You are standing outside the Palace, at the corner of Birdcage Walk. You want to get to (go to) Victoria Station.
Excuse me, how do I get to Victoria Station ?
Walk straight down Buckingham Palace Road. Walk across the street and you can’t miss it (you will see it easily).
You are outside the front door of Harrods and want to visit the Royal Albert Hall
WELCOME TO LEYTONSTONE
Leytonstone is an area in east London, and was the birthplace of the film director Alfred Hitchcock, footballer David Beckham and singer Damon Albarn of the band Blur.
Damon Albarn showing where he lived in Leytonstone
Next, asking for local directions:
Sorry to bother (disturb) you, but I’m looking for a pub. Is there one near here ?
Yes, there is one quite close, ‘The Birkbeck Tavern’, maybe five or ten minutes’ walk away. Turn left until you come to Bridge Street. Turn left again, and keep walking, past the park, until you reach the bridge. Cross over, and Bob’s your uncle (there you are). It’s on the corner, you can’t miss it.
NOW: A local map
You are in LISTER ROAD (at the bottom) and want to get to GROVE ROAD.
Take turns asking each other questions.
The red circle with a blue band is the symbol for an underground station, which we call ‘The Tube.’ Here is Leytonstone Tube:
Plan a day
What would you like to do, where would you like to visit ?
Things to consider:
Time / lunch / travelling around / a variety of activities
Today, I was very successful at work because I got my salary as well as a bonus (extra money).
When do you get your salary ? When do you get paid ?
Salary = career, professional job – usually once a month
Paid – for a job, can be daily, weekly, monthly – low-income job
Building longer sentences:
I teach at public school which can be extremely tiring because there are many students who, I feel, do not want to learn. Having said that, there are also many wonderfully gifted students who make me feel happy.
Relative pronouns– who (person), which (thing), where (place).
Adverbs– add information – extremely, wonderfully
Opinions– I feel, I believe, in my opinion, from my point of view.
Turn and link – although, despite, however …
VOCABULARY
gifted – talented, skilled- natural talent
You have a gift for …. music, laughter (laugh – larf), accounting, singing
Noun there was laughter NOT there was laugh
For example – we had karaoke – there were many people singing; some were extraordinarily gifted while others were … not so talented ! There was a laugh of smiling and laughter.
Extraordinarily – very special
Now … Your Turn
Tell your neighbour or the class about your job
Where you work
The good things
Anything bad
How do you feel
I went to the office where I work and I had a very busy day. However I think it’s good because I can finish my task. I was really excited and happy because today is the last day of the month so I got my salary and holiday bonus. I want to spend my salary for traveling or on clothes.
GRAMMAR
I can finish subject + modal verb (can, could, might) + main verb
I got my salary I was paid so we use past tense ‘got’.
I want to spent subject + helping verb (want, like, need) + infinite (to + verb)
Today, I went to my company where I met everyone in the office. After, I worked with my customer, who is very pleasant, and we spoke about payment. Later, I went to the bank where I withdrew a little money from the company account. It was an ordinary day but interesting because today is payday !
Moscow – it’s winter and it’s snowing heavily. It must be night time because the streetlights are on. There is nobody on the street, it is deserted (empty).
London, on the other hand, is in summer or maybe / possibly spring. The blue sky without a cloud looks very beautiful. There is also a famous red bus, a double-decker. We can also see the London Eye.
Hello, my name is Paul and I’m from London. I’m an English teacher, and I have been in Vietnam for about 2 years. My hobbies are reading books, watching films and listening to music. In Vietnam, I have been to Ha Noi and Hue and I really want to visit Hoi An and Halong Bay.
about: with time. I have been studying English for about 6 months.
really: adverbs I am happy / I am really happy – stronger and more interesting
continuous verbs: I like to read / I like reading / She likes to read
She likes reading
They like watching movies
She likes listening to music
Introduce yourself, and answer the questions:
Name
What is your hometown ?
How long have you lived in your town or city ?
What are your hobbies ?
Where do you want to visit ?
Istanbul, Turkey
present perfect:
sub + have/has + verb 3 (past participle)
I have visited Ha Noi
She has eaten Thai food
We have seen Barcelona play football
She has eaten Thai food
Look out for plurals and 3rdperson verb endings
I like sports / he loves cooking /
I don’t like smoking / She doesn’t like smoking
I like playing computer games/ reading books/ watching films.
He likes playing football / going to the park / studying English
To whet your appetite, have a look at these traditional British dishes. Do you know what they are ?
Top left: Sunday roast – roast meat, potatoes, vegetables and yorkshire pudding.
Top Right: cornish pasty – baked pastry filled with meat, potatoes and carrots.
Bottom Left: traditional English breakfast – fried bacon, sausage, egg, tomato and mushrooms, with baked beans and toast.
Bottom right: fish and chips, with mushy peas (the green paste in the small bowl).
Idioms and collocations
tea / cherries / nutshell / cucumber / carrot
Growing up is hard, life isn’t always a bowl of _________ .
He walked in, as cool as a _________ , and told the boss he wanted a pay rise.
We’re going to try using a _________ and stick approach
I’m not a fan of karaoke, it’s not my cup of _________ at all.
To put it in a _________ , philosophy is very difficult.
Answers at end of the blog
Language
Prefer and rather
Which do you prefer ? Which would you rather eat ?
I prefer Indian food to English food. I’d rather have a good spicy curry than boring old meat and potatoes.
Now you try: Which do you prefer … which would you rather have ?
Greek saladInstant Korean noodles
Traditional British Christmas. What do you think of this food ?
Roast turkey with stuffing, roast vegetables (sprouts, carrots, potatoes, parsnips), baked ham
Christmas pudding with brandy cream, mince pies, gingerbread men
What traditional food do you eat in your country ?
Sentence building
What is the most unusual food you have tried ?
As a Brit abroad I have often had comments and questions, such as, ‘So what do you actually eat ?’, ‘I hear British food isn’t so great …’ or ‘Do you even have a traditional meal ?’ At first I thought this was just a stereotype that existed in Europe, but I have recently begun to ask myself, is our food really that bad?
In comparison to our neighbours, British food has never been seen as a delicacy like French cuisine. Perhaps when people think of British food they think of sandwiches, or the simple and unhealthy fish and chips. Although perhaps simple and unhealthy, fish and chips is delicious, as is a cornish pasty(meat and vegetables in pastry).
We have a meal for breakfast: the incredible combination of eggs, bacon, sausage, beans, mushrooms and bread (the cooked Breakfast), we have a meal for Sundays (roast lunch) with meat, vegetables and gravy (sauce), and we even have a tradition for between lunch and dinner (afternoon tea) with the two best things: cake and tea.
So it may be because I’ve eaten British food all my life, but I personally think that it is much better than its reputation!
Vocabulary to learn: look these up if you don’t know the meaning.
in comparison to …
stereotype
delicacy
cuisine
combination
reputation
Idioms:
bowl of cherries / cool as a cucumber / carrot and stick / not my cup of tea / in a nutshell.
Hello everyone,I welcome you to my blog page, and may I take this opportunity to thank ALL OF YOU who have visited my site. Having nearly 100 visits for a teaching blog is extremely gratifying.
Now, without further ado, let’s jump straight in, “Time waits for no man.”
A famous quote from the English writer Geoffrey Chaucer
First off the bat, a little plug for my friend ‘Pete’ who has an online radio show on Mixcloud. If you’re interested, you can listen here: https://www.mixcloud.com/flatwoundssounds/
The playlist is a mix of Jazz, Blues, Soul, R ‘n’ B & Rock ‘n’ Roll. However, in terms of an English lesson, listen to his narrative between songs. Although Pete lives in Birmingham now (central England), his accent betrays his Kent, (south-England) origins. Listen to how his voice deviates from Standard English.
A Propos (speaking about) of music, my last lesson featured two songs, one Nubian, the other a 50s Rock ‘n’ Roll number:
Nubia is a region that encompasses south Egypt and north Sudan
One of my online students has chosen the English moniker ‘Ivy’; consequently, this song is for her.
Now, time to get down to work. I introduced the class to some expressions; therefore we need to revise and practice:
between you and me // let’s get it over and done with // my hands are tied // off the cuff
I would like to let you go home early but …..
……… I think students have too much homework
Jazz musicians are famous for their spontaneity; they often play ………..
Oh, man ! We have to clear up after the party. Oh, well, ……….
Collocations
collect / raise / undertake / boycott
Charities run campaigns to ……….. money
I’m going to ……….. shops that treat their staff poorly
Scientists need to ……. further research into the Corona Virus
There is little recycling, if any, in Vietnam. We need to ……… awareness of the importance to the planet.
ART
Giving opinions – remember, there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answer; the exercise is to help you express what YOU feel when you see these works of art.
Expressions:
It’s not my cup of tea // it doesn’t appeal to me // I just don’t get // I see no artistic value // I have no time for it.
OR … positive:
It’s very uplifting // the picture speaks to me // I’m drawn to the image // it is ineffable (unable to be expressed in words) // it transcends language.
John Constable 1821Wyndham Lewis 1921Jean-Michel Basquet 1980sAncient Egyptian art
NOW – a curious point … how can a civilisation that can construct these:
only represent the human form like this:
How perfect are the Pyramids ?
“The builders of the Great Pyramid of Khufu aligned the great monument to the cardinal points with an accuracy of better than four minutes of arc, or one-fifteenth of one degree,” Glen Dash, an engineer who studies the Giza pyramids, wrote in a paper published recently in The Journal of Ancient Egyptian Architecture … ” https://www.livescience.com/61799-great-pyramid-near-perfect-alignment.html
Now, take a look at his ariel view, showing the layout:
At this juncture, let’s take a little diversion, from ancient Egypt to ancient Greece.
The night sky has 88 constellations, many named after characters or creatures from Greek mythology. I’d like to focus on one, the giant hunter Orion. This is his constellation, and is one of the more easier groups to see, especially at this time of year:
These random stars (which may in fact be many millions of light years apart) were seen by the Greeks thus:
You see the hunter with his bow and arrow, but I wish to draw your attention to the three stars arranged diagonally in the centre, the ‘belt’ of the hunter. Compare those with the arrangement of the Egyptian pyramids:
How would you account for this ? Coincidence or conspiracy ?
Let’s leave the last word to our National Poet, William Shakespeare, with this famous quote from Hamlet:
In December 2019, The UK had a general election. USA have their election at the end of 2020.
Idioms and collocations
campaign / victory / vote / party / voter
It was a long and dirty election _________which divided the country. The Conservatives won a landslide _________ in the last general election. I usually cast my _________ for the candidate who is more business friendly. The problem with two _________systems like the USA’s, is not all views are represented. I’m a typical floating _________ , I never decide how to vote until the day of the election.
If you elect me for President, I will make a difference. I will lower taxes for every citizen and I will make sure that every worker gets a fair deal. I will not stand by and watch the poor and the needy being downtrodden.
Conversation:
How long is a political term in your country ?
Do you think it’s important to vote?
If you were elected leader of your country, what law would you change first?
You will see some character information. Use this to create a character for yourself.
Take some time to think. Put some effort into this by using the facts and incorporating them.
EXAMPLE:
Lee Morgan 27 musician born Chicago resides Sai Gon not married
Likes music ! barbecue and spicy food cinema going to clubs and dancing
Dislikes early mornings 9 – 5 jobs Vietnamese food traffic no-smoking ban
Hi, my name’s Morgan, Lee Morgan. I’m 27 and I hail from Chicago, Illinois, which is a dynamic city, but pretty damn cold in winter; icy winds and snow. I’m currently living here, in HCM or Sai Gon, whatever. I’m still single, haven’t found the right girl yet but there are a heap of cute ladies in Vietnam, right ?
I’m a professional musician so, of course, I love music, it’s my passion. I also really love barbecue and hot, spicy food like chilli or gumbo. Yeah, what else … oh, I also enjoy taking in a movie, but at the cinema, not on DVD … no atmosphere at home. Because I finish work late, I often find myself going to clubs and dancing the night away. Great way to meet women, too !
What I’m not crazy about is getting up early. I never get up before noon, no way ! Oh, yeah, sorry to say, I really can’t find any Vietnamese food I like, hey, sorry. Some of it’s OK, but it’s just soup and noddles and bones ! The traffic is another pet hate, it’s hellish and absolutely dangerous. Lastly, I’m a smoker and I want to smoke where and when I want. I hate that I get told not to smoke.
If you have just met, what questions could you ask Lee ?
Remember – nothing too personal. When he answers, show interest, maybe add information about yourself.
BACKCHANNEL – say ‘yeah’, ‘oh, right’, ‘really ?’ etc
Example:
I was born in Hue but I grew up in Na Trang.
Really ? I’m from Na Trang. When did you move to HCMC ?
I like sports.
Me too. I play badminton every week and football every Sunday.
We’ve been married for three years but no kids.
Why not ? What is wrong with you, or is your wife too lazy to have kids ?
(this is not considered a correct or polite thing to say. Instead, change the subject)
Kenjie Ozu 24 medical student born Tokyo resides Sai Gon engaged
Likes Jazz music / keep fit / karaoke / meeting friends / computer games
Dislikes noise and pollution / smoking / animal cruelty / fast food
Rob Forster 31 lawyer born Sydney resides Sai Gon married, 2 children
Dislikes work / his boss / exercise / when his wife asks for money / foreigners
Hank Douglass 30 shop manager born San Francisco resides Ha Noi single
Likes investing / gambling / baseball driving / fast cars / action movies
Dislikes housework / romantic films / tipping / drunk people / police / recycling
Speaking practice:
Boz I don’t get much time to read, but I’d like to improve my English. Any tips ?
Pip Well, maybe you could give Dickens a go. Oh, some of his books are 1000 pages.
Boz Bloody hell ! Who has time or energy to read 1000 pages !
Pip Hold your horses, he also wrote short stories. ‘A Christmas Carol’ is very famous.
Boz Hang on … yes, I know … Ebenezer Scrooge, right ? I’ll download it later.
Pip Of course, the most famous writer is Shakespeare. ‘To be or not to be…’
Boz Not sure that’s my cup of tea. I prefer something a bit more modern.
Pip Conversely, watch a version. I went to see a play in London, at the Globe.
Boz The reconstructed theatre ? I saw it on the news. It looks really cool … and cold !
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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 ?
My ‘niece & nephew’.
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)
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.
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Thay Paul's Notes 