practising ielts speaking part 2

Practising IELTS Speaking Part 2

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Practising IELTS Speaking Part 2 www.teachers.cambridgeesol.org of 11

Contents

A. TEACHERS’ NOTES ...........................................................................................................2

A1. ...............................................................................................................2 Lesson Plan

A2. ................................................................................................5 Classroom Handout 1

A3. .........................................................................6 Classroom Handout 1 – Answer Key


A5. ........................................................8 Classroom Handout 2 – suggested answer key


A7. ..............................................................................................10 Classroom Handout 4

B. GUIDANCE FOR FOLLOW UP ACTIVITIES.....................................................................11




A. TEACHERS’ NOTES

Description

Time required: 55–60 minutes

Materials required:

Classroom Handout 1 (see below)

Classroom Handout 1 – Answer key (optional)

Classroom Handout 2

Classroom Handout 3

Classroom Handout 4

Aims: To prepare students for IELTS Speaking test Part 2 by

giving them a better understanding of how to improve their performance

practising using expressions to structure their long turn

practising IELTS Speaking Part 2 style questions.

A1. Lesson Plan

1. Before the lesson, copy A2 Classroom Handout 1 so there is one copy for each pair/group of 3. Cut the sentences and headings into strips.

2. Copy the table below onto the board and elicit an example for each column (see A2 Classroom Handout 1 for the types of expressions you are looking for).

Introducing what you would like to say

Explaining what you want to say

Concluding what you want to say

Timing: 5 minutes

3. Give out A2 Classroom Handout 1 (cut up) to groups/pairs.

Elicit/Explain that the column headings are shaded grey. Students put the expressions into the appropriate columns.

Monitor and make a note of any areas of difficulty to focus on at the end of the activity.

Check answers together (see A3 Classroom Handout 1 – Answer key). This can be given out as a record of the expressions.

Timing: 10 minutes




4. Elicit when you might need to organise speech in this way (e.g. when giving a presentation or talk, in the IELTS Speaking test Part 2).

If necessary, review with students what they have to do in Part 2 of the Speaking test (Answers: individual long turn; a task card about a particular topic, including points to cover in their talk; 1 minute to prepare the talk; can make notes; talk for 2 minutes; need to think of things to say and structure talk; after 2 minutes, examiner asks one or two questions on the same topic.)

Timing: 5 minutes

5. Write the following on the board:

Describe a famous place you like.

Explain that this is a topic they could be given in Part 2 of the Speaking test. Elicit some ideas for what they could include in their answer, in order to speak for 2 minutes about this topic (Answers could include: what the place is/why it’s famous; what it’s like; why they like it; when they’ve visited it; what happened when they went there; what memories/feelings they associate with the place; their favourite part of this place; what they don’t like so much about this place or how it could be better).

Timing: 5 minutes

6. Give out A4 Classroom Handout 2.

Explain that this is an example answer of an IELTS candidate. Allow a couple of minutes for students to read through the answer. Discuss briefly whether they think it’s a good answer or not (Answer: yes, it is: the candidate gives information about the place, then goes on to explain why she/he likes it.)

Students work in pairs to suggest expressions from Classroom Handout 1 to complete the gaps. Monitor.

When the pairs have finished, check the answers as a class (A5 Classroom Handout 2 – suggested answer key).

Timing: 10 minutes


Allow students a minute or two to read through the two questions and decide which question they would prefer to answer. Explain that they have one minute to prepare an answer. They should make notes on a piece of paper about what they want to say, how they will organise their answer. They should also think about which expressions from Classroom Handout 1 they are going to use in their answer.

After one minute, put students into pairs. Students take turns to give their individual long turn. They should speak for between 1 and 2 minutes. They should also be asked the two follow-up questions by their partner if they have not already been covered in their turn.




While they are speaking, their partner should tick off the expressions they use from Classroom Handout 1.

If there is time, the students can also attempt to answer the other question in the same way.

Monitor, making a note of any good points or issues to discuss later in the lesson or in subsequent lessons.

Timing: 10–15 minutes


Students complete the short gap fill exercise in pairs within a one minute time limit. When they have finished, students can check their answers against the expressions from Classroom Handout 1.

Timing: 5 minutes




A2. Classroom Handout 1




I think what I am trying to say is… For me this means that…

So basically I believe that… This topic makes me think about…

I’d like to talk about… The best example I can think of is…

The final point I would like to make is….

Basically I feel that…/my view is ….

I think we can see this clearly in situations like…

I’d like to begin by talking about…

Well, the first thing which sprung to mind when I saw this question was…




A3. Classroom Handout 1 – Answer Key




I’d like to talk about… I think what I am trying to say is…


This topic makes me think about…

For me this means that… Basically I feel that…/My view is…


So basically I believe that…

Well, the first thing which sprung to mind when I saw this question was …

The best example I can think of is…


A3. Classroom Handout 1 – Answer Key




I’d like to talk about… I think what I am trying to say is…


This topic makes me think about…

For me this means that… Basically I feel that…/My view is…


So basically I believe that…

Well, the first thing which sprung to mind when I saw this question was …

The best example I can think of is…






The Part 2 question given to the student was

“Describe a famous place which you like.”

Complete the gaps with an appropriate expression.

“I’d ______________________ a famous historical building which Iove. Actually, the

________________________ is Buckingham Palace. It’s such a famous landmark, but that’s

not my only reason for liking it. _______________________, I liked it for itself. Well, I saw it

in one sunny morning when I was on holiday with my family last year. Naturally, all tourists

like to go and see famous places, to see in front of their eyes those places which until then

they have only seen in books and on TV, but I must admit that I was surprised by the effect

that actually being there had on me. There was something about all that history, the

monarchy, the fact that The Queen really lives there – it felt like I was dreaming and it was

such a strange experience!... And my family and I were fortunate enough to see the

Changing of the Guard! I remember standing there for a long time just staring at all those

men in uniforms- how smart and perfect they all were… Er…

_______________________________ that it is very important to preserve historical

buildings as they show a country’s history to the world and not only that but they encourage

tourists from all over the world to come to visit that place. __________________________

that it helps people to be proud of their nation and their past and can also be of huge benefit

from an economic point of view as tourists come to stay in a city’s hotels, eat in its

restaurants and spend money in its shops… ________________________ is that is really

is worth famous places, and particularly historical ones because…”




A5. Classroom Handout 2 – suggested answer key

I’d like to talk about a famous historical building which Iove. Actually, the best example I can think of is Buckingham Palace. It’s such a famous landmark, but that’s not my only reason for liking it. I think what I am trying to say is, I liked it for itself. Well, I saw it in one sunny morning when I was on holiday with my family last year. Naturally, all tourists like to go and see famous places, to see in front of their eyes those places which until then they have only seen in books and on TV, but I must admit that I was surprised by the effect that actually being there had on me. There was something about all that history, the monarchy, the fact that The Queen really lives there – it felt like I was dreaming and it was such a strange experience!... And my family and I were fortunate enough to see the Changing of the Guard! I remember standing there for a long time just staring at all those men in uniforms – how smart and perfect they all were… Er… I believe that it is very important to preserve historical buildings as they show a country’s history to the world and not only that but they encourage tourists from all over the world to come to visit that place. For me this means that it helps people to be proud of their nation and their past and can also be of huge benefit from an economic point of view as tourists come to stay in a city’s hotels, eat in its restaurants and spend money in its shops…My final point is that is really is worth famous places, and particularly historical ones because…….





Question 1

Describe a time when you visited a friend or relative’s house

You should talk about:

When you went there

Who was there

What you did while you were there

and say how you felt during your time at that person’s house.

Follow-up questions:

Do you often visit this person’s house? Why?/Why not�

Ðo you like visitin� other people’s houses? Why/Why not?

Question 2

Describe a popular place in your town/city

You should say:

Where it is

What it looks like

What the place is used for

And you should say why you think people like to go there.

Follow-up questions:

Do you often visit this place? Why?/Why not?

Have you told other people about this popular place? Why?/why not?





Complete the gaps with words from today’s lesson

1. I’d like to t………… a………..

2. I think what I am t………….… to say is…

3. So b………….…. I believe

4. The best e……..………… I can think of is

5. I think we can clearly see this in s……..………. like

6. The f………..…. p………..… I would like to make is

7. This t…………….. makes me t……………… about




B. GUIDANCE FOR FOLLOW UP ACTIVITIES

1. This lesson encourages students to think about how they can structure their long turn, using expressions. The lesson could be adapted to work on other expressions such as sequencing words/phrases, or linkers (such as those used in the example answer: Actually, Well, Naturally, etc.).

2. The sample answer used in A4 Classroom Handout 2 comes from IELTS practice material. Further examples can be found on the Teacher Support site, including a recording and transcript.

https://www.teachers.cambridgeesol.org/ts/exams/academicenglish/ielts

There is also material available on the internet: search for ‘IELTS Speaking test’.

3. The transcript of the candidate’s answer is used here to practise structuring an answer. Other ways you could use transcripts are:

matching sections of the answer to suggestions generated by the students (as in Step 5 of A1 Lesson Plan)

giving students the main ideas to order, then comparing their ideas with the original

finding synonyms, e.g. for words which are repeated or common words such as good, nice, etc.

4. In A6 Classroom Handout 3, students practised answering sample questions. In order to generate these questions, you could:

brainstorm ideas with students

search for ideas on the internet (type ‘IELTS Speaking test’ into a search engine)

look in published IELTS preparation materials.

https://www.teachers.cambridgeesol.org/ts/exams/academicenglish/ielts

practising ielts speaking part 2

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