Today’s Theme for speaking 3
Welcome to the Today’s Theme page for Shopping. Here you will find 3 different topic questions related to the theme, vocabulary that can be used in the discussions, and optional grammar structures that can also be included. The three questions provided below are independent from each other. Choose one topic for one class and if you like, choose another to follow up further on this theme in the next class.
After the suggestions on how to use the themes & cards you will find for each topic:
● An opening question to introduce the theme and generate some focused interest
● The cards to be handed out to the students
● A few examples of the optional structures which reflect the current theme
● A final question to put to the class (ending the discussion in groups)
The suggested lesson plan basically follows this approach:
PRE-DISCUSSION
● Ask the class an open question to stimulate some interest and bring the students’ attention to the area of focus
● Hand out the cards and go over the vocabulary
● If you decide to include the grammar option, elicit or provide an example or two to make sure the students have an idea of what to include in their speaking
● Students read the passage and remind them to include the target language
DISCUSSION
● Students speak in groups of 2, 3 or 4 for about 5 to 10 minutes
● Monitor, note difficulties, steer them in the right direction if needed
POST DISCUSSION
● Elicit from the class what came up while discussing the question
● Give them feedback about how well they completed the task
SUGGESTED APPROACH to using
TODAY’S THEME speaking cards in class
Click here if you’d like to see a suggested step-by-step plan
on how to use the cards in class
This is a general guide for a lesson plan, one which you can refer to when you use any of the Today’s Theme speaking cards.
If you want to print a copy, click here or on the icon at the bottom of the page
TEACHER’S GUIDES
For every new Today’s Theme speaking card, there is a different
Teacher’s Guide to accompany it.
The guides are at the bottom of this page and you can select the one
appropriate to the card you wish to use.
The information is the same as shown on this page, but in printable form.
Each guide contains
● possible lead-in questions to introduce the topic
● an example of the card
● examples of the optional grammar structures
● a post discussion follow-up question
DISCUSSION TOPIC 1: Shopping is great
Possible opening questions to get the ball rolling
| 1 | Do you like shopping? What kind of things do you enjoy buying? |
| 2 | Do you have things at home that you’ve bought but never used? What are they? |
TT 3-1 Shopping is great
Speaking theme card for students
(sb = somebody st = something)
Examples of optional grammar structures to be included in the speaking
Cleft sentencesdraw attention to something particular that you want to emphasize |
|
| What / The thing that (all = the only thing) | |
| ● What I (don’t) like about shopping is how easy it is to buy something any time of the day or night. | |
| ● What you don’t understand is that shopping is a need some people have to fill a gap in their lives. | |
| ● What really annoys me is the way shop attendants treat you. | |
| ● All / The only thing I can buy today is this pair of jeans. | |
| ● All / The only thing I care about is getting a good deal. | |
| It | |
| ● It was only last week that I bought all those clothes, but I feel I should get some more. | |
| ● It wasn’t me who spent all that money. It was you. | |
NOTE: If the students aren’t already very well versed in using cleft sentences, it is recommended that you give them a few examples, and then some time to come up with a couple on their own before they begin the speaking activity. Let them write a few sentences that they can later use in the conversation, go over them quickly, and then let them talk, trying to incorporate their sentences when they can.
Possible questions to end the groups speaking and bring the focus back to the class (and you)
| 1 | What do shops do, to make you want to go in? |
| 2 | If you have doubts about whether or not to buy something, what sways your decision in the end? |
Prompt the students with more questions, to share with the class what they have discussed in their groups, to explore the theme a little further and perhaps get a variety of perspectives. Also encourage them to use the vocabulary (and structures) in their speaking with you.
DISCUSSION TOPIC 2: Shopping strategies
Possible opening questions to get the ball rolling
| 1 | Are there different kinds of shoppers? |
| 2 | Do you shop around before you buy something or do you buy it immediately if you like it? |
TT 3-2 Shopping strategies
Speaking theme card for students
(sb = somebody st = something)
Examples of optional grammar structures to be included in the speaking
Modals & semi-modals of permission and advice |
|
| Modals | |
| ● You should / have to keep track of when the sales are. | |
| ● If you see something you really like just before the sales, you can’t let it be bought by someone else. | |
| ● Let the sales assistant do most of the talking at first. | |
| Semi-modals | |
| ● The shop attendants are supposed to help you when you ask for it. | |
| ● When the door opens on the first day of the big sales, you had better run to the clothes rack you picked out. | |
NOTE: You don’t have to give them a whole class on modals before doing this activity but if you think your students may not be clear on some of them, simply provide the students with an example or two and let them try them out while they’re speaking.
Possible questions to end the groups speaking and bring the focus back to the class (and you)
| 1 | Do we have any dedicated expert shoppers in the class? What advice can you give us? |
| 2 | Is it possible to consider shopping as a sport? |
Prompt the students with more questions, to share with the class what they have discussed in their groups, to explore the theme a little further and perhaps get a variety of perspectives. Also encourage them to use the vocabulary (and structures) in their speaking with you.
DISCUSSION TOPIC 3: Changing trends in shopping
Possible opening questions to get the ball rolling
| 1 | How many people here have shopped online in the last two months? |
| 2 | Which is better, shopping online or personally going to the stores? |
TT 3-3 Changing trends in shopping
Speaking theme card for students
(sb = somebody st = something)
Examples of optional grammar structures to be included in the speaking
ComparativesTwo different sets of structures can be looked at, or if you prefer, select one only |
|
| As | |
| ● Prices are not quite as / not nearly as expensive as they were 15 years ago. | |
| ● There are almost / nearly as many tourists in this shop as there are local people. | |
| Than | |
| ● There are far more / a few more good deals here than in that other place. | |
| ● The quality of the clothes is much / a little better than what you would expect. | |
NOTE: Try to encourage the students not only to include the comparatives in their speaking, but especially the adverbs which emphasize the amount of difference. Here is a little table you could copy onto the board for the students to use as a reference:
Possible questions to end the groups speaking and bring the focus back to the class (and you)
| 1 | Do you think shopping is going to get better or worse as time goes on? |
| 2 | Tell me what you think shopping will be like in the future. |
Prompt the students with more questions, to share with the class what they have discussed in their groups, to explore the theme a little further and perhaps get a variety of perspectives. Also encourage them to use the vocabulary (and structures) in their speaking with you.
