Many students have asked me to teach them English that is useful if they study/work/live in a foreign country, so this was a fun activity I came up with to help them navigate some everyday conversations. You can also take the opportunity to use some new vocabulary in an active manner.
Materials to print:
- Menu (1-2 sheets per group, reusable)
- Cheat slip for waiters (optional)
Other options:
- In smaller groups, feel free to bring props like disposable utensils and tablecloths to make the setting more realistic
- ALTs can wear a doctor's coat
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- Before going into each class, chat with your JTE to identify the class clowns (helps to segway into the next section)
- Introduce basic phrases that customers and wait staff use in a restaurant (5-10 minutes)
- Introduce / recap types of eggs and doneness of steak
- Optional: repeat after ALT to practice pronunciation
- Divide class into groups of 4-5. Groups can use janken to decide who becomes the waiter.
- Waiters meet the ALT at the front while customers practice the basic phrases (shown on screen)
- ALT gives each waiter 1-2 menu sheets
- Optional: waiters receive cheat slips with basic phrases like "May i take your order?" / "How would you like your eggs / steak done?"
- They can also use these slips to jot down the orders.
- Tell the waiters to stand around the classroom. With a flourish, announce that the classroom has been transformed into XXX Restaurant
- Groups have to raise their hand and call their waiter saying, "Can we have the menu?" to start.
- Waiters can pretend to "serve" dishes and place them in front of the correct person who ordered them
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- The JTE can give out wildcard situations randomly to waiters or customers. (food requests, vegetarian, out of stock ingredient, etc.)
- This can push students to give spontaneous responses and create original sentences.
- Give "cockroach" cards to the class clowns as the roleplay starts winding down. Let them act dramatically as we move on to....
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- Place a chair at the front of the class. The ALT will be the doctor and clown number 1 will sit on the chair. (Feel free to wear a doctor's coat / stethoscope)
- The ALT starts the conversation - "How are you feeling today? What happened?"
- Let the class brainstorm the English words for symptoms that could occur after "eating" a cockroach. JTE should assist you here.
- The student uses some words on the board to describe their "symptoms". Continue the conversation as per the slides.
- Thank clown number 1 and call clown number 2 for a different set of answers. Give them a little snack to thank them!
If you need to push for extra time, you can move on to
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- "Wait staff" from PART 1 will be the Japanese transfer student. "Customers" can give themselves a foreign name.
- Students do a simple self introduction in English.
- From here, discuss with your JTE to create any number of scenarios. For example
- Tell the transfer student how to go to the next class - recall how to give directions (go straight, turn left, go up/down to the Xth floor)
- Introduce / describe the teachers of various subjects in English
- Explain some school rules in English
You can really customize this to your students' needs, so please go wild and have fun with it!
Google slides:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Xgu57KNVIr37gjJy0YwQLEnhwuaeMfjr_twcowqw6Zw/edit?usp=sharing
Google docs (Printables and lesson plan)
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zjg6Gf51-xd36eLM35hVLkqsvb89HIBwYr3_jXOM6aE/edit?usp=sharing