TESOL Core Certificate Program, Part 2

Teaching Adult Learners

Speaking Activity Example: High Intermediate

Type of Class: ESL in United States Level: High Time period: 50

Topic: Food labels and food restrictions Intermediate Minutes
Lesson Objective: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to listen and interpret
a conversation about food restrictions and identify ingredients (including potential
allergens) on food labels. (Listening lesson objective)
Target Vocabulary: Ingredient, allergen, allergy, nutrition facts, wheat, soy, dairy, fish,
vegetarian.

Stage: Beyond Activity Resources

• Tell students a story about your gluten Text/Listening

What will you do to
allergy. Show a picture of gluten and show Passage:
prepare and motivate the
one food label that indicates the food has
class for the activity? Recorded
gluten. Show another food label that
indicates the food is gluten free. conversation
about food
• Show foods that display nutrition labels restrictions,
and allergen warnings
food labels
• Ask students if they have any food
allergies or diet restrictions.
Technology:
• Share how students avoid eating these Laptop computer
foods. with recorded
audio file,
• Students listen to a recorded conversation projection screen
about food restrictions and food labels.
Students take notes about the food
restrictions and food labels and share Visuals:
responses. sample nutrition
facts label

What instructions and - Tell students they are going to work in pairs Other:
examples will you give to to create a survey about food allergies and
your learners to explain dietary restrictions. various food items
what they are supposed (packages, cans,

1
 to do? State exactly what
you will say.
What will you do during
the activity (for example,
monitor them, listen in, sit at
the front, correct them)?
How will you wrap up the
activity?
- Brainstorm a list of possible questions bottles) with
with the whole class and make corrections nutrition facts and
as necessary. Questions might include allergen warnings
things like “Do you eat red meat?” or “Are
you allergic to peanuts?”
- Students break into pairs and create
survey questions about eating restrictions.
The instructor checks briefly on each
group to make sure their questions are
appropriate to the task and to offer ideas
if students are stuck.
- Then the pairs move together around the
classroom and conduct a survey of different
pairs, tallying their results as they do. The
instructor will observe the class and offer
support when needed. The instructor will
also note global speaking errors to address
with the whole class.
- When each pair has had a chance to
survey many of the other teams, the class
reconvenes. One person from each pair is
called on to report their findings to the
class. The instructor will keep track of the
information presented by writing it on the
board.
- Teacher points out some global speaking
errors heard during the speaking task and
class works together to make corrections.