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David Beckham Biography (EFL/ESL comprehension)
Hi
I created this for a pretty low level class of young learners. It’s a biography of David Beckham. I recently improved it and added some French words but you could remove this part or change the words to your students’ L1.
The questions are purposely designed to be quite simple and the ‘extra’ part is for stronger students.
Sumo Wrestling Comprehension
This is a video comprehension I created as the chapter in the textbook was on sports.
There are some general facts on sumo wrestlers (e.g. they cannot drive a car) then the video comprehension. Some words are translated but you could either define these words or translate into your students’ L1.
I run a blog so I created a blog version which is a bit different so I just kept it on the third page just in case.
Australia origins workbook
This is a workbook with lessons on the origins of Australia
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas - Question + Vocab booklet
I created this for a literature class on the Boy in the striped pyjamas. There are vocabulary exercises to pre-teach difficult vocabulary from the book and questions to check understanding. For a few parts I’ve included a text with some historical context.
If your students are native speakers I guess you could just delete the vocabulary parts. Mine are French.
United Nations and BTS Speech by RM
This is a collection of lessons from an idea to use an excellent speech by RM from BTS
An introduction to who BTS are (with information on their military service)
United Nations Guide
RM’s BTS Speech along with a transcript (the transcript was copied for answering the questions afterwards)
One Ok Rock - Stand out, fit in song - chosen because it’s linked to the topic that RM discusses
The last 2 pages has the questions which I would print separately so it’s easier to refer to the text to answer the questions.
For each link (e.g. Youtube) they are embedded into each image:
About the United Nations
António Guterres speaking in several languages
Love Myself promotional video
RM’s speech
One Ok Rock - Stand out, fit in
The face changing dancer
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Comprehension Text (B1-B2)
Here is a comprehension text on the life of Mozart.
It can be used for native speakers but has also been designed for learners of English (B1-B2). It will be fine for B1 given that the vocab activity will help them with some of the more advanced vocab.
Firstly there is a running dictation that can be done in lesson one then students can read the definitions and translate. In Lesson 2 they can read the text on Mozart’s life and answer the True or False exercise and then rewrite the false sentences.
The answers for the exercises are given at the end.
The OJ Simpson murder case: Dictogloss and Comprehension text
The OJ Simpson murder case: Dictogloss and Comprehension text
This is a text I created based on different sources and my own editing.
If you don’t know what a dictogloss is, full instructions are included in the document.
Momčilo Gavrić - The youngest soldier in WWI
Momčilo Gavrić - The youngest soldier in WWI from Serbia at the age of 8.
Please note - the preview shows the file in a weird format. The real file isn’t like this!
This is basically a biography of Momčilo Gavrić.
It’s been taken from different sources, edited and I’ve created some comprehension questions and added some pictures.
His story is very interesting!
(Edited on 20.10.2021)
Zlata's diary excerpts with exercises
I got the idea for this when I found some excerpts of the diary online which looked to be scanned from a class book, but I didn’t like the questions so I made my own.
I have started with a very simple background on what Yugoslavia was with questions, then excerpts from the book along with comprehension questions every so often to check understanding of the text and then a conclusion on her life with comprehension questions.
There are also some vocabulary activities to pre-teach difficult words, so if your students are native English speakers I guess you could simply edit and delete these sections.
Breakfast around the world (B2)
Here is a lesson based on food. This is taken from the New York Times; however, it's been heavily edited, with vocabulary exercises, lots of formatting due to the layout on their website, so it's actually been several hours of work.
Young Musicians comprehension texts + videos (Nandi Bushell, Mozart) (B1)
In my middle school class the chapter of the textbook was music so I thought I would do some activities related to songs / artists.
There are some short comprehensions on videos on young musicians: Christian Li (violinist from Australia), Anke Chen (pianist from China), Lydian Nadhaswaram (pianist from India).
In a separate resource I added a Mozart comprehension (obviously on the theme of young musicians!) so I will add it here too for ease. For this exercise the students have a ‘running dictation’ to do.
Then there is a comprehension text on the wonderful story of Nandi Bushell and her drum-off with Dave Grohl. Finally, as Nirvana are mentioned in the Nandi Bushell text I created a gap fill for a parody song (for some humour in class) for Weird Al Yankovic’s “Smells Like Nirvana”. My teenage students liked it! They also asked to hear the original so I have added this link. All of the links for the songs are supplied in a separate Microsoft Word document for you.
Great Barrier Reef Lesson (updated for 2023)
This is my lesson on the Great Barrier Reef
Here is a continuation of the lesson: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/sharks-whales-dolphins-humpback-whales-orcas-12683202
Why we dream / Billie Eilish - Everything I wanted (B1)
In textbook we use in school for my English learners the students are taught vocab such as someone, anyone, anything etc so I decided to use Billie Eilish’s song “Everything I wanted” as it uses these words. Then, as it is about dreams I have a comprehension text on dreams.
And I have added part of my grammar lesson on indefinite pronouns. This should be used with a textbook that includes this grammatical concept (to do exercises on it for example).
Adolf Hitler Biography Comprehension (B2/B2+)
Here you have the biography of Adolf Hitler.
UPDATE: I decided to make this longer and part of my WW1 lessons, just after the Great Depression, so it would be better to download that one. It’s longer but better I think.
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12611367
Helen Keller, Laura Bridgman, Braille and Charlotte Brown comprehension texts
Here are comprehension texts on
Charlotte Brown - a blind pole vaulter (there are two comprehension texts - one is a bit easier)
A basic guide to Braille
Biography of Laura Bridgman
Biography of Helen Keller
Each exercise has some questions. This can be used for native English speakers but has been primarily designed for English learners with a low B1 level in mind.
The texts have been taken from different websites, combined, merged, edited and rewritten in different parts.
The Weeknd (Featuring Ariana Grande) - Blinding Lights + Save your tears (grammar)
The Weeknd - Save your Tears (featuring Ariana Grande)
The Weeknd - Blinding Lights
With this activity it’s not just a simple gap fill. The intention is rather to get the students to focus on some of the grammar points that they’ve studied this school year (well at least my students have!)
I have attached the Youtube links in the Word document.
The first part is a gap fill then students need to analyse the text to find particular tenses or rhymes, then finally create their own verse of either song.
Of course you could modify any of the grammar based on what your students do or don’t know.
New Zealand Basic Guide (Haka, People, Culture, Tourism)
Hi
Here is a very simple guide on New Zealand. There is some information on
Its origins
Nature
The Maori people
Lord of the Rings - Hobbiton
Haka + Hongi
Usually for this kind of lesson I create a question worksheet but as I teach this at the end of the year I haven’t done this yet. But, I will probably create a worksheet later.
The videos are embedded into the lesson.
Uluru, Aborigines, Australia Day, Australia Cultural lessons (PPT, exercises)
Lesson 5 Uluru
Lesson 6 Aborigines
Lesson 7 Australia Day (updated for 2023)
Lesson 8 Australia Cultural class
This is the second part of my Australia scheme of work, but naturally you could use any of these lessons separately.
There are two booklets. In the easier one there are two different exercises (just made a bit easier for weaker students).
I have added the video clips to a Youtube list but some can’t be added
The Uluru video on the PowerPoint is from the BBC and for some reason videos designed for children on Youtube cannot be saved to a playlist. But they are embedded in the PowerPoint lessons.
Regarding the biographies: Hugh Jackman, Margot Robbie and Chris Hemsworth I get the students to, in groups of 3 or 4 take the text and try to summarise it then they read in front of the students who take notes (a kind of dictogloss) to see what they understand. After all this then students can read the biographies together in class.
The biographies for Jackman, Robbie and Hemsworth have been taken from different sources edited, rewritten and like all my other lessons I’ve added pics and formatted it myself.
Sharks, Whales, Dolphins (Humpback whales, Orcas)
Hi
This is basically a continuation of my Great Barrier Reef lesson: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12677847
I have created comprehension texts on:
Sharks
Dolphins and whales
Humpback whales
Orcas
Tilikum (the orca from the Netflix documentary Blackfish)
PETA
Greta Thunberg Biography Comprehension + Dictogloss
Hi
(Updated to reflect that Thunberg now has almost 15 million followers and I changed Prince Charles’ name to King Charles III)
I have made a biography of Greta Thunberg taken from different sources. It’s been edited and reworded, along with my own information added
It is designed primarly for non-native speakers but please don’t be put off it could be easily used for native speakers! You’ll just need to remove the vocab exercises. For this there are basically two versions (one is slightly easier).
To begin with there are sentences introducing the new vocabulary, then students need to match up the definition with the new words along with a translation in their L1, then you can start the dictogloss.
Then there is the comprehension that the dictogloss is based on along with comprehension questions. Finally there is a gap fill exercise from the “How Dare You?” speech (the video link is provided).