How to Teach This Book 4

01 Meeting People 9
02 Sports 13
03 Friendship 17
04 Holidays 21
05 Stereotypes 25
06 Time Management 29
07 Schooling 33
08 Politics 37
09 If You Could 41
10 Inventions and Discoveries 45
11 Money 49
12 Parenting 53
13 Space Exploration 57
14 Superstitions 61
15 Television 65
16 Stress 69
17 Memories 73
18 Phobias 77
19 Social Issues 81
20 Media and News 85

Transcripts & Answer Key

 The best way to teach speaking is to have students practice speaking. This book has been developed to
introduce a wide variety of speaking topics to students. Each unit also presents a number of activities to
scaffold speaking tasks for lower-level or less secure speakers. However, it is not mandatory for higher-level
and more advanced speakers to work systematically through all of the activities. Because the speaking
topics are related by theme rather than specific content, the material in each unit is flexible and adaptable.
The lesson plan presented here is suggested for a class that requires significant support for each speaking
task. Classes that do not require as much support may be able to jump right into the topics and start
talking. It is left up to individual instructors to gauge how thoroughly each step of this lesson plan
needs to be implemented in their classes.

Suggested Lesson Plan (60 min.)

Activity 1 (10 min.)

Warm-up with Listening

Have students look at the unit topic. Ask the class to brainstorm
a few possible questions they might ask someone about the
topic and write them on the board. While students are suggesting
questions, take time to briefly discuss how students might plan an
answer for a few of the questions. For example, point out which
questions should be answered with examples of personal experiences
and which should be answered with opinions.
After a reasonable list of questions is written on the board, play
the audio track for Activity 1. Students will hear three speakers
give short talks related to the unit topic. Based on what they hear,
students should determine if the speaker is talking about his or her
experience or opinion.
After playing the audio track once, replay it, but stop after each
speaker. Discuss what the students heard (or did not understand),
and determine if the speaker was explaining an experience or an
opinion. Continue replaying and stopping after each speaker until
all three talks have been discussed.

4 How to Teach This Book

 Activity 2 (5 min.)

Vocabulary and Brainstorming

Have students read through the list of words and phrases as
a class, focusing on their pronunciation and meaning. Then
have students sort the words and phrases into the three categories
provided. After everyone has finished sorting the list, check it as a
class. After checking each category, ask students to brainstorm
three to five additional words or phrases that could be added to
the given category. All of the vocabulary brought out in this
activity can help students as they answer the speaking prompts
that follow in the unit.

Activity 3 (5 min.)

Model Dialogs
Play the audio track for Activity 3 and have students read along
as they listen. After each dialog, stop the audio and discuss any
questions student may have regarding vocabulary or grammar
presented in the dialog. After all three dialogs have been heard and
discussed, have students work in pairs. Pairs should practice the
dialogs, taking turns saying each role.
Note
For classes that need additional pronunciation practice,
replay the audio track, but stop after each line or sentence.
Students should try to repeat what they hear on the
audio track, focusing on their pronunciation and
intonation.

How to Teach This Book 5

 Activity 4 (15 min.)

Interviews
Ask each student to choose one of the three questions to answer.
Give the students a few minutes to write notes related to how
they would answer the question.
Next, assign each student in the class as either “A” or “B.” Have
students work in A-B pairs. Have the “A” students interview “B”
students. First, they should ask which question their classmate
chose. “A” students may then refer back to Activity 3 to see
possible questions to ask in the interview. Give students two or
three minutes to collect information from their partner. Then
have the “B” students interview “A” students in the same way.
When these interviews are completed, have all of the “A” students
stand up and move to work with a new “B” classmate. Repeat the
interview process for the new pairs.
Note
Because this activity is an interview, students should not feel pressure to talk at length about
their answers during the interviews. Giving one or two sentences as an answer is sufficient for
this activity. The interviewer should then ask a follow-up question to get more information from
the interviewee until the instructor stops the interview.

Activity 5 (10 min.)

Reporting
Choose a number of students to report to the class the information
they learned through one of their interviews. An example of how
students can report information is provided with this activity in
each unit.
As an alternative to asking only a few students to report for the
class, instructors may divide the class into several groups. Then
all members of each group should take turns reporting information
they learned through one of their interviews. This way, all of the
students in the class can participate in Activity 5.

6 How to Teach This Book

 Activity 6 (5 min.)

Matching and Modeling

Play the audio track for Activity 6, and have students match the
given questions with one of the responses they hear. These questions
and responses are meant to provide additional speaking topics
and models of responses for students. While checking the answers
for this activity, it may be helpful for students to read the responses
shown in the transcript for the unit.
Note
For classes that need additional pronunciation practice,
have students work in pairs reading aloud the sample
responses shown in the transcript.

Activity 7 (10 min.)

Pair Work
Have students work in pairs. One student in each pair will open
his/her book. The other student will close his/her book and put
it aside for the moment. The student with the open book will
choose one of the questions listed in Activity 7 and write notes
related to answering the question. The student who does not have
a book will be the timer. The timer will look at the board while
the instructor marks off increments of 10 seconds on the board.
After one minute, the timer tells his/her classmate to stop making notes.
Now it is time for the student with the open book to start talking
for two to three minutes (depending on the level of the class).
The timer continues watching the board as the instructor marks
off increments of time on the board. After the specified time, the
timer tells his/her classmate to stop speaking.
The timer will now become the speaker, and the speaker will
become the timer. Repeat the above process with the speaker
first opening his/her book and making notes for one minute
before speaking for two to three minutes.

How to Teach This Book 7

 Supplemental Activity (no time limit)

Extra Practice
The questions provided in the Extra Practice activity can be
used in a variety of ways. Sometimes, instructors may wish
to use these questions for full-class discussions of “hot” topics.
Alternatively, the questions can be used for group work or pair
work. The questions can also be assigned as journaling homework
or speaking homework. As speaking homework, students can
record their responses on a voice recorder or using a computer.
These responses can be submitted to the instructor for a completion
grade or for some other type of evaluation.
Note
For classes that need additional pronunciation practice,
have students work in pairs reading aloud the sample
responses shown in the transcript.

8 How to Teach This Book

 Unit 01
Meeting People
1 Listen to the speakers. Check the type of answer the speaker gives. Track 1

a. Speaker #1:  personal experience  personal opinion

b. Speaker #2:  personal experience  personal opinion
c. Speaker #3:  personal experience  personal opinion

2 Sort the words and phrases by writing them in the correct categories.

visiting a museum getting a good education breaking a bone

the death of a loved one starting your own company going hiking
watching a movie being in an accident having children
an extended hospital stay relaxing with friends owning a home

WEEKEND ACTIVITIES

BAD EVENTS

LIFE GOALS

UNIT 01 Meeting People 9

 3 Listen to each dialog and read along. Track 2

Weekend Activities
A:
WEEKEND ACTIVITIES
What do you usually do on the weekends?
A:
B: What
On thedo you usually
weekend, dodo
I try to onsomething
the weekends?
exciting or different.
B:
A: On the
Why doweekend,
you try andI trydo
to that?
do something exciting or different.
A:
B: Why dothe
During you try and
week I workdohard
that?and do the same thing every day, so I really
B: to try tothe
During enjoy myI weekends.
week work hard and do the same thing every day, so I really
A: try toyou
Can enjoy myanweekends.
give example?
A:
B: What
For sort ofIweekend
example, like to goactivities do you like?
hiking or perhaps visit a museum I haven’t seen
B: before.
I like to go hiking, or perhaps visit a museum I haven’t been to before.

Bad Events
BAD EVENTS
A: Describe the unhappiest day of your life.
A: Describe the unhappiest day of your life.
B: The unhappiest day of my life was when I broke my arm.
B: The unhappiest day of my life was when I broke my leg.
A: How did you do that?
A: How did you do that?
B: It was a really silly accident! I fell over a vending machine in my
B: It wasto
a really
get thesilly accident! I tripped
haste chocolate bars inside. over the sidewalk in my haste
to cross the street to get to an ice cream store.
A: What happened after that?
A: What happened after that?
B: I had to spend all day in hospital, and no one came
B: Itohad
seeto spend all day in the hospital, and no one came
me.
to see me.

Life Goals
LIFE GOALS
A: What
A: What is your goalgoal
is your in life?
in life?
B: My goal in life is to get
B: My goal in life is to get a good education,
a good specifically
education, in science.
specifically in science.
A: Why in science?
A: Why in science?
B: IB:want to open
I want my own
to open my owncompany to make
company newnew
to make medicines to to
medicine
helphelp
sick sick
people.people.
A: Why
A: Why do you do
would you that?
want to do that?
B: IB:believe global health
I believe global health is a very important
is a very issue,issue,
important and and
people needneed
people affordable medicine.
affordable medicine.

Now practice these dialogs with a classmate.

10 UNIT 01 Meeting People

 Unit 01
4 Choose one of the questions below. Prepare your answer to this question
by writing notes below. Use the questions from Part 3 to help with your notes.
a. What do you usually do on the weekends?
b. Describe the unhappiest day of your life.
c. What is your goal in life?

Question: _____

My Notes
___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Now interview two classmates. They will interview you as well.

First, ask which question they chose. Then make notes of each answer.

My Classmates

Name: ___________ Name: ___________

Question: _____ Question: _____

_________________________________ _________________________________

________________________ _________________________________

________________________ _________________________________

5 Tell your class about one of the classmates you interviewed.

Example:
I talked to Amber. She told me what
she usually does on the weekends. your
te yo own
ur ow spea
n sp king
eaki ng
Rate
Ra
She said she spends most of her Good Excellent
Information: OK
weekenddoing
weekend doinghomework.
homework. Sometimes,
Some- OK Good Excellent
Fluency: Excellent
iftimes,
she doesn’t
if she doesn’t
have a lot
have
of ahomework,
lot of OK Good
Pronunciation:
homework,
she rents DVDsshe rents
or plays
DVDsvideoorgames.
plays
video games.
Anyway, she usually
Anyway,stays
usually
home sheon
stays home on weekends.
weekends.

UNIT 01 Meeting People 11

 6 Listen to each response and match it to the question it answers. Track 3

a. If you were not in class, what would you be doing Response #1

right now? Why?
b. Name five things that are important for you in
b. What are some important qualities in a friend? Response #2
a friend. Explain.
c. Would you like to be famous?
Response #3
Why or why not?

For more practice, look at the transcripts on page

p. xx and
1 and
practice
practice
these
these
responses
responses with
with
a classmate.
a classmate.

7 Choose one of the questions below. Prepare your

own response
your own response
to thistoquestion
this question
by writing
by writing
notes in
Question: _____
notes
the provided
below. Be
space.
sureBe to sure
fullyto
explain
explain
your
your
answer.
answer.
My Notes
a. If you were not in class, what would
______________
you be doing right now? Why? __ __________
______________
b. Name
What arefivesome
thingsimportant
that are important
qualities ____________
forayou
in friend?
in a friend. Explain. ______________
____________
______________
c. Would you like to be famous? ____________
Why or why not? ______________
____________
Now share your response with a classmate.

smat
assm e’ss re
ate’ spon
resp se::
onse
te yo
Rate
Ra clas
ur cl
your
OK Good Excellent
Information: Excellent
OK Good
Fluency: Excellent
OK Good
Pronunciation:

tra pr
ex actice
Try answering one or more of these questions for extra practice.
Use at least three sentences in your response to each question.
1. Are you an outgoing person? Explain.
2. Describe one thing that can improve your mood instantaneously.
3. What inspires you to be creative? Why?
4. If you won $1,000,000 in a lottery, how would you spend it? Explain.

12 UNIT 01 Meeting People