence/

Internet // Adult Class, Level 1 // 20th February 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/02/20/adult-class-level-1-computer-world/

Internet use by area and gender // Adult Class, Level 1 // 20th February 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/02/20/adult-class-level-1-computer-world/

Information from poster // REM // Adult Speaking Class, Level 1: information // 16th April 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/16/adult-speaking-class-level-1-reading-and-asking-for-information/

Introducing yourself // Young Learners, Level 4 // 5th June 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/06/05/young-learners-level-4-introducing-yourself/

Jazz music // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Part 3 // 16th January 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/16/adult-speaking-class-level-2-part-3/

Jazz Music // 29th October 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/10/29/jazz-music/

Job interviews // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Job interviews // 12th Feb 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/02/12/adult-speaking-class-level-3-theme-job-interviews/

Job interviews // IELTS // 31st January 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/01/31/ielts-job-interviews/

Kindle // IELTS 5 – 6.5. Writing example // 15th March 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/03/15/ielts-5-6-5-writing-example/

Letter ‘t’ // KG 1 // 5th May 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/05/03/surfin-safari-level-1-t-time/

Level 1 Review // Young Learners, level 1 // 3rd April 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/04/03/young-learners-level-1-review/

Loch Ness Monster // Adult Class, Level 3 // 12 November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/11/adult-class-level-3-is-was-the-butler-wasnt-it/

London

London // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: London 3rd March 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/03/03/adult-speaking-class-level-3-theme-london/

London // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: London Part 2 6th March 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/03/06/adult-speaking-class-level-3-theme-london-part-2/

London directions and Leytonstone // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: London // 29th June 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/06/29/adult-speaking-class-level-2-london-how-do-i-get-to/

London history and architecture // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: London // 18th April 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/18/adult-speaking-class-level-2-london-an-architectural-history/

London Museum of Childhood // video and questions // Young Learners, Level 1 // 2nd June 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/06/02/londons-museums-using-videos-for-young-learners-level-1/

London plan an itinerary // Young Learners, Level 6 // 26th November 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/11/26/young-learners-level-6-london-itinerary/

London street market // Adult Class, Level 3 // 14 November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/14/adult-class-level-3-cant-buy-me-love/

London tourism // Adult Class, Level 3 // 19th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/20/adult-class-level-3-tell-me-more-tell-me-more/

London: what to see // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: London // 22nd May 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/05/22/adult-speaking-class-level-2-london-what-do-you-want-to-see/

London: unusual buildings // IELTS / Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 // 6th September 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/09/06/unusual-london-buildings-what-do-you-think-they-are/

Love and marriage // condensed lesson // 28th December 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/12/28/love-and-marriage-the-best-bits/

Love and marriage // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 // 11th January 2020 Theme: Love & marriage: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/11/adult-speaking-class-theme-traffic/

Love and marriage // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2. Theme: Love & marriage Part 2: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/12/adult-speaking-class-theme-love-marriage-part-2/

Love, marriage, children // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 // 13th January 2020 Theme: Love & marriage Part 3: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/13/adult-speaking-class-theme-love-and-marriage-part-3/

Maths // basic vocabulary // 4th December 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/12/04/love-minus-zero-basic-vocabulary-for-maths/

May Day – history, myth and politics //Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: May Day // 5th May 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/05/04/adult-speaking-class-level-2-may-day/

Making excuses IELTS // Speaking exercises // small talk & making excuses // 12th May 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/05/12/ielts-speaking-exercises/

Manufacturing in Vietnam // IELTS // 30th July 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/07/30/ielts-speaking-practice-manufacturing-in-vietnam/

Mobile phones // Adult Class, Level 3 // 8th January 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/08/adult-class-level-3-jan-2019-when-life-gives-you-lemons-make-lemonade/

Money // Adult Class, Level 3 // 14 November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/14/adult-class-level-3-cant-buy-me-love/

Money // Plan a luxury day // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Part 3: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/14/adult-class-level-3-cant-buy-me-love/

Murder mysteries // Adult Class, Level 3 // 12th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/11/adult-class-level-3-is-was-the-butler-wasnt-it/

Music // Genres and blog post (T-ara) // Young Teens // 21st June 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/06/21/teenage-ielts-challenge/

Music // Introduction to the Orchestra // Super Summer Project // 5th July 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/07/05/young-persons-guide-to-music-a-summer-school-project/

Oasis: What IS the story ? // Young Learners, Level 4 // 20th March 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/03/20/what-is-the-story-morning-glory-learning-english-with-the-oasis-lads/

Oasis: What’s the Story, Morning Glory Remastered // Young Learners // 24th March 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/03/24/whats-the-story-morning-glory-remastered/

Olympics (London, Beijing) // Adult Professionals // 10th February 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/02/10/adult-mechanics-olympics-going-for-gold/

Orion constellation // Teenagers: Architecture & Mythology // 13th March 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/03/13/teenagers-architecture-and-mythology/

Personality adjectives // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3, Personality adjectives // 7th June 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/06/07/adult-speaking-class-level-3-whats-your-type/

Photography and photos descriptions (advanced) // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, // 25th April 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/25/adult-speaking-class-level-2-talk-about-your-friends/

Politics // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3 // 17th January 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/17/adult-speaking-class-level-3/

Beatrix Potter // Young Learners, Level 1: let’s write a story // 13th October 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/10/13/young-learners-level-1-lets-write-a-story/

Presentation skills // Teenagers // 20th January 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/20/teen-team-project-tourism-in-hcm/

Pyramids // Teenagers: Architecture & Mythology // 13th March 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/03/13/teenagers-architecture-and-mythology/

QI: Quite Interesting // ten interesting facts // Teaching Notes // 27th July 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/07/27/qi-quite-interesting/

QI Part 2 // Seven misconceptions // Teaching Notes // 13th may 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/05/13/qi-part-2-how-much-is-true/

Reading practice // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Crime & Punishment: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/02/01/adult-speaking-class-level-3-theme-crime-and-punishment/

Robots // A Found Art Summer School Project // 15th July 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/07/15/we-are-the-robots-found-art-and-latent-imagination/

Rolex // Adult Class, Level 3 // 14th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/02/01/adult-speaking-class-level-3-theme-crime-and-punishment/

FDR and the second Bill of Rights // 26th August 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/08/26/fdr-and-the-2nd-bill-of-rights/

Shinkanshen (Bullet Train) // Adult professionals. Mechanics, Part 3 // 7th Feb 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/02/07/adult-professionals-mechanics-part-3/

Shopping

Shopping // compilation of blogs for adult classes // 14th December 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/12/14/shopping-vocabulary-speaking-exercises-fixed-prices-fixed-expressions/

Shops and shopping (and role-play) // Young Learners 3 // 17th August 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/08/12/young-learners-level-3-whats-the-matter/

Shop work (role-play) // Young Learners 3 // 3rd August 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/07/31/young-learners-level-3-lets-work/

Shopping // buying presents, Black Friday, conversation practice // Adult Speaking Class, level 2 // 20th December 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/12/20/adult-speaking-class-level-2/

Shopping Deciding what to buy // Adult Speaking Class Level 2 // 11th May 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/05/10/adult-speaking-class-level-2-deciding-what-to-buy/

Shopping, haggling, role – play // Adult Speaking Class Level 2: Going shopping // 7th April 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/07/adult-speaking-class-level-2-going-shopping-looking-for-a-bargain/

Shopping (role play) //Can’t buy me love // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3 // 14th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/14/adult-class-level-3-cant-buy-me-love/

Signs, symbols, icons // 21st August 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/08/21/signs-symbols-and-icons-information-and-worksheet/

Small talk // Adult Class, Level 3 // 26th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/26/adult-class-level-3-a-diva-moi/

Smoking and No Tobacco Day // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Health // 27th Jan. 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/27/adult-speaking-class-level-3-theme-health/

Solar system & space // Young Learners, Level 4 // 16th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/15/young-learners-level-4-can-you-hear-me-major-tom-2/

Space & science // Young Learners, Level 4 // 6th June 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/06/06/young-learners-level-4-can-you-hear-me-major-tom/

Street crime // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: Street crime // 23rd July 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/07/23/adult-speaking-class-level-3-street-crime/

Stereotypes // Adult Class, Level 3 // Bob Dylan // 19th August 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/08/16/adult-class-level-3-class-1-stereotypes/

Stereotypes // Adult Class, Level 3: Generally speaking // 28th April 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/28/adult-class-level-3-generally-speaking/

Stories in basic English (1001 Nights) // Adult Speaking Class, level 2, Part 6b // 24th January 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/24/adult-speaking-class-level-2-part-6/

Superheroes – Captain Vietnam // Young learners, Level 5 // 13th December 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/12/13/captain-viet-nam-superheroes-by-super-kids/

Superheroes – Captain Vietnam // Young learners // 14th June 2024: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2024/06/14/captain-vietnam-part-ii/

Tallest, longest, biggest // Young Learners 5 // 10th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/07/young-learners-level-5-because-its-there/

Technology (old) // Young Learners 5 // 17th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/16/young-learners-level-5-cracking-the-enigma/

Totem poles // Young Teens // 26th March 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/03/26/young-teens-totem-poles-history-and-meaning/

Train facts, videos & information // Train kept a-rollin’ // Adult Class Level 3 // 12th September 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/09/18/adult-speaking-class-level-3-2/

Travel

Holiday plans (Buenos Aires, Nairobi, Copenhagen, Moscow) // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 // 20th May 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/05/20/adult-speaking-class-level-2-holiday-plans/

Holiday projects : Bangkok, Munich, Ha Noi, Egypt, London // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3 // 9th June 2020

Munich: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/06/09/adult-speaking-class-level-3-holiday-project-munich-germany/

Ha Noi: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/06/09/adult-speaking-class-level-3-holiday-project-ha-noi-viet-nam/

Egypt: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/06/09/adult-speaking-class-level-3-holiday-project-egypt/

Bangkok: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/06/09/adult-speaking-class-level-3-holiday-project-bangkok/

IELTS Project // Holiday language, prepare an advert, plan a day // IELTS // 16th June 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/06/16/ielts-project-holidays-and-travel-language/

Tourism (Thailand, VN & project) // Teenagers // 20th January 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/20/teen-team-project-tourism-in-hcm/

Traffic // vocabulary // Vietnam cop & ‘Top Gear in Vietnam’ // 7th December 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/12/07/traffic-talking-points/

Traffic and travel // Adult Speaking Class // Theme: Traffic // 9th January 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/09/adult-speaking-class-theme-travel-traffic/

Traffic in Vietnam // Adult Class, Level 3 // Traffic cop & Top Gear videos //25th December 2018: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2018/12/26/adult-class-level-3-2/

Travel: airport to city centre (HCM) // IELTS // 10th February 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/02/10/ielts-have-love-will-travel/

Travel: On vacation // Young Learners, Level 4 U 8 // 15th June 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/06/14/young-learners-level-4-this-is-the-best-part-of-the-trip/

Travel USA: planning // Adult Speaking Class, level 3: USA sun, surf, sand // 18th May 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/05/18/adult-speaking-class-level-3-lets-go-to-san-francisco-or-boston-or-chicago/

Travel USA: 3 cities // Adult Speaking Class, level 3: San Fran, Boston, Chicago // 18th May 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/05/18/adult-speaking-class-level-3-lets-go-to-san-francisco-or-boston-or-chicago/

Tuareg people // Adult Speaking Class, level 3. Theme:Travel // 11th February 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/02/11/adult-speaking-class-level-3-theme-travel/

Turbulence // Adult Professionals / Mechanics Part 2 // 23rd January 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/23/adult-professionals-mechanics-part-2/

UNESCO // Young Teens // 31st January 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/31/young-teens-unesco-sites/

UNESCO // Young Teens // 27th February 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/02/27/young-teens-course-review/

Van Heusen shirts // Adult Class, Level 3 // 14th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/14/adult-class-level-3-cant-buy-me-love/

Vietnam

April 30th Vietnam // Adult Speaking Class, level 3: April 30th // 5th April 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/05/adult-speaking-class-level-3-remembering-april-30th/

Sai Gon, then and now // Young Learners, Level 4 // 3rd May 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/05/03/sai-gon-then-and-now/

Vietnamese business icons //Adult Class, Level 3// 5th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/05/adult-class-level-3-business-icons/

Vietnamese cities // Adult Class, Level 3 // 21st November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/20/adult-class-level-3-tell-me-more-tell-me-more/

Vietnamese places // Young Learners 5 // 27th October 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/10/26/young-learners-level-5-around-the-world-in-eighty-minutes/

Vietnamese food // Young Teens // 27th February 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/02/27/young-teens-course-review/

Vietnamese party food // Sai Gon General Notes // 19th May 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/05/19/vietnamese-party-food/

Vietnam Landmark 81 // Adult Professionals / Mechanics Part 2 // 23rd January 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/23/adult-professionals-mechanics-part-2/

Vietnamese law and police // (Sir Ian McKellen, film genres) // Adult Class, Level 1 // 5th March 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/03/05/adult-class-level-1-waiting-for-frodo/

Vietnam largest cave // Hang Soon Dong cave // Young Learners, Level 5 // 18th November 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/11/18/young-learners-level-5-what-are-you-doing-how-do-you-feel/

Vietnam Hang Soon Dong cave // Young Teens // 27th February 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/02/27/young-teens-course-review/

Vietnamese noise pollution // Don’t get mad, get even // 17th January 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/01/17/16196/

Vietnam Sai Gon for kids //Young Learners 4 // 23rd November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/21/young-learners-level-4-were-all-going-on-a-summer-holiday/

Vietnam: Top Gear in Vietnam // Adult Professionals// 16th December 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/12/16/adult-mechanics-what-can-possibly-go-wrong/

Vietnam: Plan a day out for children in Sai Gon // We’re all going on a summer holiday // Young Learners, Level 4 // 23rd November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/21/young-learners-level-4-were-all-going-on-a-summer-holiday/

Tet Holiday // IELTS // 28th January 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/28/ielts-the-limits-of-my-language-are-the-limits-of-my-world/

Tet Holiday // Young Learners // 16th January 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/01/16/young-learners-tell-me-about-tet/

War Museum, Sai Gon // Adult Class, Level 3 // 15th December 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/12/15/adult-class-level-3-sentence-building/

War Remnants Museums, Sai Gon // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3 // 28th January 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/28/adult-speaking-class-level-3-theme-war-museum-sai-gon/

Weather: snow and floods // Beginners’ English, Part 2 // 9th January 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/01/09/beginners-english-part-2/

Weekend plans: lies and exaggerations // vocabulary and activities // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 // 21st December 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/12/21/adult-speaking-class-level-2-how-was-your-weekend/

Wi-Fi and mobile phones (Green Bank, USA) // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 // 1st March 2012: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/03/01/adult-speaking-class-level-2-maintain-radio-silence/

Workplace: issues & problems // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Work-place problems // 5th February 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/02/06/adult-speaking-class-level-3-theme-work-problems/

Yoga & exercise // IELTS writing practice // 25th April 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/04/25/ielts-writing-practice-yoga-health-well-being/

PVL 1a // Is Grammar Important ? // 31st July 2026: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2026/07/31/is-grammar-important-pvl1/

PVL 3a // Speaking Practice – Intermediate level // 2nd August 2026: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2026/08/01/speaking-practice-intermediate-level-pvl-3a/

Subject Index: ESL Games & Student Surveys

4th December 2020

Games

Adult level activities (compilation) // Adult C, L 3 // 27th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/27/adult-class-level-3-games-without-frontiers/

Activity sheet for young learners // Young Learners 2 // 25th August 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/08/21/young-learners-level-2-group-work-and-review/

Activity sheet (3) // Young Learners 3 // 14th December 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/12/13/young-learners-level-3-final-review/

Activity sheet (4) // Young Learners 4 // 7th December 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/12/04/young-learners-level-4-final-activity-sheet/

Anecdotes // Young Teens // 17th January 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/17/young-teens-a-funny-thing-happened-to-me/

Birthday horseshoe // Young Teens // 29th November 2018: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2018/12/17/young-teens-ages-10-12/

Blind Date // Adult Class, Level 1 // 20th February 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/02/20/adult-class-level-1-computer-world/

Break a code // Young Learners, Level 5 // 17th November 2019 : https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/16/young-learners-level-5-cracking-the-enigma/

Pieter Bruegel the Elder // Young Learners // 9th January 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/01/09/young-learners-time-travellers/

Call My Bluff // Teenagers // 12th January 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/11/teenage-class-the-truth-is-out-there/

Call My Bluff // IELTS 5-6.5 // 28th August 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/08/28/ielts-5-65-talking-englishes/

Call My Bluff // Adult Class, Level 3 // 27th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/27/adult-class-level-3-games-without-frontiers/

Can you see … (a frog ?) // Young Learners 1 // 24th April 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/04/24/young-learners-lets-get-them-speaking/

Chinese Whispers // IELTS 5-6.5 // 4th September 2019:

Countries // Young Learners, Level 3 // 7th September 2019

Countries (Brazil, South Korea, Spain) // Young Learners, Level 6 // 19th November 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/11/19/young-learners-level-6-round-round-get-around/

Countries (Canada, Egypt, South Korea, Spain) // Young Learners, Level 6 // 6th January 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/01/06/young-learners-level-6-collecting-information-making-a-presentation/

Describe an everyday object // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: London 3rd March 2020

Describe the people (photo back to board) // Adult Class, Level 3 // 8th October 2019

Desert Survival // Adult Class, Level 3 // 27th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/27/adult-class-level-3-games-without-frontiers/

Enter the Matrix // Young Learners, Levels 2 – 4 // 6th December 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/12/06/enter-the-matrix-young-learners-levels-2-4/

Exchanging information // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Part 6, 25th January 2020

Eyewitness // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Crime & Punishment // 1st February 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/02/01/adult-speaking-class-level-3-theme-crime-and-punishment/

Eyewitness // Young Teens // 16th March 2026: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2026/03/16/eyewitness-can-you-identify-the-criminal/

Family Fortunes // Young Teens // 27th February 2019

Family Fortunes // Adult Class, Level 3 // 6th November 2019

Family Fortunes // Adult Class, Level 3 // 27th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/27/adult-class-level-3-games-without-frontiers/

Food – organise a work party // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3, Part 5 // 4th February 2020

Fortune Teller // Young Teens // 31st January 2019 (// Adult Class, Level 3 //12th December 2019): https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/31/young-teens-unesco-sites/

Four People (likes, dislikes etc) // Young Teens // 21st February 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/02/21/young-teens-deeply-madly-truly/

Friends (hobbies and creativity) // Young Learners 4 // 1st May 2019

Friends (job and personality) // Adult C, L 3 // 27th November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/27/adult-class-level-3-games-without-frontiers/

Friends (men) // Teenagers // 12th January 2019 https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2018/12/28/friends-men-teaching-sheet/

Gather information (countries) // Young Learners 5 // 20th August 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/08/20/young-learners-level-5-feelings-nothing-more-than-feelings/

Grammarians of the Galaxy // Young Learners, levels 2 & 3 // 21st December 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/12/21/young-learners-levels-2-3-grammarians-of-the-galaxy/

Grammarians of the Galaxy // Young Learners, levels 1& 2 // 28th December 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/12/28/grammarians-of-the-galaxy-for-young-learners-levels-1-2/

Greek Heroes // Young Learners, Level 2 Review Game // 14th November 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/11/14/young-learners-level-2-greek-heroes-to-help-you-learn/

Guess the countries (pictures) Signs // Young Learners 4 // 22nd June 2019

Guess the music (countries) // Young Learners 5 // 27th October 2019

Halloween // Young Learners, level 3 // 1st November 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/11/01/how-to-kill-a-vampire-post-halloween-review-game/

Horseshoe Birthday // Young Teens // 29th November 2018: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2018/12/17/young-teens-ages-10-12/

Interview your (famous) partner // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3, Part 4 // 27th January 2020

Just a Minute // Adult Class, Level 3 // 14 November 2019

Just a Minute // Adult Class, Level 3 // 21 November 2019

Magic bag // Young Learners 2 // 26th April 2019

Make a presentation (famous people) // Adult C, L 3 // 23rd September 2019

Match the image to the fact // Young Teens // 31st January 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/31/young-teens-unesco-sites/

Mime // Young Learners 3 // 7th September 2019

Monopoly template // Young Learners // 12th December 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/12/12/young-learners-all-levels-board-game-template/

Monopoly – Christmas Market // Young Learners, Levels 3 & 4 // 12th December 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/12/12/young-learners-levels-3-4-monopoly-christmas-market/

Mr Paul’s Wonderful Store // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: Gift of the gab // 10th May 2020

New Persona // Adult C, L 3 // 21st November 2019

Picture description // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3, Part 6 // 8th February 2020

Plan a day for visitors // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3, Part 4 // 27th January 2020

Plan a day out (children) //Young Learners 4 // 23rd November 2019

Plan a luxury day // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2: luxury day // 12th March 2020

Presentation: Vietnamese cities // Adult Class, Level 3 // 21st November 2019

Role-play: Job markets and interviews // Business English: Role-playing 6 – 8 May 2020

Role-play: shopping// IELTS 5-6.5 // 28th August 2019

Role-play: shopping // Adult Class, Level 3 // 14 November 2019

Role-play: shopping & haggling // Adult Speaking Class Level 2: Going shopping // 7th April 2020

Run and Write (past tense) // Young Learners 5 // 29th August 2019

Run and Write (personal likes) // Young Teens // 29th November 2018: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2018/12/17/young-teens-ages-10-12/

Run and Write // Young Teens // 27th February 2019

Runaround // Young Learners 4 // 9th November 2019

Runaround (space) // Young Learners 4 // 16th November 2019

Runaround // Young Learners 5 // 10th November 2019

Screen Test // Summer Holiday // Young Learners, Level 4 // 23rd November 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/11/21/young-learners-level-4-were-all-going-on-a-summer-holiday/

Screen Test Christmas // John Lewis TV ad (and Summer Holiday) // 23rd December 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/12/23/young-learners-screen-test-game/

Screen Test Compilation // Summer Holiday, Tallest Buildings, Egyptian Gods // 23rd June 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/06/23/screen-test-compilation-video-clips-for-classroom-games/

Sentence rewrite // Young Teens // 29th November 2018: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2018/12/17/young-teens-ages-10-12/

Shopping on a budget // Young Learners 3 // 17th August 2019

Snakes & Ladders // Young learners, Level 2 // 29th November 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/11/29/young-learners-levels-2-3-snakes-ladders-review-games/

Snakes & Ladders // Young Learners, Level 4 // 30th November 2022: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2022/11/30/young-learners-level-4-and-top-cats-snakes-ladders-review-game/

Sticky ball (animals) // KG Safari 1 // 2nd March 2019

Stop the Bus // Young Teens // 27th February 2019

Summer School Multi-Talent Contest // 19th July 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/07/19/summer-multi-talent-contest/

Toy Theatres // How to make & King Arthur // Young Learners // 3rd August 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/08/03/summer-project-make-a-toy-theatre/

travel:plan a luxury day //Adult Class, Level 3 // 14th November 2019

True or false (3 statements) // Teenagers // 12th January 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/11/teenage-class-the-truth-is-out-there/

True or false (4 photos) // Teenagers // 12th January 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/11/teenage-class-the-truth-is-out-there/

TV talkshow interview // Young Learners 4 // 1st June 2019

What difference (definitions) // IELTS 5-6.5 // 25th September 2019

What do you see (cartoon picture) ? // Young Learners 2 // 25th August 2019

What happened next ? (video clips) // Young Teens // 31st January 2019 // Adult Class, Level 3 // 12th December 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/01/31/young-teens-unesco-sites/

What happens next (video clips) // Adult Class, Level 1 // 30th January 2019

What my friends can do in Sai Gon / / IELTS 5-6.5 // 21st August 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/08/15/ielts-5-6-5-i-come-from-a-land-down-under/

What would you do IF … // Adult Class, Level 1 // 2 January 2019

What’s My Line // Adult Class, Level 3 // 3rd December 2019

What’s the story (Tom Cruise) // Young Teens // 17th January 2019

What’s the Story (Chinese film) // IELTS 5-6.5 // 11th September 2019

Where am I going ? (info gathering) Signs // Young Learners 4 // 15th June 2019

Where am I going ? //Young Learners 4 // 23rd November 2019

Whisper run ‘n’ write // Young Learners 3 // 13th July 2019

Word bomb (hobbies) // Young Teens // 29th November 2018 https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2018/12/17/young-teens-ages-10-12/

Young Learners // Runaround & Snakes ‘n’ Ladders // 14th August 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/08/14/young-learners-level-1-some-classroom-games/

Student surveys

Are you able to ? // Adult Class, Level 3 // 12th December 2019

Future activities // Adult Class, Level 1 // 30th January 2019

General questions // Adult Class, Level 3 // 8th January 2019

Hobbies // Young Teens // 29th November 2018

IELTS introduction // IELTS // 28th December 2018: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2018/12/28/friends-men-teaching-sheet/

Internet survey // Adult Class, Level 1 // 20th February 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/02/20/adult-class-level-1-computer-world/

Mobile phone survey // Adult Class, Level 3 // 21st November 2019

What did you do / like // Young Learners 4 // 1st May 2019

Where do you want to go ? // Young Teens // 27th February 2019

Young Learners, Level 4: We’re all going on a summer holiday

23rd November 2019 E Up 4 U8 L2 (updated from June 15th 2019)

Warm Up: Summer Holiday and ‘Screen Test’ game. First watch the clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xddl8fpf2uA

https://youtu.be/Xddl8fpf2uA

Class put into groups of three or four. Each team given a name of a European city, such as London, Venice, Barcelona and Paris.

First question – in which countries are your cities ?

Next ‘Screen Test’: The students watch the opening song then have to answer multiple choice questions.

1) What was the road sign at the beginning of the clip ?

London // Berlin // Paris ?

2) What was the number of the bus ?

9 // 19 // 28 ?

3) What colour was the first car behind the bus ?

red // white // blue ?

4) How many children wore a hat ?

1 // 2 // no children

5) How many men were riding bicycles ?

3 // 4 // 6 ?

6) How many women were in the car ?

3 // 4 // 5 ?

BONUS POINTS – Can anyone sing the song – just two lines

“We’re all going on a summer holiday // we’re all going for a week or two.”

Last lesson the subject was future tense and activities. Therefore, I shall board some times – this afternoon / tomorrow / next Monday / next Thursday / next weekend / next month

Under these, I shall write some scrambled nonsense, e.g. ‘who as ees’. The students, placed in teams, have to elect one person to find the corresponding flash card somewhere in the room (‘see a show’) and then say a third-person sentence e.g. “He’s going to see a show this afternoon.’

Information gathering: Class into three or four groups. One member will be going away and the others in the team have to get information from him or her, then present to the class.

Team 1: Going to Phu Quoc island / is going next month / will be staying in a hotel near the beach / will be going swimming / is going with family

Team 2: Going to London / is going next week / is going to see a show / is staying with family / is going with older sister.

Team 3 : Going to Ha Noi / is going next Tuesday / is going on a bus tour / is going to stay in a big hotel / is going with school

Team 4: Going to Dak Lak Province / is going tomorrow / is going to ride an elephant / will stay in a tent / is going with VUS TAs

The selected member will stand at the front of the class with the information sheet. One teammate must run up, ask one question then tell the rest of the team, who will write the information down. Then a different teammate will run up and ask.

Planning a day out

I have a niece and nephew coming to Saigon. The teams have to plan a day for them including what to see and do, how to travel and what to eat. Of course, they need to but some souvenirs, so where are the best places ?

We shall probably have to board many ideas first. Where do tourists go in HCM ? What is traditional food ? How can they travel ? Do the girls want to take the niece and the boys take the nephew only ?

Hopefully, this will encourage a lot of speaking and ideas and I can show a map of HCM to help.

And if the students are still drawing a blank (or being too lazy to think), this could inspire them: It’s spoken in English, with text, but with Viet accent (can start at 0:20 seconds)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0tncoIxT1s

As with all ‘real-world’ videos, the film should be stopped and new words or expressions boarded. The students are later made to write the words down (the majority will simply NOT do any kind of writing unless pressured), and then encouraged to use them where appropriate.

That should easily cover the first hour. After the break, we hit the books, do the workbooks and fast-finishers get an activity sheet, while I can spend at least some time checking the pronunciation and grammar.

Young Learners, Level 5: Around the world (in eighty minutes)

27th October 2019. E Up 5 U 7 L 1 Countries pp. 64 – 65

Today’s theme is travel, and we will focus on six countries from five different continents. As a warm up, the students can be put in teams (this is a large class in a small room so activities have to carefully planned to prevent chaos and injury). Each team is given a small board and has to write:

Four ways to travel – vehicles.

BONUS QUESTION: unscramble this

tho ria ololban

Start the clip around 0:52 seconds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjiCO8k6Jhg

Thay Paul has been to many countries – write four countries in Asia where I’ve been.

Clue 1) Kimchi 2) Sawass dee Krap 3) Petronas Tower 4) Merlion

Now, in Vietnam – write four places to which I’ve been.

When we travel, we can:

Try to elicit long and detailed sentences. Encourage the use of at least one adjective.

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I have been to Thailand but I haven’t been to China

I’ve been to Thailand but I’ve never been to China.

Student talking time

In small groups, ask, “Where have you been ?”

Then ask, “Have you been to Ha Noi or Hue or Phan Thiet ?”

Ask one of the top students to tell me where they’ve been and never been.

Finally, ask the students to tell me about the others in their group e.g.

“He’s been to Dalat but he’s never been to Ha Noi.”

Today we focus on six countries:

UK, Italy, New Zealand, Peru, India and Kenya

Which countries are these ?

Tell me as much about the country as you can (capital city, language, weather)

Image result for st george killing the dragon

Now, a quick music quiz; where do these pieces of music come from ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVS72L8VsFk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4Sdxr1Likg;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdbZl2w_R7g

Students ask each – what music do they like best and why

Language to learn: fun // rhythmic // mysterious // melodic

Which country would they like to visit … and why ?

Finally, bring a globe to class and … in small groups, ask the students to find the six countries.

Endgame – have a student describe a flag, and the class have to guess which country.

What sport is this ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOuycLaJ-_s

Young Learners, Level 5: Feelings (nothing more than feelings)

25th August 2019. E Up 5 U1, L2 pp 6 – 7

A new class (for me) which I hope to be substituting, not taking full-time (this is an afternoon class and I already work all morning with young learners, and THAT is enough in spades). I will need to assess the levels of ability and motivation, as well as spot the trouble-makers, the big mouths and those who are committed to disrupting the lesson (believe me, there’s always at least one).

Last week they learnt some past tense, mostly irregular verbs. As our text books are published by the USA office of Oxford University, they favour American spelling i.e. learned as opposed to the more commonly used learnt in British English (both are correct). Furthermore, the books are printed in China, making this a real global enterprise, so that will form part of our activities.

Warm Up: A kinetic run ‘n’ write exercise. I will say a simple sentence in the present tense; students have to write the past tense. Class can be split into two or three, depending on size, each with a different colour marker.

You act in a play / I ride an elephant / She win a competition / He read a big book / We learn English / … and what happened here :

Information gathering:

Last week, the students were introduced to the continents. Now I will develop that further by focusing on four different countries: Brazil, Canada, Egypt and South Korea. To give an example, I will use Vietnam:

95.54 million people live in Viet Nam. The population is 95.54 million.

The government of Viet Nam is in Ha Noi. The capital city is Ha Noi.

People speak Vietnamese. The language of Vietnam is Vietnamese.

Vietnam is very hot but also has a rainy season. The weather is very hot then very wet.

Ladies in Vietnam wear ao dai and non la. Ho Chi Minh is the most famous Vietnamese person.

Related image — Vietnam is famous for beautiful ladies in the traditional dress, the ao dai.

First, elicit comments about the four countries; where are they, in which continents ?

Image result for South Korea — South Korea

The class will be split into four groups, each representing one country.

One member can draw the county’s flag, the others have to gather information. Around the room I will stick information sheets. One member has to run to the sheet, then tell his team the information. This practises reading, talking and writing skills and most importantly, allows the students to communicate with each other in English.

The drawing is also useful, as the students are still children, attending classes on weekend, so they need some diversion from book work.

As such, and as a way of introducing new vocabulary and expressions, I will show a children’s guide to London, my hometown and the UK’s capital city.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrJNIUp2izQ&list=PL97HViQblvdEM3zsauRxnIg1baFTNmsDM&index=24&t=0s

Image result for duck tours london — Duck Tours, London … a bus that turns into a boat – it’s brilliant.

I will play the video once, writing down new words. I will then make the students write them down and then, when I replay the video, they can shout out when they hear the new vocabulary spoken. These will include:

loads and loads / I reckon / really / very / amazing

And so .. to book work. The theme is ‘feelings’ and then using them in basic sentences.

With six flash cards, I will drill the pronunciation and meaning. One game is to pass the first card to a top student and let the student say the word out loud before passing on to the next student; when the third student has said the word, I pass the first student the second card and so on …

Additionally, there is (for Johnny Cash fans) ‘Walk the line’: I spread the six cards out on the floor, in a line. Two students, one at each end has to say the word then move on to the next. First to finish is the winner – or even have the whole class line up, in two teams, so everyone gets to join in.

Finally, once students are confident (one of the feelings) of meaning, we can have a game where I tell a student a feeling and said student must mime or act out for the class.

At this level, I’m hoping for good speaking abilities and students able to form basic sentences and read short passages.

As usual, I’ll be supplied with some additional worksheets about feelings for those who finish the workbook section quickly. These can easily be found online – the British Council have a great supply on their website: https://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/worksheets

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Young Learners, Level 4: This is the best part of the trip …

Saturday 15th June. Everybody Up 4, Unit 8 Lessons 1 & 2

My manager is very supportive, and concerned over my welfare; she tells me not to expend too much energy in class, especially on a Saturday when I can have three young learner classes. Imagine 50 – 60 children committed to screaming their heads off for as long and as loudly as possible …. Welcome, as the saying goes, to my life.

Last week I prepared quite a bit of work for this class, including general knowledge based on but not in the text book. Unfortunately, it was a minor holiday in Vietnam, and a lot of the top cat students were away and … it became apparent that my multi-media presentation of classical music and classic film, and using the students to represent the movement of the heavenly bodies was … yeah … a waste of time and energy. Not entirely true … three girls were interested, the rest stared at the floor or the ceiling or the clock, while the boys had a contest, who could be the biggest ignoramus. It was a tight contest; they all won.

So, this week, after a debilitating fever, painfully sore throat and constant sneezing, I’m sticking to the book, and devising activities that will make the students use the target language and the target language only (OK, maybe a few new words for the top cats).

It’s a gross generalisation, but in my experience, so many Vietnamese want to do the work as quickly as possible and then do nothing. This covers students from all my centres, TAs, office staff, public servants, contractors, builders … This may explain why my new apartment has cracks inside and out and why so many tenants have had to retile their floor as the original tiles simply broke leaving inches of dust and debris … but, I digress … and so, without further ado, the lesson plan:

Warm Up: Last lesson the subject was future tense and activities. Therefore, I shall board some times – this afternoon / tomorrow / next Monday / next Thursday / next weekend / next month

Information gathering: Class into four groups. One member will be going away and the others in the team have to get information from him or her, then present to the class.

Team 1: Going to Phu Quoc island / is going next month / will be staying in a hotel near the beach / will be going swimming / is going with family

Team 2: Going to London / is going next week / is going to see a show / is staying with family / is going with older sister.

Team 3 : Going to Ha Noi / is going next Tuesday / is going on a bus tour / is going to stay in a big hotel / is going with school

Team 4: Going to Dak Lak Province / is going tomorrow / is going to ride an elephant / will stay in a tent / is going with VUS TAs

Planning a day out

Hopefully, this will encourage a lot of speaking and ideas and I can show a map of HCM to help.

And if the students are still drawing a blank (or being too lazy to think), this could inspire them: It’s spoken in English, with text, but with Viet accent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0tncoIxT1s

Young Learners, Level 4: What does the future hold (and a repeat of ‘The Late Show’).

30th May 2019

One of the benefits of over-planning is that the work can be carried over to the next lesson; such is the case now. Also, we have a chance to refine the activities, find ways to improve them and eradicate our (i.e. ‘my’) mistakes.

A common problem I make is to over-estimate creativity in students. Some people find it hard to be imaginative in their native language, let alone in a foreign tongue. To solve this, I shall provide some assistance in the form of notes, taped to the walls.

As a warm up, we learnt colour association last week; have they remembered ?

What emotion or feeling do you associate with

Red

Blue

Green

Yellow

Black

White

Can they give me a sentence or an example ?

Now … The show must go on

I will use the talk show format as blogged last week but with some amendments.

This is a compilation of clips from David Letterman, who speaks in a very quick, New York style. We can start around 2:41 and play about 30 seconds. Drinking the perfume should amuse my students:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K22baZRNQKc

In groups of five, one person can pretend to be famous, either an artist, scientist, sportsperson or actor. The rest of the group have to interview the student, each member asking a question such as:

When did you start (acting, playing sport, learning an instrument, acting) ?

How long did you practice or How many hours a day do you rehearse ?

How old were you when you won your first award or medal ?

Tell us about yourself – where were you born ?

Do you have any brothers or sisters ?

What do you want in the future ?

Who do you like or who inspires you ? Why do you say that ?

Next, we need to create a studio set. We’ll do a ‘word bomb‘ or ‘mind map’ game. Who works on a TV show ?

We have a host and of course, we need a guest.

But we need someone to work the camera (cameraperson), the sound (sound engineer) and a director to shout ‘Action !’ We’re in HCM City, so we need a great backdrop for our show:

To arrange groups, and get a mix of students who don’t usually sit or work together, I will arrange the desks in islands of four or five chairs. Each island has a number. The students must choose a card numbered 1 – 5 and sit at that island. Here my TA will be invaluable in making boys sit with girls, and dealing with all the petty squabbles that WILL ensue.

To prevent paucity of ideas and therefore an excuse to do nothing, I will make information sheets and have them pasted around the room. The students have to gather information, but I will expect them to provide basic information themselves.

However, by putting text on the wall, the students will have to read and transmit the information to their team and arrange it in a proper sentence:

Actor

First performance: School play at age 5. Actor forgot the words !

Teacher told student to be an actor because was a bad and noisy student.

Was in a TV advert at age 8 for ice cream

First film at age 9

Next work is a film with Hari Won.

Wants to go to Hollywood and be in a big action film

Scientist

Got a microscope for birthday present at age 6. Used it every day

Favourite subject at school science, biology and chemistry

Went to Sai Gon Zoo every weekend in summer

Won District 2 science contest when was 7

Has an uncle who works for English medical company

Wants to work with animals in the Asian jungles

Artist

Began painting at 2 years old with hands !

Grandmother bought a paint set for birthday at age 4

Always won best painting at Kindergarten and school

At age 6, went to HCM City art gallery

Paints the stage for all school shows

Wants to study art in Paris, France

Sportsperson

Began playing table tennis when only 3 on a special small table

Could beat older brothers and sisters when was only 5

Neighbour said join a club. Was best player in 10 weeks.

Won first contest at age 6

Could beat most adults by age 8

At 9, joined the Vietnam national team

Wants to represent Vietnam at the Olympics and win gold medal.

The students will then have to present their work in the form of a TV chat show, with a director, cameraperson and sound boom (a plastic fly swat can easily stand in for a boom, while the director can pretend to have a headset, and shout, “Three, two, one … action !”

To continue the fun, we can have the students drink tea in the ‘British’ fashion – I model the typical way to drink tea, raising the pinkie, and sipping quietly and without a Vietnamese, “AAAHhhhhhhhhh !” after each gulp. Points, naturally, awarded for the best tea-drinker.

Finally, we can watch and imitate one of my favourite actors, Mr Peter O’Toole, also from the Letterman show. The students must copy this line: (0:46 – 0:50)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Fl3bOeXvyI

The line to be recited, along with accompanying body language, is:

“Oh, I’ll shuffle through my memory.”

And then, our little lesson is rounded with a … hopefully not sleep, but spelling tests, book work and general shenanigans.

I shall endeavour to elicit the meaning of new words and to gauge juts how much vocabulary the students are retaining as opposed to forgetting. Place your bets …. the clever money’s on the latter.

Young Teens: A funny thing happened to me …

17th January 2019

Tonight’s class has fourteen students, mostly girls (“made of sugar and spice and all things nice,”) and four young lads, one of whom demonstrates slight Hulk-like tendencies (i.e. gets angry at the slightest provocation and starts lifting chairs as if to hurl them through several walls). Simple classroom management has to be employed here; the lads are NOT allowed to sit next to each other. Of course, at this age the boys categorically will NOT sit next to any girl (just wait a year or two until those hormones kick in!) so I have to locate them around the room. It can be dis-illutioning for a teacher to allocate so much time to controlling a class as opposed to teaching them, but such are the realities. C’est la vie.

The theme of the lesson is how to tell an anecdote, but to begin (and to wait for the inevitable latecomers), we’ll do some quick warm-up games. I’ll also be able to recycle work form other lessons (which justifies the time spent making slides / Powerpoint Presentations etc).

We’ll begin with a quiz; I’ll show four famous buildings and ask the students to identify them and tell me as much as they can about them:

After, I will point to some (previously-boarded) numbers and ask how to pronounce them, numbers such as:

2019

10, 000

£35.99p

$10.33

Friday the 13th

I’ll show them that amounts (e.g. £35.99p are often said as simply 35 99, rather than saying ‘pounds and pence.’

For a more active game, help them burn off some energy, I’ll do a ‘run & write.’ In their previous lesson, they learnt past continuous. For this game, the class can be kept in two teams (a bit of competition adds to the excitement, even if there are no prizes at all), one team has a red marker, the other, a blue. I will say a sentence using simple past, they have to write it on the board, using past continuous. For example:

Last night I slept = Last night I was sleeping

Then the whole team has to shout out the sentence. It could get somewhat noisy and impossible to monitor, but it creates freedom for everyone to speak (they are not being listened to individually) and gets the whole class involved, and a noisy engaged class is far preferable to one slouching, sighing and sleeping.

We will then move into the topic area, combining story-telling with pronunciation and accents. I have a great clip of the magnificent Irish actor, Peter O’Toole being interviewed by the fast-talking USA TV host David Letterman. The students can compare the two accents, see which one they understand easier. The clip is below:

https://youtu.be/QGxBs6Pghuw

Letterman asks O’Toole if he has a story about a fellow actor, Richard Harris. Instead of a rather pedestrian, “Let me see …,” O’Toole, cigarette in hand, responds, “Oh, I’ll shuffle through my memory,” before proceeding to tell said story (this occurs at 0:32 – 3:33).

I extend the activity by asking the students to mimic / copy O’Toole’s voice and elocution. Obviously, I don’t condone smoking at all, but students have had great fun sitting crossed legged, imaginary cigarette held aloft, and repeating, “Oh, I’ll shuffle through my memory.”

The serious aspect here is to demonstrate the rhythms and stresses in English – the elongated “oh,” as he thinks, the focus on the verb, “shuffle’, the linking of “through my,” and the final stressed but downwards – intonations of “memory.” A lot of work covered in just six words. Good value for your teaching bucks !

We’ll then move into a personal anecdote of mine. I’ll create a slide and give a leading narrative using tonight’s key language:

For one thing

As I discovered last year

As you can imagine

In fact …

like the time …

Thanks to ..

People are very interested in stars as I discovered last year when I was in

I saw a very large

Outside a large

in the centre of the city. As you can imagine, I was curious. There were a lot of people there, in fact many were extremely …….

Why were they there, for whom were they waiting ? This was like the time I was in London and many film stars were going into a cinema. I waited … but nothing happened. I was thinking of going, but thanks to some screaming and shouting, I stayed. To my surprise, I saw the world-famous Hollywood movie star …

I felt very lucky. Actually, it was very exciting I just wish I had my phone with me.

The students will then turn to book work, some listening and then creating their own anecdote. Here, I will probably have to help, give ideas. Most students spent too long thinking about ideas and therefore not producing any work. I have found it better to give them a limited choice and then make them start the work.

(In my first year, at my first centre, the students had to write a short story about a boy and girl going to the cinema. I checked all the pupil’s progress, only to find one student had done nothing, all lesson, because he couldn’t think of names for his protagonists. At the end of the semester, I was asked for my recommendation; should he be allowed to progress to the next level ? Absolutely not (it was the only honest answer) CUT TO angry parents, wagging of fingers and pulling of student out of school. Good riddance to bad rubbish, as we say.)

Today we also have some speaking practice and a quick lesson about British culture, in which they will listen and read about the author Daniel Defoe. This will be a chance to elicit how much they know about British literary characters. It could be surprising; they may know Oliver Twist, or Alice (Wonderland). Who knows … some may even have heard of Robinson Crusoe … we shall see. This will then lead into famous writers from Vietnam. I think the most famous is The Tale of Kieu’ by Nguyen Du.