IELTS Lesson Plan

Download as pdf or txt
Download as pdf or txt
You are on page 1of 10

IELTS Academic

Lesson Plan: Listening

This lesson plan accompanies Cambridge IELTS 10 Academic Listening Test 4, Section 1, Questions 1-
10.

This lesson is suitable for students of lower-intermediate level.

Lesson Goals
1. To introduce and develop strategies for note completion type tasks in IELTS Listening
2. To improve predicting skills using contextual and co-textual clues

Activity (see brackets for resources required) Time Interaction


needed
Warmer (copy of Resources 1-2 for teacher) 10 mins

• Tell the students you are going to read out two short texts and 1 min T-S
then ask them some comprehension questions about them.
• Without any preamble, read out the first short text (Resource 1) 2 mins T-S
and then ask the questions that follow. Allow students to then S-T
suggest answers.
• Read out the context for the second text (Resource 2) followed 3 mins T-S
by the second short text itself and finally the questions that
follow as before.
• Conduct whole class feedback (Resource 1-2 Answers). Ask 4 mins S-T
students which of the two texts was easier to understand and
respond to. Ask why this might be the case (Answer: the second
text has context which can be used to predict some of the
content even if students are not familiar with the actual
vocabulary used (e.g. ‘at the bell’). NB: You may need to teach
the word ‘predict’.
A variation on the above is to use two pre-recorded
conversations that might be of interest to your students. Only
give the students context for the second one. In both cases ask
the students basic comprehension questions after an initial
listening and then discuss which of the two conversations was
easier to understand.

Main activities (Individual copies of Questions 1-10 and Transcript 35 mins


p145-146)
Predicting content before listening
• Tell students that one of the IELTS listening tasks is to complete 1 min T-S
notes based on a conversation between two speakers. As they
only have the opportunity to listen to this conversation once, it is

Cambridge IELTS 10 Listening Test 4 Lesson Plan


© Cambridge University Press and UCLES 2017
very important that they predict what might be said.
• Write/show the following prompts and ask students to predict 3 mins T-S
what words might follow: then S-T
in the….. at…….. a tall……… she speaks………….
Ask students what helps them decide.
• Show/give out the first part of the note completion task (p80). 5 mins T-S
Draw attention to the instructions. Ask or write on the board the then S-S
following questions: then S-T
Who are the two speakers?
Why are they speaking?
Allow students to discuss their answers to the questions above in
pairs before whole class feedback. Don’t give students any
answers at this point, just allow them to predict.
• Look at the first gap together as an example. Ask students to 2 mins T-S
predict what they think will go in the space (Answer: a family
name i.e. a surname. NB: convention is that family names follow
given names in English). Ask students what might be a problem
with some family names/surnames in English (Answer: it is not
always easy to know the spelling e.g. Beckham). Ask students
what this might mean for the answer to Question 1 (Answer: the
name might be spelt out in letters).
• Now put students in small groups and allow them time to look at 3 mins Ss-Ss
the rest of the form. Ask them to predict what type of word
might be possible in each gap (e.g. a location). Encourage them
to try to be as specific as they can.
• Conduct whole class feedback. Ask students what helped them 3 mins S-T
predict the content in each of the gaps (2-6). Draw attention to then T-S
both the context (a conversation between a customer and a
business/builder) and the co-text (the words before and after
the gap). Both are essential to predicting the missing information
as accurately as possible.
• Now write/show the answers in the following jumbled up order. 2 mins T-S
Ask students to match one of the words to a space based on then S
their previous answers where they predicted the type of word to
go in each gap:
morning/ east/ prices/ postbox/ Pargetter/ library
• Now play the first part of the conversation once and ask 3 mins S
students to complete the gaps (1-6) with the correct word.
• Conduct whole class feedback. Show/give out the transcript for 3 mins S-T
the first part of the listening (p145-146) and allow students to
listen again.
• Give out the second section of the note-taking task. Ask students 4 mins T-S
what the context is in this part (Answer: instructions for building then S
work). Allow time for students to predict what type of word they
think might go in each space. This time do not provide the list of
words.

Cambridge IELTS 10 Listening Test 4 Lesson Plan


© Cambridge University Press and UCLES 2017
• Now listen to the second part of the conversation once and 2 mins S
allow students to complete the gaps (7-10).
• Conduct whole class feedback. Show/give out the transcript for 4 mins S-T
the second part of the listening (p146) and allow students to
listen again. Allow time for students to discuss any answers they
got wrong.

Extension activity 15 mins

• A creative extension for this activity is to put students in pairs 15 mins S-S
and get them to write out a very short dialogue between two then S-T
speakers similar to the one they have listened to, but with a
different context. Ask for volunteer pairs to act out their
dialogue in front of the class. The rest of the class has to guess
the context of the conversation (e.g. who is speaking, where
they are, what they are speaking about).

Cambridge IELTS 10 Listening Test 4 Lesson Plan


© Cambridge University Press and UCLES 2017
Resource 1
First Text for Reading

We picked Molly up at this woman’s house, but she didn’t look very happy. She cried all the way
home in the car and when we arrived back home she refused to move. We were quite worried about
her and phoned the woman to explain the situation, but she didn’t seem to care. She told us Molly
had always been like this.

Comprehension Questions

Who is Molly?

What was the problem with her?

Who was the woman?

Resource 1 Answers
Who is Molly? Actually a dog

What was the problem with her? She was nervous about moving to a new home

Who was the woman? The breeder/original owner of the dog

Cambridge IELTS 10 Listening Test 4 Lesson Plan


© Cambridge University Press and UCLES 2017
Resource 2
Context for Second Reading

The speaker is remembering their first day at a new school

Second Text for Reading

When I arrived I was very nervous. There was a lot of noise and more people than I had ever seen
before. Mrs Collins was very kind and asked me if I was ok. She introduced me to two girls, Katie and
Lola and before long I felt much better. I was having so much fun that at the bell I didn’t want to go
home.

Comprehension Questions

How did the speaker feel in the beginning?

What was the name of her teacher?

How did the speaker feel at the end of the day?

Resource 2 Answers
How did the speaker feel in the beginning? Nervous

What was the name of her teacher? Mrs Collins (the school context suggests Katie or Lola are other
children)

How did the speaker feel at the end of the day? Happy

Cambridge IELTS 10 Listening Test 4 Lesson Plan


© Cambridge University Press and UCLES 2017
Test 4
LIST E NI NG

S E C TION 1   Questions 1–10


Questions 1–6

Complete the notes below.

Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.

THORNDYKE’S BUILDERS
Example

Customer heard about Thorndyke’s from a friend

Name: Edith 1 

Address: Flat 4,

2  Park Flats

(Behind the 3   )

Phone number: 875934

Best time to contact customer: during the 4 

Where to park: opposite entrance next to the 5 

Needs full quote showing all the jobs and the 6 

80

© Cambridge University Press and UCLES 2015


Listening

Questions 7–10

Complete the table below.

Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.

Area Work to be done Notes

Kitchen Replace the 7  Fix tomorrow


in the door

Paint wall above Strip paint and plaster


the 8  approximately one
9  in advance

Garden One 10  needs


replacing (end of garden)

81

© Cambridge University Press and UCLES 2015


Test 4

transformational leaders highlight change. Their speech is passionate and conveys a


definitive vision. All of these things can encourage followers to think about what could be. Q38
In other words, they inspire a promotion focus in their followers.
In contrast, transactional leaders focus on developing clear structures that tell their Q39
followers exactly what is expected of them. While they do explain the rewards people
will get for following orders, they emphasise more how a follower will be punished or
that a follower won’t get rewarded if his or her behaviour doesn’t change. In short, they
emphasise the consequences of making a mistake. This emphasis will clearly lead
followers to focus on avoiding punishment and problems. This is clearly a prevention focus.
In conclusion, it is important to understand that one focus is not necessarily better than
the other one. For a designer who works in a field where a lot of innovation is needed, a Q40
promotion focus is probably better. In contrast, a prevention focus which causes people
to work more cautiously and produce higher quality work might be very appropriate for a
job like a surgeon, for example. The main point of the research, though, is that the actions
of leaders can greatly influence whether people approach a situation with more of a
promotion focus or more of a prevention focus.

TE S T 4

S E C TION 1
MR THORNDYKE: Thorndyke’s.
EDITH: Good morning. Is that Mr Thorndyke?
MR THORNDYKE: Speaking. How can I help?
EDITH: I’ve got quite a few things which need painting and fixing in the flat and I
wonder whether you’d be able to do the work.
MR THORNDYKE: I’m sure I’d be able to help but let me take down a few details.
EDITH: Yes, of course.
MR THORNDYKE: Well, firstly, how did you hear about us?
EDITH: It was my friend May Hampton … you did some excellent work for her a Example
couple of years ago. Do you remember?
MR THORNDYKE: Oh, yes, that was in West Park Flats, lovely lady.
EDITH: Yes, she is.
MR THORNDYKE: And what’s your name, please?
EDITH: It’s Edith Pargetter. Q1
MR THORNDYKE: Edith … can you spell your surname, please?
EDITH: It’s P-A-R-G-E-double T-E-R.
MR THORNDYKE: Double T, right. And do you live in West Park Flats as well?
EDITH: No, actually it’s East Park, Flat 4. Q2
MR THORNDYKE: Oh, right, that’s over the road, I seem to remember – quite difficult to get
to.
EDITH: Yes, it’s at the back of the library. Q3
MR THORNDYKE: Right, I know. And what’s your phone number?
EDITH: 875934 but I’m out a great deal in the afternoons and evenings.
MR THORNDYKE: So would the best time to ring you be in the morning? Q4
EDITH: Yes.

145

© Cambridge University Press and UCLES 2015


Audioscripts

MR THORNDYKE: Fine. I’ve made a note of that. Can I just ask, I’ll be in a van and I know
parking’s rather difficult round your flats. Where would you recommend?
EDITH: Well, I always tell people in larger vehicles to park by the postbox on the Q5
other side of the road from the entrance.
MR THORNDYKE: Good, thanks.
EDITH: And will you be able to give me a full itemised quote?
MR THORNDYKE: Oh, yes, I’ll list all the jobs separately with individual prices. Q6
EDITH: That’d be a great help.
MR THORNDYKE: No problem.

MR THORNDYKE: Now, what would you like me to do?


EDITH: Firstly and most urgently is in the kitchen. With all the weather damage,
the glass in the door has cracked and I’d need that fixing …
MR THORNDYKE: I presume you mean replacing? Q7
EDITH: Oh, yes. And as soon as possible …
MR THORNDYKE: What I’ll do is come round tomorrow morning and do that immediately.
EDITH: Thank you so much. The other things aren’t so urgent but …
MR THORNDYKE: Now, I’ll make a note of everything you want doing.
EDITH: Well, in the kitchen I’d like some painting doing.
MR THORNDYKE: All the kitchen walls?
EDITH: Just the area over the cooker. It’s very greasy … Q8
MR THORNDYKE: Right … it does tend to get that way!
EDITH: Yes!
MR THORNDYKE: Well, if you want a proper job done what I’d need to do is strip the old Q9
paint and plaster it about a week before I paint it.
EDITH: Of course. Now, May tells me you also do work in the garden.
MR THORNDYKE: That’s right.
EDITH: Well, I’d like you to replace a fence. Q10
MR THORNDYKE: Just one?
EDITH: Yes, at the far end.
MR THORNDYKE: Fine. Shouldn’t be a problem.
EDITH: And that’s the lot.
MR THORNDYKE: Fine. Yeah, as I say I can come round tomorrow morning to look over
things with you.
EDITH: That’s great, thank you.
MR THORNDYKE: So, I’ll look forward to seeing you tomorrow at …

S E C TION 2
Welcome to Manham Port, where a thousand years of history are brought to life. All the
family can enjoy a day out at Manham: visit our copper mine, see models of the machinery
it used, have your photo taken in nineteenth-century costume, experience at first hand how
people lived at different stages throughout history, and especially how children studied,
worked and played.
The port of Manham is located in beautiful and peaceful countryside, on a bend in the
great River Avon, and developed here because it’s the highest navigable point of the Q11
Avon – boats can go no higher up this river – and proved a handy place to load and
unload cargo to and from the sea, which is over 23 miles away. A small port was already

146

© Cambridge University Press and UCLES 2015


Listening and Reading Answer Keys

TE S T 4

LISTENING
Section 1, Questions 1–10 Section 3, Questions 21–30
1 Pargetter 21&22 IN EITHER ORDER
2 East A
3 library E
4 morning/mornings 23&24 IN EITHER ORDER
5 postbox B
6 prices C
7 glass 25 D
8 cooker 26 F
9 week 27 G
10 fence 28 B
29 E
Section 2, Questions 11–20 30 C

11 B
Section 4, Questions 31–40
12 B
13 A 31 C
14 A 32 B
15 C 33 C
16 trains 34 metal/metals
17 dark 35 space
18 games 36 memory
19 guided tour 37 solar
20 ladder/ladders 38 oil
39 waste
40 tests

If you score…
0–11 12–27 28–40
you are unlikely to get an you may get an acceptable you are likely to get an
acceptable score under score under examination acceptable score under
examination conditions and conditions but we recommend examination conditions but
we recommend that you spend that you think about having remember that different
a lot of time improving your more practice or lessons institutions will find different
English before you take IELTS. before you take IELTS. scores acceptable.

157

© Cambridge University Press and UCLES 2015

You might also like