A Happy Childhood

Freshman Oral English

Unit 1: Introductions
Class CEFR Level: A2-B1
Week 5, Lesson 2
Fall Semester 2015
Instructor: Sulamith M. Hfer

Icebreaker: Unique (10 min.)

Materials

Students try to think of a childhood experience they would think is unique.

Then they talk to as many classmates as possible to see, if their experience
truly is one of a kind.

Review & Check-Up (5 min.)

PPT
Function handout (Attachment
A)

Preparations
Before Class write on the board:

Homework: My best childhood friend

Review:
o Idiom: childs play
o Pronunciation: /i/
o Function/Grammar: Grammar Simple Past Tense

ILOs
Homework

Goals
Assessment 1: Self-Introduction (10 min.)

To teach students to talk about their

childhood memories and use
present tense.

Pronunciation: // sit (20 min.)

Intended Learning
Outcomes

Introduce the sound and explain how to produce it.

Introduce some words containing the target sound, then say each word and
have students repeat after you. Explain the meaning of a word where
necessary

TSWBAT

Activity 1: Dialog
Connections (C.) p. 20: Read the dialog aloud and have all students repeat
after you. Ask them what this dialog is about.
Then have them read it again, taking turns with their partner.

Activity 2: When I Was Little

Students should take a moment to write down three sentences about some
thing you remember from when they were little.
Then they should turn to their partners and share three things about when
they were little.
Then based on the homework, have them talk about who their best
childhood friend was.

explain how the sound /i/ is

produced.
pronounce words containing
the target sound.
correctly use the past tense
when talking about their own
childhood memories.

Vocabulary

Pronunciation Alternative: Tell a Story About Your Childhood

sensitive: [1] easy to understand

other peoples feelings or
problems; [2] easy to get upset
scary: frightening, making you
afraid
unique: the only one of its kind

Story: The Snake and the Dream

A Happy Childhood

When I was a little girl, I used to live with my parents, my older sister and my
younger foster sister in Africa. (A foster child is a child that wasnt born in the
family, but that lives in the family, because his/her own family has too many
problems.) I had a great childhood in Africa. We had a large garden, with a river
in the back and a number of pets. (Can you guess which pets? Dogs, cats,
chickens, a turtle, a squirrel, and monkeys). (Have you ever had a pet? Tell your
partner about it.) One day, we were playing together with some of the neighbors
kids in front of their house. When suddenly we discovered a snake in one of the
trees. It was a big snake. And snakes in Africa can be quite dangerous. We quickly
called our parents and told them about the snake. And together, we tried to fight
the snake. The snake was very angry and hissed at us (do you remember the
meaning of hiss?). What do you think happened then? (Talk to your partner
about it, then share with the class.)
I woke up in my bed in Germany and discovered: It was just a dream. And even
though the dream was quite scary, I was sad, because I missed my home and
friends in Africa.
After telling the story, ask the students what it was about. Have them retell the
story. Then go to activity 2.

Sometimes people want to ask sensitive questions, and theres a way to do

that:
Would you mind if I asked you a personal question? No, go ahead.
Would it be ok if I asked you ____? Well, you can ask, but Im not sure I
will answer.
Would you mind if I ask you ____? No, I dont mind. I ____.
Demonstrate a small talk like this together with a student.
Encourage students to say more than just a short 2-word answer. The goal is
to have a conversation, and for that you need to look for ways of keeping the
conversation going.

Responding to Sensitive Questions

1. No, go ahead.
2. Sure.
3. I would prefer not to talk about
this.
4. No, I dont mind. I
5. No, thats fine. I
6. I see what you mean. I

Pair Activity: Asking Sensitive Questions (10 min.)

Sample words: hill, mitt, ship, hit,

mill, it, grin, rich, sit, pill

Asking Sensitive Questions

A. Would you mind if I asked you
a personal question?
B. If you dont mind me asking
C. Would it be ok if I asked you

D. How much did you pay for it

if you dont mind me asking?
E. Feel free not to answer this
question, but
F. I hope you dont take this
personally, but
G. Would it be ok if I ask
H. I know we are not supposed to
talk about this, but

Mini Lesson: Function Asking Sensitive Questions (10

min.)

//
Its a shorter, more relaxed
sound than /i/.
Jaw: Open your mouth just a
little more for // than for /i/.
Lips: Dont spread your lips
into a smile.
Tongue: Pull your tongue
down a little.

Function

Break

Pronunciation

Ask your students what kinds of topics would be sensitive to talk about.
Collect a couple of appropriate topics on the board.
o Age, salary/pocket allowance, political view, marital state,
boyfriend/girlfriend, sad experiences, etc.
Students mingle and have to ask each other sensitive questions. Remind
them that they can always refuse to answer a question if its too personal.

7.

Group Activity: Write a Dialog (20 min.)

8.

Put students into groups of 3-4.

Have each group assign the roles of taskmaster, timekeeper, writer,
presenters (2).
In their groups, students work together to write a dialogue in which two
people are talking about a childhood memory that addresses one sensitive
question. You may list a number of topics, from which students can choose,
e.g.
1. Saddest childhood memory

Review:

A Happy Childhood

Well, you can ask, but Im not

sure I will answer.
Youre right. So lets not talk
about it.

//
Asking and responding to
sensitive questions

2. Scariest childhood memory

3. Worst punishment as a child
4. Illness during childhood
5. Worst school memory
Students must use the function.
Presenters will present the dialogue.

Preview

Unit 2B continued

Homework
Pick one of the sensitive topics
listed earlier in class and ask one of
your classmates a sensitive question
using the function. He/she may
refuse to answer, but you must take
notes about which question you
asked and how he/she responded.

A Happy Childhood

Asking Sensitive Questions

A. Would you mind if I asked you a personal question?
B. If you dont mind me asking
C. Would it be ok if I asked you
D. How much did you pay for it if you dont mind me
asking?
E. Feel free not to answer this question, but
F. I hope you dont take this personally, but
G. Would it be ok if I ask
H. I know we are not supposed to talk about this, but

Responding to Sensitive Questions

1. No, go ahead.
2. Sure.
3. I would prefer not to talk about this.
4. No, I dont mind. I
5. No, thats fine. I
6. I see what you mean. I

Asking Sensitive Questions

A. Would you mind if I asked you a personal question?
B. If you dont mind me asking
C. Would it be ok if I asked you
D. How much did you pay for it if you dont mind me
asking?
E. Feel free not to answer this question, but
F. I hope you dont take this personally, but
G. Would it be ok if I ask
H. I know we are not supposed to talk about this, but

Responding to Sensitive Questions

1. No, go ahead.
2. Sure.
3. I would prefer not to talk about this.
4. No, I dont mind. I
5. No, thats fine. I
6. I see what you mean. I

Asking Sensitive Questions

A. Would you mind if I asked you a personal question?
B. If you dont mind me asking
C. Would it be ok if I asked you
D. How much did you pay for it if you dont mind me
asking?
E. Feel free not to answer this question, but
F. I hope you dont take this personally, but
G. Would it be ok if I ask
H. I know we are not supposed to talk about this, but

Responding to Sensitive Questions

1. No, go ahead.
2. Sure.
3. I would prefer not to talk about this.
4. No, I dont mind. I
5. No, thats fine. I
6. I see what you mean. I

Asking Sensitive Questions

A. Would you mind if I asked you a personal question?
B. If you dont mind me asking
C. Would it be ok if I asked you
D. How much did you pay for it if you dont mind me
asking?
E. Feel free not to answer this question, but
F. I hope you dont take this personally, but
G. Would it be ok if I ask
H. I know we are not supposed to talk about this, but

Responding to Sensitive Questions

1. No, go ahead.
2. Sure.
3. I would prefer not to talk about this.
4. No, I dont mind. I
5. No, thats fine. I
6. I see what you mean. I

7.
8.

7.
8.

7.
8.

7.
8.

Well, you can ask, but Im not sure I will answer.

Youre right. So lets not talk about it.

Well, you can ask, but Im not sure I will answer.

Youre right. So lets not talk about it.

Well, you can ask, but Im not sure I will answer.

Youre right. So lets not talk about it.

Well, you can ask, but Im not sure I will answer.

Youre right. So lets not talk about it.

A Happy Childhood