Conversation Class File

STUDENT A AG E
PART 1 PART 2
1. Describe your photo to your partner for 1 minute Discuss these questions with your partner. Ask for
2. Listen to your partner’s description more detail if necessary. AGREE or DISAGREE!
3. Think of 3 differences between the photos 1. What do you think is the best age to be? Why?
2. How were your grandparents’ childhoods different
from yours?
3. What is the most challenging age of a child for
parents? Why?
4. Who is the oldest person you know? What do you
know about his/her life?

5. What activities do teenagers typically do?

6. What are the common stereotypes about old
people?
4. Now look at your photos. Identify 2 or 3
differences each. Use CONNECTORS: 7. What age do you think people should be legally
Firstly However Moreover allowed to vote? Why?
Secondly On the other hand Furthermore 8. Many countries have the problem of an “ageing
Finally Whereas In addition population”. What effect will this have on society?

STUDENT B AG E
PART 1 PART 2
1. Listen to your partner’s description Discuss these questions with your partner. Ask for
2. Describe your photo to your partner for 1 minute more detail if necessary. AGREE or DISAGREE!
3. Think of 3 differences between the photos
1. How will the lives of your grandchildren be
different from yours?
2. Why is puberty considered a difficult age?
3. Are you afraid of getting old?
4. What is your earliest memory? Why do you
remember that moment?
5. What activities do retired people typically do?
6. What are the common stereotypes about
teenagers?

4. Now look at your photos. Identify 2 or 3 7. What age do you think people should be legally
allowed to drink alcohol? Why?
differences each. Use CONNECTORS:
Firstly However Moreover 8. Some scientists believe one day humans will
Secondly On the other hand Furthermore live forever. How do you feel about this?
Finally Whereas In addition

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Teacher’s Instructions
PART 1: Photo Description

STEP DESCRIPTION TIME

Working with a partner with the same photo (student As with As, Bs with Bs),
students attempt to identify the vocabulary in their photo.
1
Teacher boards new vocabulary. 2-5 minutes
(optional)
(alternatively, for low-level students, the teacher can provide students with a
vocabulary list and the students label the photo).
2 Change pairs to AB
Student A describes photo.
3 Encourage Student B to listen carefully. 1 minute
Teacher monitors the pairs and records errors for post-activity error correction
Student B describes photo.
4 Encourage Student A to listen carefully. 1 minute
Teacher monitors the pairs and records errors for post-activity error correction
Still without looking at each other’s photos, students attempt to identify 3
5 differences between their photos. 3 minutes
Teacher monitors the pairs and records errors for post activity error correction
Students may now look at each other’s photos and describe 2-3 differences each.
6 Encourage use of CONNECTORS 5 minutes
Teacher monitors the pairs and records errors for post activity error correction
CLASS FEEDBACK.
7
Ask each student in turn to report a difference to the class 5 minutes
(optional)
(dependent on class size)

An example of STEP 6:
“Firstly, in your photo the people are outside whereas in my photo the people are inside.
Secondly, in your photo the weather is sunny, however, in my photo the weather is cloudy
Finally, in my photo the people seem happy. On the other hand, the people in yours seem sad”

“In your photo there are two children whereas in my photo there are five.
Moreover, in your photo there are trees, however, in my photography there are no trees
Furthermore, my photo looks professional. On the other hand, your photo looks amateur”

Gamification Alternative: Before activity, the teacher writes 4 differences between the photos.
Replace STEP 6 with: Students look at the photos and write 6 differences
together.
• 1 point for every difference which matches the teacher’s!

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Teacher’s Instructions
PART 2: Discussion Questions

STEP DESCRIPTION TIME

1 Change pairs (but maintain AB)
Students ask each other the discussion questions. Encourage students to:
• Extend their answers 10-20 minutes
(hugely dependent
2 • Elicit more information on the age/level/
personality of the
• Agree / disagree with their partners class!)
• Justify their arguments
3 Change pairs (but maintain AB)
1 minute
(optional)
Students try and report to their new partner everything they can remember
4
which their old partner has just told them. 5-10 minutes
(optional)
Encourage students to use the questions to guide their memory.

Optional Homework Task: • Teacher sets one discussion question as a writing activity (e.g. discursive
essay question)
• Students must write a short answer for every discussion question.

Gamification Alternative: Replace STEP 4 with:

Students have 5 minutes to write complete sentences about what their
partner has told them.
• 1 point for correct fact!
• 1 point for correct grammar!

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 Conversation Class File

Other Topics
1 Advertising 26 Humour 51 Accomplishments 76 Gender
2 Animals 27 Internet 52 Advice 77 Government
3 Art 28 Inventions 53 Africa 78 Habits
4 Buildings 29 Languages 54 Age 79 Happiness
5 Business 30 Love 55 Artificial Intelligence 80 Heroes
6 Celebrations 31 Media 56 Asia 81 Intelligence
7 Childhood 32 Money 57 Australasia 82 Law
8 Cities 33 Music 58 Books 83 Medicine
9 Colour 34 Nations 59 Charity 84 Memory
10 Countryside 35 Neighbours 60 Choices 85 The Mind
11 Crime 36 Nature 61 Communication 86 Nationality
12 Education 37 Numbers 62 Controversies 87 Natural Disasters
13 Entertainment 38 Personality 63 Death 88 North America
14 Environment 39 Politics 64 Debates 89 People
15 Fame 40 Religion 65 Drugs 90 Pets
16 Family 41 Routines 66 Economics 91 Philosophy
17 Fashion 42 Science 67 English 92 Racism
18 Feelings 43 Shopping 68 Ethics 93 Restaurants
19 Food 44 Sport 69 Europe 94 Skills
20 Future 45 Technology 70 The E.U. 95 Social media
21 Geography 46 Television 71 Experiences 96 Society
22 Health 47 Transport 72 Extreme sports 97 South America
23 History 48 Travel 73 Films 98 Stereotypes
24 Hobbies 49 Weather 74 Friends 99 Supernatural
25 Homes 50 Work 75 Games 100 War

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