Young Learners, Levels 3 & 4. What is your perfect city ?

11th April 2023

Singapore, Seattle or Shanghai ?

Today, you will write about your perfect city.

What would you like in your city ?

What don’t you like ?

First, the positives (the good things). Guess what these buildings are:

parks / shops / museums / sports centres / schools / hospitals / interesting buildings / transportation /

However, not everything in a city is fantastic:

What are the problems … and what are the solutions (the answers) ? For example, in Singapore, if someone litters (throws rubbish on the street), they have to pay a fine, pay money to the police.

Now … your turn:

Write about what you want in YOUR city and why. Use amazing adjectives, and tell me why you would like these things.

Also, tell me what you DO NOT want, and why. How would you punish people who broke rules ?

You may also draw, but do the writing first.

Good luck and have fun !

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Young Learners, Level 3. Let’s start a new country up.

6th April 2023

Yes, let’s, “Put our heads together, start a new country up.”

Today’s project is to create a new country. What do we need ? First, a country can have:

mountains, waterfalls, lakes, deserts, forests, beaches.

The cities may have old and interesting:

bridges, churches, shops, castles

Or maybe new and modern:

parks, museums, shopping malls, tall buildings, future buildings

Maybe some ancient buildings ?

Now, create your country … and have fun !

Young Learners, levels 3 & 4. Tell me a story.

31st March 2023

Now that you have had a little time to “Wake up, wake up,” time to move on to a new story.

We have a writing activity for students to practise telling a story, using ‘signpost language’, adjectives, adverbs for the Top Cats, and to see if they can remember their grammar.

Let’s go ! Here are five pictures; what is the story ?

Time for a word bank

Signpost words

First / next / then / after / afterwards / finally

Nouns

business man / library / champagne / private jet

Adjectives

lazy / poor / bored / tired / furious / strict / hard-working / over the moon (very, very happy) / rich

Verbs

sleep / scream / study / graduate / relax

Now, start writing … and good luck !

What’s the story, Morning Glory ? Remastered

24th March 2023

A remastered cut of a previous lesson, this one aimed at lower level students.

The full, Director’s Cut, Top Cat edition may be viewed here: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/03/20/what-is-the-story-morning-glory-learning-english-with-the-oasis-lads/

Intro: How do you say these words ? By the end of the lesson, with the help of Oasis, you’ll be saying, singing, them like a native English-speaker.

Verse One: In English, we speak very quickly, we combine word sounds and ‘swallow’ other letters. When you hear the song, listen … these words are pronounced like this …

Needa lit’al timeta way cup,

Needa lit’al timeta way cup, way cup

In Standard English, I teach you to pronounce the ‘t’s clearly and precisely, but in natural spoken English, many people ‘swallow’ the sound. Best way, as usual, is to practise.

Verse Two: I will show you a video by the band Oasis.

Oasis were a band of five musicians. They were from Manchester in north England. First, watch this video:

Tell me a story about the video

Who is the main subject ?

Where are they ? What are they doing ?

How do they look ?

How about the other people in the video ?

How do they feel and why ?

What do they do ?

DO NOT START WITH PRONOUNS

Remember to use new, exciting adjectives.

Look at your class notes.

Chorus: Plug in, turn up the amp to 11 and Rock ‘n’ Roll !

Let’s hit the effects pedals and get some wonderful words, amazing adjectives.

First, some nouns:

a group / a band / musicians / neighbours /

guitars / bass / drums / singer

shirt / sunglasses / sari / suit

tower block (apartment building)

Second, some verbs:

playing / singing / dancing / drumming

banging / knocking / kicking / shouting / screaming

Third, some adjectives:

angry / furious / loud / noisy / selfish / cool / crazy / colourful / thoughtless / handsome / ugly / tough / glorious

Time to Rock !

Five handsome, young musicians live in a tower block. They are …

What are they doing, what are they wearing ?

What is the problem ?

Tell me about the neighbours

And don’t forget to sing,

Needa lit’al timeta way cup, way cup

What’s the story (Morning Glory) ? Learning English with the Oasis lads.

20th March 2023

Today we are going to use all our English skills to create a wonderful story. We shall use adjectives, adverbs, perfect grammar and show off our amazing vocabulary.

Are you ready ? Let’s Rock ‘n’ Roll !

Oasis were a band of five musicians. They were from Manchester in north England. First, watch this video:

Tell me a story about the video.

Who is the main subject ?

What are they doing ?

How do they look ? Where are they ?

How about the other people in the video ?

How do they feel and why ?

What do they do ? What do they look like ?

There is so much to write about, so plan your story before you start writing.

WILF (What I’m Looking For):

A strong start, tell me about the main subjects.

DO NOT START WITH PRONOUNS

Remember to use new, exciting adjectives. Look at your class notes.

What are they doing and how – use adverbs.

Here’s some brilliant words to make your story glorious:

irritating // annoying // thoughtless //

spyhole // letter box // dart board //

neighbours // tough guys // lady in a sari

tower block (a tall apartment building)

TOP CATS – some new expressions

Can’t hear myself think

The noise drives (the neighbours) crazy

The walls are paper-thin

If your work is sub-standard, you will have to sing this song in front of the whole class … so be brilliant !