Sometimes our students really want to learn English and ask us for extra work to practice everyday. This can be difficult sometimes because it takes time to think of an activity, and we have our own lives with our own time-consuming problems. Well, fortunately, we have prepared a worksheet for you to give to your students that will apply to any English listening audio or video they want to listen to.

The idea of this exercise is to practice listening for content as well as learning and applying English expressions ​both old and new.

The beauty of this type of exercise is they can listen to anything they want! 

Name: ________________________                                                                                                   Date: _______________
I’m listening to _________________________________                                                                  Length of audio: ______

CONTENT

1. Write one sentenceanswering what the audio/video was about?          


2. Write 1-2 sentences with details from the listening. (What did you understand?)

a. _____________________________________________________________
            b. _____________________________________________________________
 
LANGUAGE

1. Write 1-3 OLD words or expressions that you heard. (Ones you already knew.) __________________________________________________________ 
   __________________________________________________________
   __________________________________________________________

 

1. Write 1-2 NEW words or expressions (then ask a teacher to confirm.)    
   __________________________________________________________
   ​__________________________________________________________

Consider the Level - You could try this for any level student that asks for it, but it will probably be most beneficial to at least a Blue Belt (Intermediate) student who has a good handle on basic grammar and expressions.

Consider Your Time - You don't need to spend that much time reviewing unless you want to assign it as proper homework and use it in your lessons.

Any Language - As the teacher, you could do these activities in any foreign language you're trying to learn.

Think Twice - It could cause some of us to really think about the things we watch and why we watch them, which could ultimately save us time if we eliminate the more useless things.

What else can you find?

If you teach English as a Foreign Language (EFL) or English as a Second Language (ESL) to private 1-on-1 students, it's always nice to come to a lesson with something new and fresh that catches the student off-guard with something different than the grammar exercises or general conversation.

Here are a few questions: (There are 35 in total)

1. What is your idea of perfect happiness? 
2. What is your greatest fear? 
3. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? 
4. What is the trait you most deplore in others? 
5. Which living person do you most admire? 
6. What is your greatest extravagance? 
7. What is your current state of mind? 
8. What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
9. On what occasion do you lie?
10. What do you most dislike about your appearance?
​...

1-on-1 Lessons - This works best with private classes of teenagers or adults. They LOVE it because it's different than a typical lesson. Not recommended for bigger classes, but play around with it.

Accept "I don't know" - Allow the students to answer or not answer honestly. For example, some teenagers may not have an answer for some questions like, "What do you consider the most overrated virtue?"

Write down their answers - If you do this, it will feel more important to them to take it more seriously, and you can offer them the answers after the test if they want it. 

It's like Instagram - Remember, this is only a snapshot of them on a given day. Answers may vary on another day or under different circumstances.

You do it for yourself first... in another language if you can. You'll probably surprise yourself with some answers.

Self-realization - Ok, that sounds a bit "mystical", but really, they will learn things about themselves. They will probably think about some questions even after your lesson.

Learn about your student - You will get insight on your student and how they think. This will help you know how to teach them in future classes as well!

What else can you find?

Check off the assignments as you complete them.

1. In General
                  Carry a notebook around with you and write new words and expressions.
                  Say “Hello”, “Good morning”, etc. to the teacher in the hallway. 
                  Say a sentence/ Ask a question to an English teacher in English.
 
2. Listening
                  Watch a TV show or movie in English.
                  Watch a TV show or YouTube video in English at least 5 times in one week.
                  Listen to 10 English songs in one week.
                                     Watch a “lyrics” video
                                     Write down at least 1 new phrase from the song
                                     Write down new words from the song

3. Reading
                   Read a blog or article that you find interesting in English at least 5 times a week.
                   Read an entire book in English.
                   Visit a forum, follow on social media, or read comments in English every day.


4. Writing
                  Write a diary every day in English for one week
                  Write a presentation of yourself, a hobby, your family, a friend, etc.
                  Write a letter to your teacher
 
5. Speaking
                   Record yourself speaking about a topic for 15 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute, etc. 
                   Talk to yourself in English
                   Participate in class
                                     Ask a question
                                     Answer a question
                                     Tell a story

6. Grammar
                  Google “____ exercises” and do the practice exercises. 
                                      (Ex. “present perfect exercises”)
                  Write down the ones you get wrong

FAQs
What is this?
The most important thing to do when learning a foreign language is to have regular, authentic contact with that language. These are suggestions that a learner of a foreign should be doing every week to immerse in that language as much as possible. These are meant to be supplementary to a language class or teacher.
 
How do I do it?
Check off the boxes as you complete the tasks. Repeat the checklist when necessary. 
 
Why these tasks?
These tasks are meant to be the most common things that most people do in their daily lives. These are supposed to work alongside of what we are doing anyway… only doing some in our target language.
 
How long does this take?
Work at your own pace! This is task-based work instead of time-based work. It is meant to incorporate your target language into our daily lives. If you don’t normally do one of these (for example watch movies, do it and consider it to be a mental exercise… or don’t do it. These are meant to stimulate ideas and motivation, not take them away. 
 
If you’re interested…

Stop by and say HI...

Many EFL students are learning English in order to travel, live, or work abroad. Chances are, if they are in a foreign country, they will eat some fast food at some point. In this lesson, we will work with some useful expressions to order fast food, specific vocabulary, and grammar that will help their conversation skills.

Ask “what” or “which” questions using nouns and verbs.
 
Question                              Speak                                          Play                                     Color                  
Go                                         Ask                                               Do                                       Food

 

1. _______________________________________________________________?
2. _______________________________________________________________?
3. _______________________________________________________________?
4. _______________________________________________________________?
5. _______________________________________________________________?
6. _______________________________________________________________?
7. _______________________________________________________________?
8. _______________________________________________________________?

If your students are planning to study, live, or travel to an English-speaking country, they will probably want to know how to order something in a coffee shop. In this lesson, you will have them work with a partner, learn natural expressions to order from a real coffee shop, practice these expressions, and perform these conversations.

Server:Hi, welcome to Starbucks, can I take yourorder?
Customer:Yes, |could I have acaramel macchiato, please?|
                          |I would like acappuccino with soy milk, please?|
                          |can I have atall Americano black with no sugar to go, please?|
Server: For here or to go?
Customer: To go, please.
Server: What size would you like?
Customer: A tall, please.
Server: Would you like it hot or cold?
Customer: Hot, please.
Server: Will there be anything else?
Customer: |No, thank you. That’s all.|
                   |Yes, can I have a chocolate muffin?|
Server: |That’ll be $4.76.|
             |Sure, anything else?|
Customer: |Here you are.|
Server: Out of 5? 24 cents is your change. Your name, please?
Customer: Jesse. 
Server: Thank you. |You can wait at the end ofthe counter.|
                                |You can have a seat, and we’ll call you when it’s ready.|
Customer: Thank you.

Practice Saying and Counting Money - Learn how to smoothly talk about money and calculate in English.

Confidence - If they are traveling, one of the first things they will have to do is to order something. Equip them with the confidence to speak in English about a familiar topic.

Fun - Let's not forget this is an objective for the students in our class. If they're not having fun, they're probably not learning.

​What else can you find?

If you've seen Inglorious Bastards, you may have noticed the soldiers playing a table game in one of the scenes. Let's bring that game to our English class, of course with a few tweaks to help it flow for a lesson.

In class, I like to combine games in a general theme for a given class. This helps the flow of a class as one activity builds on another. In this lesson, I like to use two types of games that go well together.

The focus  we're working with today are questions and answers. In particular, YES/NO questions.

Tell the rules of 20 questions and begin playing. Teacher thinks of a word first. Choose a student to go next.
(8-12 minutes)

1) The chosen person thinks of a word, and the class has up to 20 YES/NO questions to figure it out.
2) The chosen person can only say YES/NO
3) The person who correctly guesses the word goes next (if they want).

· Break bigger classes into small groups to continue playing the game.

Using Authentic Language - They want to find out the answer, so they will ask questions. It's our job to help them ask it correctly.

Listening - They will have to pay attention to other people's questions so they don't waste a question and repeat a question (which will happen in 20 questions)

Both of these games would work perfectly fine for you your 1-on-1 lessons, too!

The only adjustments you would have to make for your 1-on-1 students are:

•  You would have to be their partner and play the game as well.
•  It might be helpful to make a category if only two people are playing. If not, it may become boring because the options are too broad.

​Test it out and try different things, and let us know what works best for you!

If you're looking for something to do in class on the first day of class, or even in the first couple weeks... or anytime, this is an activity that will help the students engage with each other, use genuine language, and learn a bit about each other. Turning it into a guessing game with points will get them involved even more!

Create your own rules and adapt the game play and categories for your class and your style.
      Possible adaptations could be: 
​         - each partner gets up to 3 guesses per word
         - the partners go back-and-forth until the first one answers correctly
         - award points
         - create a story based on your partner's words.

Be flexible and use several adaptations if the students are enjoying the activity

Community - This is abstract enough that students usually feel comfortable letting loose a bit during this activity. Sometimes, you'll get some real moments during this.

Fluency Expression - Take time to teach "You'll never guess". Include that it's usually followed up by a 'W' word. (Ex. You'll never guess who I saw today.)

Looking for an icebreaker or short game to get your class up and moving around? This is great to do any time of the year, especially if you want your students to feel like more of a community because they will have a chance to see what they have in common with other students. 

You simply ask a series of questions and assign a side of the room for them to go to based on their answers. (You can also use the corners of the room if there are more than two answers.)

Hold your hands out to the side.
Bring your hands together. 
Which thumb is on top?
If your right thumb is on top go to this side of the room (direct to a side)
If your left thumb is on top, go to that side.

Whoever's birthday or birth month is an odd number, go to one side of the room.
Whoever's birthday or birth month is an even number, go to the other side of the room. 

Whoever has more than one sibling, go to one side of the room.
Whoever has one sibling or less, go to the other side.

​Whoever has watched a documentary on TV or YouTube in the past week, go to one side of the room.
Whoever hasn't, go to the other side.

Whoever can roll their tongue, go to one side of the room. (also demonstrate it)
Whoever can't roll their tongue, go to the other side.

Whoever can balance on one foot for more than X seconds, go to one side.
Whoever can't, go to the other side.

If your dominant hand or foot are dominant for most things, go to one side. (For example if your right side is dominant for writing, throwing, kicking, etc.)
If your dominant side depends on what you're doing, go to the other side. (For example, if you write with your right hand, but play hockey from the left side.)

Community - They will feel a part of a group as they see what they have in common with other students.

Vocabulary - They will be using a lot of new and useful expressions that we usually overlook in our EFL classes.

Health - Ok, maybe it's not the most exercise-filled activity, but it will get your students out of their seats and get their blood flowing a bit, which will help them think a little differently.

If you're looking for a small project for your students to create something positive, here is a game that was inspired by a video called What You Believe Becomes Reality on The Future YouTube Channel. (Click the and watch the video with your students if they need more examples.)

​This would be especially helpful and useful for TEENS.  You will love what they create!

Name:___________________________             Class: __________________________
 
Word-Jitsu Project
 
 
PART I: Negative Words
 
Brainstorm as many negative words as you can in 2 minutes.
 
 

PART II: Convert
 
Turn these negative words into positive words or meanings. Look at the examples for ideas.
 
Impossible -> I’m possible
No -> Next Opportunity
 
Make Your Own:

1. Fail -
2. Can’t -
3. Fear -
4. Pain - 
5. Ugly –
6.  
7.  

More words:
 
1. Luck
2. 
3. 
 
 
PART III: Brainstorm 
 
Write Ideas you and your group come up with.
 
 
 
 

 
PART IV: Rough Draft
 
Test and practice the best ideas for your poster. 




CRITERIA:Quality Check
 
Language     ____/10 - Is the message inverted well?    
Creativity     ____/10 - Are the words and the style appropriate for the message?     
Presentation____/10- Is my project visually pleasing to the eye?
Total ____/30

 
​

If you're looking for a fun, uplifting English listening lesson for your students to do that gets away from the typical 'text book' or 'exam listening', this is a fantastic lesson to do with your class. We're using Bob Marley's famous song ​Three Little Birds. This lesson is adaptable to most levels from white belt to purple belt students. 

- Each time you play the song should have a task directly related to it for the students to perform.

- Play the song as many times as necessary for the students to do the task (but not too many to become bored).

- Play the song WITHOUT showing the lyrics the first couple times.

- Higher level students can focus more on pronunciation and rhythm of combining words.

Encouragement - Their English time with you will have good vibes and feelings with this lesson to be encouraged to do more.

Pronunciation - Have them follow the pronunciation as it says in the song (ex. gonna be alright)

What else can you find?

 I.  Match the two parts of the following sentences from the song.
 

1. Don’t worry                                                                 a. gonna be all right.
2. ‘Cause every little thing’s                                          b. this morning
3. Singing ‘Don’t worry                                                  c. ‘This is my message to you.’
4. Rise up                                                                       d. about a thing
5. Smiled with                                                                e. sit by my doorstep
6. Three little birds                                                         f. about a thing
7. Singing sweet songs                                                 g. the rising sun
8. Singing                                                                       h. of melodies pure and true

 
II. Write as many lines of the song that you can remember. (Only look at this page.) / Write more as we listen again.
 

1. _____________________________                      5. _________________________
2. _____________________________                      6. _________________________
3. _____________________________                      7. _________________________
4. _____________________________                      8. _________________________

 
Note:   ‘cause = because
            gonna = going to + verb
 
 
 III. Answer the following questions.
 

1. What was the weather like when the singer woke up?


2. Was the singer happy when he woke up? How do you know?


3. What did he hear?


4. Where were the birds?


5. What message did the birds’ song have?


6. Is this song an optimistic or pessimistic song? Why?​